Sonoran Research andScience

The Nopal cactus hasbeen called a superfruit. 
That’s because its powerful antioxidant betalains have been known 
to boost the health and well-being of all who drink in its powers.

But don’t just take our word for it. See what the scientific research community has to say.

Anti-Toxin activity

* “Cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) protects against oxidative damageinduced by the mycotoxin zearalenone in Balb/C mice.” (Food Chem Toxicol.2008 May;46(5):1817-24.)
* “Opuntia ficus indica extract protects against chlorpyrifos-induced damageon mice liver.” (Food Chem Toxicol. 2008 Feb;46(2):797-802.)
* “Opuntia ficus indica (L.) Mill. fruit juice protects liver from carbontetrachloride-induced injury.” (Phytother Res. 2005 Sep;19(9):796-800.)

Anti-Inflammatory

* “An anti-inflammatory principle from cactus.” (Fitoterapia.2001 Mar;72(3):288-90)
* “Antioxidant betalains from cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) inhibitendothelial ICAM-1 expression.” (Gentile C, Tesoriere L, Allegra M, LivreaMA, D’Alessio P. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2004 Dec;1028:481-6.)
* “Effect of Opuntia ficus indica on symptoms of the alcohol hangover.”(Wiese J, McPherson S, Odden MC, Shlipak MG. Arch Intern Med. 2004 Jun28;164(12):1334-40.)

Immune System Boost

* “Betalains a betacyanin pigment purified from fruits of Opuntia ficus-indicainduces apoptosis in human chronic myeloid leukemia Cell line-K562.” (Phytomedicine.2007 Nov;14(11):739-46.)
* “Antioxidant betalains from cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) inhibitendothelial ICAM-1 expression.” (Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2004 Dec;1028:481-6.)
* “Modulation of intracellular calcium concentrations and T cell activationby prickly pear polyphenols.” (Mol Cell Biochem. 2004 May;260(1-2):103-10.)

Brain Protection

* “Inhibition of nitric oxide synthase expression in activated microgliaand peroxynitrite scavenging activity by Opuntia ficus indica var. saboten.”(Phytother Res. 2006 Sep;20(9):742-7.)
* “Interventions for protecting against or treating alcohol hangover: systematicreview of randomised controlled trials.” BMJ. 2005 Dec 24;331(7531):1515-8.)
* “Opuntia ficus-indica attenuates neuronal injury in in-vitro and in vivomodels of cerebral ischemia.” (J Ethnopharmacol. 2006 Mar 8;104(1-2):257-62.)
* “Effect of Opuntia ficus indica on symptoms of the alcohol hangover.”(Arch Intern Med. 2004 Jun 28;164(12):1334-40.)
* “Neuroprotective effects of antioxidative flavonoids, quercetin, (+)-dihydroquercetinand quercetin 3-methyl ether, isolated from Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten.”(Brain Res. 2003 Mar 7;965(1-2):130-6.)