Effective Cancer Killer Being studied at University of Washington

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mainframetech - 03 Nov 2006 22:23 GMT

To be correct, I'm not a doctor, and I'm only passing on information.
You have to do your own research and make your own decisions about this
info.

I will give you the info needed to assure yourself that what I'm
saying is true. Look up in Google, the following words: "Lai, Singh,
artemisinin". That's Dr. Henry Lai, Dr. Narendra Singh, working at the

University of Washington for 10 years now, on a compound called
'artemisinin'. This compound is currently being used by the Bill and
Melinda Gates foundation to fight malaria because it's cheap and
effective.

This compound kills malaria and most kinds of cancer by seeking out
iron-rich cells and once inside them, killing them, but not normal
cells. It has been tested safe for humans, and works against most
types of cancer. Many studies have been done, both in vitro and in
vivo. Over 350 papers have been written about it by many scientists
and doctors. Of course, since it can't be patented, there's very
little money to be made by the big drug companies, so they have little
interest in doing anything with it.

This compound can be bought by the average person over the internet,

but try to assure yourself of the validity of the source.

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Alan Meyer - 04 Nov 2006 06:54 GMT

I looked up artemisinin in PubMed. There were a very large
number of articles about it's anti-malarial and anti-microbial
properties, and a significant number (58) in which the word
"cancer" also appeared. Most of the articles were from East
Asia, where the plant source of the drug grows, but there
seems to be more researching going on in Europe and the
U.S. too.

My impression from what I read is that it's not a cure for
cancer, but like some other compounds, it appears to
kill some kinds of cancer cells and slow the growth of
tumors. Its effectiveness also has a lot to do with how
it is prepared (there are many forms and isomers of the
active ingredient) and how it is administered (some
researchers were using it with other drugs that would
help it to locate cancer cells.

Perhaps it will be developed for its cancer fighting properties.

I think mainframetech's concern that drugs like this
are not developed because they aren't patentable is
legitimate, but oversimplified. There is research being
conducted on it at important universities. If that research
is promising enough, I would expect that the drug _will_
be developed, one way or another.

It is understandable that people are frustrated by the slow
pace of drug development. Those of us with incurable
diseases read articles about this or that new drug and
want to know why we can't get our hands on it right now.

But drug development is difficult, expensive, and fraught
with dangers. Shortcuts can cost lives as well as save
them. There do not seem to be easy answers to the
hard questions.

Alan

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