cancer.html

Stomach Cancer

	Causes			Symptoms
	Plants for treatment			Plant Preparation
	Plants of the Southwest			Herbal Remedies
	Plant Chemistry			References

By: Cruz Martinez, Cynthia Jimenez & Estefany Sansores

Summer 2003

Stomach Cancer

Stomach cancer is a disease of the gastric intestinal system in which the epithelial cells of the inner lining of the stomach grow unregulated forming a mass referred to as a tumor.

Causes

Specific causes of stomach cancer are yet to be identified. "However, novel findings are compatible with the hypothesis that all stages of gastric carcinogenesis are fostered by persistent intracellular expression of Helicobacter Pylori virulence genes." (Journal of Infectious Diseases 187, No. 8(2003): 1165-1177 Cover Date: April 15, 2003) In other words the Helicobacter pylori bacteria with virulence genes are found in all stages of stomach cancer.

Symptoms

unintended weight loss
lack of appetite
abdominal pain
nausea
vomiting with or with out blood
vague discomfort in the abdomen
"Early satiety", a sense of fullness in the upper abdomen just below the chest bone after small meal
swelling of the abdomen

Plants for treatment

The connection between a diet, high in vegetables and fruits, and the prevention of cancer have been highly published in recent years. However, in the southwest, research is taking place to look into possible prevention and maybe even inhibiting the recurrence of cancer cells with the use of medicinal plants of the southwest. One such plan, is the Larrea Tridentada or better known as Creosote. A dominating bush that is readily available in the wilds of the Chihuahua Desert. Its a bush known to have the capabilities of eliminating any competition within its habitat. Therefore, its this very defense mechanism that appears to have these strong anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties.

Plant Chemistry

Methyl Benzoate

Retinol

Geographic Importance

We will be looking into the possible effects of Creosote (Larrea Tridentada) on cancer cells because of its strong anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties.

Plant Preparation

The preparation of the plant for research has been done by process of extraction. A method used in scientific labs known as "refluxing"(boiling). This allows researchers to try to identify the plant chemistry and its compounds or chemicals.