Chinese healers have used the leaves of artemisia as a medicinal tea for thousands of years. Lately, even mainstream medicine has crowned it as a highly effective treatment for malaria. Now — even more exciting — the evidence confirms it can heal cancer, too.
And because it's an approved and recognized malaria treatment, there's a strong possibility that this safe remedy might find its way into mainstream cancer treatment.
It's time to take a close look at this herbal discovery…
Continued below…
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Also known as sweet wormwood and mugwort, the Artemisia annua plant has developed a Western fan base as a potent malaria treatment.
This occurred mainly because the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) as the standard global malaria treatment.
In fact, Wikipedia says artemisinin and its close relatives "possess the most rapid action of all current drugs" against the parasite that causes malaria. It's nearly unheard of for a plant remedy to receive that kind of ringing endorsement from the gatekeepers of the medical establishment.
Artemisinin is one of the extracts of the artemisia plant, along with artesunate and artemether. When manufacturers combine artemisinin with other drugs, it produces an effective and safe cure for uncomplicated cases of malaria. The WHO cautions against using it by itself because the malaria bug may develop resistance to it.
In the last few decades, scientific research proves we can add "cancer killer" to the list of artemisinin's accolades.
Here's why some folks call artemesia
a "cancer bomb!"
Regular readers of Cancer Defeated know that apoptosis is the process of programmed cell death that your body uses to rid itself of aging or damaged cells.
Artemisia simply speeds up this natural process.
The plant contains two joined oxygen atoms that unhook when they're near iron. Both cancer cells and malaria parasites use iron to grow, so they horde it. In some cases they store as much as 1000 times as much as normal cells. In so doing, they make themselves a target for artemisinin.
When artemisinin comes into contact with iron, it causes a chemical reaction that produces free radicals. These charged atoms attack cell membranes—and in the case of malaria cells, they destroy the parasite.
When people with cancer receive an artemisia compound, the free radicals 'bomb' the cancer cells, causing them to wither and die!
So what kinds of cancer are medical researchers using to test its muscle?
Artemesia is no one-trick pony!
Chinese scientists invested a lot of time and money into researching medicinal plants in the 1960s. Their goal was to develop treatments that would free them from reliance on Western medicine.
Since then, Western researchers have picked up the torch and started conducting their own research on this amazing plant. The compounds it contains have been tested against several cancer lines. And so far they're proving to be champion cancer killers!
For example, two bioengineering researchers at the University of Washington have used artemisia extracts successfully to target breast cancer cells.
In an earlier story, I reported that research professors Henry Lai and Narendra Singh said the plant compound artemisinin is "highly toxic to the cancer cells, but has a marginal impact on normal breast cells."
In fact, their study results, reported in the 2001 issue of Life Sciences, describe how the extract killed just about all exposed breast cancer cells within 16 hours.
And that's not the only kind of cancer artemesia can beat down…
The September 2010 issue of Phytomedicine reported that compounds derived from artemesia root sped up liver cancer apoptosis. The compound was also found to be toxic to ovarian and cervical cancers.
And a case study reported in the Archive of Oncology reported that a man with cancer of the larynx was successfully treated with artesunate, another extract of artemisia. After just two months of receiving artesunate injections and tablets, the man's tumor shrank by about 70 percent!
Clearly the studies done so far indicate that it works! But you might be wondering…
Is it SAFE to use?
In a word, yes. Unlike chemotherapy, which damages both cancer cells and normal cells, the various extracts of artemisia annua are non-toxic.
More than 4,000 case studies prove that this species of artemisia is one of Nature's 'smart bombs' that damages only cancer cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed.
And by the way, you may grow one or more species of artemisia in your garden. It's an ornamental plant with beautiful silvery leaves. I don't recommend that you consume these garden plants unless you do your own, thorough research and confirm they're edible. These pretty garden plants are NOT the species that been proven safe and effective in malaria and cancer treatment.
The website Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Cancer reports that prescription drugs derived from artemisinin are available for malaria treatment. No major side effects have been reported when these substances are used to treat malaria.
Higher doses are needed to treat cancer, but the existing Phase I clinical trials have not been fully evaluated for safety at these dosage levels. I had hoped that U.S. doctors might legally be able to use prescription artemisinin off-label as a cancer treatment. But it appears this herbal "drug" is only FDA-approved when used in combination with other drugs as a malaria treatment. That's unfortunate.
Although you won't have access to pure artemisinin, the American Cancer Society website mentions that "thujone-free wormwood extract has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in foods and as a flavoring in alcoholic drinks." The herbal extracts also are available in capsules and liquid form to add to water. You can also use the whole herb to brew as a tea. I don't know whether any of these options are good proxies for artemisinin.
Wormwood oil, washes, or poultices are also available to apply to the skin.
So who uses it?
In our many interviews with alternative and integrative cancer practitioners, no one has mentioned artemisinin. This doesn't mean none of them use it, but it probably means few or none employ it as a first line treatment. Or it could mean they don't know about its anticancer properties. As readers of this newsletter know, there are many natural cancer treatments. Nobody knows about or uses all of them.
I also don't have any information about individuals who have self-treated with this herbal extract. (If you have any experience with it, by all means write me at newsletter@cancerdefeated.com.) I hope we learn more in the future so that cancer patients can tap into this natural health remedy backed by thousands of years of safe use!
Last issue we talked about another herbal cancer treatment, and this is one is readily available over-the-counter. If you missed the news, please scroll down and read it now.
What's tan and black—and
gives cancer a deadly whack?
If you're a cook, you're probably familiar with cumin, a tannish-colored powder derived from grinding the seeds of a plant related to the parsley family. The spice is commonly used to prepare Mexican, Spanish, Indian and Middle Eastern dishes.
There's also a plant seed called black cumin that may be less widely known—but has been making headlines lately as a powerful preventive treatment. Both the tan and black cumins have a long history of being used to heal, and research suggests both have value as cancer fighters.
But they're completely different from one another. In fact, they're not even related!
Let's take a close look and see if we want to crank either the tan or black cumin into our plan for a longer, healthier life…
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Practitioners of Indian Ayurvedic medicine often use the familiar tan cumin to relieve digestive tract disorders like diarrhea, heartburn and nausea. Scientists believe it may have earned this reputation because it stimulates production of protective enzymes in your pancreas.
Cumin also has the ability to enhance your insulin sensitivity. Some studies have reported that the cuminaldehyde found in cumin seeds inhibits glucose metabolism. If true, then cumin is a promising agent against diabetes.
What's more, cumin extract has also flexed its muscle against the Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) bacteria—a common cause of ulcers.
What can cumin do to beat cancer?
Many traditional and alternative medical practitioners believe cumin also has impressive anti-cancer properties that stem from its ability to:
- Enhance the liver´s detoxification enzymes
- Neutralize cancer-causing free-radicals
Deriving from a plant in the parsley family, cumin shares similarities to anise, caraway, coriander, dill and fennel as well.
And this family doesn't mess around when facing cancer cells! All the plants in this clan contain unique phytochemicals (that is, natural plant chemicals), such as polyacetylenes and phthalides, which show both anti-inflammatory and cancer-protective properties.
A "black sheep" that's not in the family
There's been increased buzz lately about black cumin—that is, seeds from the plant known as Nigella sativa. Despite commonly being called black cumin, it's unrelated to the familiar kitchen spice I just discussed, Cuminum cyminum. Black cumin is also called kalonji and black seed.
Don't worry about all the confusion surrounding the name. This tiny wonder has been in use for thousands of years as a natural health cure. Healthwise, it's as good or better than the kitchen spice.
But only during the last forty years have scientists come to appreciate its true potential to save your health.
Since 1964, there have been some than 450 peer-reviewed, published studies that have referenced black cumin!
Originally used to treat allergies, asthma and migraines, scientific studies also show black seed can be useful at combating a variety of other diseases, including:
- Alzheimer's disease
- Autoimmune disorders
- Diabetes
- Hepatitis C
- Multiple sclerosis
- And much more!
What's even more exciting are recent discoveries that show this little black seed can give several types of cancer cells a scrub down too!
Studies show that regularly taking black cumin or black cumin oil can help prevent the growth and spread of colon cancer cells.
Dr. Hwyda Arafat recently conducted studies at Philadelphia's Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson. He was able to show that black cumin was effective at killing 80 percent of pancreatic cancer tumors it encountered.
In a press statement, Dr. Arafat said, "Nigella sativa helps treat a broad array of diseases, including some immune and inflammatory disorders. Previous studies also have shown anticancer activity in prostate and colon cancers, as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects."
Researchers at the Cancer Immuno-Biology Laboratory in South Carolina found that black cumin helps stimulate neutrophil granulocyte activity.
Neutrophils are the most abundant type of white blood cell in the body. They shoulder primary responsibility for targeting and eliminating cancer cells before they band together to form tumors.
So what's the secret ingredient?
Black cumin's strength comes from a combination of healthy compounds, including:
- Thymoquinone – a phytochemical with anti-cancer, anti-inflammattory and immune-boosting properties
- Essential fatty acids –including linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid that aids in cancer prevention
- Amino Acids – essential protein building blocks that assist in proper execution of many bodily functions
- Minerals – calcium, iron, potassium and sodium to help your body function properly
- Carotene – a compound your body changes into vitamin A needed to grow new cells, sharpen vision, maintain healthy skin and more
- Phytosterols – compounds that have been shown to lower cholesterol
So should you take the tan cumin, the black cumin, neither, or both?
If you want to enjoy the benefits of the conventional cumin spice Cuminum Cyminum, you can sprinkle it on your meals as you prepare various dishes. If you like Asian and Middle Eastern dishes the way I do, you encounter it all the time. As far as I can learn, it isn't taken as a supplement – at least not often!
The other cumin -- black cumin or Nigella sativa -- is not commonly used as a spice – it's not even related to the spice -- but it IS a fairly popular supplement. If you'd like to try this nutrient you can purchase black cumin oil in pill and liquid form fairly inexpensively from vendors of nutritional supplements.
Try to purchase organic, cold pressed Nigella oil that is free of additives. You can take a teaspoon of the oil before breakfast each day and mix it with raw honey or fresh juice.
If you're concerned about battling cancer, my sources indicate you can increase the dosage to three teaspoons daily in divided doses. Just for the record, I haven't tried this supplement.
But I look forward to more research on this ancient remedy. It might prove to be a modern marvel when it comes to fighting cancer!
Kindest regards,
Lee Euler,
Publisher
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