But for centuries a type of wormwood, Artemesia annua, has been used as a medicinal plant in China.
A few years ago, Henry Lai and Narendra Singh form the University of Washington discovered the wormwood derivative artemisinin, also to be very promising against cancer.
Artemesinin's destructive properties are triggered by higher than normal levels of iron in cancer cells and in malaria pathogens. If artemisinin comes into contact with iron, a chemical reaction occurs and free radicals are generated, which are the real weapons against the malaria parasites. They attack the cell membrane, literally tear them apart and this way destroy the pathogen.
Many experiments have found that artemesinin turns deadly in the presence of iron. In Asia and Africa, artemesinin tablets are widely and, in many cases, successfully used to treat malaria, because the parasite has a high iron concentration. Cancer cells can also be rich in iron, as they often soak up the mineral to facilitate cell division. The cells bring in extra iron with the help of transferrin receptors, special receiving points that funnel the mineral into the cell. Although normal cells also have transferrin receptors, cancerous ones can have many more.
To test artemesinin's effect on breast cancer cells, bioengineers Henry Lai and Narendra Singh of the University of Washington, Seattle, enriched segregated normal breast cells and radiation-resistant cancerous ones with holotransferrin, a compound normally found in the body that carries iron to the cells. Then the team dosed the cells with artemesinin. As the pair reports in the 16 November issue of Life Sciences, almost all the cancer cells exposed to holotransferrin and artemesinin died within 16 hours. The compounds killed only a few of the normal cells. Lai believes that because a breast cancer cell contains five to 15 more receptors than normal, it absorbs iron more readily and hence is more susceptible to artemesinin's attack.
Recently I have noticed that our 19 year old Birman girl has a big tumor on one of her nippels. This is not the first time we had cats with cancerous tumors on the nippels and on the milkline beneath the skin. But this time I read a lot about Artemisia Annua and how it can help a cat with cancer. Since July 2021, Estrella gets 3 weeks Artemisia Annua and 3 week Chlorine Dioxide in alternation. In addition I try daily to apply a mix of Artemisia annua and DMSO 75 % deluted with water (Dimethyl sulfoxide) on the tumor to shrink it. I certainly don't expect her to live an eternal life, but I want to give her more quality of life as long as I can see she enjoys it.
Taking in consideration it is one of the deadliest diseases. Scientists constantly try to find a cure and finally put an end to cancer. This herb is one of those cures and it can kill up to 98% of cancer cells in just 16 hours.
Namely, according to the researches published in "Life Science", artemisinin, a "Sweet wormwood" or "Artemisia Annua" derivative, was used in Chinese medicine and it can kill 98% of lung cancer cells in less than 16 hours.
The herb used by itself reduces lung cancer cells up to 28%, but in combination with iron, "Artemisia Annua" successfully and completely "erases" cancer, and in the experiment this herb had no impact on healthy lung cells.
Artemisinin in past was used as a powerful antimalarial remedy, but now it is proven that this cure is also effective in the fight against cancer.
When scientists added iron while conducting the study, which later attached to lung tissue, especially to cancer infected cells, artemisinine selectively attacked "bad" cells, and left "good" cells untouched.
"In general, our results show that artemisinin stops 'E2F1' transcription factor and intervenes in destruction of lung cancer cells, meaning it presents a transcription way according to which artemisinin controls reproductive cancer cell growth", was stated in the conclusion of the researches conducted in the cancer laboratory at the University of California.
Original research study: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22185819 and Science org article: https://www.science.org/content/article/wormwood-extract-kills-cancer-cells
