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Cartilage - An Anti-Cancer Food
Cartilage is naturally resistant to both angiogenesis and cancer invasion. Human cartiage contains a number of colaginase inhibitors (in particular TIMP2). TIMP2 has ben in preclinical evaluation at the National Cancer Institute as a possible chemotherapeutic agent. Human TIMP compounds appear to prevent the invasion of cancer cells and inhibit angiogenesis, Cartilage obtained from numerous species may contain TIMP-like compounds and may exhibit anticancer activity. For example, angiogenesis is markedly inhibited in vitro by agents present in the cartilage of chicks.
Shark Cartilage
Cartilage products have a long history of use in China, and most recent research has focussed on shark cartilage. Shark cartilage has been found to be valuable for its anticancer effects. It is also interesting to evaluate the potential of bovine cartilage.
Bovine Cartilage
Dr John Prudden initiated cartilage research in the United States in 1958 when he began studying bovine cartilage to accelerate postsurgical wound healing. The product Prudden and colleagues investigated was bovine tracheal cartilage (BTC orCatrix), a nontoxic prescription drug. The principal wound-healing constituent of BTC was reported to be N-acetyl glucosamine. During the investigation, Dr Prudden also rported positive results using BTC to treat acne, arthritis, ulcerative colitis, dermatitis, psoriasis and other inflammatory diseases.
The use of BTC on human cancer began in 1972, after BTC was administered to a woman to treat ulcerative skin lesions secondary to breast cancer. The product not only healed the lesions but also appeared to inhibit her cancer. Treatment of other patients followed. Prudden reported in 1985 that 31 patients with various cancers received BTC (approximately 9 grams/day orally) over a period of several years. Thirty-five percent of the patients showed disappearance of all clinical evidence of active tumors. An additional 26% exhibited tumor remission with a subsequent relapse, and an additional 20% exhibited a reduction in tumor size of 50% or more.
Since 1972, Dr Prudden has used BTC to treat approximatly 110 patients with advanced cancer. He has ben treating some of these patients for up to 15 years. Dr Prudden reports an overall partial and complete rsponse rate of approximately 30% within a 7 month tratment period.
In addition to inhibiting tumor growth, stimulating wound healing and inhibiting inflammation, BTC also stimulates the immune system. In 1985 Dr Prudden reported that administration of BTC to cancer patients resulted in enhanced lymphocyte proliferation ex vivo in response to mitogens. Similar immunostimulant effects were observd in mice.
In support of Prudden's results, local administration of calf cartilage extract prevented the growth of tumor-induced blood vessels in rabbit corneas. The extract also strongly inhibited protease activity, which is responsible for tumor invasion. Regional perfusion of calf cartilage extract inhibited the growth of both mouse melanoma and V2 carcinoma in mice and rabbits. No toxic effects were observed. At concentrations achievable in vivo, BTC inhibited breast, ovarian, pancreatic, colon and testicular cancer and sarcoma biopsy specimens ex vivo.
In human studies, 9 patients with progrssive, advanced malignancy were given BTC injections. One patient with metastatic rnal cell carcinoma to the lungs showed a complete response. The disease progresses in the remaining 8 patients. No toxicity was reported. Although this study reported a low rsponse rate, the BTC dosages used were significantly lower than those recommended by Dr Prudden.
A single macromolecule has been identified in bovine cartilage (cartilage-derived inhibitor or CDI) which inhibits angiognesis in vivo, as measured in the chick assay. In vitro studies by the same authors revealed that CDI inhibitd proliferation and migration of capillary endothelial cells. CDI was also shown to be a colagenase inhibitor. (It inhibited the activity of enzymes that destroy collagen in the body).
For Cancer and Stress, READ ON.
Click HERE for a list of the 20 top causes of death in the USA today. Cancer has now overtaken Cardiovascular Disease as the top killer. Note that Properly Prescribed and Used Drugs and Preventable Medical Misadventure both outrank all other causes of death (except Alcohol in the case of Medical Misadventure). These figures, of course, take no account of the thousands of people whose lifespan and quality of life are slowly destroyed by pharmaceutical drugs.
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