Many people who are suffering from Cancer, and people who have loved ones and friends who are suffering from this disease, have been looking in every direction for some help in fighting the disease that will no be as expensive and painful at the currently accepted forms of treatment.  And many of them are coming to consider Oriental Herbs for the reason that they are said to “boost” the immune system. Herbs, such as astralagus, dong quai, Echinacea, and Asian ginseng can supposedly fortify the body’s immunological defense against future or existing cancer.

There have been significant advances in cancer research that point to certain herbs as potential herbal cancer cures. The results of these studies indicate that traditional Chinese herbal cancer cures like shiitake or maitake mushrooms, mistletoe, extracts of the Venus flytrap, and various botanical therapies may help in treating certain forms of cancer. However, there is little scientific evidence to be found concerning this claim, and until more is known about this, we cannot completely rely on them.  Here are two examples of Herbal Cancer cures being studied:

Iscador (Mistletoe Extract) – Herbal Cancer Cure

Iscador is a derivative of an extract from the mistletoe plant (Viscum album L.). The mistletoe is a semi-parasitic plant that thrives on the branches and bark of several tree species, including oak, pine, fir, elm and apple. Since ancient times, it has been used to treat a variety of human ailments.

The first person to think of the mistletoe as a potential herbal cancer cure was Rudolf Steiner, the founder of Anthroposophy. Only the European species of this plant is used to treat cancer. Extracts of this herb have been shown to kill cancer cells and stimulate the immune system according to laboratory studies. In some studies, this herbal cancer cure has been reported to reduce the size of tumors and improve the quality of life and survival of some cancer patients. The effects of this herbal cancer cure are attributed to three active constituents which are lectins, alkaloids, and viscotoxins.

Saw Palmetto – Herbal Cancer Cure

Saw Palmetto, or Serenoa repens, is a low-growing palm indigenous to the Southeastern United States. It is the berries of the saw palmetto that are used for medicinal purposes, especially in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The extract of this plant acts as an anti-inflammatory, the main reason for its use as an herbal cancer cure. One interesting observation however, is that saw palmetto berries do not seem to reduce the size of an enlarged prostate gland. Rather, this plant only relieves the symptoms associated with BPH, which includes frequent urination.

All studies that were conducted on saw palmetto as a potential herbal cancer cure show that extracts from the berries are effective for both subjective and objective measurements of the prostatic enlargement. Other studies also show that the extract selectively acts on dihydrotestoserone receptors in the prostate and in this way, inhibits the hormone from binding to them, and minimizes the stimulation of cell growth.

There are just two examples of Herbal Cancer Cures that are being studied, and many people are considering as either an alternative to normal Western medicine or as a supplement to normal Western medicine.  Whichever way you and or your loved once choose to go, there are no guarantees about the results, only that they may help, as shown in studies.