This evening a friend of mine sent me an email allegedly from John (sic) Hopkins, making a series of radical claims in numbered paragraphs about the nature of cancer and alternatives to conventional tmedicine for its prevention and treatment. My friend had been sent the email by her father, an elderly prostate cancer survivor, who thought the article was genuine and very important.Now, whether you are into CAM/non conventional medicine or not, you have to agree that Johns Hopkins is a seriously heavyweight institution with some outstanding physicians involved in cutting edge research , especially in fields like cancer and HIV/AIDS. At any rate, they would be likely to be able to spell the name of their organization correctly. (Danger sign 1). IN fact, for anyone reasonably literate in cancer research or clinical oncology, every single paragraph in the scammy text of the email that purported to be from Hopkins read as though it were written by someone semi-literate not only in the basics of cancer  but also in english grammar… for example

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person’s lifetime.   

Hmmm - pretty fishy? Oh yes. A quick google search reveals tens of dozens of sites reproducing the so called email letter … but none of them link to any reputable source, including Johns Hopkins. But stroll over to Hopkins’ web site and lo and behold….the following denial is posted…Email Hoax Regarding CancerFrom receipt of email to establishment of its hoax provenance took me less than 5 minutes. The fascinating thing is how mindlessly different people propagate and circulate these kind of myths - to the point where copies are posted and reposted all over cyberspace until they take on a life of their own - and it happens so FAST! Food for thought huh.The (bodged) text of the original email that is still circulating is reproduced here: you can google the title anywhere…

AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY AND ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHN HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY . 1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a f ew billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to dete ct the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person’s lifetime.3. When the person’s immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.5 To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.8. Initial treatment with ch emotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size . However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply. CANCER CELLS FEED ON:a Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important foo d supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal,Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but o nly in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in color. Better alternative is Bragg’s aminos or sea salt.b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastrointestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk cancer cells are being starved.c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruit help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of health y cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetable s 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).e. Avoid coffee, tea, a and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines become putrefied and leads to more toxic build-up.13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body’s killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.14. Some supplements build up the im mune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body’s own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body’s normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted anted, or unneeded cells.15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, resentment, and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells. CANCER UPDATE FROM JOHN HOPKINS HOSPITAL , U S A < /SPAN>1. No plastic containers in micro.2. No water bottles in freezer.3. No plastic wrap in microwave.Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army < /FONT>Medical Center as well. Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer.Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies.Don’t freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plast ic.Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital , was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us.. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers.This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food. You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else.Paper isn’t bad but you don’t know what is in t he paper. It’s just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nu ked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead. This is an article that should be sent to anyone important in your life.   

A blog called LiveSmarter which is curiously attached to a site for online nursing degrees has a survey of alternative medicine blogs which may be of interest to some Herblog readers. Several of my regular reads are there, including the informative blog by Tori Hudson, ND the fabulous Portland, OR- based naturopathic physician who has specialized in the sharp end women’s health care for many many years, as well as The Herbal Science Research site run by ozzie Shayne Foley, also now from Portland. His site aggregates feeds from different botanical medicine sources including PubMed, herbal blogs and podcasts and others in a compiled news format. Herbal Science Research is a must read for any herbalist, and many Herblog entries are initially gleaned from this valuable aggregator. Shayne is an accomplished specialist in on-line botanical education system design and delivery, and a capable multi-media consultant - if you are planning an on line herbal education project that requires content management systems check out Shayne’s services at Digitalis Media.

Top 50 Alt Med Blogs

Dr Tori Hudson’s Blog

Herbal Science Research

Digitalis Media

The balance of histone acetylation and deacetylation is an index of proliferative activity in many solid tumors. Many botanical agents, especially dietary derived compounds such as the sulfurophanes (eg DIM) from the Brassicaceae can inhibit the enzyme histone deacetylase and modify the ability of DNA to replicate. This is an example of an epigenetic strategy - the actual modification of DNA in the organism, as opposed to “damaging” it. Quite at odds with earlier ideas that gene expression could be modified but that genes could not be. Another valuable non-toxic approach to cancer inhibition.

Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2007 Nov;71(11):2712-9Authors: Lee YH, Hong SW, Jun W, Cho HY, Kim HC, Jung MG, Wong J, Kim HI, Kim CH, Yoon HGHistone acetylation depends on the activity of two enzyme families, histone acetyltransferase (HAT) and deacetylase (HDAC). In this study, we screened various plant extracts to find potent HAT inhibitors. Hot water extracts of allspice inhibited HAT activity, especially p300 and CBP (40% at 100 microg/ml). The mRNA levels of two androgen receptor (AR) regulated genes, PSA and TSC22, decreased with allspice treatment (100 microg/ml). Importantly, in IP western analysis, AR acetylation was dramatically decreased by allspice treatment.Furthermore, chromatin immunoprecipitation indicated that the acetylation of histone H3 in the PSA and B2M promoter regions was also repressed. Finally, allspice treatment reduced the growth of human prostate cancer cells, LNCaP (50% growth inhibition at 200 microg/ml). Taken together, our data indicate that the potent HAT inhibitory activity of allspice reduced AR and histone acetylation and led to decreased transcription of AR target genes, resulting in inhibition of prostate cancer cell growth.PMID: 17986787 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE

Rwandan female genital modification: Elongation of the Labia minora and the use of local botanical species
Koster M, Price LL, Cult Health Sex. 2008 Mar-Apr;10(2):191-204

The elongation of the labia minora is classified as a Type IV female genital mutilation by the World Health Organization. However, the term mutilation carries with it powerful negative connotations. In Rwanda, the elongation of the labia minora and the use of botanicals to do so is meant to increase male and female pleasure. Women regard these practices as a positive force in their lives. This paper aims to assess whether Rwandan vaginal practices should indeed be considered a form of female genital mutilation and whether the botanicals used by women are detrimental to their health. Research was carried out in the northeast of Rwanda over the course of 13 months. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with thirteen informants. Two botanicals applied during stretching sessions were identified as Solanum aculeastrum Dunal and Bidens pilosa L. Both have wide medicinal use and contain demonstrated beneficial bioactive compounds. We suggest that it is therefore more appropriate to describe Rwandan vaginal practices as female genital modification rather than mutilation.

PMID: 18247211 [PubMed - in process]

In this cutting and articulate letter to the editor of Homeopathy regarding a NYT article by the infamous Dan Hurley the author of the letter points out the fundamental paradox of mainstream views of homeopathy (and herbs) which is simply that they are claimed to be BOTH dangerous yet ineffective at the same time. Since no abstract is available, we will quote extensively from this letter Paralogisms of scientific journalism : Rosenbaum P, Homeopathy. 2007 Oct;96(4):285-6, which concludes that such articles imply the need for a serious examination of what he calls the “sociology of scientific journalism”.

But some sections of the media, including important
medical journals, have published claims that infinitesimal
substances are suspected, not of toxicity, but of
the opposite: of not possessing any detectable biological
effect in vitro or in vivo. It is here we find the
paralogism.

Of course these are partial conclusions, therefore,
challengeable. Experimentation in human beings,
observational studies and studies of health-related
quality of life quality of line in health, for instance,
strongly contradict these conclusions of inaction. If the
Food and Drug Administration finds empirically that
adverse effects are associated with homeopathic
medicines, and that they are significant, how is it that
they are accused of being pharmacologically inert?.
The notorious question: ‘‘does it work or not?’’ carries
an unbearable ambiguity: it work, but only to
intoxicate. But infinitesimal dilutions are not even
‘‘substances’’ strictu sensu. If there is not even a trace
of active drug, nor any other validated evidence, how
can one determine such actions? We are face—and this
article in the New York Times is just a single
example—with a superficial analysis of data which
impact on both society at large and the community
of users.

The surprise here is the size of paralogism. An
influential newspaper reports that homeopathic medications
may be poisonous. However, until recently
they considered they were nothing but water. Any
apparent effects are only mirages placebo-effects. So,
either we are witnessing a remarkable epidemic of
placebo effects in the poison monitoring centers or a
phenomenon that, if verified, should be a top priority
list, with public support of research. Are homeopathic
medicine fake? Or are there active poisons in infinitesimal
doses? If there are, everything has to be
reassessed.

But there is a more radical alternative: to evaluate
sociologically what is happening in scientific journalism.
We know that logic alone is insufficient to meet all
the demands and possibilities of validity. As shown by
Thomas Kuhn, it is supported by the values and needs
of a certain culture, at a certain moment. In his classic
book ‘‘The Structure of Scientific Revolutions’’ he
warns that there is a pressing need for the analysis of
development of theories and scientific verifications: the
psycho-sociology of science, understanding of its
motivations and meanings of its discourse. This means
that it is important to recognize the non-universality of
regulatory standards. In this case, the need is urgent.

Precisely Paulo, well put.

I have used Ginkgo for altitude adaptation for a number of years. On recent trips from low lying Southern Oregon at 2,750 ft, to day hikes around 10,000 feet on the east side, I found the air subjectively thin but experienced no real problems keeping up with the locals….this study used acute doses on the low side at 80 mg qd at altitudes similar to the sierra. Personally I would take 240 mg.

Ginkgo biloba decreases acute mountain sickness in people ascending to high altitude at Ollagüe (3696 m) in northern Chile
Moraga FA, Flores A, Serra J, Esnaola C, Barriento C. Wilderness Environ Med. 2007;18(4):251-

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prophylactic effect of Ginkgo biloba (doses 80 mg/12 h, 24 h before high-altitude ascension and with continued treatment) in preventing acute mountain sickness (AMS) at 3696 m in participants without high-altitude experience. METHODS: Thirty-six participants who reside at sea level were transported to an altitude of 3696 m (Ollag&#xFC;e). The participants were divided into 3 groups and received G biloba (n=12) 80 mg/12 h, acetazolamide (n=12) 250 mg/12 h, or placebo (n=12) 24 hours before ascending and during their 3-day stay at high altitude. The Lake Louise Questionnaire constituted the primary outcome measurement at sea level and at 3696 m. A Lake Louise Self-Report Score greater than 3 was indicative of AMS. Oxygen saturation, heart rate, and arterial pressure were taken with each evaluation for AMS. RESULTS: A significant reduction in AMS was observed in the group that received G biloba (0%, P<.05) comparison with the groups receiving acetazolamide (36%, P<.05) or placebo (54%). No difference was observed in arterial oxygen saturation in the G biloba (92+/-2) vs the acetazolamide (89+/-2) groups. However, a marked increased saturation in arterial oxygen was seen in comparison with the placebo group (84+/-3, P<.05). No statistically significant differences were observed in mean arterial pressure or heart rate. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence supporting the use of G biloba in the prevention of AMS, demonstrating that 24 hours of pretreatment with G biloba and subsequent maintenance during exposure to high altitude are sufficient to reduce the incidence of AMS in participants with no previous high-altitude experience.

PMID: 18076292 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

More on ginkgo and coagulation: trial evidence that finally knocks out the myth that ginkgo is likely to cause additive interaction of over-anticoagulation when combined with aspirin. Of especial interest is that the study population was OLDER adults, the higher risk group that are often on an rx of aspirin as well as ginkgo users.
Effect of Ginkgo biloba (EGb 761) and aspirin on platelet aggregation and platelet function analysis among older adults at risk of cardiovascular disease: a randomized clinical trial: Gardner CD, Zehnder JL, Rigby AJ, Nicholus JR, Farquhar JW, Blood Coagul Fibrinolysis. 2007 Dec;18(8):787-93

Several case reports have implicated Ginkgo biloba in clinically adverse bleeding disorders. Ginkgo biloba has been reported to increase pain-free walking distance among patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). Standard PAD therapy includes 325 mg/day aspirin. The objective of this study was to examine potential adverse effects of concomitant aspirin and Ginkgo biloba on platelet function. Ginkgo biloba (EGb 761, 300 mg/day) was compared with placebo for effects on measures of platelet aggregation among adults consuming 325 mg/day aspirin in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel design trial of 4-week duration. Participants were adults, age 69 +/- 10 years, with PAD or risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Outcome measures included platelet function analysis (PFA-100 analyzer) using ADP as an agonist (n = 26 placebo; n = 29 ginkgo), and platelet aggregation using ADP, epinephrine, collagen and ristocetin as agonists (n = 21 placebo; n = 23 ginkgo). Participants kept daily logs of bleeding or bruising episodes. There were no clinically or statistically significant differences between treatment groups for any agonists, for either PFA-100 analysis or platelet aggregation. Reports of bleeding or bruising were infrequent and similar for both study groups. In conclusion, in older adults with PAD or cardiovascular disease risk, a relatively high dose of Ginkgo biloba combined with 325 mg/day daily aspirin did not have a clinically or statistically detectable impact on indices of coagulation examined over 4 weeks, compared with the effect of aspirin alone. No adverse bleeding events were observed, although the trial was limited to a small sample size.

PMID: 17982321 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

One of the biggest mainstream misinformation myths takes a dent from…. the mainstream: ginko, garlic, ginseng and other herbs experimentally associated with antiplatelet activity therefore cause dangerous interactions in vivo because they will affect hemostasis etc etc etc NOT. More details to follow after getting the full text of this one...

The effect of herbal medicines on platelet function: an in vivo experiment and review of the literature
Beckert BW, Concannon MJ, Henry SL, Smith DS, Puckett CLPlast. Reconstr Surg. 2007 Dec;120(7):2044-50

BACKGROUND:: Herbal medicines are used by a considerable number of surgical patients. An increased risk of bleeding, substantiated by anecdotal reports, has been attributed to the use of certain herbs, and numerous in vitro experiments have identified some herbal extracts as platelet inhibitors. The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether standard commercial preparations of commonly used herbal medicines have an effect on platelet function in vivo and, by extension, to provide clinical scientific evidence of the safety of their use in the perioperative period. METHODS:: Five commercially available herbal agents were investigated, including Ginkgo biloba, garlic, Asian ginseng, St. John’s wort, and saw palmetto. In a blinded fashion, one of the agents was administered to 10 adult volunteers at the manufacturer’s recommended dose for 2 weeks. At the end of the 2-week period, in vivo platelet function was quantified using the PFA-100 assay. After a 2-week “washout” period, the protocol was repeated using a different agent. This 4-week cycle was repeated for each of the five herbal agents, as well as the control agent aspirin. RESULTS:: In vivo platelet function was not affected by the administration of any herbal agent and was markedly inhibited with the administration of aspirin. CONCLUSIONS:: The herbal medicines investigated in this study do not affect platelet function in vivo. Neither this experiment nor a review of the literature supports the concern of perioperative bleeding in users of these herbal medicines.

PMID: 18090773 [PubMed - in process]

Just in time - Christmas stocking addition for the favorite practitioners in your life…..900+ pages dealing with 30 herbs, and more nutrients (see list of contents below) and thousands of references on a CDROM. Forward by Tieraona Low Dog (MD). The herbs monographs were all authored by yours truly, and the book is a steal at 79.95USD. Indispensable…..

Herb, Nutrient & Drug Interactions: Elsevier US Link

Table of Contents

Interactions Probability, Significance and Source Strength Guides
Section I: Herbs Interacting with Drugs

Aloe (Aloe vera)
Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus)
Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus)
Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa)
Cascara
Cayenne (Capsicum)
Dang Gui (Angelica sinensis)
Devil’s Claw (Harpagophytum procumbens)
Echinacea (Echinacea spp.)
Eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus)
Ephedra (Ephedra sinica)
Feverfew (Tanacetum parth.)
Garlic (Allium sativum)
Ginger (Zingiber off.)
Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba)
Ginseng, Chinese/Korean (Panax ginseng)
Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica)
Green Tea (Camellia sinensis)
Hawthorn (Crataegus)
Horse Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum)
Kava Kava (Piper methysticum)
Licorice Root (Glycyrrhiza glabra)
Milk Thistle Seed (Silybum marianum)
Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)
Reishi Mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum)
Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens)
St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum)
Turmeric/Curcumin (Curcuma longa)
Valerian (Valeriana off.)
Vitex/Chaste (Vitex agnus-castus)

Section II: Nutrients Interacting with Drugs and Drug-Induced Nutrient Depletions

A. Vitamins
Beta-Carotene
Folic Acid
Vitamin A / Retinol
Vitamin B1 / Thiamine
Vitamin B2 / Riboflavin
Vitamin B3 / Niacin/Niacinamide
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B12
Vitamin C / Ascorbic Acid
Vitamin D / Calciferol
Vitamin E
Vitamin K
B. Minerals
Boron
Calcium
Chromium
Copper
Iron
Magnesium
Potassium
Selenium
Zinc
C. Amino Acids
Arginine
Carnitine
Methionine
Phenylalanine
Tryptophan
Tyrosine
D. Nutriceuticals and Physiologics
5-HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan)
Alpha Lipoic Acid
Chondroitin Sulfate
Coenzyme Q10
DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone)
Glucosamine sulfate
Inositol
Melatonin
Omega 3 Fatty Acids (including Fish Oils: DHA and EPA)
PABA (Para-aminobenzoic Acid)
Policosanol
Probiotic Intestinal Flora and Prebiotics
S-adenosyl Methionine (SAMe)

Section III: Cross Indexes

A. Drugs by Trade Names
B. Drugs by Generic Names
C. Drugs by Drug Classes
Index

Ginger ingredients reduce viability of gastric cancer cells via distinct mechanisms

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2007 Oct 12;362(1):218-23 Authors: Ishiguro K, Ando T, Maeda O, Ohmiya N, Niwa Y, Kadomatsu K, Goto H

Ginger has been used throughout the world as spice, food and traditional herb. We found that 6-gingerol, a phenolic alkanone isolated from ginger, enhanced the TRAIL-induced viability reduction of gastric cancer cells while 6-gingerol alone affected viability only slightly. 6-Gingerol facilitated TRAIL-induced apoptosis by increasing TRAIL-induced caspase-3/7 activation. 6-Gingerol was shown to down-regulate the expression of cIAP1, which suppresses caspase-3/7 activity, by inhibiting TRAIL-induced NF-kappaB activation. As 6-shogaol has a chemical structure similar to 6-gingerol, we also assessed the effect of 6-shogaol on the viability of gastric cancer cells. Unlike 6-gingerol, 6-shogaol alone reduced the viability of gastric cancer cells. 6-Shogaol was shown to damage microtubules and induce mitotic arrest. These findings indicate for the first time that in gastric cancer cells, 6-gingerol enhances TRAIL-induced viability reduction by inhibiting TRAIL-induced NF-kappaB activation while 6-shogaol alone reduces viability by damaging microtubules.

PMID: 17706603 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]