
<b>From &&url
Unconventional Cancer Treatments 
Chapter 4: Herbal Treatments </b>

The therapeutic use of plant products -- herbal medicine -- is among the oldest of medical practices. It is a central feature of many current forms of folk and traditional medicine, e.g., traditional Chinese medicine, Native American healing, and curanderismo, and is used in the treatment of a wide range of disorders, including cancer. More than 3,000 different plant species have reportedly been used to treat cancer in cultures worldwide, according to a survey of the international literature (through 1971) in scientific and folk medicine ... Herbal products are also used in unconventional cancer treatment in the United States, drawing from traditional practices in most cases, but generally offered outside of the overall context of traditional medicine and folk healing. 

Plant products are also the source of much of the mainstream pharmacopeia. The use of botanical products in mainstream drug development involves the identification and extraction of active components of whole plants or crude extracts and, in some cases, synthesis of equivalent active compounds. The rationale for this approach is that by reducing or eliminating the variability of chemical composition and concentration that exists in crude plants, precise doses of known compounds can be given to patients. 

Several chemotherapeutic drugs used in conventional cancer treatment were developed from botanical sources. One of the best known examples is Etoposide, derived from the mayapple plant (Podophyllum peltatum). Prompted by a 1942 report of the treatment of venereal warts using a constituent (podophyllotoxin) of mayapple, Jonathan Hartwell and colleagues at NCI's Drug Research and Development Program identified the chemical structure for podophyllotoxin and isolated other constituents of the plant... Clinical trials of the substance were continued by a private company (Sandoz Ltd.) in the 1960s, and semisynthetic compounds (etoposide and teniposide) were later developed from the substance. Etoposide was approved by FDA in 1983 ... 

Two of the most important chemotherapeutic drugs currently used were originally developed from a folk remedy containing the rosy periwinkle plant (Vinca rosea), which was used in Madagascar for treatment of diabetes. Chemical constituents with antitumor activity were isolated from the plant and tested for antitumor effects in animal systems. The constituents were later approved as vinblastine, used to treat Hodgkins disease, and vincristine, used to treat acute childhood leukemia ...

Traditional herbal practices, in contrast, involve the use of whole plants or crude extracts of whole plants, rather than purified active components. One of the central tenets of herbal philosophy is that constituents in botanical preparations other than the predominant active component may modify physiologic effects of the active component in beneficial ways (945). The effects of crude preparations are generally slower in onset and less dramatic than those of the purified active ingredient, which may be considered advantageous in some instances (946). 

In recent years, some aspects of traditional Chinese medicine involving herbal medicine, acupuncture, Qi gong ...
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<b>From doctordee:</b>
Recognize that Herbal Treatments may incorporate unknown substances as well as the active principle, that there is no effective FDA regulation of their purity, contents, freedom from contamination, or whether there is any evidence for their claims of effectiveness [except if they claim to treat or cure disease.]     

Swoops on various commercial preparations, by government departments not only in the US but also in many other countries, show the active ingredient is present in 0% to 150% of the concentration claimed [eg St John's Wort].  Analysis of some herbal preparations show that unlisted but potent pharmaceuticals are added to the contents.  These can be steroids, viagra, and/or other substances which are typically used to treat the condition that the herbal preparation is supposedly for.

The pleasant attitude that the herbs are natural, and therefore probably harmless, disregards the plethora of natural poisons [which include amanita muscarina and other deadly mushrooms, foxglove, nicotine, as part of a long, long list.]   When ingesting a herbal preparation, there is not the support of a package insert, which describes adverse effects, interactions with other medications, mechanism of action, symptoms of overdosage, and treatment of overdosage. 

Some of the herbal preparations that decrease chemotherapy side effects, do so by interfering with chemotherapy levels, and result in the patient being undertreated.  Others block the effects.   ALWAYS tell your doctors exactly what Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbals you are taking.  Remind them before any chemotherapy or radiation or other cancer treatment.

<b>From &&url
Growing Interest Prompts Caution </b>
Despite the increased interest in herbal remedies, one of the biggest voids in information is knowing what side effects herbs can have. Known side effects include heart problems after discontinuing use of valerian root, an herb used as a sedative. Another known side effect is sensitivity to light in some people who take St. John's wort. It's even possible to overdose on common vitamins such as Vitamin E, iron, or Vitamin B; or experience a reaction if the vitamin supplements are taken with standard pharmaceutical anti-depressants.

David M. Eisenberg, MD, and colleagues in "Trends in Alternative Medicine Use in the United States, 1990-1997" in JAMA sounded the alarm about patients who use these therapies. According to the article, of five patients taking prescription medicine, one is also taking herbs or high-dose vitamins. As many as 40 percent of people do not report their use of these therapies to their doctors. 

<b>Regulating Herbs</b>
The market for supplements was flung wide open after the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 eliminated the authority of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate vitamins, herbs and other food-based products. But the FDA is attempting to track adverse reactions to herbs through reports to its MedWatch hotline (800-FDA-1088). The FDA keeps a web site for the reported adverse effects and drug interactions called the FDA Dietary Supplement Information Page. 

Prompted by the growth of the industry, another government agency, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), has issued advertising guidelines aimed at the supplement industry. The new guidelines explain how truth in advertising applies to the supplement industry and spells out the kinds of claims manufacturers can and cannot make. 

<b>From &&url
Understanding Dietary Supplements </b>
Herbal remedies and botanical extracts have taken a firm hold on the minds and pocketbooks of millions. Echinacea (touted as boosting immunity), gingko biloba (said to aid in memory), and St. John's wort (considered a mood elevator), are just a few of the herbs regularly used by millions of Americans.  It is estimated that $2.5 billion were spent on herbs in 1996, and estimates for spending on all food supplements are as high as $12 billion a year. The amount is growing about 25 percent per year, according to studies in the November 11, 1998 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). With the onslaught of advertising for these products, it may be hard to tell just exactly what the difference is between herbs and botanicals, and actual pharmaceuticals. 

<b>Botany is the science of plants. The use of plants as medicine is referred to as botanicals and/or botanical medicine. The properties of botanicals are derived from the plant.</b>

<b>Pharmaceuticals are chemical preparations of medication that go through a process of study to determine safety and efficacy, and are regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Pharmaceuticals can be obtained either over the counter or by prescription. Some pharmaceuticals are made from plants. </b>

<b>Herbal medicine is the use of plants or plant parts as remedies for aches, pains, and illness. Herbs can be sold in a variety of forms-dried, finely chopped, powdered, or as liquid in a capsule. Despite the growing popularity of herbs, they are medications and are unregulated, and have not undergone the clinical testing necessary to prove they are effective and safe. </b>With our current system of drug regulations, herbs are considered "supplements." 

<b>Herbal Remedies Used for Many Centuries </b>
Consumers may find it comforting that herbal remedies have been used for thousands of years. For example, the herb ephedra, the main ingredient in some over-the-counter asthma treatments, has been used in China for 5,000 years. In modern times, plants also have made a major contribution to the pharmaceutical industry. As many as one-fourth of pharmaceuticals have botanical origins. Taxol, made from the Pacific Yew tree, is used to treat patients with cancers of the breast and ovary. 

Most people take herbs in the hopes of preventing illness, however, patients also turn to herbal remedies in hopes they will cure an existing illness. Cancer patients can be particularly susceptible to the lure of herbal remedies or other non-medical therapies. They may perceive a lack of major advancements in cancer treatment and therefore see no reason not to try something else, explained Barrie Cassileth, PhD, a founding member of the advisory board of the National Institutes of Health Office of Alternative Medicine. 

<b>While many herbal preparations are safe to use, others can cause severe and harmful side effects and interfere with proven cancer therapies including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and recovery from surgery. If you are interested in using products containing herbs, talk about it with your doctor or nurse first.</b> 

<b>Safety Considerations </b>
Tell your health care team about any herbal products and supplements that you are using or are considering for use. Bring the the supplements in their packaging to your doctor for approval of the dose and to ensure that the ingredients do not interfere with your health or cancer treatments. Ask your doctor or nurses for reliable information on dietary supplements. Check the product labels for both the quantity and concentration of active ingredients contained in each product. Stop taking the product immediately and call your doctor if you experience side effects such as wheezing, itching, numbness, or tingling in your limbs. 
From &&url


