Research continues in a search for a cancer cure at a feverish pace. One of the great challenges faced by these research teams is the incredible costs associated with new technologies -- this feature of modern medicine is in fact leading to more investigations of the potential of 'traditional' and 'alternative' therapies. One alternative system that is gaining a lot of attention in the last few years is what has been known as 'aromatherapy' -- though the therapeutic use of essential oils has really gotten a bad name. In the West, people generally think 'Glad Plug-In® Air Freshener', rather than the use of the complex volatile chemical compounds produced by plants as medicines. This perspective of essential oils being 'soft science' and a bit 'new-agey' is likely to diminish in the new light of their therapeutic potential.
Popular Oils Evaluated as Potential Cancer Therapies
Sorting through the available research published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, one finds two particular essential oils most often associated with anticancer activity: Frankincense and Lemongrass. To clarify, Lemongrass is distilled from the grass leaves of Cymbopogon citratus; the name Frankincense actually refers to the resin of Olibanum trees found mostly in Ethiopia, Somalia and India -- the essential oil is distilled from the resin -- or 'sap' -- of these trees. Both Lemongrass and Frankincense have a very long history of medicinal use. Frankincense has been one of the most highly valued medicinal products throughout man's history -- Lemongrass just happens to be very prolific, but its efficacy is no less valuable because of its availability.
Modern Research Proves Ancient Medicine's Potential
Frankincense essential oil is noted in "The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy" by Salvatore Battaglia as an immuno-stimulant, an oil that does not eradicate viruses or bacteria directly, but improves the body's own natural immunity. A look at the research performed over the last few years is quite impressive: several pages of abstracts are returned when searching specifically for research regarding its potential as a cancer therapy. Many of these investigations have found the same result: Frankincense (and actually other essential oils that have similar effects) apparently targets only cancerous cells, leaving otherwise healthy cells unaffected.
Frankincense essential oil is very unique in its chemical makeup, unlike virtually anything else in the plant kingdom. It is only in Frankincense that Boswellic acids are found in significant quantity. Boswellic acids first became popular in the West around 20 years ago, when it found its way into anti- inflammatory preparations for sore muscles and arthritic joints. Boswellic acids seem to not only have the ability to reduce inflammation but to stimulate regeneration as well -- one high-end skin care company has started including them in their anti-aging line, as these compounds have been show to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and improve skin texture. It is these compounds that are able to initiate apoptosis, or natural programmed cell death, the lack of which is one of the characteristics of all cancers.
The Unique Ability to specifically Target Cancerous Cells
One of the challenges in treating cancer is targeting cancerous cells specifically with any medication or treatment, while leaving normal cells healthy and intact. More than one investigation using Frankincense has reached the same conclusion: that Frankincense oil "appears to distinguish" cancerous from non-cancerous cells, and suppresses the proliferation of the cancerous cells only. And not only does Frankincense have this important action, but it has been shown to reduce viability for cancers in quite a variety of organ system and tissues. It appears it could be a treatment for a wide number of cases and conditions.
Lemongrass: Nature's Tropical Medicine Get's A Deeper Look
The first result of a search for 'lemongrass' and 'cancer' is a paper titled "Anticancer activity of an essential oil from Cymbopogon flexuosus" (Cf is a popular species of Lemongrass, though other research also shows similar effects from Cymbopogon citratus). This study published in the May 2009 'Chemico-biological Interactions', performed at the Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, examined both in-vitro (essentially "in the test tube") and in-vivo (in the body) anticancer activity of Lemongrass essential oil. The oil was actually evaluated for efficacy against 12 cancer cell lines in-vitro, and 2 in-vivo. The results were no less than astounding. Lemongrass was effective at inhibiting proliferation of all the cell lines, though with significant variation in the concentrations required for this effect. The lowest concentrations of Lemongrass were needed to inhibit growth of colon cancer and neuroblastoma cells in-vitro (a type of cancer of the nerve cells occurring in children and infants). Using mouse models, lemongrass essential oil was effective at limiting proliferation of a type of breast cancer and a connective-tissue cancer.
Researchers in Israel found one of the primary anticancer constituents in lemongrass essential oil to be citral, which gives the oil its lemon-like scent (and imparts this same aroma to many other essential oils). The citral was found to cause cancer cells to "commit suicide using apoptosis, a mechanism called programmed cell death". As with Frankincense, Lemongrass only targeted cancerous cells -- which makes sense, as it is the cancerous cells that continue to proliferate in an uncontrolled manner, without the control of apoptosis which would otherwise keep their growth in check.
Future Perspectives on Essential Oils and Cancer
Clearly the results of laboratory research thus far is encouraging. It would be exceptionally helpful to have these studies run along side controls using known chemotherapeutic agents. With the state of cancer treatment in conventional medicine being what it is -- a rather closely guarded monopoly involving big pharmaceutical interests -- it is highly unlikely that research of treatments involving essential oils will be funded much further than these low-cost in-vitro investigations. At the same time, there are physicians out there whom are willing to work with these alternative treatments with their patients. If these natural treatment methods are of interest to you -- for yourself or a loved one -- with some effort, you'll be able to find the right health care professional. The information provided in this paper is not meant as substitute for medical advice, it is simply providing one perspective on the current research data available involving cancer and essential oils.
Author Resource:
Aromatherapy practitioners are growing in number in the US, as the use of natural and alternative medicines increases. For a chart of essential oils, and more on the therapeutic use of essential oils , visit www.anandaapothecary.com/essentialoils/usechart. html
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