More than 120 herbs and traditional medicines will eventually be evaluated by Campbell’s team and others at UCSF.16 of the herbs tested so far have been deemed “highly active” against breast cancer cell growth.
Among these, rz rhei, a Chinese Rhubarb root, was especially promising in laboratory tests.
Other herbs that showed significant anti-cancer activity in laboratory tests included ban zhi lian, zhi mu, and wang bu liu xing.
These may be the focus of future clinical trials in human breast cancer
and other patients.
Americans are turning more and more often to herbal remedies as a natural alternative to drugs.
But before you head off to the health food store for that bottle of St. John's wort or kava kava, you should know that natural does not necessarily mean safer.
In fact, evidence is mounting that some of the most popular herbs can have serious side effects.
