Generality
Recently, a new, alleged natural cure for cancer has been brought to the attention of the community. The creator is this father Romano Zago (a Brazilian friar) and his "magic recipe" is composed of aloe Aloe arborescens Mill.), Natural honey and grappa.
Cancer and Cancer
The tumor, more properly called neoplasm, represents a pathological process characterized by an "abnormal growth of a tissue, which continues even at the end of the triggering stimulus. This unregulated growth can subvert the normal functions of the affected tissue and / or create compression disorders / obstruction of nearby structures.
A tumor can affect various tissues, present itself in various ways, be benign or malignant (in this case we speak of cancer or carcinoma) and evolve in different stages. Com "it is deducible, therefore, the tumors are not all the same; the severity depends on the affected tissue and the histological type, but the most dangerous form is always the cancerous one (malignant tumor). Usually, cancer has cells different from the original ones (with loss of tissue function), has a rapid and infiltrative growth (invades healthy tissues), tends to recur and creates metastases that affect other districts at a distance; the damage to the "organism is so high that it leads (if not treated) usually to death. Being a particularly heterogeneous disease (since it affects all tissues of the body), cancer still retains an extremely worrying epidemiology; in 2008, 12.7 million new cases were recorded worldwide, while deaths (decreasing ) reached 60% of diagnoses.
The causes of tumors are likely to be of a mixed nature, with greater importance for some risk factors such as: heredity, pre-existing episodes, incorrect nutrition and other abuses (smoking, alcoholism, etc.), sedentary lifestyle, oncogenic infections, radiation, hormones, etc.
The treatments available today are essentially surgical, chemotherapy and radiotherapy; an "important weapon is represented by primary and secondary prevention (early diagnosis through screening tests), while in the near future the possibility of acting directly at the genetic level should significantly limit the size of the problem, which as we have seen are considerable.
In addition to scientific research and an in-depth study of conventional techniques, numerous alternative methods of dubious efficacy have been proposed (among the best known cases we mention the Kousmine Method, the treatment with sodium bicarbonate, that with amygdalin and that with scorpion venom); more often than not, these are ineffective or even harmful practices, often motivated by a profound economic interest. On the other hand, by ethical obligation, contemporary medicine is required to verify the possible effectiveness of ALL the alternative systems proposed.
Having clarified this, let's try to understand more in detail COS "E" l "Aloe arborescens!
Aloe arborescens
Aloe arborescens is a very common "succulent plant". Like all succulent plants, for reserve purposes, it has leaves full of liquids, from which a gel rich in phytotherapeutic properties can be obtained; famous, for example, is the gel obtained from the leaves of Aloe vera, a different species which (according to father Zago) would however lack the anticancer properties attributed to the arborescens.
Read the article on the properties of aloe gel (essentially moisturizing, healing and dermoprotective for external use, antioxidants, immunostimulants and anti-inflammatory for internal use)
Aloe arborescens is a perennial plant typical of the desert regions (America and Africa) that reaches 3-4m in height. It develops with numerous branches and takes on the appearance of a large bush, with thorny green leaves up to 50cm long and cluster flowers of red color.
The medicinal properties of Aloe arborescens, known and already proven, are similar to those of Aloe vera: laxative, healing, emollient, moisturizing, anti-inflammatory, immunostimulating and antioxidant.
As for the "possible curative power on cancer, the responsible active ingredient is a complex of anthraquinones, among which the most important is"aloin and in particular its called aglycone aloe emodin. It is certainly not a new molecule to the attention of researchers; these substances have been studied in the laboratory (in vitro and in guinea pigs) for many years now, but the results are conflicting and inconclusive. While some studies have shown some usefulness in the fight against some types of cancer, on the other hand there is no lack of evidence about potential undesirable effects, such as the reduction of the activity of some anticancer drugs (in particular doxorubicin And paclitaxel) and a favoring role on the development of some types of cancer (especially in the skin and colon). We must not forget that there are many natural substances capable of eliminating or slowing down cancerous cells in the laboratory; however, when one leaves the test tube to transfer the studies to guinea pigs or humans, given the biological complexity of the latter, problems of ineffectiveness, toxicity and pharmacological interactions promptly emerge.
Aloe to cure cancer
At this point, if the most skeptical readers are wondering: "Is there or is NOT there valid scientific evidence on the properties of this formula?", I suggest to stop reading because, at the moment, there are NO CONCLUDED experimental or statistical data available to favor of the method of Father Romano Zago. The only supports for claims as exaggerated as unreliable on the anticancer properties of this "cure" derive from the timid scientific evidence on anthraquinones (see previous chapter) and from various positive testimonies of patients and specialists who have been able to test its effectiveness.
In his book (without reporting scientific studies or verifiable statistical data!), Father Zago argues that a certain aloe formula is able to cure cancer quickly and without side effects; moreover, on the Home Page of his website he declares "Cancer can be cured! The cure of "Father Romano Zago's Aloe arborescens has allowed many people to recover from cancer!". Personally, I believe that if the approach to disclosure had been a little more cautious, it probably would have had a decidedly less skeptical response from the scientific community. the last to leave ... which makes them particularly receptive to messages of this kind, as well as an easy target for smokers and expensive illusions.
The formula for the preparation of the compound is as simple as it is ancient. First of all, it is necessary to use an "Aloe viva (therefore it is suggested to cultivate it in pots). Then, cut 350g of leaves and blend them with 350g of natural honey; it is advisable to take the drink with a spoonful of grappa. The Aloe smoothie can be stored BUT only for a very short time and absolutely never exposed to light and / or heat (therefore it is advisable to prepare it and consume it in the dark). NB. The only active ingredient is contained in aloe; honey has a sweetening and the vasodilator grappa.
The treatment with Aloe arborescens involves various phases of intake with breaks of about one day between these. Each phase requires the consumption of 3 120g jars (2 tablespoons 3 times a day). ATTENTION! Also on the dedicated website, it is specified that "If the treatment is abandoned when the cancer is not yet completely defeated and it is neglected, it recovers quickly and in a short time returns more violent than before". In my opinion, this sentence acts a bit "as a screen ...
In addition to this recipe, Father Romano Zago makes many references to other plants and active ingredients to be taken regularly; one, for example, is the amygdalin of the bitter almond which, for the uninitiated, is a molecule containing CYANIDE (considered by the friar to be toxic BUT selective on cancer ... a statement already widely denied in the past by the scientific community). Other remedies natural proposed against cancer are potassium bicarbonate and vitamin C, to be mixed with iced green tea to produce potassium ascorbate.A real diet is then offered which, not surprisingly, refers to the Kousmine method.
Conclusion
In conclusion, apart from testimonials (which certainly cannot be relied on), the therapy with Aloe arborescens has not scientifically demonstrated the alleged curative efficacy against cancer. Although the scientific literature on Aloe anthraquinones leaves room for some possible benefits (but also for potential health damage!), It is highly unlikely that this product will have the ability to eliminate a malignant tumor.
Finally, to those who insist that the benefits of natural therapies against cancer are overshadowed by the interests of the pharmaceutical giants, I remember that even for "aloe" there are "use patents" (commercially exploitable ...); one of these, for the use of the anthraquinones of aloe in oncology, involved the University of Padua, but there are others relating, for example, to the use of acemannan (another immunostimulating, antiviral molecule with potential antineoplastic properties extracted from the leaves of Aloe barbadensis).
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