General Description
The nopal (or prickly pear) are members of the Opuntia genus of
cactus, which are common throughout Mexico and the southwestern
United States. The plants have flat, edible pads, or nopales, (which
are actually modified branches) with numerous small nodules, or
glochids, from which protrude a number of sharp, thorny spines.
The plant's flowers, which are usually yellow but may range from
orange to purple, form at the edges of the pads, developing into
pear-shaped edible fruits, known as tuna.
Health Applications
- Diabetes
- High cholesterol
History and Traditional Use
Nopal cactus has been consumed as a food by native Mexican tribes
for hundreds of years, and the plant has played an integral role
in Mexican history and culture. According to Aztec legend, the
god Huitzilopochtlia instructed tribal elders to build a new city
at a site on a lake where they would find an eagle clutching a
serpent while perched on a nopal cactus. This would become the
great Aztec city Tenochtitlan, at the site of present-day Mexico
City. An emblem depicting the eagle, serpent, and cactus still
appears on the Mexican flag to this day. Nopal remains a popular
food througout Mexico, and is also used in folk remedies for diabetes.
Chemical Composition
Nopal pads contain compounds known as flavone glycosides, which
may have medicinal properties. Nopal is also rich in dietary fiber
and vitamin C.
Glucose/Cholesterol Effects
Most of the medical research conducted on nopal has centered on
the herb's effects on blood sugar and lipid levels. Studies have
shown that compounds in nopal can reduce high blood sugar levels
in several animal models.1-4 Other studies
indicate that nopal can lower blood sugar levels in human subjects
with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and in healthy
human subjects with high blood sugar levels;5-9
however, the high doses required to achieve significant therapeutic
effect in these studies do not seem practicle for management of
NIDDM. Studies have shown that nopal supplementation can lower
serum LDL levels in laboratory animals,10-13
but these effects have not been demonstrated on human subjects.
Dosage/Toxicity
Nopal is consumed in large quantities as a food with no adverse
side effects. Studies demonstrating a blood sugar-lowering effect
have used 500 gram doses. |
