Most people don’t know that two compounds found in this perennial plant are the second most-used class of chemotherapy meds, and have been in use since the 1960s. Plus, they’re essential for treating diabetes and hypertension, too. Once you know, you won’t look at this flowering plant the same way again.
STORY AT-A-GLANCE
- Compounds found in rosy periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus), a perennial plant native to Madagascar, form the basis for a number of commonly used cancer drugs that have been in use since the 1960s.
- Of the 70 different alkaloids found in periwinkle, the two primary compounds used in anticancer drugs are the powerful vinca alkaloids vinblastine and vincristine.
- Vincristine and vinblastine are both included in the World Health Organization’s list of essential medicines.
- Other medicinal applications include the treatment of diabetes and hypertension. Their cytotoxic effects have gained the greatest attention, however.
- Vinblastine is an integral part of anticancer regimens against testicular cancer, Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin lymphomas, breast cancer, and germ cell tumors. Vincristine is approved for the treatment of acute leukemia, rhabdomyosarcoma, neuroblastoma, Wilm’s tumor, Hodgkin’s disease, and other lymphomas, as well as several nonmalignant blood disorders.
Joseph Mercola
Author
Dr. Joseph Mercola is the founder of Mercola.com. An osteopathic physician, best-selling author, and recipient of multiple awards in the field of natural health, his primary vision is to change the modern health paradigm by providing people with a valuable resource to help them take control of their health.
