The Dog Cancer Survival Guide (55 page)

Artemisinin is a compound extracted from an ancient Chinese plant called Qing Hao, which has been used for centuries to treat malaria and fever. It is the focus of much current cancer research for both humans and dogs, and gets a lot of attention in online forums for its effects on osteosarcoma, lymphoma and other cancers.

Interestingly, Qing Hao is a member of the wormwood family, and wormwood is used to make the powerful and notorious alcoholic spirit, absinthe.

Artemisinin works by interacting with iron stored in cancer cells to create free radicals. Most normal body cells don’t have much iron, but cancer cells have relatively large amounts, because iron favors cancer cell growth. These iron-rich stores in cancer cells make them a natural “target” for artemisinin. It enters the cancer cells relatively easily, and, once inside, uses the iron to create free radicals, which can help destroy the cancer cell from within. Artemisinin also seems to slow angiogenesis. It is a powerful apoptogen, which should be used with care.

“After a lot of online research, I finally found places from which to purchase Apigenin and Luteolin, both of which were used in my dog’s cancer-fighting diet. My golden doodle Ellie had a very aggressive form of cancer, yet the time she had with us was remarkably healthy and strong right up until the very end. I have no doubt this is due in part to the nutraceuticals we used.”

– Sarah N. Bertsch, Hudson, Wisconsin

You may see artemisinin, itself, or one of its two derivative compounds, artemether and artesunate. There is also a product called Artemix, which combines all three compounds. There are several researchers working closely with these, and not all of them agree yet on a standard protocol.

Herbal preparations often seem more effective if they are given for a while, then stopped, then given again, because the body seems to build up a tolerance to the herb, making it less effective as time goes on. For artemisinin specifically, the lining of the intestine literally stops absorbing it after five days. Giving the body a break every few days keeps this herb’s effect more potent (see below).

Artemisinin may or may not be helpful for your dog. I use it in some advanced cancer cases, including osteosarcoma, but not as often as I use Apocaps; consult with your vet or oncologist about your dog’s specific case. If you are interested in learning more, there is an artemisinin forum at
http://pets. groups.yahoo.com/group/Artemisinin_and_cancer
, and the main research is being conducted by Dr. Henry Lai at the University of Washington and Dr. Guillermo C. Couto at Ohio State University.

Artemisinin doesn’t react with all forms of iron; it only reacts with the unbound ferrous ion form. If you start researching artemisinin, you will see some debate about whether to give your dog an iron-rich diet, while using this agent. Some folks advocate iron-rich diets (featuring red meat), and even supplementing with iron, supposing that cancer cells will gobble it up and become even bigger targets for artemisinin. Others wonder if the iron ever makes it to the cancer cells before the artemisinin interacts with it.

As always, this is a complicated situation and it’s impossible to make blanket statements. Here’s what we know:

1. Artemisinin creates free radicals when and where it encounters the unbound ferrous form of iron.

2. About half of the iron in red meat is unbound, and a small portion of that unbound iron is also ferrous.

If that relatively small fraction of unbound, ferrous iron from a meal with meat is still in the digestive tract when artemisinin is administered, then yes, theoretically it could create free radicals outside of the cancer cells rather than inside of them. The active artemisinin would be consumed before it could be absorbed into the bloodstream.

This possibility is just one of the factors behind my recommendation to give artemisinin at least four hours before or after meals. I do not recommend supplementing with iron.

To read more about artemisinin and how it interacts with unbound ferrous iron, visit the following links.

http://www.irondisorders.org/iron-we-consume/

http://the-medical-dictionary.com/artemether_374_article_5.htm

http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/TUTORIAL/IRON/IRON.html

“I primarily used Luteolin, Curcumin and Artemisinin as Apocaps were not yet available. I also changed her diet to include as many naturally occurring version of each. We were also attending a clinical trial for Palladia. Did the nutraceuticals work? I can’t say for certain either way, but if I had to do it again, I would definitely go the same route.”

– Julian Trevino, Roseville, Michigan

HOW TO GIVE ARTEMISININ TO YOUR DOG

Artemisinin’s pro-oxidant effects are similar to Apocaps, which means its effects can be quenched by antioxidant type supplements. I recommend giving it at least four hours before or after a meal with a small amount of food. Read the sidebar about Antioxidants and Apocaps on
page 170
and follow the exact same advice when giving artemisinin.