An in vivo analysis of the herbal compound Essiac

Essiac is a herbal compound that has been in common use with cancer patients in North America for over 80 years. Despite its relatively widespread use, there are no peer-reviewed published reports of in vivo studies regarding the use of this compound. Essiac was administered orally to test animals p...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Anticancer research 2006-07, Vol.26 (4B), p.3057-3063
Main Authors: LEONARD, Blair J. N, KENNEDY, Deborah A, CHENG, Fong-Chi, CHANG, Keng-Kuang, SEELY, Dugald, MILLS, Edward
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Blood Glucose - drug effects
Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning - prevention & control
Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury
Liver Diseases - prevention & control
Male
Medical sciences
Mice
Mice, Inbred BALB C
Mice, Inbred ICR
Plant Extracts - pharmacology
Rats
Rats, Wistar
Stomach Ulcer - chemically induced
Stomach Ulcer - prevention & control
Tumors
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Summary:Essiac is a herbal compound that has been in common use with cancer patients in North America for over 80 years. Despite its relatively widespread use, there are no peer-reviewed published reports of in vivo studies regarding the use of this compound. Essiac was administered orally to test animals prior to all experiments. Standard assays to test protection from ethanol-induced gastric ulceration and carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic injury were performed on Wistar rats. Assays of postglucose-load serum glucose and cellular and humoral immune modulation were conducted on ICR and BALB/C mice, respectively. Essiac demonstrated a modest gastric protective effect via reduction of ethanol-induced gastric ulceration. However, Essiac did not demonstrate significant hepatoprotective, hypoglycemic or immunomodulatory properties. Essiac, administered in established in vivo experimental models, did not significantly demonstrate its purported physiological modifying effects.
ISSN:0250-7005
1791-7530