Dr. Jonah Folkman pioneered research on blood vessel growth that has proven to be of benefit to those with cancer, macular degeneration and other diseases.
Cancers can’t grow without producing new blood vessels to provide nutrition and oxygen. Forty years ago Dr. Folkman developed the idea that the growth of new blood vessels (angiogenesis) is necessary for cancer to grow. Importantly, he found that blocking the growth of new blood vessels can be therapeutic against cancer. A number of pharmaceutical drugs have been developed to block angiogenesis. Eventually, the actions of these drugs become blocked at the cellular level by the development of multidrug resistance, a situation in which all known drugs fail.
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a chemical produced in increased amounts by cancer cells, which increases angiogenesis. Anti-VEGF activity has been demonstrated in many natural products and herbs. The following is a partial list: turmeric, resveratrol, grape seed extract, Matcha green tea, quercetin, ginkgo, ginger and panax ginseng. There is no evidence of resistance to these types of therapy.
CONCLUSION: Dr. Folkman’s work on angiogenesis has made an invaluable contribution to medicine. To deal with the problem of multidrug resistance to pharmaceuticals for blocking angiogenesis, there are natural alternatives.
NOTES: Diets have been developed to block angiogenesis, such as the “Multifocal Angiostatic Therapy” developed by McCarty. A more alkaline pH reduces angiogenesis in the body.
There is evidence that excessive angiogenesis of the eye is a cause of loss of vision in wet macular degeneration.
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PMID: 22919384.
Summary #906. nutrientmedicine.
