One of the most talked about plants in the Ethno botanical world is 'Sutherlandia Frutescens', known as the 'Cancer Bush' or 'Kankerbos' in Afrikaans and ˜Unweleâ/Insiswa' in Zulu. It has been widely used to boost the immune system and as a primary and supplementary treatment in a variety of chronic conditions including cancer and as an immune booster in the treatment of HIV/AIDS and TB. It has been a traditional treatment to improve the quality of life in patients with malignant tumours and there is preliminary clinical evidence that it has a direct anti-cancer effect in some cancers and that it acts as an immune stimulant.
'Cancer bush' was used to good effect to combat the symptoms of 'flu during the 1918 influenza pandemic and it is still used to treat 'flu to this day, shortening the duration and severity of the illness and has been traditionally taken as a convalescent tonic for post-'flu debilities including; weakness, lethargy and loss of appetite.
Cancer Bush is one of the most well known, widely used and respected medicinal plants in Southern Africa and the Khoi San and Nama people used it as a decoction for the washing of wounds and took it internally to bring down fevers. It was also used by the early Europeans to treat chicken pox, for internal cancers and farm workers in the Cape still use it to treat a variety of eye conditions.
Research by Professor Ben-Erik van Wyk and Dr Carl Albrecht has confirmed the presence of anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal compounds, as well as natural anti-depressants. The four known compounds that contribute to the efficacy of this medicinal plant is; the non-protein amino acid L-canavanine, Pinitol, GABA and Asparagine. Pinitol has documented anti-diabetic activity, and is likely to be at least one of the phyto chemicals, which contributes to the anti-diabetic properties in Sutherlandia.
* Cancer Bush is the most profound and multi-purpose of the medicinal plants in South Africa.
* It powerfully assists the body to mobilize its own resources to cope with diverse physical and mental stresses.
* Cancer Bush is used in the treatment of mental and emotional stress, including irritability, anxiety and depression
* Cancer Bush is used to boost the immune system in the treatment of cancer, HIV/AIDS and TB
* Cancer Bush is used in the treatment of influenza, bronchitis, colds, asthma, rheumatism, arthritis, liver problems, haemorrhoids, piles, bladder, uterus & 'women's' complaints, diarrhoea & dysentery, stomach ailments, heartburn, peptic ulcers, backache, diabetes, varicose veins, eczema, viral hepatitis, hypertension and Chronic Fatigues Syndrome.
* Cancer Bush is a quality-of-life tonic and also helps with weight gain due to the 'wasting effects' of cancer, HIV/AIDS and TB.
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