Ralph Moss on asparagus and cancer

[Guest guest]

No one ever says in these articles where to get an extract they are

referring to.

In a message dated 1/31/2010 1:22:53 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,

robert-blau@... writes:

From this week's newsletter. Rather interesting IMO . . .

Cancer Decisions® - Asparagus and Cancer

_http://www.cancerdehttp://www.chttp://www.cahttp://www.http://w_

(http://www.cancerdecisions.com/content/view/391/2/lang,english/)

Asparagus and Cancer

Sunday, 31 January 2010

I recently was told by one of my phone consultees that he was making a

slurry of asparagus as a treatment for his cancer. For 35 years I have

been hearing about the allegedly curative properties of asparagus. There

is a single scientific study from China indicated that an asparagus

extract can kill some cancer cells in the test tube (Liu 2009). But the

Internet story of an alleged asparagus cure both predates that, and also

goes way beyond it in its claims. It has all the hallmarks of an urban

myth.

The " asparagus cure " apparently originated with one R. Vensal,

DDS. There are thousands of references to this Dr. Vensal on the

Internet, but no explanation of who he was or how he arrived at his

astonishing idea. No Vensal is the author of any PubMed-listed

scientific articles or any books in the gigantic National Library of

Medicine catalog. I do remember some articles on the topic of the

asparagus cure in Prevention and other health magazines in the 1970s.

But, if I remember correctly, these were unsupported by scientific

studies.

The Guinea Pig Connection

Ironically, there is indeed a connection between asparagus and cancer,

but it not in the manner that most people believe. The real

asparagus-and-asparagus-and-<WBR>cancer story began with an observat

pathologist G. Kidd (1909-1991) at New York Hospital-Cornell

Medical Center in 1953. Kidd discovered that the blood serum of healthy

guinea pigs killed leukemia and a few other types of cancer in mice. A

few years later Dr. D. Broome of Texas figured out why. Guinea pigs

have in their blood an enzyme called L-asparaginase, which destroys the

amino acid L-asparagine. Normal cells generally manufacture their own

L-asparagine, but leukemia cells are often unable to do so. They have to

'steal' their supply from normal cells.

So the idea arose of using L-asparaginase as a cancer treatment and it

turned out to occasionally be dramatically effective. In 1967 Time

magazine reported on the complete remission of one of the first patients

to receive the drug:

" Nine-year-old Jr. had been in the last stages of acute

leukemia when Dr. ph M. Hill began giving him injections of the

bacterial extract, L-asparaginase,bacterial extract, L-asparaginase,<WBR> "

boy's grotesquely swollen glands had shrunk, and analysis of his blood

cells showed no active cancer " ( " Cancer: Secret from the Guinea Pigs, "

Time, April 14, 1967).

Subsequent treatments were rarely as dramatic as this, but the drug was

found helpful. As a result, to this day, L-asparaginase (now called

Elspar) is part of the standard regimen for acute lymphoblastic leukemia

(ALL) as well as some other rare tumors. The basic idea is to destroy as

much of the circulating L-asparagine as possible, in order to starve the

leukemic cells.

Most cancer cells, however, resemble normal cells in their ability to

synthesize L-aspargine and so L-asparaginase has little activity on

them. But for people with ALL and certain rare cancers eating a great

many asparagus, with their abundant supply of L-asparagine, would seem

to be a bad idea, especially if they are currently on a regimen

containing Elspar. It would be counterproductive.

That said, I don't mean to denigrate that possibility that asparagus

(like so many other plants) might some day be shown to contain helpful

constituents. Last year, researchers in Nanjing, China reported the

presence of a compound called Asparanin A from standard asparagus. It is

" an active cytotoxic component, " they said. Asparanin A arrests cell

growth and also induces apoptosis (the most common form of programmed

cell deaths) in human liver cancer cells. Asparanin A " shows promise as

a preventive and/or therapeutic agent " against human liver cancer (Liu

2009). But this is a far cry from the claims of an asparagus cure that

one finds circulating in viral fashion on the Internet these days.

--Ralph W. Moss, Ph.D.

References:

Broome, J. D. 1961. Evidence that the L-asparaginase activity of guinea

pig serum is responsible for its antilymphoma effects. Nature. 191:1114.

Broome, JD. Evidence that the L-asparaginasc of guinea pig serum is

responsible for its antilymphoma effects. I. Properties of the

L-asparaginase of guinea pig serum in relation to those of the

antilymphoma substance. J Exptl Med. 1963;118:99.

Broome, JD. Evidence that the L-asparaginase of guinea pig serum is

responsible for its antilymphoma effects. II. Lymphoma 6C3HED cells

cultured in a medium devoid of I~asparagine lose their susceptibility to

the effects of guinea pig serum in vivo. Y. Expt. Med. 1963;118:121.

Kidd, JG. Regression of transplanted lymphomas induced in viro by means

of normal guinea pig serum. I. Course of transplanted cancers of various

kinds in mice and rats given guinea pig serum, horse serum, or rabbit

serum. J. ExptL Med. 1953;98:565.

Kidd, JG. Regression of transplanted lymphomas induced in viva by means

of normal guinea pig serum. II. Studies on the nature of the active

serum constituent: histological mechanism of the regression; tests for

effects of guinea pig serum on lymphoma cells in vitro: discussion. Y.

Exptl. Meal. 1953;98:583.

Liu W, Huang X, Qi Q, et al. Asparanin A induces G(2)/M cell cycle

arrest and apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells.

Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 2009;381:700-Bioc

[Guest guest]

is there a place to buy the extract?

One of the things in my arsenal for Flurry was to include asparagus in her

food bowl.

In a message dated 1/31/2010 1:59:22 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,

leonardleonard1@... writes:

More info on asparagus's cancer-healing properties:

" research shows...asparagus. " research " research

" research " research " research

shows...asparagus.<WBR>..improves.<WBR>..bladder.<WBR>..breast.<WBR>..lung...<WB\

R>colon cancer, leukemia, prostate cancer " (Kurt Donsbach, M.D., “

Let's Talk Health,†May 200 " research " resea

The asparagus ingredient Asparanin A " shows promise as a preventive and/or

therapeutic agent " against human liver cancer (Liu W et al. Asparanin A

induces G(2)/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human hepatocellular

carcinoma HepG2 cells. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 2009;381:700-The

More

[Guest guest]

From this week's newsletter. Rather interesting IMO . . .

Cancer Decisions® - Asparagus and Cancer

http://www.cancerdecisions.com/content/view/391/2/lang,english/

Asparagus and Cancer

Sunday, 31 January 2010

I recently was told by one of my phone consultees that he was making a

slurry of asparagus as a treatment for his cancer. For 35 years I have

been hearing about the allegedly curative properties of asparagus. There

is a single scientific study from China indicated that an asparagus

extract can kill some cancer cells in the test tube (Liu 2009). But the

Internet story of an alleged asparagus cure both predates that, and also

goes way beyond it in its claims. It has all the hallmarks of an urban

myth.

The " asparagus cure " apparently originated with one R. Vensal,

DDS. There are thousands of references to this Dr. Vensal on the

Internet, but no explanation of who he was or how he arrived at his

astonishing idea. No Vensal is the author of any PubMed-listed

scientific articles or any books in the gigantic National Library of

Medicine catalog. I do remember some articles on the topic of the

asparagus cure in Prevention and other health magazines in the 1970s.

But, if I remember correctly, these were unsupported by scientific

studies.

The Guinea Pig Connection

Ironically, there is indeed a connection between asparagus and cancer,

but it not in the manner that most people believe. The real

asparagus-and-cancer story began with an observation by the research

pathologist G. Kidd (1909-1991) at New York Hospital-Cornell

Medical Center in 1953. Kidd discovered that the blood serum of healthy

guinea pigs killed leukemia and a few other types of cancer in mice. A

few years later Dr. D. Broome of Texas figured out why. Guinea pigs

have in their blood an enzyme called L-asparaginase, which destroys the

amino acid L-asparagine. Normal cells generally manufacture their own

L-asparagine, but leukemia cells are often unable to do so. They have to

'steal' their supply from normal cells.

So the idea arose of using L-asparaginase as a cancer treatment and it

turned out to occasionally be dramatically effective. In 1967 Time

magazine reported on the complete remission of one of the first patients

to receive the drug:

" Nine-year-old Jr. had been in the last stages of acute

leukemia when Dr. ph M. Hill began giving him injections of the

bacterial extract, L-asparaginase, " Time reported. " Within a month, the

boy's grotesquely swollen glands had shrunk, and analysis of his blood

cells showed no active cancer " ( " Cancer: Secret from the Guinea Pigs, "

Time, April 14, 1967).

Subsequent treatments were rarely as dramatic as this, but the drug was

found helpful. As a result, to this day, L-asparaginase (now called

Elspar) is part of the standard regimen for acute lymphoblastic leukemia

(ALL) as well as some other rare tumors. The basic idea is to destroy as

much of the circulating L-asparagine as possible, in order to starve the

leukemic cells.

Most cancer cells, however, resemble normal cells in their ability to

synthesize L-aspargine and so L-asparaginase has little activity on

them. But for people with ALL and certain rare cancers eating a great

many asparagus, with their abundant supply of L-asparagine, would seem

to be a bad idea, especially if they are currently on a regimen

containing Elspar. It would be counterproductive.

That said, I don't mean to denigrate that possibility that asparagus

(like so many other plants) might some day be shown to contain helpful

constituents. Last year, researchers in Nanjing, China reported the

presence of a compound called Asparanin A from standard asparagus. It is

" an active cytotoxic component, " they said. Asparanin A arrests cell

growth and also induces apoptosis (the most common form of programmed

cell deaths) in human liver cancer cells. Asparanin A " shows promise as

a preventive and/or therapeutic agent " against human liver cancer (Liu

2009). But this is a far cry from the claims of an asparagus cure that

one finds circulating in viral fashion on the Internet these days.

--Ralph W. Moss, Ph.D.

References:

Broome, J. D. 1961. Evidence that the L-asparaginase activity of guinea

pig serum is responsible for its antilymphoma effects. Nature. 191:1114.

Broome, JD. Evidence that the L-asparaginasc of guinea pig serum is

responsible for its antilymphoma effects. I. Properties of the

L-asparaginase of guinea pig serum in relation to those of the

antilymphoma substance. J Exptl Med. 1963;118:99.

Broome, JD. Evidence that the L-asparaginase of guinea pig serum is

responsible for its antilymphoma effects. II. Lymphoma 6C3HED cells

cultured in a medium devoid of I~asparagine lose their susceptibility to

the effects of guinea pig serum in vivo. Y. Expt. Med. 1963;118:121.

Kidd, JG. Regression of transplanted lymphomas induced in viro by means

of normal guinea pig serum. I. Course of transplanted cancers of various

kinds in mice and rats given guinea pig serum, horse serum, or rabbit

serum. J. ExptL Med. 1953;98:565.

Kidd, JG. Regression of transplanted lymphomas induced in viva by means

of normal guinea pig serum. II. Studies on the nature of the active

serum constituent: histological mechanism of the regression; tests for

effects of guinea pig serum on lymphoma cells in vitro: discussion. Y.

Exptl. Meal. 1953;98:583.

Liu W, Huang X, Qi Q, et al. Asparanin A induces G(2)/M cell cycle

arrest and apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells.

Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 2009;381:700-705.

[Guest guest]

More info on asparagus's cancer-healing properties:

" research shows...asparagus...improves...bladder...breast...lung...colon cancer,

leukemia, prostate cancer " (Kurt Donsbach, M.D., “Let's Talk Health,†May

2000); “There are reports of cancer recoveries from eating asparagus dailyâ€

(www.royalrife.com/cancer.html).

The asparagus ingredient Asparanin A " shows promise as a preventive and/or

therapeutic agent " against human liver cancer (Liu W et al. Asparanin A induces

G(2)/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2

cells. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 2009;381:700-705)

More

[Guest guest]

More info on asparagus's cancer-healing properties:

" research shows...asparagus...improves...bladder...breast...lung...colon cancer,

leukemia, prostate cancer " (Kurt Donsbach, M.D., “Let's Talk Health,†May

2000); “There are reports of cancer recoveries from eating asparagus dailyâ€

(www.royalrife.com/cancer.html).

The asparagus ingredient Asparanin A " shows promise as a preventive and/or

therapeutic agent " against human liver cancer (Liu W et al. Asparanin A induces

G(2)/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2

cells. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 2009;381:700-705)

More Testimonials:

“cancer on the ears…asparagus…In 3 weeks all of it was gone†(Kroeger,

1997, p. 16)

" Seven years ago…elderly woman with non-small cell lung cancer…no money....I

told her to eat plenty of asparagus with every meal...still alive with no

evidence of cancer " Gammill 8/6/08,

www.health./group/ /message/34099

" as part of the B.P. [budwig protocol]...my wife [ate] raw asparagus...very

favorable and rapid resolution [of her cancer], but I doubt it was attributable

solely or primarily to the asparagus " Nick Busigin, 6/21/09

FlaxSeedOil2/message/73960

" I started adding 3-4 [asparagus] stems to [my green juice] and in just one week

I noticed improvement with my prostate [cancer] condition...less pain "

Shomlo, 3/21/09, www./group/GersonTherapy/message/4775

“Mom had been taking the full-stalk canned style asparagus…pureed…4

tablespoons in the morning and…later in the day…for over a month. She is on

chemo pills for Stage 3 lung cancer in the pleural area and her cancer cell

count went from 386 down to 125â€.

Active compounds & mechanisms of action:

Its saponins are antitumor and inhibit leukemia HL-60

(www.herbmed.org/Herbs/Herb144.htm).

L-asparaginase (Elspar) is used to treat " acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and

LYMPHOMA " (Altman & Sarg, 2000, p. 187).

Asparaginase is reportedly listed in the USP Drug Information book (1998, 18th

ed., pp. 3212, 3215) as a treatment for ALL, CLL, acute myelomonocytic leukemia,

acute myelocytic leukemia (AML), Hodgkin’s, and NHL.

Asparagus reportedly can repair damaged DNA ( N. Green, DDS, NP [1991].

Eclectic Dentistry: Demystifying Medicine).

Asparagus " degrades aspartic acid to inhibit unwanted cell growth. Consisting of

aldehyde and ketone, Asparagus...kill abnormal cells during electron

transference....Asparagoside adjusts immunity and increases the transfer

activity of T-lymphocytes (Interlukin-2)....Interlukin 2 functions had doubled

because Asparagus Extract was included "

(www.thewolfeclinic.com/asparagusextract.html).

" Emanuel Revici [M.D.]...said...[it] produces in the body a substance similar to

one that he found...to be the most powerful antitumor agent he had ever worked

with, which is in the mercaptan series of sulfur compounds. Asparagus may

produce methyl mercaptan [Merck Index]....Lutz [1974] thought the content of

histones in asparagus was significant, and Duke, Ph.D. [1992], points out

that asparagusic acid...kills parasites....saponins showed antitumor activity in

vitro [shao, Yu, Chee-kok Chin, Chi-Tang Ho et al. (1996). Anti-tumor activity

of the crude saponins obtained from asparagus. Cancer Letters, 104: 31-36] "

(Hess, 1999, pp. 137-139; see also Houston, 1978).

“cleansing effect through the lymphatic system and the

kidneys….potassium….protein compounds that according to Donny Yance, act as

‘Cell Growth Normalizers’ on cancer cell division. He further states how

‘asparagus therapy has been used to treat various forms of cancer and reversal

of the disease has been reported in a number of cases’â€

www.planetherbs.com/articles/cancer.html (Tierra)

“Asparagus…contains histones, which are believed to act as cell-growth

normalizers on cancer-cell division. Asparagus therapy…reversal of the

disease…in a number of cases….4 tablespoons daily†(Yance, 1999, p. 56).

“Asparagus extract is also a Chinese medicine remedy for all types of

cancer.†Asparagus tests very positive on EDS. It’s antifungal; detoxes

kidneys & liver.

(Note: I’m skeptical of the statements in the following 2 [commercial]

paragraphs.)

Asparagoside “restricts DNA synthesis and translation of proteins and inhibits

adenocarcinoma…reduces breast, pancreatic, cervical cancer in mice; inhibits

human cervical cancer cells and leukemia cancer cells in mice….Lung cancer

patients (stage 4): Overall survival increased by 126.7 days….Asparagus

Extract improves nonspecific immune responses [in patients who] had low immunity

due to chemotherapy…Western China Medical School….

[note: I don’t know the original source of these statements.]

In vitro: Asparagus Extract inhibited HeLA (human cervical cancer), CNE

(pharyngorhino cancer), Eca-109 (esophagus) at 3.1%-5.6% concentration. In vivo:

Asparagus Extract (0.3-0.8 g/kg/day for 9-12 days) reduced tumor size of LA-795

(mice lung adenocarcinoma [NSCLC]). Beijing Scientific Academic Institute

Oncology Hospital, China Clinical Journal Pharmacol., 1988; 4(1):32-39â€

www.chi-health.co.uk/Asparagus_Extract.pdf

" active ingredients of Asparagus...saponins and Steroid Glycoside....these

ingredients...combined together...form Asparagoside. In 1983, Stirpe performed

various studies at molecular biology levels and discovered that Asparagoside is

able to restrict DNA synthesis and the translation of proteins [suggesting] that

Asparagoside...inhibit adenocarcinoma. Another experiment...in 1984 by

Gorgann on laboratory mice...Asparagoside [reduced] breast, pancreas, and

cervical cancer. Then, in 1985, Sati...in vivo experiment...JTC-26 (human

cervical cancer cell) and P-388 (leukemia cell) in laboratory

mice...Asparagoside...reduce[d] the above cancerous situations. Recent

studies...with an extract of asparagus at the Oncology hospital in the Beijing

Scientific Academic Institution...HeLa (human cervical cancer cell line), the

CNE (Pharyngorhino cancer cell line), and the Eca-109 (esophagus cell line)...in

vitro studies...LD50...for each cancer cell line is 3.1% - 5.6% concentration of

asparagus extract. An in vivo study on LA-795 (mice lung adenocarcinoma [NSCLC]

cell lines)...asparagus extract (0.3 - 0.8 g/kg/day) for 9-12 days, a surprising

number of mice [had] a considerable reduction in the tumor size....The activity

of the Interleukin 2 [in mice] was doubled due to the addition of the

asparagus...this situation not only occurred in C57 mice, but in healthy humans

and...cancer patients....asparagus...improving the immunity of 400 patients with

weak immune systems after chemotherapy and/or radiation....40 terminal stage

patients [who] received 3 bags of asparagus extract per day...had a 40.1 day

increase in survival, averaging 126.7 days. WBC levels...increased from 5040 to

5600, total serum globulin levels increased from 59.3g/L to 61.1 g/L...Serum

ferritin levels also increased from 107.7 g/L to 114.5g/L. Normal cells can

[biosynthesize] aspartic acid...unhealthy cells cannot...Asparaginase degrades

aspartic acid...inhibit[ing] the unwanted cell growth. Consisting in aldehyde

and ketone, Asparagus Extract is able to kill abnormal cells during electron

transference....Asparagoside adjusts immunity and increases the transfer

activity of T-lymphocytes (Interlukin-2)â€

www.naturesunique.net/Asparagus_Extract.htm

“After eating asparagus…urine [may have] foul smell…. it is not at all

dangerousâ€

Bulk asparagus powders:

Asparagus Powder/Broccoli Flowerets (dehydrated) www.barryfarm.com/veggies.htm

asparagus root (.5% asparagosides)

www.viableherbalsupplements.com/singles/herbs/s112.htm

For more info,

www.springerlink.com/content/m1170q207076440t (saponins & apoptosis)

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8640742 (saponins & apoptosis)

1: Cancer Lett. 1996 Jun 24;104(1):31-6.

Anti-tumor activity of the crude saponins obtained from asparagus.

<www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed & Cmd=Search & Term=%22Shao%

20Y%22%5BAuthor%5D & itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pu

bmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus> Shao Y,

<www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed & Cmd=Search & Term=%22Chin%

20CK%22%5BAuthor%5D & itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.P

ubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus> Chin CK,

<www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed & Cmd=Search & Term=%22Ho%20

CT%22%5BAuthor%5D & itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pub

med_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus> Ho CT,

<www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed & Cmd=Search & Term=%22Ma%20

W%22%5BAuthor%5D & itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubm

ed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus> Ma W,

<www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed & Cmd=Search & Term=%22Garri

son%20SA%22%5BAuthor%5D & itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPan

el.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus> Garrison SA,

<www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed & Cmd=Search & Term=%22Huang

%20MT%22%5BAuthor%5D & itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.

Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus> Huang MT.

“asparagus crude saponins [ACS]…inhibited…human leukemia HL-60 cells in

culture and

macromolecular synthesis in a dose and time dependent mannerâ€

PMID: 8640742

www.lib.bioinfo.pl/pmid:17629328 (saponins)

For info on anticancer effects of Chinese asparagus (Asparagus

cochinchinensis):

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11025149?dopt=Citation

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9730251?dopt=Citation