Essiac
Essiac is an herbal mixture that originated from the Ojibwa people in Canada and is traditionally used for addressing cancerous tumors. The original formula consists of four key herbs: burdock root, slippery elm inner bark, sheep sorrel, and Indian rhubarb root. Over time, variations of the mixture, such as Flor-Essence, have added additional ingredients like watercress and blessed thistle. Rene Caisse, a Canadian nurse, popularized Essiac in the 1920s, claiming it could help treat various types of cancer, including breast and stomach cancer.
Essiac is available in different forms, including capsules and liquid extracts, and is marketed as a dietary supplement, which means it is not subject to the same regulations as pharmaceuticals. While some studies have explored its properties, the majority of scientific research, including evaluations from prominent cancer research institutions, has not supported its efficacy in treating cancer, highlighting potential adverse effects instead. Despite the lack of conclusive evidence, Essiac remains popular among individuals seeking alternative remedies, particularly as a complementary approach to conventional cancer treatment. However, users should be aware of possible side effects and the ongoing debate regarding its safety and effectiveness.
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Essiac
ALSO KNOWN AS: Flor-Essence, Herbal Essence, NAP Herbal Tea, Tea of Life, Vitalitea
DEFINITION: Essiac is an herbal mixture that was originally used by the Ojibwa, a First Nations people in Canada, to cure cancerous tumors. The Ojibwa formula comprised four herbs: burdock root (Arctium lappa), slippery elm inner bark (Ulmus fulva), sheep sorrel (Rumex acetosella), and Indian rhubarb root (Rheum palmatum). Later formulas such as Flor-Essence added watercress (Nasturtium officinale), blessed thistle (Cnicus benedictus), red clover (Trifolium pretense), and kelp (Laminaria digitata).
Essiac was popularized in the early 1920s by Rene Caisse (pronounced “reen kays”), a Canadian public health nurse. (Essiac is Caisse’s surname spelled backward.) For the next fifty years, despite government obstacles, she used Essiac to treat cancer in both Canada and the United States (US).
Cancers treated or prevented: Essiac is very versatile. The Ojibwa used the herbal mixture to treat various tumors, including breast cancer and stomach cancer. The herbs have also been used to treat leukemias and melanoma as well as cancer of the bone, colon, esophagus, lung, and prostate.
Delivery routes: Essiac is available in dry (capsules) and liquid (tea or extract) formulas. It is sold as a dietary supplement and, therefore, is not regulated as a drug by the US Food and Drug Administration.
How this substance works: Each of the four basic herbs in Essiac has been reported to possess antioxidant and anticancer activity. The original claim was that Essiac softened, shrank, and discharged tumors from the body, thereby changing tumors into normal tissue. While no scientific evidence supports these claims, ongoing studies of Essiac continue to refute and confirm Essiac’s benefits.
Essiac was found to be ineffective in controlling tumors in studies by the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and the US National Cancer Institute (the 1950s to 1980s), the University of British Columbia (2005), and the University of Michigan (2006). A 2006 study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, however, determined that Essiac tea possessed potent antioxidants and DNA-protective activity, properties that are common to natural anticancer agents. A Canadian study in 2005 confirmed that Essiac was beneficial to a man with prostate cancer. A systematic review of Essiac by the Natural Standard Research Collaboration published in 2009 stated that well-designed trials testing Essiac or its components were needed before firm recommendations could be made regarding its safety and efficacy.
By the 2020s, no peer-reviewed clinical trials of Essiac in humans had been conducted, and its ability to prevent or treat cancer remained ambiguous and without scientific evidence. The National Cancer Institute reasserted its findings that animals given Essiac in laboratory testing showed adverse effects, and other research pointed to Essiac’s role in tumor growth, not prevention. Further, patients receiving conventional medications like chemotherapy reported reactions to Essiac. No scientific evidence exists for the claim that Essiac is an effective treatment for cancer.
Despite these controversial findings, Essiac continues to be a popular herbal remedy used as an adjunct to treat breast cancer, prevent secondary problems, improve quality of life, and control negative side effects of conventional breast cancer treatment.
Side effects: Serious side effects, such as liver and kidney damage, are uncommon. Other side effects may include headache, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea or constipation, and low blood sugar.
Bibliography
Amer. Cancer Soc. American Cancer Society Complete Guide to Complementary & Alternative Cancer Therapies. Atlanta: ACS, 2009.
Cassileth, Barrie R. The Complete Guide to Complementary Therapies in Cancer Care: Essential Information for Patients, Survivors and Health Professionals. Singapore: World Scientific, 2011.
“Essiac.” Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 25 Feb. 2021, www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/essiac. Accessed 18 June 2024.
“Essiac/Flor Essence.” National Cancer Institute, 28 May 2024, www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/patient/essiac-pdq. Accessed 18 June 2024.
“Essiac Therapy - Complementary and Alternative Therapy.” Cancer Research UK, 26 Sept. 2022, www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/treatment/complementary-alternative-therapies/individual-therapies/essiac. Accessed 18 June 2024.
Murphy, George E., and Kenneth R. Carter. Alternative Medicine: Practices, Health Benefits and Controversies. New York: Nova Science, 2012.
Ulbricht, Catherine, et al. "Essiac: Systematic Review by the Natural Standard Research Collaboration." Journal of the Soc. for Integrative Oncology, vol. 7.2, 2009, pp. 73–80.