(Medical Xpress)—Scientists at Aston University and Russells Hall Hospital have discovered that an extract from a common plant in Pakistan may help cure breast cancer.
The plant, Fagonia cretica, and known as Virgon's Mantlem, is commonly used in herbal tea. It has been traditionally used to treat women in rural Pakistan who have breast cancer, but up until now this treatment has been regarded as something of a folklore remedy. However, patients in Pakistan who have taken the plant extract have reported that it does not appear to generate any of the serious common side effects associated with other cancer treatments, such as loss of hair, drop in blood count or diarrhoea.
Now, scientists at Aston University in Birmingham and Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley have undertaken tests of the plant extract and proved that it kills cancer cells without damage to normal breast cells in laboratory conditions.
Professor Helen Griffith and Professor Amutul R Carmichael who lead the study are now aiming to identify which element or elements of the plant are responsible for killing the cancer cells with a view to eventually begin trails with human cancer patients.
Professor Helen Griffith of Aston University said; "More research is needed to establish the role of the extract in cancer management and It now needs to be demonstrated that this extract is as effective in killing cancer cells inside the body as it is within laboratory. The next steps are to identify which element of the plant is responsible for killing the cancer cells with a view to eventually begin trails with human cancer patients."
Dr Caitlin Palframan, policy manager at Breakthrough Breast Cancer said; "Some of the most important cancer-fighting drugs are originally derived from plants. As this research is at the very earliest stage we won't know for quite some time whether drugs derived from this plant will be effective in treating breast cancer but we look forward to seeing any progress."
More information: PLoS ONE 7(6): e40152. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0040152
Feb 23, 2010
Gigel
5 / 5 (1) Aug 25, 2012Caliban
not rated yet Aug 25, 2012This is coded speech regarding BigPharma which translates: "...isolate the agent, find a way to sythesize it, patent it, and then sell it for thousands of dollars per dose."
Afterall --why should an effective remedy that is as cheap as dirt be left for anyone to use who wishes to, when it can be monetized and then only be made available based solely on the ability to pay astronomical amounts?
Also, this will be the last time that you will hear the name of the plant from which the chemical is derived. We don't want cheap alternatives...