Can manuka honey reverse breast cancer?
It could be an effective and safe alternative to chemotherapy, especially in women with ER (estrogen receptor) positive cancer, the most common type that accounts for up to 80 percent of all breast cancers.
Researchers from the University of California’s Los Angeles Health Sciences have tested the honey on laboratory mice, and so there’s no guarantee the results would be seen in people, but they report it significantly reduced tumor growth by up to 84 percent. The honey, in higher concentrations, slowed the cancer’s growth, and reduced the signalling pathways that allow the cancer to spread.
The honey also induced apoptosis (cell death) in the breast cancer cells, and it seemed to target only the cancer cells.
The honey has antimicrobial and antioxidant qualities, and is also rich in compounds such as flavonoids, phytochemicals, complex carbohydrates, amino acids and minerals.
The researchers think the honey works by blocking estrogen receptors. In their tests on cancerous mice, they gave doses of the honey orally, which ‘significantly’ reduced tumour growth compared to mice who weren’t treated.
“This provides hope for development of a natural, less toxic alternative to traditional chemotherapy,” said Diana Marquez-Garban, one of the researchers.
Stay Healthy,
Janice