Artesunate is a derivative of artemisinin, a natural compound derived from the Chinese herb Artemisia. It was initially used for combating malaria, however, recently Artesunate has shown great promise as a cancer therapy. It should be noted that IV Artesunate is 4 to 5 times more active in the body than oral Artemisinin.
How Does Artesunate Target Cancer?
When Artesunate is absorbed into cancer cells, this herbal medicine creates powerful sparks or free radicals to kill cancer cells from the inside – like a firecracker inside a paper milk carton. The scientific explanation of this mechanism of action for Artesunate is very well defined. Cancer cells aggressively accumulate iron for their rapid cell division. When Artesunate is administered, it degrades ferritin (a protein that stores iron) releasing free iron that generates reactive oxygen species (ROS). The ROS in turn triggers apoptosis killing the cancer cell. In addition to inducing cell death, Artesunate also inhibits cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis (generation of new blood vessels), further contributing to its anti-cancer effects.
Research on Artesunate for Cancer Therapy
A government funded study at Bastyr Integrative Oncology Research Center found that IV Vitamin C (IVC) in conjunction with IV Artesunate made a substantial difference in survival with patients who had advanced breast cancer. The study looked at patients with Stage IV breast cancer. What they found was that after 1 year, the group that received only IVC had a 74% survival rate, whereas, the group that received both IVC and IV Artesunate had a 90% survival rate. By year 2, the results were even more significantl The group that received only IVC had a 68% survival rate compared to 90% survival in the group receiving IVC and Artesunate. It is also important to note that no adverse events were associated with Artesunate.
What Types of Cancer Can Artesunate Target?
Evidence is growing that the use IV Artesunate is effective not only for breast cancer but for a wide range of cancers including ovarian, cervical, colon, leukemia, prostate, melanoma, Glioma, liver, and renal cancer. In addition to the specific cancers mentioned above, other cancers might also be vulnerable to the cancer fighting abilities of Artesunate. These include kaposi’s sarcoma, astrocytoma, fibrosarcoma, oral squamous cell, small-cell lung cancer and stomach cancer.
At Renaissance Health Centre, IV Artesunate and IVC is one prong of a multi-prong approach that can extend one’s life while also improving the quality of life. When fighting cancer, it is important to use every natural tool in our arsenal to weaken the cancer while at the same time strengthening one’s immune system.
Terry Pfau DO, HMD