Herbs for Various Cancers

The following gives some classifications of medicines used to treat Cancer based on the function of the Medicine, and the type of Cancer to be treated. These are sourced from both Traditional and modern sources, including many of the herbs most used in modern Chinese Cancer Hospitals.

Further research, verification and updated information can be found on PubMed.


Based on Function

Strengthen the Body and Immunity
Aloe juice / gel
Asparagus root Tian Men Dong
Astragalus Huang Qi
Atractylodes Bai Zhu
Carrot juice
Centaurea behen
Cordyceps Dong Chong Xia Cao
Dodder seed (Tu Si Zi)
Elecampane
Ganoderma Ling Zhi
Ginseng
Licorice
Mistletoe Sang Ji Sheng
Poria Fu Ling
Psoralea Bu Gu Zhi
Schisandra Wu Wei Zi
Shilajit
Withania

Clear Heat and Toxin
Actinidia Teng Li Gen
Aloe
Black Nightshade (Long Kui)
Burdock root & Seed
China Root (Tu Fu Ling)
Cleavers
Dandelion
Dioscorea Huang Yao Zi
Dodder herb
Fumitory
Lithospermum Zi Cao

Paris Chong Lou
Plantain
Red Clover
Rhubarb
Sheep Sorrel
Sophoroa Shan Dou Gen
Violet
Yellow Dock

Move the Blood and Clears Stasis
Almond, Bitter (Ku Xing Ren)
Asarum Xi Xin
Calendula
Curcuma Yu Jin
Dang Gui
Frankincense (Ru Xiang)
Madder
Myrrh (Mo Yao)
Peach kernel (Tao Ren)
Rhubarb
Safflower (Hong Hua)
Saffron
Salvia Dan Shen
Sparganium San Leng
Turmeric
Yarrow
Zedoary E Zhu
Eupolyphagia Tu Bie Chong
Leech (Shui Zhi)
Pill Millipede

Clear Phlegm and Damp
Agaric (Fomes)
Arisaema Tian Nan Xing
Arisaema (Bile processed) Dan Nan Xing
Dodder herb
Fritillaria Zhe Bei Mu
Nettle
Poria Fu Ling
Trichosanthes Gua Lou

Relieve Melancholy
Agaric (Fomes)
Dodder herb
Hellebore, Black
Lapis Lazuli
Myrobalan, Black
Polypody

Move the Qi,
Bupleurum Chai Hu
Citrus peel (Orange, Chen Pi, Qing Pi etc)
Clove
Costus (Mu Xiang)
Cumin
Curcuma Yu Jin
Cyperus rotundus
Fennel seed (Xiao Hui Xiang)

Soften hardness, Resolve Masses
Oyster shell (Mu Li)
Kelp
Sargassum Hai Zao

Broad Spectrum Anti-Cancer effect
Black Nightshade (Long Kui)
Carga cathayenthis He Tao Shu Zhi
China root
Hedyotis Bai Hua She She Cao
Sarsaparilla
Scutellaria Ban Zhi Lian
Sophora Ku Shen
Tulipa edulia Shan Ci Gu
Wickstroemia Liao Ge Wang
Gold

Prevent Metastasis
Agaric (Fomes)
Aloe gel
Asparagus root (West and Tian Men Dong)
Black Nightshade
Frankincense (Ru Xiang)
Misteltoe
Nux Vomica
Poke root
Rhubarb (Da Huang)
Safflower (Hong Hua)
Yarrow
Violet

‘Toxin against Toxic Evil’
Arsenic (Realgar, Orpiment)
Cantharides
Nux Vomica
Toad Venom

Based on Cancer Type

Abdominal Cancer
Agrimony
Calendula
Costus (Mu Xiang)
Cyperus rotundus (Xiang Fu)
Peach kernel (Tao Ren)
Rhubarb
Saffron
Pill Millipede

Adeno-carcinomas
Fig
Cleavers

Bladder
Agrimony
Barley
Black Nightshade (Long Kui)
Semiaquilaegia adoxoides Tian Kui
Yarrow

Bone
Agrimony (European and Xian He Cao)
Comfrey
Solanum lyratum Bai Ying

Bowel / Colorectal
Ailanthus Chun Gen Pi
Aloe
Brucea Ya Dan Zi
Costus
Fig
Frankincense (Ru Xiang)
Gleditsia Zao Jiao Ci
Rhubarb (Da Huang)
Withania

Brain
Black Nightshade (Long Kui)
Calamus
Cannabis
Centipede (Wu Gong)
Figwort (Xuan Shen)
Frankincense (Ru Xiang)
Hellebore, Black
Walnut
Withania

Breast
Akebia Ba Yue Zha
Arisaema Tian Nan Xing
Asparagus root (West and Tian Men Dong)
Birch bark
Black Nightshade (Long Kui)
Chebulic Myrobalan
Citrus (Orange, Chen Pi, Qing Pi etc.)
Cleavers
Fritillaria Zhe Bei Mu
Ganoderma spp. (Fungii0
Gleditsia Zao Jiao Ci
Figwort (Xuan Shen)
Frankincense (Ru Xiang)
Lindera Wu Yao
Paris Chong Lou
Phellinis spp. (Fungii)
Phytolacca (intern. & topic.)
Ranunculus Mao Gua Cao
Rhaponticum Lou Lu
Rhubarb (Da Huang)
Self Heal (Xia Ku Cao)
Trametes (Turkey Tail) (Fungii)
Trichosanthes Gua Lou
Triphala
Tulipa edulia Shan Ci Gu
Vaccaria Wang Bu Liu Xing
Withania
Pill Millipede

Cervix
Ailanthus Chun Gen Pi
Black Nightshade (Long Kui)
Fennel seed (Xiao Hui Xiang)
Madder
Phellinus spp. (Fungii)
Sophora Ku Shen
Trametes (Turkey Tail) (Fungii)
Zedoary E Zhu

Gastric / Digestive System
Black Nightshade (Long Kui)
Camptotheca Xi Shu
Coix Yi Yi Ren
Costus (Mu Xiang)
Cyperus rotundus (Xiang Fu)
Fagopyrum Jin Qiao Mai
Hedyotis Bai Hua She She Cao
Sophoroa Shan Dou Gen
Withania

Esophagus
Black Nightshade (Long Kui)
Chebulic Myrobalan
Citrus Zhi Shi
Comfrey
Costus (Mu Xiang)
Impatiens Ji Xing Zi
Licorice
Magnolia Hou Po
Mustard seed (Bai Jie Zi)
Violet

Fibrosarcoma
Aloe
Frankincense (Ru Xiang)

Gall Bladder
Black Nightshade (Long Kui)
Curcuma Yu Jin
Dandelion
Rhubarb
Turmeric (Jiang Huang)
Wormwood

Kidney
Agrimony
Comfrey root
Madder
Plantain seed (Che Qian Zi)
Rhubarb
Semiaquilaegia adoxoides Tian Kui
Turtle shell (Gui Ban)

Leukemia
Agaric
Brucea Ya Dan Zi
Calendula
Costus
Figwort (Xuan Shen)
Frankincense
Ganoderma applanatum
Hellebore, Black (Acute Lymphocytic & Acute Myelocytic)
Isatis Da Qing Ye
Realgar
Senecio Gou She Cao
Sophoroa Shan Dou Gen
Trametes (Turkey Tail) (Fungii)
Tripterygium Lei Gong Teng
Walnut bark
Walnut green kernels
Withania

Liver
Agaric
Aloe
Black Nightshade (Long Kui)
Bupleurum Chai Hu
Calendula
Cantharides (Ban Mao)
Catharanthus Chang Chun Hua
Chebulic Myrobalan
Chicory
Curcuma Yu Jin
Dandelion
Duchesnea indica She Mei
Euphorbia helioscopia Ze Qi
Fritillaria Zhe Bei Mu
Ganoderma spp (Fungii)
Lindera Wu Yao
Oyster shell (Mu Li)
Paris Chong Lou
Patrinia Mo Tou Hui
Phellnius spp. (Fungii)
Rhaponticum Lou Lu
Rhubarb (Da Huang)
Saffron
Sargassum Hai Zao
Self Heal (Xia Ku Cao)
Soft-shelled Turtle Shell (Bie Jia)

Solanum lyratum Bai Ying
Salvia Dan Shen
Sparganium San Leng
Trametes (Turkey Tail) (Fungii)
Turmeric (Jiang Huang)
Turtle shell (Gui Ban)
Vaccaria Wang Bu Liu Xing
Withania

Lung
Akebia Ba Yue Zha
Almond (Xing Ren)
Arisaema Tian Nan Xing
Asparagus spears
Asparagus root (West and Tian Men Dong)
Belamcanda She Gan
Black Nightshade (Long Kui)
Burdock seed (Niu Bang Zi)
Cannabis
Catechu (Er Cha)
Coix Yi Yi Ren
Comfrey
Duchesnea indica She Mei
Elecampane
Eriobotrya Pi Pa Ye
Euphorbia helioscopia Ze Qi
Fagopyrum Jin Qiao Mai
Figs
Frankincense (Ru Xiang)
Gleditsia Zao Jiao Ci
Ganoderma spp. (Fungii)
Hyssop
Inula flower (Xuan Fu Hua)
Kelp
Licorice
Madder
Mustard seed (Bai Jie Zi)
Paris Chong Lou
Phellinus spp (Fungii)
Plantain leaf (fresh, juice)
Pomegranate fruit/juice
Raisins
Sargassum Hai Zao
Selaginella Shi Shang Bai
Semiaquilaegia adoxoides Tian Kui
Solanum lyratum Bai Ying
Sophoroa Shan Dou Gen
Trametes (Turkey Tail) (Fungii)
Tripterygium Lei Gong Teng
Wickstroemia Liao Ge Wang
Turtle shell (Gui Ban)

Lymphoma
Arum
Asparagus root (West and Tian Men Dong)
Cleavers
Elecampane
Figwort (Xuan Shen)
Hellebore, Black
Herb Robert
Hyssop
Kelp
Rhubarb (Da Huang)
Self Heal (Xia Ku Cao)
Triphala
Tripterygium Lei Gong Teng
Turmeric
Withania
Realgar
Pill Millipede

Lymphosarcoma
Hyssop
Rhubarb (Da Huang)
Self Heal
Violet

Melanoma
Birch bark
Calendula
Frankincense (Ru Xiang)
Fumitory
Hellebore, Black
Madder
Mistletoe
Rhubarb (Da Huang)
Sesame oil (topically)
Turmeric
Withania

Mouth Cancer
Black Nightshade (Long Kui) juice
Cleavers
Licorice (strong decoction gargled)
Plantain juice
Sage
Tripterygium Lei Gong Teng
Violet

Myeloma / Multiple Myeloma
Lithospermum (Zi Cao)
Mistletoe
Polyporus Zhu Ling
Psoralea Bu Gu Zhi
Tripterygium Lei Gong Teng
Withania
Realgar

Nasopharynx
Black Nightshade (Long Kui)
Figs
Hyssop
Lithospermum Zi Cao
Plantain juice topically
Selaginella Shi Shang Bai


Neuroblastoma
Asarum
Black Hellebore
Cannabis
Catharanthus (Madagascar Periwinkle)
Chebulic Myrobalan
Cornus Shan Zhu Yu
Figwort
Indian Spikenard
Mucuna
Rabdosia
Saffron
Tinospora

Osteosarcoma
Black Nightshade (Long Kui)
Chebulic Myrobalan
Comfrey
Withania

Ovary
Black Nightshade (Long Kui)
Cyperus rotundus (Xiang Fu)
Mistletoe (European and Sang Ji Sheng)
Paeonia Mu Dan Pi
Peach kernel (Tao Ren)
Pteris multifida Feng Wei Cao
Rhubarb
Turmeric
Withania

Zedoary E Zhu

Pancreas
Agrimony (Xian He Cao)
Black Nightshade (Long Kui)
Bupleurum Chai Hu
Curcuma Yu Jin
Ganoderma applanatum
Phellinus spp. (Fungii)
Rhubarb
Trametes (Turkey Tail) (Fungii)
Turmeric (Jiang Huang)
Realgar

Pharynx
Belamcanda She Gan
Black Nightshade (Long Kui)
Burdock seed (Niu Bang Zi)
Catechu (Er Cha)
Cleavers
Comfrey
Hyssop
Licorice
Violet


Prostate
Agrimony
Bitter Almond
Black Nightshade (Long Kui)
Chebulic Myrobalan
Comfrey
Costus (Mu Xiang)
Hellebore, Black
Madder
Pomegranate fruit/juice
Semiaquilaegia adoxoides Tian Kui
Shilajit
Triphala
Withania

Skin – Internal
Black Nightshade (Long Kui)
Fumitory
Sophora Ku Shen

Skin – Topical
Carrot (fresh root or juice)
Red Clover
Sheep Sorrel
Violet
Lead
Arsenic (Realgar, Orpiment)

Skin – Cancerous Ulcers, Topical
Agrimony
Aloe
Black Nightshade juice
Camomile
Ground Ivy juice
Hops
Red Clover
Rosemary (decocted in wine)
Scarlet Pimpernel
Sedum acre juice topically
Alum
Realgar

Stomach
Agrimony
Aloe
Black Nightshade (Long Kui)
Citrus Zhi Shi
Costus (Mu Xiang)
Elecampane
Fennel seed (Xiao Hui Xiang)
Licorice
Lithospermum Zi Cao

Magnolia Hou Po
Mastic
Oyster shell (Mu Li)
Patrinia Mo Tou Hui
Rhaponticum Lou Lu
Rhubarb
Saffron
Walnut, Green hulls

Throat / Vocal cords
Belamcanda She Gan
Duchesnea indica She Mei
Figwort (Scrophularia)
Hyssop
Licorice (strong decoction gargled)
Solanum lyratum Bai Ying

Thyroid
Dioscorea Huang Yao Zi
Duchesnea indica She Mei
Kelp
Lindera Wu Yao
Lithospermum Zi Cao
Oyster shell (Mu Li)
Ranunculus Mao Gua Cao
Sargassum Hai Zao
Self Heal (Xia Ku Cao)

Ulcers, Cancerous
Aloe
Black Nightshade (Long Kui)
Comfrey
Ground Ivy
Pill Millipede

Urinary
Agrimony
Asparagus root
Comfrey
Plantain seed (Che Qian Zi)
Sophoroa Shan Dou Gen
Vaccaria Wang Bu Liu Xing

Uterus
Adina rubella Shui Yang Mei Gen
Amber
Calendula
Cyperus rotundus (Xiang Fu)
Mastic / Chian Turpentine
Sophoroa Shan Dou Gen
Saffron
Self Heal (Xia Ku Cao)
Zedoary E Zhu
Water Lily

To relieve Pain of Cancer
Agrimony (and Xian He Cao)
Black Nightshade (Long Kui)
Burdock
Cannabis
Corydalis Yan Hu Suo
Cyperus rotundus (Xiang Fu)
Frankincense and Myrrh
Hemlock (topically)
Poppy seed
Saffron
Violet

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