Cirrhosis of Liver
The liver, the largest organ in the body, is essential in keeping the body functioning properly. It removes or neutralizes poisons from the blood, produces immune agents to control infection, and removes germs and bacteria from the blood. It makes proteins that regulate blood clotting and produces bile to help absorb fats and fat-soluble vitamins. You cannot live without a functioning liver.
In cirrhosis of the liver, scar tissue replaces normal, healthy tissue, blocking the flow of blood through the organ and preventing it from working as it should. The cirrhosis of liver is the end stages of liver disease where chronic inflammation of liver cells caused an extensive build up of scar tissue in liver. Scar tissue is the same as collagen as it is a tough fibrous tissue, which replaces damaged liver cells. This scar tissue is not functional and cannot do the work of liver cells. Liver cells known as stellate cells produce the scar tissue to protect themselves from inflammation that is occurring in liver.
This inflammation is produced by free radicals generated by viruses, toxins, unhealthy fats, alcohol and some drugs or antibodies that are attacking liver cells. A healthy liver does not have many stellate cells and they do not produce excessive amounts of scar tissue. In contrast, in a liver that is chronically inflamed, the stellate cells become activated and they multiply and produce excessive collagen. A cirrhotic liver is hardened with scar tissue, which reduces its blood supply. There is not enough healthy liver tissue to perform the metabolic and detoxification processes that the liver must perform to keep body healthy.
Cirrhosis of the liver is the fourth most common cause of death among people aged between 30 and 50. Chronic hepatitis (caused by the hepatitis B and C virus) is gaining on alcohol as the leading cause of cirrhosis.
What causes it ?
Excessive alcohol use causes Chronic hepatitis B and C infection; immune liver diseases like auto-immune hepatitis and primary biliary cirrhosis, metabolic disorders like Wilson's disease and Hemochromatosis Adverse reactions to drugs like methotrexate and vascular disorders of the liver.
Role of Noni
Excess alcohol consumption is a primary cause of cirrhosis. Alcohol lowers the liver's levels of antioxidants, including vitamin E, making the liver vulnerable. Noni contains all the vitamins including antioxidants vitamin E, beta-carotene, and vitamin C, all trace metals, and many micronutrients that make Noni a powerful antioxidant.
In addition, alcohol lowers glutathione, an important internal antioxidant. Glutathione is a small protein molecule formed from the amino acid cysteine, glycine, and glutamic acid. Glutathione is manufactured inside the cells. The cells ability to make glutathione is determined by the supply of raw materials (or glutathione precursors) in particular of the amino acids cysteine. The highest concentration of glutathione is found in liver. Glutathione also acts to reconstitute the antioxidants ViutaminC and E after they have been oxidized. It is found in both rodents and nonhuman primates, Depletion of antioxidants and glutathione occurs at early stages of liver disease. Noni contains 17 amino acids out of 20 including all essential amino acids and also those glutathione precursor cysteine, glycine, and glutamic acid. Noni enhances glutathione concentration in liver and acts as a hepatoprotective agent.
Heavy drinkers consume a substantial number of calories as alcohol They consume less vitamins and mineral-rich food than they otherwise might, exacerbating alcohol-induced nutritional deficiencies. Virtually all individuals with alcoholic hepatitis suffer from malnutrition to a degree more or less proportional to the severity of their disease. Noni contains all the natural vitamins, trace minerals, amino acids and many micronutrients. Hence Noni neutralizes the alcohol induced nutritional deficiencies in alcoholic hepatitis condition. Indeed, survival in alcoholics with moderate or severe hepatitis is directly proportional to how much food they consume. Mortality drops to zero in those consuming 3000 or more calories during treatment. Similar results were seen with alcoholic cirrhosis patients, except for the most severely malnourished, who may have been too compromised to recover.
Omega-3 fatty acids and other antioxidants reduced inflammation, which is a distinctive feature of liver disease and cirrhosis. Studies showed that reducing the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids prevents liver damage induced by total parenteral (intravenous) nutrition in newborn piglets, rats, and humans. Important omega-3 fatty acids in human nutrition are รก-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Noni contains all those important omega-3 fatty acids and thus helps in reducing inflamation in liver disease and cirrhosis.
It is important that any increase in fatty acids be accompanied by an increase in vitamin E. Without supplemental vitamin E, it can be detrimental. Noni contains all the vitamins including vitamin E and all trace minerals, all essential amino acids, bio flavonoids and 150 and above phytonutrients in a perfect synergistic manner that comes together in a way to support many of our vital organs including liver. Carbon tetrachloride is a liver carcinogen and lipid hydroperoxidation inducer. To further confirm the antioxidant activity of Noni in vivo, a carbon tetrachloride induced liver injury model in female SD rats was selected. Ten % of Noni in drinking water for 12 days was able to reduce liver LPO and SAR levels to 20 % and 50 % of that observed in the placebo group 3 h after CCl4 administration. In conclusion, Noni protects liver from an extrinsic carcinogenic CCl4 exposure.
Since cirrhosis is the result of chronic injury to liver from free radicals, antioxidant therapy slows the progression of disease. Studies found that people with cirrhosis have low levels of vitamin C and vitamin E. An Italian study demonstrated that eating foods high in antioxidants decreased progression of cirrhosis, while a high level of fatty animal products and sugar from nonfruit sources increased it. Noni contains all the vitamins in natural forms, all trace minerals, many bioflavonoids and lots of phytonutrients. Hence Noni acts like powerful antioxidants. It is believed that fruits and vegetables are major sources of antioxidants. Noni is a medicinal plant that helps different health conditions in many different ways. It was hypothesized that the antioxidant activity of Noni protects individuals from oxygen free radicals and consequent lipid peroxidation. To examine this hypothesis, the antioxidant activity of Noni was analyzed. The study was designed to measure how well Noni scavenged superoxide anion radicals (SAR) and quenched lipid peroxides (LPO) by TNB assay and LMB assay, respectively. SAR scavenging activity was examined in vitro by tetrazolium nitroblue (TNB) assay. In TNB assay, SAR reduces TNB into formazan blue, which absorbs at 602 nm. A SAR scavenger, such as Noni , reduces the absorbency by reacting with SAR. In this assay, a standard curve is produced when SAR are generated from NADH under aerobic conditions, with phenazine methosulfate as a catalyst. In LMB assay, LPO oxidizes leucomethylene to methylene blue in the presence of haemoglobin. The resultant blue color can be quantified spectrophotometrically at 660 nm.
In vitro Noni showed a dose-dependent inhibition of both LPO and SAR. The SAR scavenging activity of Noni was compared to that of three known antioxidants: Vitamin C, grape seed powder and Pycnogenol at the daily dose / serving level recommended by USDA or manufacturer's recommendations. Under the experimental conditions, the SAR scavenging activity of Noni showed to be 2.8 times that of vitamin C, 1.4 times that of Pycnogenol, and 1.1 times that of grape seed powder. Noni has a great potential to scavenge reactive oxygen free radicals.
Animal products are high in arachidonic acid, a precursor to inflammatory mediators such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes, and sugars from nonfruit sources are more likely to increase insulin levels because fiber is not present to slow the absorption of sugar. High insulin levels stimulate the conversion of arachidonic acid into inflammatory prostaglandins. The resulting inflammation generates high levels of reactive oxygen species. Thus, cirrhotic patients should avoid nonfruit sources of sugar or consume additional fiber when non fruit sugars are consumed. Noni is the nature's fruit and it contains fructose, sucrose, glucose with abundant dietary fibers. Noni helps to keep the balance of insulin level in blood.
Recommended Dosage
Divine Noni Fruit Juice Concentrate
5ml morning and 5ml evening for 3 days. Then
10ml morning and 10ml evening for next 3 days. Then
15ml morning and 15ml evening for next 8 months.
