Herbal Medicine in Cancer Therapy
OVERCOMMING OBSTACLES
~ PROFILE CURCUMIN ~
By Harry Chrissakis, Herbalist, M.H., M.T., Natural Healing
Curcumin is a derivative of the spice Tumeric.
Tumeric is part of curry powder and is what gives curry its distinctive yellow color.
Tumeric has a long history of use in the Ayuvedic herbal tradition ( India ) for the treatment of multiple problems. The known active components of tumeric are its curcuminoids.
The curcuminoids are part of a much larger family of beneficial plant medicines known as Flavinoids. These plant compounds are often anti- inflammatory and act as anti-oxidents as well.
In light of modern technology, curcuminoids can be concentrated to 95% purity. Potency can be further enhanced (exponentially) by producing high ratio extracts (i.e. 95% curcuminoids at 25:1 ratio).
*The 25:1 ratio means that if one ounce of tumeric is compared to one ounce of the 25:1 curcuminoid extract, the concentrated extract would contain 25 times more curcuminoids. This is where technology dovetails with herbal medicine: manipulating a natural product and making it way better and stronger than it was. Way better and stronger is what is necessary in the treatment of a life threatening disorder like cancer.
The next step after product concentration is enhancing digestion and absorption. This can be accomplished by consuming some form of fat with the curcumin.
My usual recommendation is the addition of fish oil. In order to insure that curcumin is not quickly degraded in the bloodstream, the addition of the proteolytic emzyme Bromelain will slow the process of degradation down and help to maintain blood levels. In order to achieve full effect, dosage amount must be high, and frequency of dosage often; 1 – 2 grams 3-4 times a day in between meals. Curcumin is well tolerated in dosages of up to 8 grams a day.
Now let’s take a look at what curcumin can accomplish in relation to cancer when applied properly. Uncontrolled inflammation plays a fundamental role in both the development and progression of cancer. Under normal conditions of a healthy functioning body, tightly controlled inflammation plays a positive role in both tissue regeneration and the ability of the immune systems to attack foreign invaders or cancer cells.
Trying to give the body what it needs to help rebalance itself is a basic premise of natural healing. The use of pharmaceutical drugs is intended to completely remove the process of inflammation (great for acute crisis care and generally short term).
Long term use of drugs can have serious down sides. In contrast, Natural Medicine works in conjunction with bodily function often affecting multiple pathways simultaneously (side effect is often 0-minimal).
Curcumin also works well with anti- inflammatory drugs . A good description of herbal action is modification moving toward overall balance (homeostasis).
Curcumin is both an excellent anti-inflamatory and antioxidant, working up and downstream of these processes; meaning it works at the source of the problem as well as cleaning up the results of it. Inflamation is a process that is tightly controlled by the body. Under the influence of cancer, the body is no longer in control of this process; the cancer is.
The 2 areas that are key in the control of inflammation are the Nuclear Factor kappa Beta (NFkB) pathway and the eicosanoid (Prostaglandin) pathways. These pathways work independently, but can also synergise and up- regulate each other with a very destructive result.
Curcumin normalizes both of these processes.
Curcumin is also a major player in the reduction of all the processes that create and strengthen cancer; Initiation, Progression, Invasion and Metastasis.
One of the great beauties of Natural Healing is the ability to apply similar therapies to different disorders. Almost all major disorders have inflamation and free radical damage as part of their profile. Applying Curcumin in these circumstances would be part of a valid approach.
I am hoping this article will help to clarify the rightful place that herbal medicine, and Natural Healing in general have in relation to the treatment of life threatening disorders.
Keep in mind the fact that this approach is not intended to replace standard practice oncology or standard practice medicine in general, but to be used along with it and ultimately to be incorporated into it.
For more information contact us.
Looking forward to assist you.
~ Harry Chrissakis, Medical Herbalist and Massage Therapist ~