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Herbal Medicine

Research is Positive on Chinese Herbals for Cancer

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There’s growing acceptance that herbal medicines could be effective for medical conditions, but the scientific evidence to vault such a treatment into an approved drug is often lacking. As Shirley Wang explains on Lunch Break, researchers are making progress on a cancer treatment based on a common herbal combination in Chinese medicine.

Scientists studying a four-herb combination discovered some 1,800 years ago by Chinese herbalists have found that the substance enhances the effectiveness of chemotherapy in patients with colon cancer.

Photo Researchers Inc.Early studies show a traditional four-herb combination has cancer-treatment benefits. The herbs are Chinese peony (pictured), Chinese jujube, Chinese licorice and baikal skullcap.

The mixture, known in China as huang qin tang, has been shown in early trials to be effective at reducing some side effects of chemotherapy, including diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. The herbs also seem to bolster colon-cancer treatment: Tests on animals with tumors have shown that administering the herbs along with chemotherapy drugs restored intestinal cells faster than when chemo was used alone.

The herb combination, dubbed PHY906 by scientists, is a rare example of a plant-based product used in traditional folk medicine that could potentially jump the hurdle into mainstream American therapy. A scientific team led by Yung-Chi Cheng, an oncology researcher at Yale University, and funded in part by the National Cancer Institute, is planning to begin Phase II clinical trials to study PHY906’s effectiveness in people with colon cancer.

Photo Researchers Inc.Chinese jujube

Many conventional medications are derived from individual chemical agents originally found in plants. In the case of huang qin tang, however, scientists so far have identified 62 active chemicals in the four-herb combination that apparently need to work together to be effective.

“What Dr. Cheng is doing is keeping [the herbal combination] as a complex entity and using that as an agent,” says Josephine Briggs, head of the federal National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, which is helping fund some of the PHY906 research. “It’s polypharmacy,” or the equivalent of several drugs being administered at once.

Dr. Cheng began his research on huang qin tang about a dozen years ago when he sought a better way of dealing with the chemotherapy’s side effects. A variety of medications are currently used to treat these symptoms, but with varying success. A more effective technique could improve patients’ quality of life and possibly allow them to tolerate a larger dose of chemo, which might speed up their course of treatment, he says.

Dr. Cheng, who grew up in Taiwan, turned to Chinese traditional medicine, which often touts holistic treatments and multiple health claims for a single herb. In herbal literature he found mention of huang qin tang, a herbal combination traditionally used in China for gastrointestinal problems, and decided to test whether it could help cancer patients without compromising the effectiveness of the chemotherapy.

San Diego Botanic GardenChinese licorice

The research team began by giving mice with colon cancer high doses of irinotecan, a chemotherapy drug. Some of the mice also received varying doses of PHY906, the herbal combination. After four days, the animals that got the herbs seemed to experience fewer side effects. The herbs also appeared to improve the efficacy of the chemo, restoring damaged intestinal cells faster than with chemo alone and allowing the mice to tolerate doses of the drug that otherwise might have been lethal.

They followed with another experiment treating animals in four groups. One group received just the chemotherapy drug, another received just PHY906, a third group got both and the last group got nothing. The herb and drug combination worked the best at reducing side effects. As the researchers expected, PHY906 had no impact on the cancer when used by itself.

Further testing showed that PHY906’s effectiveness was diminished if any of the four herbs was eliminated, indicating that there is an apparent synergistic effect between them. This finding “got me serious about [PHY906],” says Dr. Cheng. The work was published in the journal Science and Translational Medicine in 2010. By submitting PHY906 to the scientific rigor of clinical trials, Dr. Cheng aims to win regulatory approval for the compound’s use in cancer treatment.

One challenge with using herbal medicines is that the ratio of the chemicals they contain isn’t consistent when plants are grown under different conditions. After testing various suppliers, Dr. Cheng ended up creating a biotechnology company sponsored by Yale called PhytoCeutica to carefully monitor growing conditions to ensure plants from different batches were pharmacologically consistent and to continue clinical development of the compound.

University of British Columbia Botanical GardenBaikal skullcap

Why PHY906 works isn’t entirely clear, Dr. Cheng says. The herbal combination appears to have an anti-inflammatory effect on the gastrointestinal tract, according to work the group published in the journal BMC Medical Genomics last year. Dr. Cheng says he believes PHY906 works in at least three different ways in the body to control the side effects of chemotherapy, whereas conventional treatments work in just a single way.

So far, research data seem to support Dr. Cheng’s hunch about traditional medicine. “If it’s still in use after a thousand years there must be something right,” he says.

Write to Shirley S. Wang at shirley.wang@wsj.com

Healing Through Whole Foods

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We just got back from a two day workshop with Paul Pitchford, author of Healing with Whole Foods. It was very interesting, if not daunting. His book is a huge one, full of information about Chinese medicine and using diet to heal diseases.

The big news was that parasites are a huge part of most people’s health problems. It seems that most of us are harboring an imbalance in our intestinal flora such as candida overgrowth, or some of us have picked up microbes at some point in our lives that have been sitting in us all this time and creating problems of various sorts such as allergies, skin problems, obesity, and so on. Some folks who have been in the far East get parasites there which can still be around, and some of us are getting exposed to inappropriate microorganisms by our household pets. That was especially hard for me to hear.

At the course we got new information about how to treat these situations with herbs and diet. And we are ready to help everyone that we think is ready for this.

The dietary changes are often fairly simple, to my way of thinking, but I am sure many of my clients would find them a bit daunting. Therefore, I’ll be posting ideas and recipes on this blog ongoingly. Most of what needs to be changed is increasing the variety and amount of fresh vegetables in the diet. And incorporating the use of SPROUTS. So we will be talking about sprouting. Additionally, the use of micro-algae such as chlorella, spirulina, and blue-green will be suggested. However, the choice of which alga to use depends a lot on the condition and constitution of the person.

Paul was pretty firm in his ideas, having treated people nutritionally for 30 years or so. He believes that a raw foods diet is great in the short run, but that it ends up making people very weak over time. It is also full of nuts and their butters, which are very fatty.

He also thinks that the vegan diet is not a good one for people unless they are meditators or very quiet and still a lot. He thinks that most people need some animal protein if they are going to be out in the modern world. But, of course, he recommends limited amounts and types of animal protein. You guessed it, free range, organic, grass fed is best. And properly combined small amounts. That means 2-3 oz combines with vegetables at a meal. Never combined with starch at a meal, due to the differences in digestive enzymes required for meat and starch.

Paul bases most of his recommendations on anthropological studies of primitive people, combined with the principles of Asian medicine. He says that the evidence is that for 60 million years man was hunter gatherer. That means mostly veges, berries, and meat. Also small amounts of grains later in history.

He also recommends the under-eating approach that has gotten some press in the past couple of years. That means eating less than you’d like. It has shown to lead to longer life and less disease in many cases.

And of course, no sugar or sweeteners of any kind for most of us. No refined foods at all. Nothing prepared or packaged, except frozen veges. So that means we have to COOK.

I’ll be posting suggestions about how to cook ahead for the week so we are not in trouble by not having things ready. I’ll also point out ways that we can use things like pressure cookers and slow cookers to make life easier.

There are many cookbooks out there that feature this type of cooking. Most of the healthy recipe books, even those from places like weight watchers, are focusing on exactly this type of recipe nowadays.

So, stay tuned and I’ll be letting you all know more about these ideas very soon.

 

More Later.

Announcing our New Acupuncturist, Laura McCoy

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I am thrilled  to announce the arrival of our new associate, Laura McCoy.

Laura is an Iowa City native, having lived in the Seattle area for the last 30 years. She did her undergraduate education in Exercise Physiology, became a Certified Athletic Trainer and worked with pro athletes for many years. In the early 200os she entered acupuncture school in the Seattle area and got her Master’s in Acupuncture. She then worked in one of the most successful acupuncture clinics in the country, where she honed her skills in diagnosis and mastered a powerful method of acupuncture, The Balance Method. After moving on from that clinic, she gained more experience in the complementary medicine field by working in a nutrition clinic. There she gained education about the precise evaluation of patients for their nutritional needs and mastered the use of whole-food-based supplements to support patients’ bodies in healing themselves. This method is based on research and fits with our clinic goal of helping our patients by using dietary therapies in accord with the principles of Oriental medicine.

Laura M has returned from Seattle to Iowa City to be closer to family, and we were very lucky to have her come along. She was aware of Laura C’s reputation and thus sought out our clinic. Laura M is a go-getter and has lots of great ideas about how to promote acupuncture in our area and thus help more people.

Laura M is excited to bring her wide-ranging skills to us. Her enthusiasm and knowledge are impressive. She is committed to enabling patients to heal themselves using whole foods and healthy body therapies. She and Laura C are working many hours at present to integrate her materials and methods into the clinic.

Laura McCoy will be joyfully providing the following services at Acupuncture of Iowa:

—Oriental Medicine assessments through history, tongue, and pulse diagnosis

—Acupuncture, using the Balance Method and Japanese Style in a blended manner

—Nutritional Consultation and Programs in harmony with the principles of Oriental medicine

—Individualized programs for rehabilitation of injuries

—Individualized exercise programs for wellness, strength, and healing

—Individualized treatment of acute and chronic problems with the tools of the athletic trainer

 

Acupuncture and Weight Loss

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You have probably heard about acupuncture for weight loss. And everybody is looking for weight loss.

In the past we tried using the standard ear acupuncture protocol for weight loss, but found that it did not produce the results our clients had hoped for. This was very disappointing, because we really want to help people.

Recently I was reminded about the fact that we can do so much more for people to help with weight loss.

In Oriental Medicine terms, people are overweight because of an imbalance in their system. It could be what we call Spleen Qi deficiency, Excess damp accumulation, or many other possibilities. In our medicine, the focus of a good weight loss program is to rebalance that which is out of balance. That means to support the Qi of the Spleen to improve digestion, reduce sugar cravings, and utilize the energy of food better. Or to rid the body of the excessive dampness that is sitting there in the form of swelling. These are just two examples.

Oriental therapies help optimize all aspects of physiology. This means that people who ‘just can’t lose weight’ actually can be helped. Whatever physiological processes are out of balance can be optimized, resulting in overall health improvement and the natural loss of weight. You could say that their metabolism is improved.

So, the idea is that with our combination of acupuncture treatments and herbal supplementation, as well as sensible dietary advice and moderate lifestyle changes, we can bring the body into a much healthier state, resulting in weight loss. This means no drastic calorie restriction; perhaps no calorie counting at all. It also means personalized treatment plans for each person; no one-size-fits all treatment. It also means that in addition to weight loss, a person would probably find many other things improving at the same time. We call those ‘side benefits’.

So, Oriental medicine, including acupuncture, herbal treatment, sensible eating and activity can result in a healthy body naturally.

We are happy to welcome patients for this type of care.

 

Yin (and Yang) and Damp Weather

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This is the first article that I have written regarding these mysterious ideas of Yin and Yang. Today I want to focus on Yin. I think this has come to my mind because of the amazing amounts of rain we are having, and the effects that I am seeing on my clients and my self.

Yin and Yang can be likened to water and fire, though this is a very simplistic and limited idea. Traditionally, Yin is thought of as representing the shady side of a mountain where it is always damp and still. Yin is interior, downward moving, dense, cool, wet, female, stillness. Yang is the sunny side of the mountain, warm, hot even, exterior, upward moving, diffuse, male, activity.

When we evaluate a patient in the clinic, one of the first things we ask is ‘is this person more Yin or more Yang?’ So this is a basic way of beginning to assess our patient. The same can be asked of a weather pattern.

In the land of rain, where we have found ourselves lately so much, Yin is predominant. Yin in this case can be seen in the rain and humidity that seems constant these days. Yin can also be seen in the fact that because of this weather pattern, we are not inclined to go outside and walk, or to be active much in other ways. We are feeling more like sitting inside, reading, playing scrabble, or catching up on some quiet chores we have neglected this summer.

The symptoms of Yin excess in the body are showing up as well. These include stiff, sore, and swollen joints, runny noses, clammy skin, sinus type things, and increased numbers of fungal growths and damp rashes. People may be having more loose stools, even. Some report heavy headedness and sinus fullness. Or just feeling like sleeping a lot.

The dampness of the environment provokes the development of dampness in the human body.

Chinese medicine has noted these patterns for centuries. In fact, many of the diagnostic terms sound like weather patterns. This basic idea reflects the concept that the human body is part of the patterns of earth, and therefore responds or resonates with the earths activities at any given time.

So, if you go to your acupuncturist and they say you are suffering from dampness lodging in your joints, don’t be surprised. This is our way of understanding. And our way of developing a treatment. We have herbs for dampness, and acupuncture points that help the body deal with dampness.

It might also be a good time to avoid foods that contribute to the development of dampness, and instead try to consume more foods that warm the body and help it dry out. So we’d recommend that you avoid dairy products, alcohol, raw vegetables and fruits (I know that is hard when it is so hot out), and try eating more warm spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric and curry powder, and squashes and yams to help the organ called Spleen in its ability to transform and rid dampness from the body.

Hopefully soon we will get back to a better balance of Yin and Yang for the summer.

Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture

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One of the therapies that most people are not so familiar with is the herbal tradition from Chinese medicine. This is a very old system of medicine, originating thousands of years ago and continuing to modernize and refine up to the present. Nowdays there is a lot of research going on in Japan and China regarding the application of specific herbal formulas for certain diseases and conditions.

In the US, we obtain herbs from China, of course. Many of the herbs in our pharmacopia are not found in the US at all. The better companies find excellent sources of raw herb materials and verify scientifically that the herb provided is the exact herb desired. This identification can be done by modern scientific instruments.In times past, unscrupulous vendors would substitute similar looking herbs to be more profitable. So we are certain the herb we think we’ve got is the correct one.  Additionally, the herbs are screened to be sure they are free of heavy metals, toxic farm chemicals, and other contaminants.

The herbs are processed according to longstanding traditions. Those processing methods insure that they dry out well, are free from mold and insects, and enable the herb to be easily cooked into a tea. So, for example, many roots are sliced to maximize the surface area available when they are simmered in water. Some herbs are packaged in traditional ways as well. Magnolia bark is traditionally cut into matchstick sized pieces and then bundled in small bundles with red thread. Another interesting one is the gelatin made from boiling the bones of animals. This gelatin is made into blocks about the size of half a deck of cards, and dried into solid dry blocks. It is traditionally stamped with Chinese characters in beautiful red ink. Another interesting one is the perilla leaf, which is dried and then stacked in little stacks, which are bundled with thread.

Chinese herbs are grown and harvested all over China. There are many that only grow in a particular area, or that are best in quality when grown in certain region. Some people are starting to grow them in the US, but they are expensive and difficult to obtain. We hope that more will be grown here in the future.

The traditional herb formulas will commonly involve 4, 6, 10, or even 16 herbs. These formulas have been developed over the centuries. Most of the formulas we use today are from 500 to 1500 years old. With that long time of use, their actions are well understood.

The formulas are chosen based on the Chinese medical diagnosis of the patient. That means that if the condition is one of dampness predominating and causing problems, we give a formula that rids excess dampness with diuretic herbs, as well as strengthening the organs of the body that help transform dampness. Typically, the formula will have 1-3 chief herbs, and then a number of assistant herbs that work synergistically with the chief ones, and perhaps a couple to offset any side effects.

Many herbalists prefer to create their own formulas based on these time honored recipes. But other practitioners will use off the shelf pills and capsules that contain standard formulas. These are easy for patients to take, along with whatever supplements they already use.

Modern production of herbal formulas in capsules and pills is just as safe as the manufacture of vitamins and supplements in the US. This makes the safety of Chinese herbal medicine right up there with all the other things we take for our health. We no longer have a problem with drugs being found in herbal medicines because of the strict control of manufacturing in the US. However, there still may be drugs or other ingredients found in herbal pills originating in China, if they have somehow gotten past our screening. All reputable vendors in the US are sourcing their herbal pills from safe manufacturers in China now days.

So, when you have a cold, flu, ache, or any other condition, for that matter, contact your acupuncturist to see what herbal remedy would be appropriate. These materials cannot really by self-prescribed, as they must be based on your diagnosis in the present time. Even a cold remedy should be chosen based on tongue and pulse diagnosis at the time it is being used, for best effectiveness.

Chinese herbal medicine is one of the most powerful tools in the complementary medicine array. We hope to see more and more people using this wonderful medicine.