Local organic herbal health remedies or western medicine?
CANCER BUSH - ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE, BUT MORE RESEARCH NEEDED: HEALTH BENEFITS AND TRADITIONAL USES OF CANCER BUSH
CANCER BUSH, SUTHERLANDIA FRUTESCENS
The cancer bush is indigenous to South Africa and has been use for centuries in traditional systems of medicines, of the native peoples and the European colonists and their descendants. It is also grown around the world as an ornamental, and looks a little like the firecracker plant.
It is a member of the Leguminoseae or Fabaceae family and so is related to the pongam tree, the lead tree or ipil-ipil, the Indian Coral tree, the Monkey Pod tree, the tree from which we get Gum Tragacanth or gond katira, jhand the mesquite tree, dhak or Flame of the forest tree, the Pacific teak tree, the ashoka tree (Saraca indica), European laburnum, amaltas, the Indian laburnum, the Burmese rosewood tree, lupins, indigo, field restharrow, carob, melilot or sweet clover, milk vetch, the hyacinth bean, alfalfa, the butterfly pea, peas, green beans, chickpeas, borlotti beans and lentils just to name a few of its relatives. Now it is in the Papilionidaceae family. There are five species of Sutherlandia that we currently know of, all native to South Africa.
The name Sutherlandia honours the Scottish botanist, James Sutherland (c.1639-1719) who was the first superintendent of the Edinburgh Botanic Garden. The Latin frutescens means ‘bushy’, describing this shrub which grows to just over a metre high and can be erect or creeping. The plant has bladder shaped pods in which the black seeds make a rattling sound when ripe. They float and children play with them like toy ducks.
The plant has been used to treat a vast array of diseases, ranging from the common cold to cancer, T.B. and HIV/AIDS. Traditionally it has been used in decoctions to wash wounds, and as an eyewash as well as to reduce the high temperatures of fevers. The early colonists from Europe used it for chicken pox, stomach problems and internal cancers. It is considered to be good for “female complaints’ both for the menopause and for menstruation. It is said to be good to treat peptic ulcers, for liver problems, diarrhoea and dysentery, varicose veins, appetite and digestion, diabetes, stress, as a blood purifier and to boost the immune system.
It is considered an adaptogen as are Eleuthero, American ginseng and rose root, which means that over a period of time it will bring about changes in the body and enable it to better deal with emotional, mental and physical stress. It is believed to strengthen the whole body and act as a general tonic, especially boosting the actions of the immune system, thus enabling it to better deal with infection.
There is much anecdotal evidence to suggest that it improves a cancer, HIV/AIDS and T.B patient’s quality of life, as it appears to halt the wasting process which accompanies these diseases. However research is still underway to identify precisely how and why the plant works in the way it would seem to.
The cancer bush contains tannins, cardiac glycosides, amino acids, saponins or anthraquinones, and gamma aminobytric acid (GABA) has been isolated from the leaves, which is probably responsible for its stress-relieving and mood enhancing abilities. It also contains L-carnavanine which has antiviral, antifungal and anti-cancer properties. It also contains pinitol which has a positive effect on diabetes, and this substance may be responsible at least in part for the halting of the wasting process mentioned above. Research is ongoing into the novel triterpenoid glycosides which have also been isolated from the plant.
It has anti-inflammatory properties and is immunomodulatory and the phenolic compounds it contains are probably responsible for its antioxidant properties. (Fernandes A, Cromarty D, Albrecht C, Jansen van Rensburg C. “The antioxidant potential of Sutherlandia frutescens” Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2004; Vol. 95: pp1-5.)
The San people call this plant “insisa” which means ‘one that dispels darkness’ which probably refers to its anti-depressant and mood enhancing properties. The Tswana people have been using this plant to treat gonorrhea and syphilis for centuries but there is no evidence that this works.
Clearly this is another plant which warrants further research if we are to utilize its apparent health benefits.
Current applications:
improving quality of life in cancer, HIV/AIDS and TB patients
stress reduction and enhancement of well-being
chronic fatigue syndrome / ME
heartburn, gastritis and reflux oesophagitis
painful joint conditions
Central Nervous System Sutherlandia has been used as supportive treatment in mental and emotional stress, including irritability, anxiety and depression. Widows of slain Zulu warriors used Sutherlandia as a gentle tranquilliser during the mourning period.
The Sotho name motlepelo means ‘bringing back the heart’ meaning that the plant is a traditional treatment for emotional shock and stress.
Agitated Zulu warriors returning from battle would be given an infusion of Sutherlandia ‘to take the war out’ - i.e. as a calming tea.
The ancient Zulu name insiswa means ‘the one which dispels darkness’ alluding to its anti-depressant effect, and tot he fact that it is a powerful tonic for diverse health conditions.
The present Zulu name unwele means ‘hair’ - alluding to the fact that the plant stops people ‘pulling out their hair’ with distress.
Respiratory Sutherlandia was traditionally used throughout its natural distribution to good effect to combat the symptoms of ‘flu during the 1918 influenza pandemic, and is still used to treat 'flu to this day. Sutherlandia is traditionally believed to shorten the duration and severity of the illness and it can also be taken as a convalescent tonic for post-‘flu debility.
Sutherlandia has traditionally been used in both the prevention and treatment of the symptoms of asthma.
Sutherlandia has been traditionally used for centuries to treat the symptoms of TB, including wasting, and bronchitis. It has also been historically used to treat unspecified wasting diseases.
Gastrointestinal Sutherlandia has been used to treat symptoms of ‘heartburn’, reflux oesophagitis, gastritis and peptic ulceration. Herbalists at the Parade Market in Cape Town, South Africa say that Sutherlandia is for ‘nerves and stomach ulcers’.
Sutherlandia was historically used to treat diarrhoea and dysentary, and it was used as a supportive remedy for people with unspecified liver conditions. It is slightly purgative at higher doses and has therefore been used as a gentle remedy for constipation.
Urogenital Tract Sutherlandia was used to treat urinary tract infections, including gonorrhoea, and cystitis, particularly what would nowadays be termed ‘interstitial cystitis’.
Diabetes Sutherlandia is widely used to this day by rural herbalists and ‘kruie-doktors’ to treat diabetes.
Please see our article on Diabetes and Sutherlandia here.
Musculo-Skeletal Sutherlandia has traditionally been used to treat gout, rheumatoid arthritis (known to Zulu healers as “the disease of the lady teachers” ) and osteoarthritis.
Cancer To this day Sutherlandia is used as a traditional treatment to improve the quality of life in patients with malignant tumours. Please click here for further information on Sutherlandia and cancer
Publications: A number of recent published scientific studies on Sutherlandia have shown interesting results, including anti-HIV activity, anti-oxidant activity, anti-inflammatory activity, anti-cancer activity, and also potential drug interaction between Sutherlandia and anti-retroviral drugs. Summaries of the published studies are included. People living with HIV should discuss the potential use of Sutherlandia with their doctor or healthcare professional.
