Folk Remedy, Food Spice May Fight Cancer (propolis, turmeric)

Yahoo News ^ | June 10, 2005 | Yahoo News

[FairOpinion]

FRIDAY, June 10 (HealthDay News) -- Cancer researchers have been given a million-dollar grant to investigate the therapeutic value of the folk medicine propolis and the food spice turmeric.

The U.S. National Cancer Institute grant is earmarked for the study of the two alternative remedies, each of which has shown promise in reducing risks for breast, prostate and colorectal malignancies, and in enhancing cancer treatment.

Propolis and turmeric are rich in plant polyphenolic compounds that exhibit potent antitumor activities, the researchers said.

"A very interesting property of these compounds is that they have been shown to cause cell death in tumor cells but not in normal cells," study lead investigator Costas Koumenis, assistant professor of radiation oncology at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, in Winston-Salem, N.C., said in a prepared statement.

Propolis is a resinous substance collected by bees from the bark and leaves of trees and plants. Since ancient times, propolis extracts have been used as antibacterial and anti-inflammatory treatments. The major active ingredient in propolis is caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE). Recent research has found CAPE protecting mice against radiation-induced inflammation and skin damage, and also protecting rats against certain forms of heart muscle damage after they were given chemotherapy drugs.

Turmeric, a spice found in curries, contains the compound curcumin. Previous studies found an association between diets rich in curcumin and greatly reduced rates of colon cancer, the researchers said.

"Based on these interesting properties of CAPE and curcumin and their good safety profile, our lab has carried out studies in cell cultures and experimental animal tumor, showing that the compounds can make tumor cells more susceptible to chemotherapy and radiation, while having little effect or even reducing some of the toxic effects of radiation on normal cells," Koumenis said.

For the next four years, he and his team will study if CAPE and curcumin enhance radiation therapy in deadly brain tumors called gliomas and other tumors in animals. They'll also attempt to learn how the two compounds make tumor cells more sensitive to radiation, while protecting normal cells.

"The differential effects of this class of compounds on normal and tumor cells are well-documented, but still remains a mystery," Koumenis said. "Discovering how they are able to do this may open the way to design drugs with similar properties but are even more potent."

[FairOpinion]

As I read bee pollen does NOT contain propolis. It's a totally different thing.

Bee pollen is strictly the bee pollen collected. That is not to say it does not have useful properties.

Propolis may contain some bee pollen, but it's a lot of other ingredients the bees collect and process.

[JimSEA]

See post # 42 Start with 1/2 Tbs. Curry and use fish sauce and chopped Thai small chillis to increase heat. You might need to add moisture during the cooking -- water or beer works but not too much beer.

If you can get lime leaves from an Asian Market two torn in half helps the taste.

[WorkingClassFilth]

Most opinions are that these mites have always been in the background - in other nations. Other species have adapted to cope, but European bees went with European settlement. As a result, many areas of the world had a bee-mite arrangement with their native bees, but the European bees were not part of it. At some point, mites jumped the species barrier and began to travel the world within strains of the European. It is suspected that tracheal mites may have been part of some European problems for nearly 100 years. The 'Isle of Wight' disease written about in period bee literature is one clue. In any event, the mites have made serious inroads into the defenseless Europeans and have hoboed, hopped freighters and been inadvertently smuggled all over the globe.

In the US, European bees have been part of our ag picture since the 1500's and about 90% of our pollination used to come from 'wild bees' (really escaped swarms of European bees raised by beekeepers). The reservoir of wild bees simply dwarfed anything going on commercially. Today, scientists consider ALL wild colonies extinct and any out there are only a few years old at the most - doomed too. It can be seen, then, that the unknown arrival of the various mites may have been at work in the vast populations hidden in the wilds and spilled over into commercial enterprises well into their colonization of this continent.

Australia and NZ have fought valiantly to protect their populations against the mites, but I just read that the NZ beekeepers have finally been found to have at least one of the mite infestations.

[WorkingClassFilth]

"synthetic parathyroids" should read: 'synthetic pyrethroids.'

Damn spell checker.

[WorkingClassFilth]

"specially prepared bottom board to relieve and hold mites" should read: 'specially prepared bottom board to recieve and hold mites'

I swear, that spell checker does more harm than good.

[FairOpinion]

"Today, scientists consider ALL wild colonies extinct and any out there are only a few years old at the most - doomed too. "


What a shame!

[FairOpinion]

Thanks for the corrections -- spell checkers can screw thing up for sure.

[editor-surveyor]

"In the US, European bees have been part of our ag picture since the 1500's and about 90% of our pollination used to come from 'wild bees' (really escaped swarms of European bees raised by beekeepers)."

I've noticed that in the Sierra, most of the pollination seems to be done by bumble bees, and carpenter bees. Honey bees have become quite rare anywhere above about 2500 feet. the carpenter bees also seem to be increasing noticeably in the SF bay area (much to the detriment of fence posts, and buildings with natural wood siding exposed).

Last weekend we were eating in an outdoor patio at a restaurant in Clayton, and everyone had to give up and go inside because of a huge swarm of honey bees, that covered about 10 acres. I hadn't seen one like that for about five years.

[editor-surveyor]

"I swear, that spell checker does more harm than good"

They only catch words not in their lexicon file :o)

[paulat]

Wow! You saw one five years ago, too?

[editor-surveyor]

They only seem to happen in rare circumstances, like this year's excessive rains (that also have quadrupled the vetch and clover blooms).

[bert]

My point was that propolis covers all surfaces within the hive and perhaps produces a clean enviroment, perhaps repelllant to bacterial growth. Propolis has no effect on the mites that are eliminating colonies on a vast scale.

I have pretty much given up.

[righttackle44]

Finally! A practical breakthrough in the fight against cancer.

Fight cancer. Eat more ribs.

Mansion Barbecue Spice Mix Recipe

Ingredients
2 Tbsp paprika
1/2 tsp curry powder
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground cumin

Instructions
Mix all ingredients together and rub on beef cuts such as T-bones, tenderloin, top sirloin and top loin (strip). Grill or broil 3 to 4 inches from heat 10 to 13 minutes for medium rare.

Yield: 6 servings

[Porterville]

Also works for a stuffed up head and helps to energize the body. Also, works to keep your appearance young. But they'll learn about that later.

[diamond6]

Where can one find Propolis?

[FairOpinion]

Do a search on Google.

I did and found a couple of sites, you can get it in capsule form, or really natural, as the beekeepers get it, then you can put it in high proof alcohol and make your own propolis tincture.

I was sure I bookmarked it, and now I can't find it.

[FairOpinion]

Here are a couple places I found that I am considering.

I am not vouching for them, because I have just found them myself, haven't ordered from them, but they seemed reasonable.

http://www.pureroyaljelly.com/index.html

http://www.reallyrawhoney.com/

[Goodgirlinred]

Curcumin is also being used in treatment of Multiple Myeloma. My husband died of complications of that disease. I have friends now who are still battling the disease, and who are using curcumin in dosage amounts per doctor's instructions to see if it will help. Some tests have shown positive results. (Multiple Myeloma is cancer of the plasma cells of the bone marrow.)

[diamond6]

Have either of you ever heard of Essiac Tea being effective in fighting cancer?

[diamond6]

Thanks for the info (post 77)