IV Artesunate
Artesunate has been used worldwide for many years and is recommended by the World Health Organization for the treatment of severe malaria. However, data indicates IV Vitamin C (IVC) in conjunction with IV Artesunate may help in advanced cancers.
IV Artesunate often is administered right before high dose IV Vitamin C and it is theorized that these therapies work synergistically together.
Artesunate administered with IVC provides potential advantages for improved survival, improved tumor sensitivity to chemotherapy, reduced side effects of chemo, and improved energy, appetite, and quality of life.
Artesunate also has been analyzed for its anti-cancer activity against 55 cell lines of the Developmental Therapeutics Program of the National Cancer Institute. Artesunate was most active against leukemia and colon cancer cell lines. Non-small cell lung cancer cell lines showed the highest mean GI50 value, indicating the lowest sensitivity toward artesunate in this test panel. Intermediate GI50 values also were obtained for melanomas, breast, ovarian, prostate, CNS, and renal cancer cell lines. [2]
Artemisinin and its derivatives dihydroartemisinin and artesunate were researched in 2010 for its anti-cancer activity. In a panel of chemosensitive and chemoresistant human neuroblastoma cells as well as in primary neuroblastoma cultures, artesunate was proven more active in affecting neuroblastoma cell viability. [3]
Artesunate also has been shown to induce oncosis-like cell death in vitroThis means "outside the body" – or in the laboratory. and has anti-tumor activity against pancreatic cancer xenografts in vivoThis means "in the body.". [4]
In 2015, results were published from a double-blind pilot study of oral artesunate therapy for colorectal cancer. It concluded larger clinical studies with artesunate should be implemented and may provide an intervention where none is currently available, as well as synergistic benefits with current regimens. [5]
References
- Dr. Adam McLeod. Yaletown Naturopathic Clinic. How does Artesunate kill cancer?
- The anti-malarial artesunate is also active against cancer. Efferth T, Dunstan H, Sauerbrey A, Miyachi H, Chitambar CR. Int J Oncol. 2001 Apr;18(4):767-73. PMID: 11251172
- Anti-cancer effects of artesunate in a panel of chemoresistant neuroblastoma cell lines. Michaelis M, Kleinschmidt MC, Barth S, Rothweiler F, Geiler J, Breitling R, Mayer B, Deubzer H, Witt O, Kreuter J, Doerr HW, Cinatl J, Cinatl J Jr. Biochem Pharmacol. 2010 Jan 15;79(2):130-6. doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2009.08.013. PMID: 196987023
- Artesunate induces oncosis-like cell death in vitro and has antitumor activity against pancreatic cancer xenografts in vivo. Du JH, Zhang HD, Ma ZJ, Ji KM. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2010 Apr;65(5):895-902. doi: 10.1007/s00280-009-1095-5. PMID: 19690861
- Krishna S, Ganapathi S, Ster IC, Saeed ME, Cowan M, Finlayson C, et al. A randomised, double blind, placebo-controlled pilot study of oral artesunate therapy for colorectal cancer. EBioMedicine (2015) 2(1):82–90.10.1016/j.ebiom.2014.11.010. PMID: 26137537