by Margie King, Health Coach
(GreenMedInfo) Sesame seeds are one of the most powerful healing foods on the planet. For thousands of years they have been used by traditional peoples for food and medicine. Chinese medicine suggests this ancient food may help relieve the epidemic of liver damage from modern drugs.
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Hepatotoxicity is liver damage caused by chemicals. It’s a significant problem related to pharmaceutical use since the liver’s job is to clear chemicals from the body. That makes the liver particularly susceptible to injury from drug use.
Hundreds of drugs contribute to liver toxicity even when used in correct doses. It’s the number one reason drugs are withdrawn from the market.
A recent editorial in the Journal of the Chinese Medical Association notes that in today’s world, “a hepatoprotectant is urgently needed.” It also suggests the tiny sesame seed and its oil may well be that protector.
Sesame oil is rich in an anti-inflammatory lignan known as “sesamin.” Lignans are a type of polyphenol found in many seeds, fruits, and vegetables.
Sesamin is well known for its health benefits which include:
Lowering cholesterol
Lowering blood pressure
Anticancer potential
Anti-aging effects
Regulating the immune system
Lowering blood sugar
Antithrombotic effects
Antioxidant power
Sesamin also protects against liver damage from alcohol and drug use.[i] Several animal studies from Taiwan and Japan show that sesame oil reduces oxidative stress in the liver.
Other studies show sesame oil can combat the harmful effects of acetaminophen on the liver. Each year acetaminophen causes more than 450 deaths from liver failure. Sesamin helps combat that damage by maintaining intracellular levels of glutathione, a potent antioxidant. Acetaminophen is known to reduce the liver’s store of glutathione. Sesamin also reduces the levels of free radicals and inhibits oxidation of fats.[ii], [iii]
Not only does sesamin fight liver damage from pain relief products containing acetaminophen, like Tylenol, it actually provides better pain relief. Earlier GreenMedInfo reported that eating 40 grams of sesame seeds (about two tablespoons of tahini) was superior to Tylenol in reducing pain in those suffering from knee arthritis.
A blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group study of 48 healthy Japanese subjects shows that oral doses of sesamin are safe and well tolerated.[iv]
Sesame seeds and their oil have been used in the kitchen for thousands of years especially in Asia.