Not strange, maybe, but that fact that orthodox doctors were testing out grapefruit juice on cancer cases is little short of amazing!
The study’s main finding was that grapefruit juice might allow treatment using smaller drug dosages, therefore reducing side effects and perhaps costs.
Sirolimus (Rapamune) is an immunosuppressant and not approved as a cancer drug. Its primary use is to prevent rejection after kidney transplants.
Some early studies suggest that sirolimus may have tumor-fighting effects. Derivatives of the drug are used in kidney cancer and breast cancer.
But sirolimus has poor bioavailability, meaning it isn’t absorbed well and not much gets into the blood (14% or so).
When grapefruit juice is taken concomitantly, absorption was much higher. Do as well as increasing the benefits of this drug, it could allow lower doses and hence cost saving.
Sirolimus costs around $1,000 a month. If it could be combined with drinking grapefruit juice, the cost would drop to about $300 a month.
With cancer drugs costing anywhere from $3,000 to $10,000 per month, here is a mechanism that might allow us to significantly reduce the cost.
But there are wider implications. This is a proof of principle that grapefruit juice could be used in this way.
The report was published Aug. 7 in the journal Clinical Cancer Research. It compared the benefits of adjunct therapy, using grapefruit juice and ketoconazole. The ketoconazole did slightly better, allowing the sirolimus to be reduced to 16 mg a week. With grapefruit juice, 25 mg a week was needed.
That’s far less than the toxic standard dose of 90 mg. Serious side effects, such as nausea and diarrhea started above 45 mg weekly, so this is good news for some sufferers.
No-one (including me), is saying that grapefruit juice might make a cancer treatment on its own. But it would certainly be something to take in addition to whatever therapy you may have opted for, whether chemo or holistic alternatives.
Another win for nature!
[Aug. 7, 2012, Clinical Cancer Research]
In the UK GP’s insist that grapfruit should not be taken when they administer medication because it has the ability to amplify the dose.
As the medication is priced the same for client whatever the dose they simply go along with that.
However, there is of course a cost to the system(NHS) that could be reduced if the GP only adjusted the dose so that the client could take grapefruit juice. Since this would mean varying the dose, say standard for client without grapefruit to lower with grapefruit, then it is easier to just say no grapefruit and not to care for the costs as the GP does not pay.
Sadly the taxpayer does pay and the grapefruit vender has a lost sale. His business go bust and he gets sick through the stress of being unable to feed his family. So his GP gives him medication and he must not have grapefruit which he loves………..urgh!
You’ve really added something positive to my day! I’m not having cancer but this info is going to strengthen my belief in nature.Thanks
Good way to lower Killer Chemo