Melon

Origin and history of the melon

The Cantaloupe-Melone (Cucumis melo was. cantalupensis), is a variety of cantaloupe melon. While it may be hard to believe, the sweet cantaloupe is a member of the cucurbit family (Cucurbitaceae), which also includes cucumbers or pumpkins. The exact origin of the cantaloupe melons is unclear, but it is suspected that they originally came from Asia or Africa. The ancient Egyptians already appreciated their sweet and juicy taste. Today, cantaloupe melons are mainly grown in China and many other Asian countries. In Europe, the main producer of melons is Spain. Although the melon prefers a more tropical climate, it can even be grown in Germany (1, 2).

Current research shows that the cantaloupe not only tastes really delicious, but also has beneficial effects thanks to the special enzyme superoxide dismutase.

The enzyme superoxide dismutase

The human body needs oxygen to live. Important metabolic processes for generating energy are not possible without oxygen, but reactive oxygen species (engl. Reactive oxygen species, ROS) arise. ROS are very reactive free radicals that damage cells and functional molecules. As a rule, the body has protective mechanisms such as enzymes or antioxidants to render these ROS harmless again. This mechanism includes the enzyme superoxide dismutase, which is found in almost every cell in our body (3).

Effects of oxidative stress

If we are permanently exposed to psychological stress, e.g. due to a high workload, the body can no longer protect itself adequately against this cell damage. The free radicals then exceed a healthy concentration and one speaks of "oxidative stress" (4). Not only does this make us age faster, the free radicals also affect the nervous system. Several studies have already pointed to a connection between oxidative stress and aging processes and fatigue, but also neurodegenerative (e.g. Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease) and neuropsychiatric diseases such as anxiety disorders or depression (4, 5, 6). In order to counteract this, it makes sense to reduce oxidative stress.

Less stress thanks to Extramel melon extract^® 

Extramel® is a patented, freeze-dried melon juice concentrate extracted from a special cantaloupe melon and has a high content of SOD and other antioxidants. The Extramel® formulation also has a special coating so that it is protected from digestive enzymes and its activity is preserved. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study with 61 subjects, an intervention group that took 10 mg Extramel® every day for a period of almost 3 months was compared with a control group that only received a placebo every day. It could be shown that in the intervention group the perceived stress could be significantly reduced and thus the quality of life of the subjects increased. In addition, physical and mental fatigue was significantly reduced. The psychological stress and fatigue normally described as states associated with oxidative stress could be reduced with Extramel®. The scientists therefore assume that Extramel® can reduce oxidative stress at the cellular level (4).

Which AgilNature® products contain the Extramel®?

Extramel® can be found in the ingredients as "melon juice concentrate".

* Nutrient Reference Value = percentage of the reference value according to Annex XIII of the Food Information Regulation (EC) No. 1169/2011.

** No recommendation available.

Literature:

1. Blancke, R. (2016). Tropical fruits and other edible plants of the world: An illustrated guide. Cornell University Press.

2. Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (ed.) (2021): Melons. Product information.

3. Koolman, Jan; Röhm, Klaus-Heinrich (ed.) (2019): Pocket atlas of human biochemistry. 5th, completely revised edition: Georg Thieme Verlag.

4. Carillon, Julie; Notin, Claire; Schmitt, Karine; Simoneau, Guy; Lacan, Dominique (2014): Dietary Supplementation with a Superoxide Dismutase-Melon Concentrate Reduces Stress, Physical and Mental Fatigue in Healthy People: A Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. In: Nutrients 6 (6), S. 2348–2359. DOI: 10.3390/nu6062348.

5. Salim, Samina (2017): Oxidative Stress and the Central Nervous System. In: Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 360 (1), S. 201–205. DOI: 10.1124 / jpet.116.237503.

6. Kudryavtseva, Anna V.; Krasnov, George S.; Dmitriev, Alexey A.; Alekseev, Boris Y.; Kardymon, Olga L.; Sadritdinova, Asia F. et al. (2016): Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress in aging and cancer. In: Oncotarget 7 (29), S. 44879–44905. DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.9821.