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can artemisinin kill cancer cells

by Fern Dibbert Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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What are the benefits of artemisinin for cancer?

A 2015 study revealed artemisinin was more effective in killing cancer cells when combined with iron. In addition, University of Washington researchers found artemisinin to be a thousand times more specific in killing certain cancer cells than current treatments, sparing normal cells from being destroyed while targeting cancer cells.

Does artemisinin kill E coli?

E.coli has now been found present in UTIs, and in breast cancer, bladder cancer and colon cancer tissue. So the above antimicrobial action makes artemisinin a potent cancer preventer. And research has shown artemisinin does kill microbes from E.Coli to Salmonella(7).

Does artemisinin cause apoptosis?

Oncology Reports: “Artemisinin reduces cell proliferation and induces apoptosis in neuroblastoma.” Anticancer Research: “Artemisinin induces apoptosis in human cancer cells.” Phytomedicine: “Activity of Artemisia annua and artemisinin derivatives, in prostate carcinoma.”

Is artemisinin dangerous?

While it’s pretty harmless in the absence of iron, artemisinin is highly toxic in the its presence and makes large volumes of free-radicals. This is not our view but that of Dr. Narendra Singh and Professor Henry Lai, Department of Bioengineering, and Professor of Chemistry Tomikazu Sasaki, all of the University of Washington.

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How long can you take artemisinin for cancer?

A specific dosage for maximum efficacy is yet to be established; however, as a general principle, 400 to 800 mg per day can be used for at least six to 12 months, with no apparent adverse effects [2].

What are the benefits of taking artemisinin?

Artemisinin has been widely used for the treatment of malaria for the past two decades [4]. Additionally, artemisinin is known to have antibacterial, antifungal, antileishmanial, antioxidant, antitumor, and anti-inflammatory activity [5,6,7].

What disease is treated with artemisinin?

Artemisinin (ARS) and its derivatives (ARSs) are recommended as the first-line antimalarial drugs for the treatment of malaria. Besides antimalarial function, its potent anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory properties, as well as the ability to regulate oxidative stress have brought them to a prominent position.

Can artemisinin cause liver damage?

2 Artemisinin-derivative based combination therapy is U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved and rec- ommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for treatment of malaria. 3 Liver injury associated with the use of artemisinin is extraordinarily rare.

How long should you take artemisinin?

The recommended dose for adults is 4 tablets twice daily for 3 days (6 doses). Artesunate (Adamsunate) is also available on a named-patient basis from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Malaria Hotline (770-488-7788, M-F, 8 am to 4:30 pm, Eastern time).

Is artemisinin safe to take?

Though artemisinin is a naturally occurring compound, taking it involves risks. In recommended doses, it may be safe for a person to take artemisinin to treat malaria or a fever. However, people may experience the following side effects: a skin rash, after topical use.

Is artemisinin hard on the liver?

Liver toxicity, including hepatitis, abnormal liver function and jaundice, has been reported in patients taking products containing Artemisia annua extract. Consider products containing Artemisia annua extract as a possible cause of abnormal liver function.

Is artemisinin an anti-inflammatory?

Artemisinin and its derivatives are widely used in the world as the first-line antimalarial drug. Recently, growing evidences reveal that artemisinin and its derivatives also possess potent anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory properties.

Does Artemisia have side effects?

Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) is an herb used in the alcoholic drinks vermouth and absinthe. Its oil contains the chemical thujone, which may be poisonous. The thujone in wormwood oil excites the central nervous system and can cause seizures and other adverse effects.

Is artemisinin good for liver?

Several studies suggest that artemisinin and its derivatives can protect the liver through different mechanisms, such as those pertaining to inflammation, proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and induction of apoptosis and autophagy.

How long should you take wormwood for?

Finally, you shouldn't take any form of wormwood regularly for over 4 weeks. This duration is considered long term, and the herb's long-term safety and side effects are unknown. You should avoid wormwood if you're pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking certain medications.

Does artemisinin lower BP?

Intravenous injection of artemisinin had no significant effect on the mean arterial pressure or heart rate of the WKYs. Compared to DMSO or saline, intravenous injection of artemisinin decreased the heart rate but had no significant effect on the mean arterial pressure of the SHRs (Figure 1).

Is artemisinin hard on liver?

Liver toxicity, including hepatitis, abnormal liver function and jaundice, has been reported in patients taking products containing Artemisia annua extract. Consider products containing Artemisia annua extract as a possible cause of abnormal liver function.

Is artemisinin good for Covid?

Artemisinin in COVID-19 management A. annua was also reported to stimulate adaptive immunity via the generation of CD4 and CD8 lymphocytes which are responsible for antibody production to target SARS-CoV-2 as well as the downregulation of cytokine production.

Is artemisinin an anti-inflammatory?

Artemisinin and its derivatives are widely used in the world as the first-line antimalarial drug. Recently, growing evidences reveal that artemisinin and its derivatives also possess potent anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory properties.

What are the side effects of Artemisia?

Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) is an herb used in the alcoholic drinks vermouth and absinthe. Its oil contains the chemical thujone, which may be poisonous. The thujone in wormwood oil excites the central nervous system and can cause seizures and other adverse effects.

What are the side effects of artemisinin?

Risks. Possible side effects include: Skin rash. Hearing loss. Ringing in the ears. Dizziness. Because there hasn't been much research on the use of artemisinin for treating cancer, there are lots of unknowns. If you're thinking about this as a potential treatment, you should talk with your medical team.

How long does artemisinin take to cure cervical cancer?

Advanced cervical cancer: Doctors treated 10 women with a form of artemisinin for 28 days.

What is the name of the plant that is used to treat malaria?

You may know it better as sweet wormwood. The plant contains a compound called artemisinin. It's the basis for a malaria drug called artesunate that doctors prescribe today. Some people believe that artemisinin may be an alternative to more aggressive cancer treatments.

How long is artesunate good for?

By comparison, survival for this type of cancer is usually about 2-5 months. Lung cancer.

Is Artemisia Annua a herbal tea?

African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines: “Artemisia Annua as a Herbal Tea for Malaria.”

Can artemisinin be used for cancer?

What research has been done used artemisinin in conjunction with normal cancer care, not as an alternative. We need more research to know for sure if it can help. So far, those small studies have some experts feeling optimistic about its potential role as a treatment for some types of cancer, including: Colorectal.

Does iron cause cancer?

Cancer cells rely on iron to spread. When iron and artemisinin enter a cancer cell together, they form atoms called free radicals that kill cancer cells without harming normal ones. Studies show that artemisinin may slow the spread of tumors. It could also cause cancer cells to:

How does artemisinin affect cancer?

A group of researchers looked at all of the research, conducted between 1983 and 2018, into the effects of artemisinin and its derivatives on cancer, and they reported the following: 1 Several studies suggest that artemisinin and its synthetic forms can target cancer cells when combined with chemotherapy. 2 Artemisinin may produce fewer side effects than traditional cancer treatments. 3 Study sizes tended to be small, which means that their results are less reliable. 4 Researchers need further studies to know how safe artemisinin is for humans and how artemisinin affects cancer cells. 5 They also need further studies to determine how artemisinin interacts with cancer drugs.

Why is artemisinin not used in cancer treatment?

Because the scientific community has yet to determine the effects of this chemical on humans, doctors are not currently using artemisinin to treat cancer . There may be contraindications, interactions, and long-term dangers that no one can foresee. A lack of research also means that scientists do not, for example, ...

What is artemisinin in Chinese medicine?

Artemisinin is a chemical compound in a traditional Chinese herb called Artemisia annua, or sweet wormwood. Some research suggests that it may show promise in future cancer treatments. Research indicates that the compound could inhibit the growth of tumors and metastasis. However, this research has typically used animal models.

Where does artemisinin come from?

Artemisinin is a compound derived from the sweet wormwood plant, which practitioners of Chinese medicine often use.

Can artemisinin interact with anti-seizure drugs?

Speak to a doctor before taking any form of artemisinin to help prevent interactions with other medications. Artemisinin may, for example, interact with anti-seizure medications, and anyone taking these medications should refrain from taking the chemical.

Can artemisinin cause ringing in ears?

Artemisinin may cause ringing in the ears or hearing loss. Though artemisinin is a naturally occurring compound, taking it involves risks. In recommended doses, it may be safe for a person to take artemisinin to treat malaria or a fever. However, people may experience the following side effects:

Does Artemisia annua help fight cancer?

The Artemisia annua plant may have anticancer properties, though there is currently no strong evidence that it can help fight cancer in humans.

What is artemisinin anti cancer?

Artemisinin anti-cancer protocol. Here we described an anti-cancer protocol using the natural herbal ingredient artemisinin plus supplemental iron, vitamin C, D and a restricted diet and increased exercise on patients with cancer, developed by Doctors and Professors from Washington University. Back in 2008, Researchers at the University ...

What cancers did Artemesia kill?

The researchers went on to use their creation with breast cancer (where it killed 98% of cancer cells within 16 hours compared to artemisinin alone at 28%), leukemia and brain tumours and it was licensed by the University of Washington to a company, Artemesia Biomedical, set up by Lai, Sasaki and Singh.

How many cancer cells died from iron?

Inside the cancer cell, Free radicals were produced in abundance and the cancer cell died. About 30,000 cancer cells were now killed for every one healthy cell in the studies.

How long does Singh use artemisinin?

Singh uses the treatment for up to a year. The artemisinin needs to be of the highest purity and so a good supplier is recommended.

What is the compound that is used to treat cancer?

Back in 2008, Researchers at the University of Washington produced a unique compound involving the Traditional Chinese Medicine, artemisinin, or Sweet Wormwood. Cancer cells like iron – they contain far more than healthy cells do - and use it to maintain their high rates of cell division.

Does artemisinin kill cancer cells?

Artemisinin also attacks cancer cells. It kills about 100 cancer cells for every healthy cell in laboratory experiments – that’s about 10 times more effective than the average chemotherapy drug. In science, artemisinin has an endoperoxide capacity, that interacts with heme, especially in situations that increase iron in cancer cells.

Does Artemisinin cross the brain barrier?

In human experiments the Singh team used a reduced carbohydrate diet with vitamin D supplementation (5,000IUs) and encouraged exercise. Artemisinin can cross the blood brain barrier. Singh believes that plant iron from a plant-based diet and supplements such as Floradix, provides ferric iron.

What is the effect of artemisinin on cancer cells?

Pollard says that this will load the cancer cells up with iron which they need for multiplying themselves, and then causes them to be targeted by the artemisinin molecule that attaches to the cancer and causes oxidation or rust of the iron which then causes the cancer cell to die.

How long after chemo can you take artemisinin?

Its recommended if you are going to do this, to wait several hours until after the chemotherapy has finished to administer the artemisinin. In general, if the artemisinin will work in slowing down or stopping the growth of the tumor, it will happen in the first month of administration.

How much artesunate should I take daily?

Commonly its supplied in 60 mg ampules from a pharmacy in Hong Kong. The dosage of artesunate is 60 mg once daily. Artemether is a semi-synthetic fat-soluble form of artemisinin that has the longest life in the bloodstream, keeping levels higher longer, but with greater risk of neurologic side-effects at higher dosages. The recommended dose for the artemether is 1-2 mg/kg/day, although some veterinarians are recommending twice that dosage. Artemether readily crosses the blood-brain barrier, and thus, has potential to cause neurologic side effects at much higher dosages than the 5 mg/kg/day which would be its upper end safe dose. If you are using a product that contains artemether combined in the same capsule you need to dose that product based on the artemether dosage.

How to improve absorption of artemisinin?

Another strategy to improve absorption is to give 250-500 mg of vitamin C with meals, because it increases iron absorption from the meal in the stomach. This increases the sensitivity of cancer cells to the destructive effects of the artemisinin.

What plant is used to treat malaria?

It described using the leaves and the stems from the artemisia annua plant, soaking them in water and taking that as a tea to treat malaria. In 2015, a Chinese researcher, Tu youyou, won the Noble Prize for medicine for her work researching the use of artemisinin for malaria.

What is the history of artemisinin?

The history of artemisinin began hundreds of years ago during the Han Dynasty in China (200 BC-200 AD). In the tomb of a nobleman of the Han dynasty archeologists found a silk scroll labeled: “Medical Treatments for 52 Diseases” (this is translated from the Chinese into English). This scroll contained 283 medical treatments, including herbal remedies. This scroll is considered to be the oldest existing text on Chinese medicine. There was one particular recipe on this scroll. It described using the leaves and the stems from the artemisia annua plant, soaking them in water and taking that as a tea to treat malaria.

What is the chemical bond between artemisinin and iron?

Artemisinin’s activity is due to its unique molecular structure which contains a special type of chemical bond, called the “endoperoxide bridge”. This molecular bond interacts with iron stored in the malarial parasite, and oxidizes the iron (rusts it), which releases toxic free radicals that destroy the parasite.

What is the effect of artemisinin on cancer cells?

The artemisinin molecule contains an endoperoxide bridge that reacts with ferrous iron to form free radicals. Cancer cells have a very high iron uptake, so the high volume of free radicals produced then kill the cell. In his first study (1995) on lymphoblastoid leukemia, the cancer cells were killed in just 8 hours.

How much artemisinin is used for cancer?

A Dr. Hoang first started treating cancer patients with 500 mg of artemisinin twice a day in Vietnam and claimed to have a 60% ’cure’ rate. Fortunately there are newer studies in the Western World too that seem to back this up to a degree.

What is artemesia used for?

It was originally used in Traditional Chinese Medicine where it was called Qing Hao. The species Artemesia has a number of active derivatives - artemisinin and analogs artemether and artesunate being the three most commonly used. 1. Artemisinin is the most potent anti-malarial treatment available.

What is the most effective anti-malarial?

1. Artemisinin is the most potent anti-malarial treatment available. Malaria kills at least 1 million people across the world each year. Artemisia annua, or Sweet Wormwood, is the most effective treatment, especially as the potency of certain drugs has continued to fail.

What herb kills cancer cells?

Super-herb Artemisinin kills cancer cells, yeasts, parasites, pathogens like E coli, and viruses. Artemisia annua, or Sweet Wormwood, is a herb found from Pakistan to China, and is the current treatment of choice for malaria. The highest concentration of active ingredient is found in the leaves and flowers. There are 14 other Artemisia species.

What parasites can be killed by artemisinin?

These are the second most common parasite in the world after malaria. They are Trematodes. Later it was discovered that all trematodes can be killed by artemisinin (4). Pinworms, roundworms and more. 4.

What happens when artemisinin comes into contact with iron?

They showed that when artemisinin came into contact with iron, a high level of free radicals formed, killing the cell. Cancer cells are rapidly dividing out of control and so take in a lot of iron. So back in 2001 Lai pumped up the iron levels in cancer patients and then used artemisinin to attack.

What is the pleiotropic response of artemisinin?

The pleiotropic response of artemisinin in cancer cells is responsible for growth inhibition by multiple ways including inhibition of angiogenesis, apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, disruption of cell migration, and modulation of nuclear receptor responsiveness.

Is artemisinin a cancer drug?

Artemisinin and its derivatives: a promising cancer therapy. The world is experiencing a cancer epidemic and an increase in the prevalence of the disease. Cancer remains a major killer, accounting for more than half a million deaths annually. There is a wide range of natural products that have the potential to treat this disease.

Is artemisinin toxic to cancer cells?

Generally, chemotherapy is toxic to both cancerous cells and normal cells, while no significant cytotoxicity from artemisinin to normal cells has been found in more than 4000 case studies, which makes it far different than conventional chemotherapy.

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