The chemistry and biological activity of herbs used in Flor‐Essence™ herbal tonic and Essiac

Abstract

The herbal mixtures, Essiac and Flor-Essence, are sold as nutritional supplements and used by patients to treat chronic conditions, particularly cancer. Evidence of anticancer activity for the herbal teas is limited to anecdotal reports recorded for some 40 years in Canada. Individual case reports suggest that the tea improves quality of life, alleviates pain, and in some cases, impacts cancer progression among cancer patients. Experimental studies with individual herbs have shown evidence of biological activity including antioxidant, antioestrogenic, immunostimulant, antitumour, and antiocholeretic actions. However, research that demonstrates these positive effects in the experimental setting has not been translated to the clinical arena. Currently, no clinical studies of Essiac or Flor-essence are published, but a clinical study is being planned at the British Columbia Cancer Agency by the University of Texas-Center for Alternative Medicine (UT-CAM) and Tzu-Chi Institute for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

Arctium lappa, burdock

“…It was found to scavenge effectively hydroxyl this study, the breakdown of arctiin was gradual and it could be argued that it supports the usage in Russia for gastrointestinal conditions referred to by Tamayo et al (2000) as the metabolites may have local effects in the gut. It was found to scavenge effectively hydroxyl this study, the breakdown of arctiin was gradual and it could be argued that it supports the usage in Russia for gastrointestinal conditions referred to by Tamayo et al (2000) as the metabolites may have local effects in the gut.…”

Arctium lappa, burdock

“…It was found to scavenge effectively hydroxyl this study, the breakdown of arctiin was gradual and it could be argued that it supports the usage in Russia for gastrointestinal conditions referred to by Tamayo et al (2000) as the metabolites may have local effects in the gut. It was found to scavenge effectively hydroxyl this study, the breakdown of arctiin was gradual and it could be argued that it supports the usage in Russia for gastrointestinal conditions referred to by Tamayo et al (2000) as the metabolites may have local effects in the gut.…”

Effect of aqueous extract of Arctium lappa L. (burdock) roots on the sexual behavior of male rats

“…Phytochemical studies indicate that Arctium lappa L. root contains sterols, flavonoids, phenols, saponins, lignans (such as arctiin), alkaloids, sugars (polysaccharides), vitamins, tannin, minerals, lactone, polyacetylenes and amino acids [ 21 , 22 , 50 , 51 ]. The improvements in sexual function demonstrated in the current study might thus be due to the presence of such compounds in Arctium lappa L. root extracts.…”

Flor-Essence� herbal tonic does not inhibit mammary tumor development

“…Administration of red clover to ovariectomized rats results in a dosedependent increase in uterine wet weight, a biologic measure of estrogenic activity [12]. Burdock root contains the phytoestrogen genistein and sheep sorrel is reported to have high phytoestrogen content [10]. The long-term consequences of red clover exposure in women has not been reported [25].…”

Arctium lappa, burdock

“…It was found to scavenge effectively hydroxyl this study, the breakdown of arctiin was gradual and it could be argued that it supports the usage in Russia for gastrointestinal conditions referred to by Tamayo et al (2000) as the metabolites may have local effects in the gut. It was found to scavenge effectively hydroxyl this study, the breakdown of arctiin was gradual and it could be argued that it supports the usage in Russia for gastrointestinal conditions referred to by Tamayo et al (2000) as the metabolites may have local effects in the gut.…”

Effect of aqueous extract of Arctium lappa L. (burdock) roots on the sexual behavior of male rats

“…Phytochemical studies indicate that Arctium lappa L. root contains sterols, flavonoids, phenols, saponins, lignans (such as arctiin), alkaloids, sugars (polysaccharides), vitamins, tannin, minerals, lactone, polyacetylenes and amino acids [ 21 , 22 , 50 , 51 ]. The improvements in sexual function demonstrated in the current study might thus be due to the presence of such compounds in Arctium lappa L. root extracts.…”

Flor-Essence� herbal tonic does not inhibit mammary tumor development

“…Administration of red clover to ovariectomized rats results in a dosedependent increase in uterine wet weight, a biologic measure of estrogenic activity [12]. Burdock root contains the phytoestrogen genistein and sheep sorrel is reported to have high phytoestrogen content [10]. The long-term consequences of red clover exposure in women has not been reported [25].…”

Arctium lappa, burdock

“…It was found to scavenge effectively hydroxyl this study, the breakdown of arctiin was gradual and it could be argued that it supports the usage in Russia for gastrointestinal conditions referred to by Tamayo et al (2000) as the metabolites may have local effects in the gut. It was found to scavenge effectively hydroxyl this study, the breakdown of arctiin was gradual and it could be argued that it supports the usage in Russia for gastrointestinal conditions referred to by Tamayo et al (2000) as the metabolites may have local effects in the gut.…”

Effect of aqueous extract of Arctium lappa L. (burdock) roots on the sexual behavior of male rats

“…Phytochemical studies indicate that Arctium lappa L. root contains sterols, flavonoids, phenols, saponins, lignans (such as arctiin), alkaloids, sugars (polysaccharides), vitamins, tannin, minerals, lactone, polyacetylenes and amino acids [ 21 , 22 , 50 , 51 ]. The improvements in sexual function demonstrated in the current study might thus be due to the presence of such compounds in Arctium lappa L. root extracts.…”

Flor-Essence� herbal tonic does not inhibit mammary tumor development

“…Administration of red clover to ovariectomized rats results in a dosedependent increase in uterine wet weight, a biologic measure of estrogenic activity [12]. Burdock root contains the phytoestrogen genistein and sheep sorrel is reported to have high phytoestrogen content [10]. The long-term consequences of red clover exposure in women has not been reported [25].…”