Anticancer Herbs

Anticancer Herbs

Introduction

The subject of anticancer herbs is certainly a controversial one. Opinions are polarized - with some strongly opposed to
orthodox cancer treatments,
and some strongly opposed to herbal medicine.

A very significant amount of scientific research has been done in the
investigation of anticancer properties of various plants - however
much work still
needs to be done.

The purpose of this page is neither to attempt to persuade, nor to
debunk - but simply to present as much good information as possible on
the subject, in
order that the person interested in the possibility of anticancer herbs
may be assisted in "doing their homework". See this page as a
"starting point" for
research or investigation. I've done my best to cite references that I
have found. It is written in the small print at the foot of this
page in greater
detail, but it is expedient to repeat it: This page is not medical advice, nor is it intended to substitute for professional medical
consultation.

Note - this page uses the term "anticancer" with a broad brush; and
it is the most widely-used term - however please note that the
National Cancer Institute
considers that the term "anticancer herb" is not accurate enough.
Their definition gives three terms: cytotoxic - action against
tumors in vitro
(i.e. in laboratory cell cultures); anti-tumor - toxic to tumors in animals; anti-cancer - action against tumors in human
trials. Ref. article
on this with many more points - http://www.healthy.net/scr/article.aspx?Id=1583

Mechanisms by which herbs may fight against or have a preventative
effect on cancer are varied and the science complex. Some herbs may
act as
"immunomodulators" - stimulating the immune system to fight against
cancer cells. Others may have a direct cytotoxic action - however this
does not
necessarily mean they should immediately be used; as an agent that has been shown to be toxic to cancer cells may also be toxic to
healthy cells. Some
herbs (such as Milk thistle) have been found by studies to act selectively against cancer cells and this is considered a highly
desired quality.

One of the challenges of the work against cancer is that there are so
many factors which may influence it, that it becomes difficult to
pin down both actual
causes and beneficial agents in real life. I for one would welcome large
scale "big data" type research which might more easily detect
correlations between
lifestyle, dietary and supplement factors with incidence of cancer. A
future project for the world to consider? We now have the
technology.

With the above said, on to our list of over 60 herbs and plants for which anticancer properties have been reported / claimed.

This page has officially turned into a mammoth tome and we have done our
best to cite all references. I hope this information is of
benefit to you. Let's work together
to fight against this tragic disease. Suggestions are welcomed; please
see the foot of the page for contact information.

(Note - "Anticancer Foods" have now been separated from this list and
appear on their own
page.)

Special thanks to Dan Ablir, Kelsey Wambold and Julie Anne Ne for their assistance with this page.

 

List Of 60+ Anti-Cancer Herbs