Leukemia
Leukemia is a type of Cancer affecting Blood producing cells in the body, primarily found in the Bone Marrow and Lymphatic tissue. It usually affects White Blood Cells.
There are a number of types of Leukemia, some acute, some chronic, some affect children while others are more common in adults. Leumkemia is the most common malignancy of children accounting for about one third of all childhood cancer. Acute lymphocytic leukemia is most common in children while Acute myelogenous leukemia is most common in the elderly.
Classification
Acute Leukemia–rapid growth of immature blood cells. Develops rapidly, requires aggressive treatment
Chronic Leukemia–many types; involves more mature cells. Generally progresses more slowly
According to the types of White Blood Cell affected:
Lymphocytic–affects Lymphoid cells
Myelogenous–affects Myeloid cells
Primary types of Leukemia
- Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)–most common type of leukemia in young children
- Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML)–found in children and adults, most common type of acute leukemia in adults.
- Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)–common chronic adult leukemia, progresses slowly, maybe asymptomatic
- Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML)–more common in adults. May be asymptomatic
Symptoms
Symptoms of Leukemia are varied but may include:
- Fever or Chills
- Lasting Fatigue, debility
- Loss of weight
- Lymph swelling
- Liver or Spleen enlargement
- Bleeding or frequent Bruising
- Frequent Infections
- Petechia (red spots on the skin)
- Night Sweating
- Bone pain
Risk Factors
Risk Factors include Family History, Smoking, previous Cancer treatment, chemical exposure and certain Genetic disorders. However, a large percentage of Leukemia patients have none of these risk factors.
Traditional Medicine and Leukemia
In Traditional Medicine, Leukemia may be classed as a Blood disease. Depending on the presenting symptoms, medicine which clear Heat and Toxin from the Blood may have been used. Stronger medicines for Blood diseases including Black Hellebore, Arsenic (Realgar), or Mercurials were also applied in such diseases.
It is interesting that Arsenic has shown effectiveness against several types of Leukemia and has been introduced into modern medicine for the treatment of specific types of Leukemia.
In Chronic cases, supportive formulas are useful and may be applied with or without western medicine. In the elderly, Yin Tonic formulas (Liu Wei Di Huang Wan etc.) are often indicated. Severe debility may be helped with Qi or Qi and Blood tonic formulas such as Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang, Gui Pi Tang or Shi Quan Da Bu Tang.
Taiwanese Databases for Chinese Medicine in Leukemia Treatment:
The Taiwanese National Insurance databse was used to review over 12,000 Leukemia patients treated with Chinese medicine in Taiwan between 2001–2010. The following were the most prescribed Herbs and Formulas. (see here)
Childhood Leukemia:
The most commonly prescribed herbs:
- Astragalus Huang Qi
- Frittilaria Bei Mu
- Hedyotis Bai Hua She She Cao
- Scutellaria Huang Qin
- Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Tang
- Yu Ping Feng San
- Zuo Gui Wan
- Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang
Adult Leukemia:
The most commonly prescribed herbs:
- Astragalus Huang Qi
- Salvia Dan Shen
- Ligustrum Nu Zhen Zi
- Sargentodoxa Da Xue Teng
- Gui Pi Tang
- Liu Wei Di Huang Wan
- Zuo Gui Wan
Herbs with Proven Effect against Leukemia
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Western Tradition Simples
For Chronic Granulocytic Leukemia, Realgar is a herb of choice. Suggested Formulas Decoction for Cancer (Fuller) Tincture of Black Nightshade Potion for Cancer Powder of Gum Lacca Lesser (Dialacca Minor) (Mesue) Troches of Gum Lacca (Trochisci de Lacca) (Mesue) |
Chinese Classification Simples
Formulas Dang Gui Long Hui Wan Xi Huang Wan Liu Shen Wan Chronic cases with DeficiencyGui Pi Tang Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang Dan Zhi Xiao Yao San Liu Wei Di Huang Wan Zuo Gui Wan |
Special Formula
1. Decoct roots of Willow, Pear, Peach and Mulberry (Anti-Cancer Medicinal Herbs, Chang Minyi, 1992)
2. Qing Huang Powder
Realgar
Indigo
This traditional combination has been widely used for several types of Leukemia as well as some solid cancers. It has shown effectiveness for Chronic Granulocytic Leukemia, Promyelocytic Leukemia, and Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Research
–Medicinal Plants with Anti-Leukemic Effects: A Review–Review of anti-leukemia effects from medicinal plants
Asparagus root
–Radix Asparagi has been shown to stop the deoxygenase of leukemic cells in acute lymphocytic, chronic granulocytic, and acute mononuclear leukemic cell numbers; it also inhibits sarcoma-180 in mice.
Astragalus
–Improved Survival With Integration of Chinese Herbal Medicine Therapy in Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study.
Basil
–Apoptosis of Leukemia Cells by Ocimum basilicum Fractions Following TNF alpha Induced Activation of JNK and Caspase 3.
Boswellia
–The Boswellic acids from B. serrata have shown inhibition of human Leukemia HL-60 cells (Qi et al., Hunan Yi Ke Da Xue Xue Bao, 1999; Shao et. al., Planta Medica, 1998).
–Boswellic acid acetate induces Apoptosis in Myeloid Leukemia cells: more than 50% of the cells underwent Apoptosis with treatment with 20mug/ml Boswellic acid solution in 24 hours (Xia et al., Mol Cancer Ther, Mar, 2005).
–Anti-proliferative effects against a variety of Malignant cells has been demonstrated including five types of Leukemia and two brain Tumor cell lines (Hostanska et al., Anticancer Res, Sep-Oct, 2002).
Cannabis
–Cannabis Extract Treatment for Terminal Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia with a Philadelphia Chromosome Mutation
Catharanthus
–Catharanthus roseus Aqueous Extract is Cytotoxic to Jurkat Leukaemic T-cells but Induces the Proliferation of Normal Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells
–Comparative effects of vinca alkaloids (VCR, VDS) and epipodophyllotoxin (VP16) on murine myeloblastic leukaemia.
Costus:
–Dehydrocostus lactone enhances tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced apoptosis of human leukemia HL-60 cells.
Ginger
–A Novel Peptide Derived from Ginger Induces Apoptosis through the Modulation of p53, BAX, and BCL2 Expression in Leukemic Cell Lines.
Hedyotis
–Chemical constituents of Oldenlandia pinifolia and their antiproliferative activities.
–Ethanol extract of Hedyotis diffusa willd upregulates G0/G1 phase arrest and induces apoptosis in human leukemia cells by modulating caspase cascade signaling and altering associated genes expression was assayed by cDNA microarray.
Helleborus
–Anti-cancer effects were demonstrated with water extracts of the whole plant of Helleborus niger against several Cancer cell lines. A potent inhibitory effect was caused by apoptosis in Lymphoma, Leukemia, and Melanoma cell lines. Primary cells of childhood Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia and Acute Myelocytic Leukemia which responded poorly to doxyrubicin and daunorubicin showed strong apoptosis.. (Jesse et al., Pediatr Blood Cancer, Apr, 2009)
Poria:
–Induction of apoptosis by an ethanol extract of Poria cocos Wolf. in human leukemia U937 cells.
Peganum
–Harmine, a Novel DNA Methyltransferase 1 Inhibitor in the Leukemia Cell Line.
–Harmine, a Novel DNA Methyltransferase 1 Inhibitor in the Leukemia Cell Line.
–Cytotoxic indole alkaloids against human leukemia cell lines from the toxic plant Peganum harmala.
Rabdosia
:–Glaucocalyxin A induces apoptosis in human leukemia HL-60 cells through mitochondria-mediated death pathway.
–Glaucocalyxin A and B-induced cell death is related to GSH perturbation in human leukemia HL-60 cells.
–Oridonin induces the apoptosis of mucoepidermoid carcinoma cell lines in a myeloid cell leukemia‑1‑dependent manner.
–Synergistic antitumor activity of oridonin and valproic acid on HL-60 leukemia cells.
–A novel combination of oridonin and valproic acid in enhancement of apoptosis induction of HL-60 leukemia cells.
–Oridonin effectively reverses the drug resistance of cisplatin involving induction of cell apoptosis and inhibition of MMP expression in human acute myeloid leukemia cells.
–Oridonin induces NPM mutant protein translocation and apoptosis in NPM1c+ acute myeloid leukemia cells in vitro.
–Oridonin-induced apoptosis in leukemia K562 cells and its mechanism.
–Apoptosis inducing and differentiation enhancement effect of oridonin on the all-trans-retinoic acid-sensitive and -resistant acute promyelocytic leukemia cells.
–Antiproliferation effects of ponicidin on human myeloid leukemia cells in vitro.
Rheum, Rhubarb
–Emodin enhances ATRA-induced differentiation and induces apoptosis in acute myeloid leukemia cells.
Safflower
–Effects of safflower injection on HEL leukemia cell proliferation and apoptosis and relevant molecular mechanisms.
Scrophularia, Figwort
–Induction of apoptosis and G2 /M cell cycle arrest by Scrophularia striata in a human leukaemia cell line.
Solanum
–Antiproliferative Effect of Solanum nigrum on Human Leukemic Cell Lines
–Solanine reverses multidrug resistance in human myelogenous leukemia K562/ADM cells by downregulating MRP1 expression
–Solanine induced apoptosis and increased chemosensitivity to Adriamycin in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells