Cassia Could Help Prevent The Formation Of Cancerous Tumours

Two and a half thousand years ago, Arab travellers trading with Chinese merchants came across an aromatic plant used both in cooking and as a health remedy. The Arabs were impressed by this plant which was used extensively by Chinese healers, so they introduced it to Europe where, over the centuries, it remained in obscurity until recently. The plant is called Cinnamomum cassia, similar to cinnamon, but with a darker and thicker bark.

Cassia is native to Burma, but it is grown across China, as well as in the West Indies, Indonesia, Australia and Central America.1 Its also known as bastard cinnamon, tejpat or Chinese cinnamon. It has a much stronger flavour compared to ordinary cinnamon, and it is used in stews and casseroles, curries, and spicy meat dishes.

Although cassia is still used as an aromatic herb today, its use in medicine was not widely appreciated by European health practitioners. However, recent research shows that cassia may have enormous potential for use as a health-boosting plant, particularly with regards to its antioxidant properties which are useful against cancer and other chronic diseases associated with ageing.

Has the potential to help get rid of cancerous cells before they can form a tumour

In China, cassia was traditionally used as a tonic and stimulant, and to improve bowel conditions such as diarrhoea, bloatedness, and nausea.2 One of its main ingredients is the plant chemical called cinnamaldehyde.

This works in a variety of ways against cancer and age-related diseases. For example, research from the Kaohsiung Medical University in Taiwan shows that cinnamaldehyde is a strong chemical that may potentially help block cancer cells from developing, and assist the body in eliminating any abnormal or cancerous cells.

The scientists based their research on previous experiments which confirmed that cinnamaldehyde is effective at reducing the risk of cancer in humans. They wanted to investigate this further, and find out exactly how this ingredient of cassia may be able to block cancer. What they discovered was that cinnamaldehyde helps activate several chemicals in the body (such as Bcl-2 and apoptotic factors) which may then speed up the elimination of cancerous cells before these can clump together and start a full-blown tumour.3

In this way, this Chinese plant may prevent cancer from developing. It is not yet known whether it can help cure existing cancers but research in this field is continuing and new developments are due to be announced soon. We will report on the new findings as they are announced.

Conventional chemotherapy-boosting properties as well?

In addition to possibly being effective against cancer, it may help strengthen the activities of conventional anti-cancer drugs. Chinese doctors studied cassia as found in a traditional Chinese remedy called Shi-quan-da-bu-tang (SQT), a well known tonic used in oriental medicine (also containing herbal extracts from plants such as ginseng, astragalus and liquorice).

They reported that SQT helped boost the biological activities of drugs commonly used against cancer such as mitomycin, cisplatin, cyclophosphamide and fluorouracil. The researchers believe that: SQT inhibits the recurrence of malignancies, prolongs survival, and prevents adverse side-effects such as loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, anaemia and kidney problems which are associated with the use of many anti-cancer drugs.4

This maybe an added bonus which means that it could be effective either on its own or in combination with strong drugs used in conventional chemotherapy.

Cassia has strong anti-free radical properties which may help fight against ageing and chronic diseases

In a different experiment, Italian scientists from the Department of Bio-organic Chemistry, University of Pisa, found that essential oil from cassia (which contains eugenol, thought to be a strong and beneficial ingredient of the bark) is powerful against free radicals. These toxic by-products of your everyday metabolism have been linked not only to cancer but also to ageing and chronic diseases (such as arthritis, heart disease, dementia and cataract). If left uncontrolled, free radicals continue to develop until they cause what we call ageing.

During the Italian experiment, the eugenol ingredient in this plant was found to block one particular free radical molecule called peroxynitrite, a very common and lethal chemical, found in all of us in small amounts. With the peroxynitrite molecules under control by eugenol, the body may then be able to function again at full strength, and the risk of cancer and ageing could be reduced.5

What to take for best results

The bark of cassia is available from Chinese food stores. The dose is 0.6 grams to 1.6 grams of powder daily. There are no reported contraindications.

1. J Ethnopharmacol 1991;34(2-3): 173-87
2. Food Chem Toxicol 1997;35(6): 625-32
3. Life Sci 2005;77(8): 938-51
4. Methods Find Exp Clin Pharmacol 1992,14(9): 725-36
5. J Agric Food Chem 2005;53(12): 4762-5