Fermented Wheat Germ

Other Names : Fermented wheat germ extract (FWGE), fermented wheat germ powder (FWGP), Avemar®
is a concentrated extract of wheat germ derived from the germ (endosperm, or seed) of the wheat plant. FWGE, which was invented in the early '90s in Hungary, differs from ordinary wheat germ in that it is fermented with baker's yeast to concentrate biologically-active benzoquinones. FWGE is available commercially and is sold under the trade name Avemar. In the U.S., the product is classified as a dietary supplement and is marketed as Awge. Avemar is manufactured in Hungary, by Biropharma Ltd., where it is approved as dietary food for special medical purposes for cancer patients.

Special Precautions of Fermented Wheat Germ

FWGE should not be taken by children or by women who are pregnant or breast feeding. It should not be taken by those who have undertaken organ or tissue transplants, or those who suffer from bleeding erosions or bleeding ulcers of the gastrointestinal tract, enteritis, colitis, or malabsorption syndrome. Patients taking prescription medicine should consult with their doctor before use.

Benefits and uses of Fermented Wheat Germ are

Cancer : New research has confirmed that fermented wheat germ – especially using sourdough fermentation methods – is a viable cancer treatment, able to halt the growth of cancer cells. The new research, from Italy’s University of Bari and Germany’s Martin Luther University, screened over 40 fermenting bacteria types and tested wheat germ fermented using traditional sourdough methods against raw wheat germ. The laboratory research then tested these against multiple human cancer cell lines. They found that while the raw wheat germ had no anticancer potential, the fermented wheat germs showed significant inhibition of cancer cell growth.The researchers commented that: “These results are comparable to those found for other well-known pharmaceutical preparations…” There was a variance between the extent of cancer inhibition among the types of cancer tested, which included ovarian cancer, colon cancer and germ cell tumors. The researchers found that the fermented wheat germs inhibited ovarian cancer cells the most between the three, but all three were inhibited by the fermented line. The research also found that two of the bacteria used in fermentation – bacteria normally found among fermented wheat germ – were especially productive because they produced an enzyme called beta-glucosidase. The two highest beta-glucosidase producing fermentation processes utilized the bacteria species Lactobacillus Plantarum and Lactobacillus Rossiae.

References

• Rizzello CG, Mueller T, Coda R, Reipsch F, Nionelli L, Curiel JA, Gobbetti M. Synthesis of 2-methoxy benzoquinone and 2,6-dimethoxybenzoquinone by selected lactic acid bacteria during sourdough fermentation of wheat germ. Microb Cell Fact. 2013 Nov 11;12(1):105.
• Judson PL, Al Sawah E, Marchion DC, Xiong Y, Bicaku E, Bou Zgheib N, Chon HS, Stickles XB, Hakam A, Wenham RM, Apte SM, Gonzalez-Bosquet J, Chen DT, Lancaster JM. Characterizing the efficacy of fermented wheat germ extract against ovarian cancer and defining the genomic basis of its activity. Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2012 Jul;22(6):960-7. doi: 10.1097/IGC.0b013e318258509d.
• Demidov LV, Manziuk LV, Kharkevitch GY, Pirogova NA, Artamonova EV. Adjuvant fermented wheat germ extract (Avemar) nutraceutical improves survival of high-risk skin melanoma patients: a randomized, pilot, phase II clinical study with a 7-year follow-up. Cancer Biother Radiopharm. 2008 Aug;23(4):477-82. doi:10.1089/cbr.2008.0486.
• Comin-Anduix B, Boros LG, Marin S, Boren J, Callol-Massot C, Centelles JJ, Torres JL, Agell N, Bassilian S, Cascante M. Fermented wheat germ extract inhibits glycolysis/pentose cycle enzymes and induces apoptosis through poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase activation in Jurkat T-cell leukemia tumor cells. J Biol Chem. 2002 Nov 29;277(48):46408-14.