Treating cancer and illnesses with herbs and nutrition - Part 2
Herbs can be very effective when it comes to detoxifying the body to help support the liver. Herbs such as St. Mary’s Thistle, Globe artichoke, Burdock, Dandelion, Bupleurum, Lecithin, Folic acid, B6 and B12, SAMe, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Selenium, Vitamin C, Zinc and drinking pure water (up to four liters per day while on chemo) can all help.
Other herbs, such as Kava, Valerian, Chamomile, Melatonin and Lavender can all help with insomnia. In addition, St. Johns wort (monitor closely), SAMe (Folic acid, B6 and B12) and Melatonin (helps with oestrogen regulation, acts as an antioxidant and an antidepressant) can all help with depression.
Ginkgo, Brahmi, Gotu kola, Lemon balm and co-enzyme Q10 can help each with brain function.
Immune support
Herbs such as Astragalus, Ginsengs, Cats claw, Pau d’arco, Golden seal, Turmeric, Licorice root, Andropgraphis, Withania, Squalene (shark liver oil), Shitake, Reishi, Maitake Mushrooms can all strengthen vitality and immunity.
Pain Relief
Grapeseed extracts, Quercetin, Bromelain, Fish oils, Licorice, ginger, garlic, turmeric, salicylate containing herbs Meadowsweet and Willow Bark act as an anti-inflammatory.
Multi-drug resistance
Some herbs contain agents that induce P-gp (P-glycoprotein) transporters, which generate a poor response to chemotherapy. They also contain agents that inhibit this activity (inhibit P-gp expression) and are potentially useful in improving outcomes.
In addition, some have agents that inhibit the cellular COX (cyclo-oxygenase) inflammation pathways and agents that increase the expression of the p53 tumour suppressor gene.
P-glycoprotein transporters
P-gp expression triggers cells to start producing increasing numbers of metaboloic pumps to expel toxins from the cells, particularly chemotherapy drugs. Therefore, inducers of P-gp transporters are unfavourable, but inhibiters of P-gp are favourable.
Pgps are located in the intestines, renal tubules, hepatocytes and capillaries of the brain. The individual expression of Pgp can vary 8 fold and is encoded by various genes (for example, MDRI in breast cancer).
Women who express the MDRI gene (and therefore P-gp) are three times more likely to fail to respond to chemotherapy by developing multi drug resistance.
There has been significant research on P-gp transporters. Multi-drug resistance to chemotherapy caused by P-gp expression is common in cancer cell lines. The herbs that inhibit P-gp expression will therefore have a potential role in reversing chemotherapy resistance.
Herbs that inhibit Pgp include: Turmeric, Quercetin, green tea, Resveratrol, St. Mary’s Thistle, Berberine containing herbs, Golden seal and Coptis. Grapefruit, apple juice, Rosemary extract and Genistein are alsoe useful.
Interactions
The only proven negative drug interaction with chemotherapy is St. John’s Wort. It has been found to cause the increased clearance of irinotecan (and possibly taxol and tamoxifen) chemotherapy. Best practice indicaes that St. John Wort is contraindicated (inadvisable) for administration to patients who are undergoing chemotherapy.
Also avoid grapefruit juice while on chemotherapy with taxol or tamoxifen as this can alter dosage (through liver pathways).
P53 – tumour suppression gene
The P53 gene regulates genes important to the cell’s response to chemotherapy, largely through the multi drug resistance gene (MDRI) expression in tumours. MDRI has also been shown to inactivate the p53 tumour suppressor gene. The loss of functioning p53 can reduce the body’s ability to resist the growth of tumours (e.g. Tamoxifen).
The loss of functional p53 may induce P-gp expression and increase the development of multidrug resistance. Research shows promise with herbal medicines that can inhibit these P-gp transporters and that can increase the activity of the p53 gene.
Cox inhibitors
Research also shows that substances that inhibit the COX pathways not only reduce inflammation but also may play a role in reducing P-gp expression. COX-2 inhibitors reduce inflammation and aromatese (for oestrogen receptor tumours). Examples of these are grape seed, ginger, garlic, turmeric and the salicylate containing herbs, such as meadowsweet and white willow bark.
Specific COX-2 inhibitors are turmeric, ginseng, green tea, as well as fish oils, Quercetin and genistein (soy).
