University of Windsor researchers studying lemongrass extract for cancer-fighting properties
It's been five years since researchers at the University of Windsor announced they were starting clinical trials examining the cancer-fighting properties of dandelion root extract.
Since then, they've turned their attention to a different natural cancer fighter: Lemongrass extract.
Researchers are currently looking at the effects of lemongrass extract on colon cancer — and results are giving them optimism.
"What we found is that lemongrass extract not only enhances the efficacy of chemo in a stage-four colon cancer tumour, it also reduced the side effects," said Dr. Siyaram Pandey, the principal research investigator for the lemongrass extra trials.
"I'm not saying it's going to cure everything, but the doctors ... were very impressed."
Medical trials to test the effects of lemongrass effects have yet to be done. After those happen, a company will create an extract and send it to researchers at the University of Windsor who will test it in their labs.
I'm not going to say it's going to cure everything, but the doctors ... were very impressed. - Dr. Siyaram Pandey, University of Windsor
Pandey was also the principal research investigator during the University of Windsor's dandelion root extract experiments. Though his work made it to the testing stage, he said trials were going too slowly and recruitment was low.
Pandey said the reason his trial struggled to find participants was due to the fallout from a CBC story which saw a Windsor doctor denounce dandelion tea as a surefire cancer-killer. The lab aimed to recruit 30 patients, but only five signed up over a five-year span.
"Then, the granting agency ... did not extend anymore [funding] further," said Pandey. "So the dandelion root technology was transferred to a private corporation in Calgary called AOR Canada."
Now, Pandey and his team are working with five different natural cancer fighters — rosemary, lemongrass, white tea, long pepper and Lakshmi Taru — to see how they hold up.
In the meantime, University of Windsor cancer researchers have a reason to celebrate.
On Tuesday, the University of Windsor was presented with a $50,000 cheque from 71-year-old former student Loknath Chawla. It's the second time he's donated that amount and said it won't be his last donation.
Chawla's mother died of cancer in 2004. Since then, all he's wanted to see is for researchers find a natural medicine that can fight cancer without harming the body too harshly.
"When she died in 2004, I saved a lot of money," Chawla said. "I've got half a million more to give, because I'm single. I've got nobody. So my money is for the lab."
