Can yew bark help fight cancer?
In 1963 the National Cancer Institute found that extracts of Taxus brevifolia (Pacific yew) bark were active in vitro against cancer cells.
Does Pacific yew extract from yew trees work?
Given that the concentration of paclitaxel in Pacific yew bark is around 0.02%, and in the needles 0.033%, it is highly unlikely that crude Pacific yew extracts work solely because of the content of this constituent.
What is a Japanese yew tree?
Japanese Yew is an evergreen tree with a narrowly upright and columnar growth habit. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.This is a relatively low maintenance tree, and can be pruned at anytime.
Are Japanese plum yews out of stock?
Temporarily Out of Stock. Click button below to get on the Waiting List! Japanese Plum Yews, Cephalotaxus harringtonia, are shade loving coniferous evergreen shrubs with needle-like foliage that provide a unique texture in the landscape that contrasts nicely with almost any other type of plant.
What does yew do to humans?
All parts of the yew plant are considered poisonous. Yew can cause severe stomach problems. It can also cause the heart rate to slow down or speed up dangerously. Signs of poisoning might include nausea, dry mouth, vomiting, stomach pain, dizziness, weakness, nervousness, heart problems, and many others.
Is Tamoxifen made from yew tree?
Taxol® (NSC 125973) Paclitaxel, the most well-known natural-source cancer drug in the United States, is derived from the bark of the Pacific yew tree (Taxus brevifolia) and is used in the treatment of breast, lung, and ovarian cancer, as well as Kaposi's sarcoma.
Is yew used in chemotherapy?
There are two chemotherapy drugs that were originally developed from yew trees: docetaxel (Taxotere) was first made from the needles of the European yew tree. paclitaxel (Taxol) was made from the bark of the Pacific yew tree.
What can yew tree be used to treat?
Yew is a tree. People use the bark, branch tips, and needles to make medicine. Despite serious safety concerns, yew is used for treating diphtheria, tapeworms, swollen tonsils (tonsillitis), seizures (epilepsy), muscle and joint pain (rheumatism), urinary tract conditions, and liver conditions.
Why is the yew tree called the tree of death?
Drooping branches of old yew trees can root and form new trunks where they touch the ground. Thus the yew came to symbolise death and resurrection in Celtic culture. The Celts will also have been familiar with the toxicity of the tree's needles in particular.
How is Taxol extracted from yew tree?
At present Taxol is obtained mainly from the bark of the Yew tree but scientists have found that the substance can be extracted from the needles of tree. However, the drug is only one-eighth as concentrated compared to the bark and this process leaves room for impurities within it.
What happens if you eat yew needles?
So what makes yew so poisonous? It contains a deadly alkaloid called taxine. This is a rapidly absorbed cardio-depressant that can kill within a few hours of ingestion in cases of acute poisoning, but may take as long as 24 to 48 hours if smaller amounts were consumed.
Which world famous company produce the anticancer drug Taxol?
Dabur recently announced that it had perfected a method to extract taxol -- a potent drug used to treat ovarian and breast cancers -- from the leaves of the Himalayan yew (Taxus baccata).
What is the first approved chemotherapy drug in 1962?
Fluorouracil (Adrucil) was first approved as a chemotherapy drug in 1962 and is one of the oldest chemotherapy drugs still prescribed today. It's primarily used to treat gastrointestinal cancers (including colon, rectal, stomach) and certain types of breast cancer.
Is yew poisonous to humans?
The Common Yew (Taxus baccata) is an ornamental tree. The taxine alkaloids contained in yew berries, needles or bark are poisonous. The lethal dose for an adult is reported to be 50 g of yew needles. Patients who ingest a lethal dose frequently die due to cardiogenic shock, in spite of resuscitation efforts.
Which disease is cured by the use of Himalayan yew Class 10?
Hint: A chemical compound named taxol is extracted from the bark, needles, twigs, and roots of the Himalayan Yew. Taxol is widely used all over the world for the treatment of cancer.
Why is a yew tree important for healing?
The yew tree is the most important of all the healing trees, it said. It lives for thousands of years. Its berries, its bark, its leaves, its sap, its pulp, its wood, they all thrum and burn and twist with life. It can cure almost any ailment man suffers from, mixed and treated by the right apothecary.
Medicinal use of Japanese Yew
Modern research has shown that yew trees contain the substance "taxol" in their shoots and bark. Taxol has shown exciting potential as an anti-cancer drug, particularly in the treatment of ovarian cancers. This remedy is very toxic and, even when used externally, should only be used under the supervision of a qualified practitioner.
Habitat of the herb
Mountains throughout Japan. Acid soils in cold, humid places at elevations of 500 - 1000 metres in Heilongjiang, E Jilin, Liaoning and Shaanxi provinces, China.
Edible parts of Japanese Yew
Fruit - raw or made into jam. Very sweet and gelatinous, most people find it delicious though some find it sickly. The fruit is a fleshy berry about 8mm in diameter and containing a single seed. All other parts of this plant, including the seed, are highly poisonous.
Other uses of the herb
A brown dye is obtained from the heartwood. Red according to another report. An oil is extracted from the seeds. Wood - hard, strong, elastic, fine grained, takes a beautiful polish. Used for furniture, bows etc. The wood is used in building construction, furniture manufacture and as a carving material.
Propagation of Japanese Yew
Seed - can be very slow to germinate, often taking 2 or more years. It is best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn when it should germinate 18 months later. Stored seed may take 2 years or more to germinate. 4 months warm followed by 4 months cold stratification may help reduce the germination time.
Cultivation of the herb
Mountains throughout Japan. Acid soils in cold, humid places at elevations of 500 - 1000 metres in Heilongjiang, E Jilin, Liaoning and Shaanxi provinces, China.
Known hazards of Taxus cuspidata
All parts of the plant, except the flesh of the fruit, are highly poisonous.
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Product description
Qty 10 count trays of fully rooted 2" Podocarpus Japanese Yew plants. Attractive pyramidal garden or patio tree takes to shearing well to become an effective accent, screen or clipped hedge. This versatile plant will also thrive in tubs or as a topiary. Evergreen. For large quantity discount consideration, please message us.
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What is a Pacific yew tree?
Pacific yew looks like a shrub you might find in your front lawn, but it’s much more than just a decorative plant. The Medicine Hunter, Chris Kilham, visits the New York Botanical Garden to find out how this plant is helping to fight cancer. When USDA botanist Arthur Barclay collected a sample of bark from the Pacific yew tree in Washington State ...
How many species of plants did Barclay collect?
One of many botanists commissioned by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to collect parts of plants for testing as possible anti-cancer agents, Barclay personally collected more than 200 species for analysis. Among those samples, only the Pacific yew Taxus berevifolia, would contain a blockbuster pharmaceutical hit.
What was the name of the plant that was discovered in 1964?
Among those samples, only the Pacific yew Taxus berevifolia, would contain a blockbuster pharmaceutical hit. In May of 1964, scientists tested the various samples collected by USDA botanists and discovered a cytotoxic compound in the Pacific yew sample collected by Barclay.
When did Arthur Barclay collect a sample of bark from the Pacific yew tree?
When USDA botanist Arthur Barclay collected a sample of bark from the Pacific yew tree in Washington State in 1962, he had no way of knowing that the sample would yield one of the most important cancer-fighting drugs ever developed.
Is Taxol a chemo drug?
In 1992, the company received approval to market Taxol as a chemotherapy drug. Today Taxol, also known as Paclitaxel, is marketed under the brand names Abraxane and Onxol. It is used to treat ovarian and breast tumors, lung cancer, and Kaposi’s sarcoma.
Who discovered taxol?
Subsequent to that discovery, researchers Monroe Wall and Mansukh Wani, both working in a NCI drug discovery program in North Carolina, screened fresh Pacific yew samples and isolated a previously unknown, highly active cancer-fighting compound. In 1967, that compound was named Taxol.
Who is Chris Kilham?
Chris Kilham is a medicine hunter who researches natural remedies all over the world, from the Amazon to Siberia. Chris advises herbal, cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies, is a regular guest on radio and TV programs worldwide, and is the author of fifteen books. Read more at MedicineHunter.com.
What is the phytoestrogen found in Japanese knotweed root?
Phytoestrogen Hormone: Trans resveratrol found in Japanese Knotweed Root is a phytoestrogen having estrogenic properties, which allows them to mildly mimic and sometimes act as antagonists of estrogen.[6][7] This attribute is useful when a woman's body is lacking in estrogen to avoid bone loss.
How much resveratrol is in tincture?
Antioxidant: Daily consumption of 1/2 teaspoon of the tincture, first thing in the morning, provides approx 500 mg of resveratrol which may prevent aging by protecting cellular DNA from free-radical damage. Antimicrobial: To inhibit the growth of staph, strep, E. coli, and salmonella the dosage is 1/2 tsp.
What is resveratrol used for?
Origin:USA . Known Uses: A good source for high concentration of resveratrol. Slow aging by protecting cellular DNA from free-radical damage. Treating Lyme Disease. Inhibit the growth of staph, strep, E. coli, and salmonella. Inhibit certain types of cancer cells without harming the liver.
Can you use Japanese knotweed tincture while pregnant?
Japanese Knotweed tincture is not suggested for use in pregnant or lactating women, or in people with estrogen-sensitive cancers. Trans resveratrol found in Japanese Knotweed Root is a phytoestrogen having estrogenic properties, which allows them to mildly mimic and sometimes act as antagonists of estrogen.
Is Japanese knotweed a good plant?
The root of Japanese Knotweed is richer in resveratrol than any other known plant and now it is the primary natural source of resveratrol and is considered to have a number of beneficial effects, including anticancer, antiatherogenic, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and estrogenic activity. [2] .
What is the role of JAK-1 in the STAT pathway?
It is known to inhibit JAK-1, a key member of the STAT pathway that is crucial in controlling cellular activities in response to extracellular cytokines, and is a COX-2 inductible enzyme involved in inflammation and carcinogenesis.
Does resveratrol thin blood?
Resveratrol decreases the viscosity of the blood and acts as anticoagulant to thin blood, effective in treating cardiovascular disease by reducing thrombosis and embolisms that can block arteries and lead to myocardial and cerebral infarctions.[4] .
Is Taxus brevifolia a cancer drug?
In 1963 the National Cancer Institute found that extracts of Taxus brevifolia (Pacific yew) bark were active in vitro against cancer cells. A sample was sent to researcher Monroe Wall, PhD, in North Carolina to follow up. Wall and associates confirmed that crude extracts were effectives against various types of cancer cell lines, and proceeded to isolate the taxane diterpenoid paclitaxel. While paclitaxel eventually (30+ years later) ended up as an FDA approved chemotherapy drug named Taxol®, what the researchers did not follow-up on is the fact that crude extracts are also effective, not just the isolated drug. Once again herbal medicine had been overlooked and turned into pharmaceutical medicine, ignoring the potential of multiconstituent approaches to health.
Where is Pacific Yew from?
Pacific yew is an indigenous resource of the Pacific Northwest. It has been noted that though research on Pacific yew began in government laboratories and were heavily subsidized by government funds throughout the development process, ultimately the profits from the drug Taxol® have gone to private interests.
Does taxiresinol inhibit MDR?
Taxinine, isolated from Taxus cuspidate but found in Pacific yew, has been shown to inhibit the multidrug resistance (MDR) pump in cancer cells, and thus might augment the activity of paclitaxel. Lignans, especially taxiresinol 1, from T. wallichiana have shown strong anticancer activity in vitro as well, suggesting another set ...
Does Pacific yew have synergy?
Synergy in Pacific Yew. Given that the concentration of paclitaxel in Pacific yew bark is around 0.02%, and in the needles 0.033%, it is highly unlikely that crude Pacific yew extracts work solely because of the content of this constituent. Taxinine, isolated from Taxus cuspidate but found in Pacific yew, has been shown to inhibit ...
Can naturopathic medicine use raw material?
The naturopathic approach of using crude extracts of the needles may use less raw material in a more sustainable fashion, particularly when combined with other therapies, further limiting the necessary amount of any one treatment.
Is Pacific yew good for cancer?
It is time for naturopathic physicians to reclaim this natural resource and perform the clinical trials necessary to prove that a crude extract of Pacific yew is beneficial for people with cancer (particularly when combined with a complete natural treatment protocol involving multiple herbs, nutrients, lifestyle changes, and other treatments).
Is T. chinensis a crude extract?
One study in China on T. chinensis found that crude extracts of such a culture were active against cancer cells. This also supports the contention, once again, that crude extracts have potential activity in human cancer patients, not just isolated compounds.
