Red Fruit Potential to Block Growth of Cancerous Cells

Women need not worry any longer with breast cancer and cervical cancer. Why? Red Fruit (Pandanus conoideus) can block the growth of cancerous cells. In the last three years, the potential of red fruit to heal cancer and tumour has been researched by Prof. Sukarti Moeljopawiro, Ph.D., lecturer in Faculty of Biology, Universitas Gadjah Mada.

 

The fruit of an endemic plant in Papua has been used as food, natural colouring, handicraft, part of traditional ceremony, sago and meat preserver and medicine by the people in the region. Sukarti's research showed that the chemical structures of bioactive compound is potential for breast and cervical cancerous cells. “The red fruit can kill 50% of breast and cervical cancer cells, and colorectal cancer cells,“ said Sukarti to the journalists alongside the National Biology Seminar that was held in honour of her at the end of her term as lecturer in Faculty of Biology, UGM, Thursday (10/12).

The lady born in Yogyakarta, 17 November 1945, said that the cytotoxicity of red fruit extract on cancerous cells of each variety is different. Local variety, Yanggiru, does not have toxic compound or anti-cancer acvitivity against breast and cervical cancerous cells. The most toxic extract is the chlorophora extract, local variety Maler and methanol extract of local variety Barugum. The content of toxic compound against breast and cervical cancerous cells is terpen. There are 25 compounds dominated by 9-octadecenoic acid of 9% and hexadecanoid acid of around 14.7%,” said the graduate of the Doctoral Programme of Missouri Coluumbia University in 1985.

Sukarti also explained that the capacity of the red fruit to block the growth of cancerous cells is because the extract does not have effects on cell cycles and induces apoptosis by acvitivating caspase-3 enzymes.

A rearcher and businessman, Drs. I. Made Budi, M.Si., said that red fruit lives in the  Sahul shelf in North Maluku, Papua, Papua New Guineia, and the Pacific. The best red fruit can be found on highlands on 2500 meter above sea surface. “This fruit is an anomaly when planted elsewhere,” said the Head of the Biology Department of Cenderawasih University in Papua.

 

Papuan people have made use of the fruit for a long time. In the last eight years, he has researched and introduced the fruit as medicine for many diseases. The product can heal uric acid and increase stamina. “Only 15% extract can be made of the fruit. We have obtained the fruit from the Wamena highlands.” he said.