The Value of Herbs in the Treatment of Cancer

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The Value of Herbs in the Treatment of Cancer JoAnn Guest Sep 18, 2005 13:36

PDT

 

 

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By Lawrence Miller

http://www.acupuncture.com/herbs/cancerherb.htm

 

Of all conditions which the herbalist/traditional Chinese medical doctor

may treat, cancer represents a major test of the herbal tools we have at

our disposal. A common and largely accurate perception of the damaging

effects of malignancy is that " if the cancer doesn’t kill you, the

biomedical treatments for it will. "

 

Determining the effectiveness of biomedicine must be considered within a

long-term perspective, however; survival rates are commonly measured in

5- and 10-year intervals, while a " cure " is considered when a cancer

survivor has been cancer-free for seven years after cessation of

treatment.

 

The issues surrounding human health and the sequelae of malignancy are

not as simple as these statistics suggest, however. While some rapidly

growing forms of cancer may develop within ten days to two weeks of

cancer cell implantation (malignant melanoma, for example), other

slower-growing tumors (consider prostate cancer) may take up to ten

years to make themselves detectable.

 

To use the term " cured " for a patient who remains cancer-free after

seven years is both unrealistic and arbitrary, given the

unpredictability of cancer.

 

Aside from whether or not a cancer survivor is presently ‘cancer-free’,

also of consideration is the general state of health of the individual,

which oncology tends to disregard. Of primary concern to the oncologist

is whether malignancies have redeveloped, not whether conditions exist

which may portend the derangement of cellular processes which could

ultimately lead to loss of differentiation.

 

This is one of the most appropriate and effective roles the TCM

doctor/herbalist can fulfill—to help reestablish an underlying balance

in the individual, and to unravel the complex patterns inherent in the

body which can, if left untreated, lead to the development of cancer.

 

Another appropriate role for TCM doctors and advanced herbalists is in

the use of herbs as an adjunct to ongoing biomedical treatment for

existing cancer.

 

This can be addressed using any or all of three main approaches: 1) to

offset the damaging side-effects of radiation and chemotherapy; 2) to

benefit the patient’s immune system, which biomedicine overwhelms and

supplants with its powerful agents; and 3) to aid in tumor reduction

itself, potentially shortening the length of time the patient needs to

receive radiation and/or chemotherapy.

 

Listed below are ten herbs from the Chinese and western herbal

traditions which address this third treatment approach--tumor reduction

itself, via their 'antineoplastic' action. Consider that different forms

of malignancy are treated with different substances, and each individual

case may require entirely separate treatment principles, suggesting that

anti-neoplastic herb choices must be chosen from appropriate categories

of action. Obviously, there are more than 10 herbs with antineoplastic

action in the Chinese and western pharmacopeia, but these can be

considered a 'jumping off' point for further study; this is my personal

intent. Information provided on these herbs is based on both empirical

and clinical evidence gathered third-hand; verification of clinical

and/or empirical findings is difficult to provide without access to the

studies themselves, and no guarantees are made for these herbs’

effectiveness. References for all information is provided below.

 

Chinese Herbs:

 

Common Name: Oldenlandia

Chinese Name: Bai He She She Cao

Latin: Herba Hedyotidis Diffusae/Oldenlandia Diffusae

Family: Rubiaceae

TCM Category: Clear Heat/Relieve Toxicity

Antineoplastic Action(s):

--Used in treatment of stomach, esophageal and colon cancer;

--Activates reticuloendothelial system and increases phagocytosis by

lymphocytes. Also, in high concentrations shows inhibitory affect in

vitro on cells from acute lymphocytic and granulocytic leukemia.

 

Common Name: Selaginaella

Chinese Name: Shi Shang Bai

Latin: Herba Selaginellae Doederleinii

Family: Selaginellaceae

TCM Category: Clear Heat/Relieve Toxicity

Antineoplastic Action(s):

--Mice inoculated with granuloma-180 and injected with Shi Shang Bai

showed 40-50% tumor inhibition of tumors; Mice with hepatic cancer lived

significantly longer than control group not treated with Shi Shang Bai.

--Helpful in treatment of lung and throat cancer, and malignant

hydatidiform moles, with remission in 50% of patients. Commonly used in

China in treatment of smaller body cancers in nose, throat, lung and

liver. When used with chemotherapy and radiation shown to accelerate

cancer remissions.

 

Common Name: Sophora Root

Chinese Name: Shan Dou Gen

Latin: Radix Sophorae Tonkinensis

Family: Leguminaceae

TCM Category: Clear Heat/Relieve Toxicity

Antineoplastic Action(s):

--In doses of 60g/kg had significant effect in treatment of cervical

cancer in mice, and an inhibitory affect on sarcoma-180. Used in

treatment of acute lymphocytic/granulocytic leukemia, inhibiting

dehydrogenase activity and cellular respiration of malignant cells.

 

Common Name: Zedoania

Chinese Name: E Zhu

Latin: Rhizoma Curcumae Ezhu

Family: Zingeberaceae

TCM Category: Invigorate Blood

Antineoplastic Action(s):

--Inhibits granuloma-180, often combined with San Leng (Rhizoma

Sparganii Stoloniferi).

–-In China, 80 cases of cervical cancer patients were treated with a

solution of Zedoania, which was injected directly into the tumor sites.

30 patients were completely cured, while 15 were found to have a 50%

size reduction.

 

Common Name: Rhubarb Root and Rhizome

Chinese Name: Da Huang

Latin: Radix et Rhizoma Rhei

Family: Polygonaceae

TCM Category: Clear Heat/Relieve Toxicity

Antineoplastic Action(s): --Injected subcutaneously had a killing effect

on neoplastic granulomas in mice. Inhibited growth of melanoma, breast

tumor cells and ascitic hepatic carcinoma in humans via the actions of

emodin and rhein, major constituents of Da Huang.

 

Western Herbs:

 

Common Name: Red Clover

Latin: Flos Trifolium pratense

Family: Papilionaceae

Antineoplastic Action(s):

--Red Clover contains isoflavone compounds, such as genistein, which

have weak estrogen properties. Various laboratory studies show that

these isoflavones may help prevent and combat malignant tumors,

especially of the breast and prostate.

 

Common Name: Pau D’Arco, Lapacho, Taheebo

Latin: Tabebuia impestiginosa

Family: Rubiaceae

Antineoplastic Action(s):

--Lapachol and beta-lapachone (known collectively as naphthaquinones)

are two primary active compounds in Pau D’Arco. These compounds have

anti-cancer/anti-tumor properties, although the effective dosage is

considered toxic; Pau D’Arco is commonly used in the treatment of cancer

in Central and South America with good results.

 

Common Name: Mistletoe

Latin: Viscum alba

Family: Loranthaceae

Antineoplastic Action(s):

--Contains anti-tumor proteins, and has been shown by current cancer

research in Germany to have antineoplastic activity.

 

Common Name: Cleavers

Latin: Galium aparine

Family: Rubiaceae

Antineoplastic Action(s):

--Cleavers is considered the best lymphatic tonic in the western herbal

pharmacopoeia, and is both alterative and diuretic. It has a long

tradition of use for tumor reduction and lymphatic drainage, especially

indicated when cancer has nodal involvement.

 

Common Name: Sweet Violet

Latin: Flos Viola odorata

Family: Violaceae

Antineoplastic Action(s):

--Sweet Violet has a long tradition and reputation as an anti-cancer

herb, used especially as a poultice for cancers of the skin. Current

scientific research has yet to bear out this reputation in the clinical

setting.

 

Attune Your Body with Dao-In

Video - These gentle movements can be done by almost anyone in almost

any circumstance - gentle movements, meditative postures and massage

nurture and invigorate personal energy.

 

Enduring Youth

Water Element - Ancient Taoists perceived the Water Element as the

source element consisting of the kidneys and bladder system that is

fundamental to life and all the other systems in the body.

 

JoAnn Guest

mrsjo-

www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets

 

 

 

 

AIM Barleygreen

" Wisdom of the Past, Food of the Future "

 

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