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How It Works
Camu-camu has not been shown to prevent or treat cancer in humans.
Camu-camu is a small plant that grows in South America. Laboratory studies and a small study in humans have shown that the fruits have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. More research is needed. Because camu-camu has high amounts of vitamin C, it may interfere with certain chemotherapy drugs.
Purported Uses
Cancer
Camu-camu has not been shown to prevent or treat cancer in humans.
Immune support
There is no scientific evidence to support this use.
Atherosclerosis
A small study in smokers showed that camu-camu may protect again atherosclerosis. More studies are needed.
Arthritis
This claim is not backed by scientific research.
Do Not Take If
You are taking chemotherapy drugs: Camu-camu has high amounts of vitamin C, which may interfere with their activity.
Camu-camu is a shrub native to the Amazon region of South America. Due to its sour taste, it is not generally consumed as food. However because of the fruit’s high vitamin C content, camu-camu has been marketed as a dietary supplement with superfruit and immune boosting properties, and as having benefit for various conditions including diabetes and cancer.
Camu-camu fruits have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects (5)(6)(7). Pharmacological activity is exhibited by the leaves as well (4). Large-scale clinical trials have not been conducted to study these effects in humans.
Due to its high vitamin C content, camu-camu may interfere with certain chemotherapy drugs. However, vitamin C content in frozen camu-camu pulp was shown to decrease progressively (1).
Purported Uses
Cancer
Immune system
Atherosclerosis
Arthritis
Mechanism of Action
The compounds isolated from the leaves of camu-camu, ellagic acid, 4-O-methylellagic acid and 4-(alpha-rhamnopyranosyl) ellagic acid, were found to exhibit noncompetitive inhibition of aldose-reductase, a possible target for diabetes mellitus (4). Camu-camu juice decreases inflammatory and oxidative stress markers such as 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine, total reactive oxygen species, C reactive protein, IL-6, and IL-8 in smokers (5).
Herb-Drug Interactions
Camu-camu has a high amount of Vitamin C which is an antioxidant. It may interact with certain chemotherapy drugs that rely on the generation of free radicals for their cytotoxic effects.
