Chinese Antitumor Herbal Drugs

There are thousands of herbal drugs, which used for treating cancer in China. But most of them have not yet been studied. Nowadays, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is also become famous alternative treatment for cancer in my country of Indonesia.

Many patients who suffered from cancer, then turned their hopes for healing through alternative medication. Though all the hopes for healing are suppossed to be relied on the Lord, the one who give heal. But that is not closed for us to seek another alternative ways for our life span.

Below are some of plants which often used as antitumor drugs by TCM:

Chinese Plum Yew

There two species of Chinese plum yew that are used as herbs, Cephalotaxus fortunei, and Cephalotaxus hainanensis. Only bark, root and twigs from plum yew tree which able to use as herbs. It is because of the active substance of harringtonine. Harringtonine is the antitumor agent that managed to inhibit the growth of P388 and L1210 leukemia (blood cancer) cells. (Kato T, et al. 1984)

Chinese Happy Tree

It is also known as cancer tree, tree of life, or in Latin as Camptotheca acuminata Decne. The alkaloids isolated from the root, bark fruit, twigs, and leaves of happy tree are known as camptothecine. Camptothecin is a cytotoxic alkaloid which inhibits the DNA enzyme topoisomerase I (topo I). (Ye D, et al. 2012)

Indian Grass Lily

Known by the Botanical name as Iphigenia indica Kunth. Indian grass lily is a small perennial herb which is found in India and Nepal. Colchicine, a promising vascular disrupting agents in cancer therapy, is isolated in the bulb of Indian grass lily. (Crielaard BJ, et al. 2011)

Fresh White Turmeric Root by dICE

I had already described about white turmeric benefits in my previous post titled Zedoary, A Life Span For Cancer Patients. White turmeric (Curcuma zedoaria (Berg) Roscoe) possesses curcuminoids, active compounds which had antimetastatic, antitumor and antimigratory activities, in which able to give more life span to cancer patients. (Seo WG, et al. 2005)

Purple Flower

It is also known as Crotalaria sessiliflora Linn. (Latin), Ye Baihe (China), Tanukimame (Japan), or Stalkless Blue Rattlepod. The alkaloids isolated in the whole plant are monocrotaline, which could be used for treatment of cervical, breast and rectum cancers.

Carrots vs Cancers

Carrot (Daucus carota Linn) is a rhizome vegetable which contains high source of Vitamin A. Since I was just a kid, carrot had been promoted in the TV cartoon show by the character of Bugs Bunny, as the rabbit's favorite food.

Eating carrot is good for our eyes, due to rich in Vitamin A. But, have you ever wonder that carrots are able to use as cancer prevention?

Carrots are also considered as herb plant to treat several diseases. Carrots possess the highest sources antioxidant of carotenoids among other fruits and vegetables. Carotenoids, such as α-carotene, β-carotene, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and β-cryptoxanthin, have also been associated with protective effects against cancer.

By having a vegetarian will reduce the risk for cancers. A diet of carrots along with other green vegetables may help reduce the risk of developing colon cancer. (Slattery ML, et al. 2000) β-carotene and polyacetylenes in carrots, are also effective in the treatment of leukemia (blood cancer).

The 2011 study had shown that extracts from carrots can induce apoptosis (the process of programmed cell death, or death of a cell in any form) and cause cell cycle arrest in leukemia cell lines. (Zaini R, et al. 2011 & 2012) Carrots also have remarkable anti tumor activity against DMBA-induced skin cancer. (Zeinab RA, et al. 2011)

Daily intake of fresh carrot juice is effective to increase carotenoids and in reducing oxidative stress, in women previously treated for breast cancer. (Butalla AC, et al. 2012) Carrots also possess anticancer agent, in which had shown its significant increase in cell death, and decrease in cell proliferation against human colon (HT-29, Caco-2) and breast (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231) cancer cell lines. (Shebaby WN, et al. 2012)

But, daily intake of carrots should be limited, whether by eating raw or as a juice. If you are overconsumption, it can cause carotenosis, a condition where your skin turns orange.

Zedoary, A Life Span For Cancer Patients

Fresh White Turmeric Root by dICE

Last week, my wife bought a herbal supplement in capsul form which is made from extracts of the rhizome of zedoary. The supplement had cost my wife IDR 110K, because of the nurse who had promoted it to my wife and my neighbours at monthly housewife gathering. The nurse said that the zedoary supplement is useful for cancer preventing.

Zedoary (white turmeric), or in Latin known as Curcuma zedoaria (Berg) Roscoe, is a native plant from my own country of Indonesia. Zedoary has a fragrance of mango, but the taste is similar to ginger. Zedoary is also known as a source of terpenoids, or isoprenoids, large and diverse class of naturally occurring organic chemicals.

In Indonesia, zedoary, or temu putih in Bahasa Indonesia, is sometimes used as a spice in Indonesian cuisine, such as goat curry and chicken curry. But, temu putih is also considered as herb plants to treat scabies, rash, dyspepsia, disorders of the digestive tract, flatulence (excessive stomach or intestinal gas), diarrhea, and cancer. It is also is used as appetizer, tonic, blood purifier and for cosmetic industry.

In 1998, a study had resulted that curcuminoids, active compounds derived from Curcuma zedoaria, which were identified as curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumin, were demonstrated to be cytotoxic (quality of being toxic) against OVCAR-3 (human ovarian cancer) cells. (Syu WJ, et al. 1998)

Based on the experiment to test the anti metastatic (the spread of cancer to other parts of the body) effect of zedoary with B16 melanoma (tumor) cells, it had been proven that zedoary is useful in the inhibition of cancer metastasis. The study also indicated that zedoary possesses anti migratory (invasive) effects on B16 melanoma cells, in which will be able to give more life span to cancer patients. (Seo WG, et al. 2005)

The methanolic extract of the rhizome of Zedoary had resulted in the isolation of several anti inflammatory agents such as furanodiene, and furanodienone, in which were able to suppress the induced inflammation of mouse ears, by 75% and 53% at a dose of 1.0 μM. These results are comparable to indomethacin, a non steroidal anti inflammatory drug which is often used as anti inflammatory agent to reduce fever, pain, stiffness, and swelling. (Makabe H, et al. 2006)

In Japan, the rhizome of Curcuma zedoaria is used to treat hangover, loss of appetite and nausea. Recent study using blood alcohol concentrations of drunken mice, resulted in curcumenone, an active substance of Curcuma zedoaria, were able to decrease the level of blood alcohol concentrations by increasing liver alcohol dehydrogenase activity. (Kimura Y, et al. 2013)

Below are two products of 100% natural white turmeric powder for face and skin care.

White Turmeric Powder by mi nature	White Turmeric Powder by MB Herbals