Baikal Skullcap (Scutellaria
baicalensis)—Chinese name huang qin—contains baicalin and
wogonin, 2 active flavones. Baicalin converts to baicalein, which is
another active flavone. In vitro, baicalin and baicalein inhibit
prostate cancer cell growth of AD LNCaP and JCA-1 AI human prostate
cancer cell lines as well as inducing
apoptosis in human LNCaP cells. Baicalin also shows
antimutagenic and
antioxidant activity in vitro as well as
free radical scavenging ability.
Licorice (Glycyrrhiza
glabra or Glycyrrhiza
uralensis)—Chinese name gan cao—contains the very active
flavonoid licochalcone A, which has demonstrated in
vitro estrogenic activity. This
botanical shows a broad range of anticancer activity
in vitro. It enhances the cytotoxicity of commonly used anticancer drugs
and induces apoptosis in MCF-7 human
breast cancer and HL-60
promyelocytic leukemia cell lines. Licorice contains
saponins which stimulate the immune system.
Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma
lucidum [Curtis: fr.] Karst.)—Chinese name ling zhi— has been
shown to aid in the recovery of
leukocyte counts in
irradiated mice in a
dose-dependent manner. It contains the
polysaccharide G009, which has demonstrated
antioxidant behavior against HL-60 cells in vitro and dose-dependent
inhibition of
lipid peroxidation in rat brain cells in vitro. Reshi
contains
polysaccharide compounds which aid the immune system and enable the
cells to communicate with each other. Reshi has been
found to
suppress pc cell adhesion and cell migration. Research by Cancer
Research Labs
Isatis leaf
(also known as dyer's woad),
Isatis (Isatis
indigotica)—Chinese name da qing ve—Indirubin, an active
ingredient, and its
analogs have demonstrated inhibition of cyclin-dependent
kinases in human
mammary
carcinoma cell line MCF-7 in vitro. Isatis contains
beta-sitosterol, a phytosterol clinically proven to inhibit prostate
cancer.
Isatis leaves contain an alkaloid
known as tryptanthrin, (1) which is strongly inhibitory to the
cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme, and is theorized to be largely
responsible for the anti-inflammatory action of Isatis. The leaves also
contain several derivatives of hydroxycinnamic acid, including ferulic
acid and sinapic acid. (2) These agents are thought to be important in
the anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic activity of Isatis leaf
preparations.
Ginseng (Panax
ginseng or Panax
pseudoginseng var. notoginseng)— Chinese name tianqi—contains
ginsenosides and saponins. Of the 30 ginsenosides that have been
isolated from Panax ginseng,
only the 20(S)-protopanaxadiol type R3 has inhibited cell growth and
suppressed
PSA expression,
androgen
receptor and 5α-reductase activity, and PCNA
production in vitro.
Chrysanthemum flowers
(Dendranthema morifolium)—Chinese
name ju hua—contain triterpene diols and triols. Arnidiol exhibited
cytotoxicity in vitro against 58 of the 60 human cancer cell lines
developed by the
National Cancer Institute (NCI) Developmental
Therapeutics Program. Chrysanthemum has antibiotic, anti-inflamatory
properties and has shown that it helps reduce high blood pressure by
dialating coronary arteries and increasing blood flow.
Rabdosia Rubescens (Isodon
rubescens)—Chinese name dong ling cao—has 2 very active
agents, oridonin and rubesencin b. Oridonin inhibits
DNA synthesis in vitro (reviewed in and rubesencin b
inhibited cell growth in cancer cell lines in vitro and in a mouse
model. Other research showed Rabdosia to inhibit breast cancer in vivo.
The inhibition occurred via direct anti-proliferation and apoptotic
effect on the tumor cells. Research by UCLA.
Saw palmetto (Serenoa
repens) is the only botanical in PC-HOPE that is not used in
traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). There is strong evidence from human
trials that saw palmetto has some activity against
benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), including improved
urine flow and less
erectile dysfunction when compared with
placebo or
finasteride. S
repens also exhibits antiestrogenic activity in
placebo-controlled BPH trials. In LNCaP cells,
S repens produced apoptosis
in vitro. Saw Palmetto is a potent 5-alpha reductase inhibitor, this
diminishes high levels of DHT. Clinical evidence shows DHT to stimulate
both BPH and prostate cancer.
Saw Palmetto has worked so well and
with minimal or no side effects that it is now in the select list of
herbals that equal or surpass pharmaceutical prescription medication
treatments for specific human diseases.
Pumpkin Seed- pumpkin
seed is another 5-alpha reductase inhibitor and is widely used for
prostate enlargement.
Pumpkin seed oil has a very high
gamma-tocopherol and linolic acid content, both of which have beneficial
effects on wide ranging health issues, including prostate cancer.
