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Angelica and Ginseng Severely Promote Breast Cancer
pine Webmaster of Pineapple
2009/01/15 07:50
508 topics published
Ginseng and Angelica, traditionally regarded as tonic herbs, can exacerbate the condition of women suffering from breast cancer! Australian medical research has found that regular consumption of these two Chinese herbs can accelerate the division of breast cancer cells. Since women may not be aware of early-stage breast cancer, indiscriminate supplementation may worsen the condition; Hong Kong Chinese medicine practitioners point out that there is no evidence to suggest that ginseng and Angelica cause cancer, but they acknowledge that cancer patients should not randomly consume Chinese medicine, as these two herbs have the effect of invigorating qi and promoting blood circulation, which may stimulate the growth of cancer cells.

According to a report by The Sun on March 30, the Australian medical website "AustralianDoctor.com.au" cited Dr. Alton, director of the natural therapy department at the Royal Women's Hospital in Sydney, Australia, stating that many menopausal women in the area use ginseng and Angelica as substitutes for Western medicine's "estrogen" to reduce menopausal symptoms. However, the latest research has found that the therapeutic effects of ginseng and Angelica on women are smaller than imagined, and there is a risk of stimulating the growth of breast cancer cells.

During an interview with "AustralianDoctor," Dr. Alton mentioned that researchers cultured MCF-7 cells, which induce breast cancer, in a laboratory and added ginseng and Angelica separately. The results showed that adding Angelica accelerated the division of cancer cells by sixteen times, and adding ginseng increased it by twenty-seven times. Dr. Alton also said that although taking estrogen during menopause has side effects, such as a slight increase in the incidence of heart disease, its therapeutic effects cannot be replaced by ginseng and Angelica. The research also found that Angelica does not increase female hormones and can cause uterine spasms, making it unsuitable for women with breast cancer. Even healthy women may experience side effects from consuming it.

Dr. Alton questioned the functions of ginseng and Angelica, believing they have no therapeutic effects but serious side effects, thus urging local health departments to strengthen the regulation of the trade of these two herbs.

However, the Australian department regulating alternative therapies considers the research results to be preliminary and has not confirmed that ginseng and Angelica can cause cancer. A spokesperson for the department also stated that there have been no relevant research results in the past five years to support Dr. Alton's findings, so these two Chinese herbs will not be classified as health-hazardous products for the time being.

Hong Kong Chinese medicine practitioner Pan Guangtao pointed out that Chinese and Koreans have been consuming ginseng for thousands of years without any carcinogenic risks. However, he agrees that cancer patients should not consume ginseng and Angelica alone, especially those undergoing chemotherapy, because ginseng and Angelica have the effect of invigorating qi and promoting blood circulation. Angelica, in particular, can enhance the body's ability to produce blood. If taken alone, it might accelerate the division of cancer cells, worsening the condition.

Pan Guangtao believes that cancer patients who wish to consume ginseng or Angelica should first consult a Chinese medicine practitioner and take compound Chinese medicines containing ginseng or Angelica according to their constitution and condition.

Pan Guangtao also said that Angelica does have the function of increasing female hormones, but its principle differs from the direct injection or consumption of estrogen in Western medicine. Angelica cannot directly release estrogen but can stimulate the body to produce hormones, indirectly increasing the body's estrogen levels. Therefore, the failure of Australian researchers to detect estrogen in Angelica does not mean that Angelica lacks this medicinal effect.

Hong Kong people like to purchase and consume Chinese herbs on their own, but many foreign studies have found that various Chinese herbs have side effects. People with health issues should be cautious when consuming them. Some common herbs and ingredients often used in weight-loss health products can adversely affect the body's coagulation and nervous systems.The Journal of the American Medical Association earlier published research findings indicating that several Chinese herbal medicines, such as ephedra, ginkgo, ginseng, valerian, and St. John's wort, have side effects that can destabilize the circulatory system and slow blood clotting. Ginseng can also lower blood sugar levels. Therefore, it is advised that patients scheduled for surgery should stop taking these herbs to avoid excessive bleeding and hypoglycemia during surgery, which could not only affect the surgical outcome but also pose life-threatening risks to the patient.

Additionally, traditional Chinese medicine authorities in mainland China recently discovered that "longgu," commonly used to treat liver fire, dark urine, and nervous tension, contains excessively high levels of lead, which can damage the nervous system and lead to memory decline. Pregnant women consuming excessive amounts may give birth to deformed babies. As a result, it is recommended that TCM practitioners should not use it alone but should combine it with other herbs in compound prescriptions to reduce dosage and toxicity.

Source: http:/ / udn. com/ search/ ? Keywo……DP% C0% F9& searchtype=overture
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