New Review Shows How Persistent Weeds are Joining Forces to Battle Cancer
Potential anti-tumorigenic properties of various medicinal plants can be utilized in the battle against the majority of common types of cancer.
Recently, I conducted a presentation on edible plants at my local library. These were kitchen herbs that also serve as medicinal plants and can be easily grown in gardens or on windowsills. As I prepared for the presentation, I was struck by the vastness and depth of this topic. One particular number caught my attention and made me pause.
New Review Reapproves Plants’ Anti-Cancer Qualities
In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in learning more about the medicinal properties of plants. This renewed focus on ancient wisdom may be driven by the need to find remedies for diseases that modern medicine struggles to treat effectively.
Other plants like the Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus), tropical soursop, and even the houseplant Kalanchoe blossfeldiana may be less familiar to many.
Related Stories
Efficient Treatment for Immediate Development
The International Agency for Research on Cancer paints a bleak picture of the worldwide cancer situation. Their 2022 report indicates that globally, lung cancer (18.7 percent), colorectal cancer (9.3 percent), and liver cancer (7.8 percent) were the leading causes of cancer-related deaths, accounting for a total of 3,480,213 individuals.
Blending Traditional Wisdom and Novel Nanotechnologies
Herbs are utilized to bolster the immune system, eliminate carcinogens, and enhance antioxidant levels in our bodies to achieve this goal. Scientists are exploring the use of new nanomedicines and bioengineering techniques for immune cell therapies as innovative approaches to combat the disease.
As a community herbalist, I approach this with a focus on longevity. What traditional wisdom surrounding these herbs has been passed down through the centuries? How can we combine the realms of modern research and ancient knowledge to benefit the patient?
Anti-Cancer Plants: Research and Application
The recent review highlights several herbs that may thrive abundantly in our gardens, often seen as bothersome weeds that need to be removed. Dandelions are a classic example of this.
One of the most robust perennial herbaceous plants, Taraxacum officinale, commonly known as dandelion, serves not only as a medicinal herb but also as an edible vegetable. The tender young leaves add a slightly bitter flavor to salads, aiding in digestion.
The dandelion boasts a wide array of vitamins such as A, C, B, and D, along with minerals like potassium, calcium, and traces of iron, magnesium, manganese, and zinc.
Stinging Nettle
A highly medicinal weed that competes with dandelion is Urtica dioica. Nettles are often seen as bothersome wildflowers in many temperate regions.
Rich in provitamin beta-carotene, vitamins A, B, and C, and minerals iron, magnesium, potassium, and calcium, this protein-rich perennial herb offers a plethora of health benefits.
Greater Burdock
Continuing with the exploration of wildflowers that grow in disturbed areas across the United States, we encounter burdock. This member of the Asteraceae family, like dandelion, can be found in various environments.
Burdock’s medicinal parts include roots, leaves, and seeds, with lappaol F, a natural lignan compound, being an anticancer agent that halts tumor cell growth by inducing cell cycle arrest, as evidenced in a 2021 study.
Despite the unclear mechanisms underlying burdock’s anticancer properties, the plant’s efficacy is evident, suggesting the potential development of an anticancer drug derived from this medicinal herb.
Remaining 12 Anti-Cancer Plants
The recent review discusses 15 plants with potential anti-tumorigenic properties, including soursop (Annona muricata), black calla (Arum palaestinum), hemp (Cannabis sativa), turmeric (Curcuma longa), licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), moringa (Moringa oleifera), hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), milk thistle (Silybum marianum), oleander (Nerium oleander), kalanchoe (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana), and ashwagandha (Withania somnifera L).
While some of these plants like turmeric, licorice, hemp, ashwagandha, hibiscus, and milk thistle are well-known beyond herbalist circles, others may be perceived more as decorative plants or houseplants, such as oleander, black calla, Madagascar periwinkle, and kalanchoe. Moringa, native to the Indian subcontinent and primarily used in Southern Asia, may seem the most unfamiliar.
