Giving Compass' Take:

• Recent research out of the National University of Singapore indicates that certain medicinal plants can fight the growth of some kinds of cancer.

• What are the next steps that researchers should take according to this information? How can philanthropists enable researchers to take these steps?

• To learn about how one cancer drug could be used to fight neurodegenerative disease, click here.

The leaves of a variety of medicinal plants can stop the growth of breast, cervical, colon, leukemia, liver, ovarian, and uterine cancer, a new study shows.

Researchers found the effects in leaves of the bandicoot berry (Leea indica), South African leaf (Vernonia amygdalina), and simpleleaf chastetree (Vitex trifolia). Three other medicinal plants also demonstrated anti-cancer properties.

“Our findings provide new scientific evidence for the use of traditional herbs for cancer treatment, and pave the way for the development of new therapeutic agents” [says Koh Hwee Ling, associate professor from the National University of Singapore’s pharmacy department].

While the results of this study provide a scientific basis for the traditional practice of using tropical medicinal plants to fight cancer, the researchers stress that people should not self-medicate without consulting qualified practitioners.

“More research is required to identify the active components responsible for the anti-cancer effects. Meanwhile, conservation of these medicinal plants is highly crucial so that there is a rich and sustainable source that could be tapped [into] for the discovery of anti-cancer drugs,” Koh says.

Read the full article about cancer fighting plants from the National University of Singapore at Futurity