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Recently Diagnosed or Relapsed? Stop Looking For a Miracle Cure, and Use Evidence-Based Therapies To Enhance Your Treatment and Prolong Your Remission

Multiple Myeloma an incurable disease, but I have spent the last 25 years in remission using a blend of conventional oncology and evidence-based nutrition, supplementation, and lifestyle therapies from peer-reviewed studies that your oncologist probably hasn't told you about.

Click the orange button to the right to learn more about what you can start doing today.

Multiple Myeloma Therapy- Ginsenosides, Ginseng

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“Overall, these findings suggested that ginsenoside Rg3 induced apoptosis in multiple myeloma cells, at least partially, through upregulation of the expression of Bax.”

The list of evidence-based, non-toxic, non-conventional multiple myeloma therapy continues to grow. According to the research linked below, ginseng is cytotoxic to multiple myeloma, enhances the efficacy of certain chemotherapy regimens and even gives our brains a boost.

A pancreatic cancer coaching caregiver asked me about ginsenosides/ginseng last week. After quite a bit of research I couldn’t say much about ginseng and pancreatic cancer. However,  there is some research that supports the use of ginseng as in integrative therapy, and a complementary that to boost one’s energy. There is even some research that points to ginseng as a protector of our nervous symptoms. All these properties are beneficial to the cancer patient undergoing conventional cancer therapies.

The challenges is that there is limited research about all of the above beneficial properties of ginseng. And without research that explains specific benefits to cancer patients, we are out-of-luck.

When I purchased a dozen vials of ginseng when I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in early 1994  I have to be honest and admit that I was desperate and added the package only because I was seeing the Chinese doctor anyway. She had just prescribed a bunch of herbs for me. I sort of felt like I should buy something from the store just because I was there. I had heard that ginseng was “good for me” but I knew no specifics.

To learn more about evidence-based, integrative multiple myeloma therapy, scroll down the page, post a question or comment and I will reply to you ASAP.

Thank you,

David Emerson

  • MM Survivor
  • MM Coach
  • Director PeopleBeatingCancer

Recommended Reading:


Asian Ginseng

“This fact sheet provides basic information about AG—common names, usefulness and safety, and resources for more information…”

Ginsenoside Rg3 induces apoptosis in human multiple myeloma cells via the activation of Bcl-2-associated X protein.

“Ginsenoside Rg3 is one of the main constituents isolated from Panax ginseng, and exhibits cytotoxic effects against cancer cells. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of ginsenoside Rg3 on human multiple myeloma cells, and determine the underlying molecular mechanisms.

A subsequent cell proliferation assay demonstrated that treatment with ginsenoside Rg3 resulted in a dose‑dependent inhibition of the proliferation of U266 and RPMI8226 cells.

Furthermore, exposure to ginsenoside Rg3 led to a marked increase in the rate of apoptosis in the U266 cells, coupled with increased caspase‑3 activity. The ginsenoside Rg3‑treated cells also exhibited an elevation in the expression of B‑cell lymphoma 2‑associated X protein (Bax), a pro‑apoptotic protein…

Overall, these findings suggested that ginsenoside Rg3 induced apoptosis in multiple myeloma cells, at least partially, through upregulation of the expression of Bax.”

Ginseng and Anticancer Drug Combination to Improve Cancer Chemotherapy: A Critical Review

“Ginseng, a well-known herb, is often used in combination with anticancer drugs to enhance chemotherapy. Its wide usage as well as many documentations are often cited to support its clinical benefit of such combination therapy. However the literature based on objective evidence to make such recommendation is still lacking. The present review critically evaluated relevant studies reported in English and Chinese literature on such combination. Based on our review, we found good evidence from in vitro and in vivoanimal studies showing enhanced antitumor effect when ginseng is used in combination with some anticancer drugs. However, there is insufficient clinical evidence of such benefit as very few clinical studies are available. Future research should focus on clinically relevant studies of such combination to validate the utility of ginseng in cancer.

Ginsenosides: A Potential Neuroprotective Agent

“Ginseng is a traditional Chinese medicine with a wide range of pharmacological activities. Ginsenosides are the major constituents of ginseng. Ginsenosides have the unique biological activity and medicinal value, such as antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antioxidation, and inhibition of cell apoptosis…

Ginsenosides are the major active ingredients of ginseng and are extracted from roots, fruits, stems, and leaves of ginseng…

Conclusion-Ginseng is a traditional Chinese medicine. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that it has a regulatory effect on the central nervous system. Ginseng can strengthen the cerebral cortex excitatory and inhibitory processes and reduce the fatigue of the brain process. The protective effect of ginseng is mainly due to the role of ginsenosides. Recently, studies have shown that ginsenosides have effects on the nervous system, the cardiovascular system, and the immune system. And few studies have found that ginsenosides are toxic…”

Pharmacology of ginsenosides: a literature review

Panax ginseng (Renshen, Chinese ginseng) is commonly used either by itself or in combination with other medicinal ingredients as a key herb in Chinese medicine. A member of the Araliaceae family, the genus name Panax was derived from the Greek word meaning “all-healing” first coined by the Russian botanist Carl A. Meyer. The Panax family consists of at least nine species, including P. ginseng, Panax quinquefolium (Xiyangshen, American ginseng), Panax notoginseng (Sanqi) and Panax japonicus (Japanese ginseng). The worldwide sale of ginseng products has estimated to reach US$ 300 million in 2001 [,]…

Conclusion- As partial agonists to multiple steroidal receptors, ginsenosides are important natural resources to be developed into new modalities, and may replace steroids in the current regimen to lessen undesirable side effects. However, low bioavailablilities of ginsenosides and its metabolites means that most of these compounds do not reach the intended biological system when administered orally. The results of ginsenoside researches will become physiological relevant only when (1) the pure compounds of the ginsenosides is available in large quantities; (2) the ginsenosides are biochemically stabilized to avoid degradation and enhance absorption in the gastrointestinal tract; and/or (3) special delivery methods for the ginsenosides to reach the areas of treatment…”

 

Leave a Comment:

2 comments
Andrea Sain says a couple of years ago

Hello,
I believe I have coronary artery disease. I have highcholesterol and blood sugar as well as angina and occasional shortness of breath. Im going to consume Panax Notoginseng daily.
I’m female and 56. I’ve always been healthy and healthy looking. Now I’m a bit fat, menopausal and my leg is swelling. I’m not getting a stent or bypass or taking statins…
Any thoughts?

Reply
    David Emerson says a couple of years ago

    Hi Andrea- This is a long reply to your question. I will also email you the same info directly via your email address.

    Let me know if you have any questions.

    
HI David- I believe I have coronary artery disease. I have high cholesterol and blood sugar as well as angina and occasional shortness of breath. Im going to consume Panax Notoginseng daily.
    I’m female and 56. I’ve always been healthy and healthy looking. Now I’m a bit fat, menopausal and my leg is swelling. I’m not getting a stent or bypass or taking statins…Any thoughts?

    Hi Andrea-

    I have several ideas. From your post it sounds as if you have not been formally diagnosed with CAD yet. While I don’t like going to the doctor’s office myself I believe in getting a specific diagnosis. I am about to get my annual ECHO actually.

    My point is that we need to know exactly what’s going with our hearts, veins, etc. We have to know what risks we face- risk of heart attack, risk of stroke, risk of anything.

    Having said that, I take no conventional heart meds of any kind. I face the risk of several heart issues but I have decided that the risks of conventional meds or surgery outweigh the risks of doing only diet, supplements, and lifestyle therapies such as exercise.

    Keep in mind that if your cardiologist diagnoses CAD, he/she will prescribe meds. Meds may or may not be right for you. The non-toxic therapies below are complementary therapies.

    Let’s talk coronary artery disease. Choice #1 will be to follow your cardiologists instructions. While I know people with heart issues on various meds, as I said above, I don’t want to take any prescription drugs.

    I will say that conventional heart meds. are easier than the non-toxic therapies listed below.

    Possible therapies are:

    Heart healthy diet,
    Moderate, daily exercise,
    Loose weight,
    Quit smoking if you do (I cut out almost all alcohol- I drink 3 glasses of wine per week…
    Manage stress

    Ask the doctor: Is it possible to reverse coronary artery disease?
    https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/ask_the_doctor_is_it_possible_to_reverse_coronary_artery_disease

    “Q. I have coronary artery disease. Is this something I can have cured or get rid of, or is keeping it from getting worse the best I can do?
    A. If you have the gumption to make major changes to your lifestyle, you can, indeed, reverse coronary artery disease. This disease is the accumulation of cholesterol-laden plaque inside the arteries nourishing your heart, a process known as atherosclerosis.

    Coronary Artery Disease (CAD): Alternative Treatments
    https://www.healthline.com/health/coronary-artery-disease/alternative-treatments

    Nutritional supplements can help-

    Omega-3 fatty acids

    Researchers believe omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation in the body. Inflammation is a contributing factor in certain types of heart disease.

    Phytosterols

    Phytosterols are in:
    unrefined vegetable oils
    whole grains
    nuts
    legumes

    Vitamin D
    Current research indicates that vitamin D might be beneficial in reducing your risk of heart disease. Researchers have linked low levels of vitamin D with an increased risk of heart disease.
    How much vitamin D you should take isn’t clear. Some doctors are recommending as much as 1,000 to 2,000 international units per day.

    The Mediterranean Diet and Cardiovascular Disease

    https://journals.lww.com/cardiologyinreview/Abstract/2019/05000/The_Mediterranean_Diet_and_Cardiovascular_Disease_.3.aspx

    In this article, we critically evaluate the evidence relating to the effects of the Mediterranean diet (MD) on the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Strong evidence indicating that the MD prevents CVD has come from prospective cohort studies. However, there is only weak supporting evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) as none have compared subjects who follow an MD and those who do not

    Reply
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