Natural supplements can be very helpful adjuvant to drug therapies, for example through chemosensitization of tumor cells. Unfortunately, it seems that very often there's little or no follow-through when readily available natural products show great potential in cancer treatment. Here's a list of compounds with potential anticancer effects, and synergistic combinations.
- Artemisininπ
- → Magnolol → ↓ Sulforaphaneπ* ↓ → ↑ → EGCg*↑→ IP6*
- → HDACi π → Melatonin → Curcumin ┘→ Berberine
- → Butyrate* π΅(+ Zn) → ↑Vit. D3π*(+ Mg) → ↑Vitamin K2
- → Allicin π΅
- → AHCCπ → Fucoidanπ (+ 500mg ascorbic acid)
- ↳ Curcuminπ
- → DHA docosahexaenoic acid → *Butyrateπ ⇒ Citrateπ
- → Melatonin
- → *EGCgπ π
- → Luteolin ↓
- → *IP6 & Inositolπ (+ 10mg Zn) (+ 500mg ascorbic acid)
- →↓ Milk Thistle
- ↓ Black cumin seed oilπ → Resolvinsπ
- → *↓ Vitamin D3 ☼ ↖→ Resolvins π΅ (+ Mg)
- *Sulforaphane→↖ Lycopeneπ
- ↘ (+ Se)
- →*Sulforaphane π΅ → (aspirin) πͺ
- → Ascorbic acidπ (don't combine with Artemisinin)
- → Vitamin K2
- → Riboflavin
- → Ashwagandha (T⏶) → *Sulforaphane
- ↘ ↓ Holy basil/Tulsi
- → Galangal
- → *Berberineπ
- → ↓ Ginger → Licorice
- → Azadirachta indica/Neem
- Mistletoe → Chagaπ
π To improve absorption and bioavailability of fat-soluble supplements take with some fat e.g. ghee butter or coconut oil. Curcumin supplements are best taken with DHA. In addition, special formulations can offer improved bioavailability. The optimal dosing of the compounds mentioned in this blog is not known. Please check the information π on each compound for suggested dosing and more.
Supplements should only be taken under the supervision of a healthcare provider. Supplements or herbal preparations shouldn't be used in combination with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, or any other cancer treatment unless the safety and efficacy of such combinations are established. It's especially important to make sure anything you add to the standard treatment will further improve the efficacy of that treatment, hence the importance of discussing any addition of supplements or dietary interventions during active cancer treatment with the oncologist.
⚡ Potential Synergistic Effects
Often a natural compound exhibits anticancer activity at concentrations that are too high to get any significant benefit (in vitro concentrations not achievable in vivo). That's why synergies may be vital because when taken in the right combination, some compounds become effective at much lower concentrations. Synergistic combinations can also be used to overcome chemoresistance in cancer cells. Such coactive combinations applied in specific sequences may be very powerful anti-cancer strategies.
→ synergy with Artemisinin
→ artemisinin with HDACi
→ possible additive or synergistic antineoplastic effect
→ possibly synergistic
→ likely to be a good combination ⇒ likely to be a good combination but in a specific order, after a then b
→ possibly synergistic
→ likely to be a good combination ⇒ likely to be a good combination but in a specific order, after a then b
→ the combination may offer hepaprotective effects
→ Metformin: possible additive effects/potentiation with Vitamin D, Sodium Butyrate, and Berberine (metformin is a prescription drug to treat high blood sugar levels caused by type 2 diabetes). ⚠ Caution with mutations in BRAF.
π Because of the low bioavailability of Curcumin, consider combining curcumin with other natural products that may enhance curcumin's anticancer properties: Epigallocatechin gallate, Berberine, Ursolic acid, Ginger, Galangal, Allicin, Ascorbic acid, DHA, VItamin D3.
(+ ): depending on your diet you may need to supplement this mineral. Many if not most cancer patients have mineral deficiencies and temporary supplementation should be beneficial.{ref}
* * * * * * = check matching colors for more potentially additive or synergistic combinations.
π Sunshine, Vitamin D, and cancer
π 10 Dietary Strategies to put the brakes on cancer growth
π° Cancer and Insulin
π What causes cancer?
π¦· Dental health and disease
✅ Read this first: Warnings, Terms of Use & Disclaimer
WARNING Don't exceed the maximum suggested dosages, start with the lowest possible dose and gradually increase if no side effect is observed.
If you take medications always check if the supplement(s) can be combined with those drugs, especially with chemotherapy, diabetes medications, anticoagulant and antiplatelet medications (including aspirin), benzodiazepines, etc. Ask a 'Drug Interaction Specialist' Online.
Stop taking supplements a week before surgery, or consult with your surgeon.
Cautions regarding combining supplements and medication
✅ Read this first: Warnings, Terms of Use & Disclaimer
WARNING Don't exceed the maximum suggested dosages, start with the lowest possible dose and gradually increase if no side effect is observed.
If you take medications always check if the supplement(s) can be combined with those drugs, especially with chemotherapy, diabetes medications, anticoagulant and antiplatelet medications (including aspirin), benzodiazepines, etc. Ask a 'Drug Interaction Specialist' Online.
Stop taking supplements a week before surgery, or consult with your surgeon.
To combine various supplements add one at a time, start with the lowest possible dose, and gradually increase if no side effect is observed.
To discontinue a supplement taper off by cutting to a half dose for a week before stopping.
Dosage, but also time is crucial to achieving a therapeutic effect.
Dosage, but also time is crucial to achieving a therapeutic effect.
A partial list of studies and reviews:
- A randomized study of chemotherapy versus biochemotherapy with chemotherapy plus Aloe arborescens in patients with metastatic cancer
- From ancient herb to modern drug: Artemisia annua and artemisinin for cancer therapy.
- Methods for the treatment of cancer using piperlongumine and piperlongumine analogs
- The central role of citrate in the metabolism of cancer cells. "citrate has demonstrated anti-cancer properties when administered in excess, sensitizing cancer cells to chemotherapy."
- Turkey Tail and Polysaccharide-K
- Red (Panax) ginseng and cancer treatment.
- Absorption, metabolism, anti-cancer effect and molecular targets of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG): An updated review.
- Activation of tumor suppressor LKB1 by honokiol abrogates cancer stem-like phenotype in breast cancer via inhibition of oncogenic Stat3.
- Curcumin decreases Warburg effect in cancer cells by down-regulating pyruvate kinase M2 via mTOR-HIF1Ξ± inhibition
- Berberine Enhances Chemosensitivity and Induces Apoptosis Through Dose-orchestrated AMPK Signaling in Breast Cancer
- Curcumin And Berberine – Offers New Hope In The Treatment Of Breast And Other Cancers?
- Anti-cancer effects of Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thunb.) Makino (Jiaogulan)
- Withaferin A (WFA) inhibits tumor growth and metastasis by targeting ovarian cancer stem cells
- Therapeutic Interventions Using Ursolic Acid for Cancer Treatment
- Melatonin for the prevention and treatment of cancer
- Recent advances in the anti-cancer properties of Nigella sativa, a widely used food additive
- Phycocyanin: A Potential Drug for Cancer Treatment
- Pyrroloquinoline quinone induces chondrosarcoma cell apoptosis by increasing intracellular reactive oxygen species
- Oleanolic Acid Alters Multiple Cell Signaling Pathways: Implication in Cancer Prevention and Therapy
- Molecular Iodine Induces Caspase-independent Apoptosis in Human Breast Carcinoma Cells Involving the Mitochondria-mediated Pathway
- Brown Seaweed Fucoidan Inhibits Cancer Progression by Dual Regulation of mir-29c/ADAM12 and miR-17-5p/PTEN Axes in Human Breast Cancer Cells
- D-limonene rich volatile oil from blood oranges inhibits angiogenesis, metastasis and cell death in human colon cancer cells
- A novel therapeutic anticancer property of raw garlic extract via injection but not ingestion
- Nature curing cancer – review on structural modification studies with natural active compounds having anti-tumor efficiency
- Clinical Response of Metastatic Breast Cancer to Multi-targeted Therapeutic Approach: A Single Case Report
- Effects of supplements on medicines
- How does turmeric/curcumin interact with coffee/caffeine?
- Microalgae in modern cancer therapy: Current knowledge
- Role of Magnesium in Vitamin D Activation and Function
- Vegetables, fruit, and colon cancer in the Iowa Women's Health Study
- Tumor Angiogenesis as a Target for Dietary Cancer Prevention
- Short chain fatty acids enriched fermentation metabolites of soluble dietary fibre from Musa paradisiaca drives HT29 colon cancer cells to apoptosis
- Natural Products and Synthetic Analogs as a Source of Antitumor Drugs
- Ursolic Acid—A Pentacyclic Triterpenoid with aWide Spectrum of Pharmacological Activities
- Plants Against Cancer: A Review on Natural Phytochemicals in Preventing and Treating Cancers and Their Druggability
- Salvia miltiorrhiza: Chemical and pharmacological review of a medicinal plant
- Phytochemicals of garlic: Promising candidates for cancer therapy
- Selenium a Potential Treatment for Cancer Metastasis
- Phenylbutyrate-induced glutamine depletion in humans: effect on leucine metabolism.
- Getting the Balance Right – Vitamin D Co-Factors
- Cancer Cells Upregulate NRF2 Signaling to Adapt to Autophagy Inhibition
- Autophagy supplies the amino acids necessary for driving mitochondrial OXPHOS in glycolysis-suppressed cells
- Synergistic Interactions in Natural Products and Medication
- Curcumin Nicotinate Selectively Induces Cancer Cell Apoptosis and Cycle Arrest through a P53-Mediated Mechanism
- Retrolective Studies on the Survival of Cancer Patients Treated With Mistletoe Extracts: A Meta-analysis
- Upon glycolytic suppression in multiple types of tumor cells, intracellular energy metabolism is reprogrammed toward mitochondrial OXPHOS in an autophagy-dependent manner to ensure cellular survival.
- Role of Plants in Stage IV Cancer
- Using the Heat-Shock Response To Discover Anticancer Compounds that Target Protein Homeostasis "Surprisingly, many of the strongly active compounds identified were natural products representing five diverse chemical classes (limonoids, curvularins, withanolides, celastraloids, and colletofragarones)"
- Neem components as potential agents for cancer prevention and treatment
- Anticancer and Cytotoxic Potential of Turmeric (Curcuma longa), Neem (Azadirachta indica), Tulasi (Ocimum sanctum) and Ginger (Zingiber officinale) Extracts on HeLa cell line
- Curcumin-Artesunate Based Polymeric Nanoparticle; Antiplasmodial and Toxicological Evaluation in Murine Model
- https://www.degruyter.com/view/journals/bmc/4/3/article-p287.xml?language=en
- Dying Cells Have Cellular 'Death Code'
- Peptides & Proteins
- Host defense peptides and peptidomimetics as new weapons for cancer treatment
- Synthetic and natural iron chelators: therapeutic potential and clinical use
- Natural Compound Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors (HDACi): Synergy with Inflammatory Signaling Pathway Modulators and Clinical Applications in Cancer
- Research Strategies in the Study of the Pro-Oxidant Nature of Polyphenol Nutraceuticals
- Inhibitors of DNA Methyltransferases From Natural Sources: A Computational Perspective
- Pathways in cancer - Homo sapiens (human)
- The TNF Paradox in Cancer Progression and Immunotherapy
- Potential risks associated with traditional herbal medicine use in cancer care
- Lysine-carnitine conversion in normal and undernourished adult men-suggestion of a nonpeptidyl pathway
- Why the tumor cell metabolism is not that abnormal
- Understanding the synergy of cancer growth to advance care
- Niacin ameliorates oxidative stress, inflammation, proteinuria, and hypertension in rats with chronic renal failure
- The reverse Warburg effect is likely to be an Achilles' heel of cancer that can be exploited for cancer therapy
- The Effect of Zinc and Lysine Supplementation on Infection Rate and CD4 Count
