I have had problems waking at night between the hours of 2:00 and 3:00 am for as long as I can remember.  Eastern medicine teaches that this is the time of greatest detoxification.  Dr. Steven Bock has stated that individuals waking between these hours probably have a phase I and phase II liver detoxification imbalance. 

During phase I detox harmful toxic chemicals are converted to more reactive intermediates (often free radicals or Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)).  During Phase II, these reactive intermediates are congugated with another molecule (such as glycine, cysteine, etc.) and are harmlessly excreted from the body.  In a normally functioning individual, Phase I and Phase II are working at about the same rate so that as soon as a reactive intermediate is created, it is conjugated and made harmless.  However, it is possible for Phase I to be over-active (or induced by pesticides, etc).  In that case, there is an abundance of ROS which causes excessive oxidative damage to cell membranes. 

What can be done about this?  One might detoxify the body using Far Infrared Sauna (FIR), or might try to supplement the substances needed for Phase II conjugation.  However, one substance in particular is thought to downregulate Phase I while at the same time upregulate Phase II.  This substance, Ellagic Acid, is present in many red fruits and berries, including raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, cranberries, pomegranate and some nuts including pecans and walnuts. The highest levels of ellagic acid are found in raspberries. In plants ellagic acid is present in the form of ellagitannin, which is ellagic acid bound to a sugar molecule.

Ellagic acid has antioxidant, anti-mutagen and anti-cancer properties. Studies have shown the anti-cancer activity on cancer cells of the breast, oesophagus, skin, colon, prostate and pancreas. More specifically, ellagic acid prevents the destruction of P53 gene by cancer cells. Ellagic acid can bind with cancer causing molecules, thereby making them inactive. In their studie The effects of dietary ellagic acid on rat hepatic and esophageal mucosal cytochromes P450 and phase II enzymes. Ahn D et al showed that ellagic acid causes a decrease in total hepatic mucosal cytochromes and an increase in some hepatic phase II enzyme activities, thereby enhancing the ability of the target tissues to detoxify the reactive intermediates. Ellagic acid showed also a chemoprotective effect against various chemically induced cancers.
A study by Thresiamma KC and Kuttan R.Indian (Indian Journal Physiology and Pharmacology, 1996 October) indicate that oral administration of ellagic acid by rats can circumvent the carbon tetrachloride toxicity and subsequent fibrosis of the liver.

Ellagic acid has also antiviral and antibacterial activities.