Ziziphora Extract Battles Gastric Cancer

OXFORD, EnglandZiziphora extract shows promise as an herbal remedy against gastric cancer, a new study in Food and Agricultural Immunology suggests. In the trial, researchers from Shahed University, Iran, studied Aloe vera, ginger, saffron and ziziphora extracts to treat gastric cancer, the fourth most common type of cancer (Food Agric Immunol. 2013 DOI:10.1080/09540105.2011.637549.). Scientists measured cytotoxic effect on the cancer cell line using bovine serum; ginger, saffron and ziziphora demonstrated the highest effect, with 47, 67 and 88 percent, respectively. The study recommends further research should be conducted on animal and human subjects.

The understanding of the significance of the gut microflora in good health and in disease has taken major strides in the past three decades and much has been made of the importance of herbs and spices as modulators of health and as being useful in preventing various disorders including gastric ulcers and obesity," said  professor C. J. Smith, editor of the journal and director of the Manchester Food Research Centre at Manchester Metropolitan University. " Cytotoxic effect of four herbal medicines on gastric cancer cell line is an excellent example of these developments."