milk thistle and chemo

[Guest guest]

Kristin-

 

The recommendation to avoid antioxidants during chemo is based upon bad

science and is contradicted by substantial experience with patient

outcomes according to practicioners I've corresponded with. Patients

tend to fare much better with antioxidants and antioxidant-rich herbs.

The Review of Aromatic and Medicinal Plants has a whole section devoted

to antioxidant herb research in cancer. The journal Anticancer usually

has a few articles devoted to antioxidants in cancer treatment (although

they tend to focus on vitamins rather than herbs.)

 

Donald Yance, who's practice deals primarily (and with great success)

with cancer always supplements the diet of people who are undergoing

chemotherapy or radiation therapy with silymarin, taken before bedtime.

 

The chemotherapeutic agent Cisplatin is known to be toxic to the kidneys

but silymarin protects the kidneys and liver from that toxicity. See J.

Gaedeke et al, " Cisplatin Neurotoxicity and Protection by Silymarin. "

Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation 11 (1):pp55-62 (1996)

 

Silymarin has a demonstrated synergistic effect when combined with

Cisplatin and Doxorubicin in ovarian cancer. See G. Scambia et. al.

" Antiproliferative Effect of Silybin on Gynaecological Malignancies:

Synergism with Cisplatin and Doxorubicin. " European Journal of Cancer

32A (5) 877-82. (1996) This allows these chemotherapeutic drugs to be

effective at lower doses, minimizing the toxicity to the body.

 

See also X. Zi et. al. " Anticarcinogenic Effect of a Flavanoid

Antioxidant Silymarin in Human Breast Cancer Cells MDA-MB 468: Induction

of GI Arrest Through and Increase in Cip1/p21 Concomitant with a Decrease

in Kinase Activity of Cyclin-Dependent Kinases and Associated Cyclines. "

Clinical Cancer Research 4(4): 1055-64 (1998) This shows shows an

exceptional anticarcinogenic effect which appears to be caused by

reducing the cancer-promoting enzymes cited in the title.

 

A number of Chinese medicinals used in Fu-zheng therapy are high in

antioxidants or are liver protective. (Rhemannia, turmeric, scute,

schizandra, ginger, for example). A review of that literature may provide

more guidance.

 

Karen Vaughan

CreationsGarden

***************************************

Email advice is not a substitute for medical treatment.

" Faith and doubt both are needed - not as antagonists, but working side

by side - to take us around the unknown curve. " - Lillian Smith

 

On Tue, 24 Oct 2000 15:26:07 -0400 <kwisgirda writes:

 

>I have a patient who has justed started chemo. She is currently taking

>milk thistle but not at my recommendation.=20=20

>I was wondering if as the milk thistle protects the liver from toxins

>if it can also lessen the action of certain toxic substances?

>I know that certain antioxidants (eg vitamins C and E) are sometimes

>prohibited during chemo therapy because the antioxidant actions are

>supposed to help the cancer cells protect themselves.

>Is there any information out there on milk thistle and chemo?

 

______________

YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET!

Juno now offers FREE Internet Access!

Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit:

http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.