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Page 103
| do this, boil 1 quart of water, add 1½ to 2 tablespoons of the herb, reduce hear, and simmer for two to three hours until the original amount of liquid has been reduced to about one-third. What's left (about 8 ounces) is the daily dose. |
| Virginia Snakeroot (Aristolochia serpentaria) |
| Virginia snakeroot is an herb that is seldom used today, although it possesses much value to those who are weak and have lost some of their vital essence. It promotes appetite and improves digestion. Aristolochic acid, under the trade name KC-2, has been shown to stimulate and strengthen the body's defense system. It specifically stimulates natural killer-cell activity. As an isolated compound, aristocholic acid has many side effects; as a whole plant extract, however, it is safe and well-tolerated. |
| Anti-inflammatory, Fibrinogenic, and Antiangiogenic Herbs |
| These herbs inhibit mutation and flee radical damage while protecting, repairing, and detoxifying the liver. They also enhance Phase I (cytochrome P450) and Phase II (glutathione-S-transferase) enzyme systems, as well as other enzyme systems like N-acetyl transferase (NAT). The pro-oxidant/antioxidant shift (one of the main events that occur in cancers) is something herbs can address. When the balance of oxidative stress overpowers the body's means to regulate and detoxify, the antioxidant enzyme systems, Phase I and Phase II, create a friendly environment for neoplastic development and proliferation. Factors that cause this include genetic predisposition, exposure to estrogens and/or androgens, infectious agents, environmental and dietary factors, as well as normal aging. |
| One of the ways that liver-detoxifying herbs work is that they interact with energized molecules such as free radicals and, in so doing, they are able to spare glutathione (Phase II). Glutathione (GSH) is one of our body's most important antioxidant enzymes and is a significant anticarcinogen, especially in the liver, where the highest level of GSH is found. There, GSH combines with carcinogens to make the free radicals inert. GSH also plays a role in protecting the nervous system. The formation of oxidized DNA bases by active oxygen species is similar to damage caused by ionized radiation, which can act as a cancer initiator as well as a promoter. Another important action of antioxidants present in herbs is the ability to inhibit the arachidonic acid cascade. |
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