Herbs & Herbal Remedies @ Green Papaya

Possible Cancer Herb

Family: Leguminosae (includes Beans, Peas)

Genus and Species: Trifolium Pratense

Also known as: Trifolium, Purple Clover, Sweet clover, Cow Clover

Parts used: Flower tops

Red clover is one of the world’s oldest agricultural crops, cultivated as forage since prehistoric times. The ball-shaped flowers of the three-leafed herb have been used almost as long in herbal Healing. For the last 100 years, red clover has been touted as a cancer treatment. Meanwhile, many contemporary scientists say red clover is useless against cancer. Some studies do show some anti-tumor action, however.

The Suit of Clubs

Because of its importance in early agriculture, red clover has a long history as a religious symbol. The ancient Greeks, Romans, and the Celts of pre-Christian Ireland all revered it. Early Christians linked the plant to the Trinity, and some say red clover is the model for Ireland’s symbol, the shamrock.

Red clover was also the model for the suit of clubs in playing cards.

During the Middle Ages, red clover was considered a charm against witchcraft. In the Far East, herbalists had more down-to-earth uses for red clover.

Traditional Chinese physicians have long used red clover blossoms as an expectorant. Russian folk healers recommend it for asthma. Other cultures have used it externally in salves for skin sores and eye problems and internally as a diuretic to treat water retention and as a sedative, anti-inflammatory, cough medicine, and cancer treatment.

Anti-Cancer Reputation

America’s 19th-century Eclectic physicians were great promoters of red clover. Their text, King’s American Dispensatory, called it “one of the few remedies which favorably influences pertussis [whooping cough] … possess[ing] a peculiar soothing property.” The Eclectics recommended red clover for cough, bronchitis, and tuberculosis but waxed truly enthusiastic about the herb as a cancer treatment: “It unquestionably retards the growth of carcinomata.”

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, red clover was the major ingredient in many patent medicines known as Trifolium Compounds. The most popular, produced by the William S. Merrell Chemical Co. of Cincinnati, was a combination of red clover and several other herbs. Manufacturers claimed Trifolium Compounds were tonics and treatments for skin diseases, syphilis, and scrofula (tuberculosis of the lymph nodes). In 1912, the American Medical Association’s Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry attacked Trifolium Compounds, saying “We have no information to indicate they possess medicinal properties.” Nonetheless, red clover continued to be listed for skin diseases in the National Formulary until 1946. Red clover was also one of the herbs in ex-coal miner Harry Hoxsey’s controversial alternative cancer treatment.

Contemporary herbalists recommend red clover externally as a treatment for eczema and psoriasis and internally as a digestive aid, and expectorant for coughs, bronchitis, and whooping cough, Some continue to recommend it for cancer.

Red clover doesn’t get much respect among many herbal experts. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says, “There is not sufficient reason to suspect it of any medicinal value.” And in The New Honest Herbal, Varro Tyler. Ph.D., dismisses claims that red clover helps treat cancer as “simply not factual.”

Cancer - On the other hand, researchers from the National Cancer Institute (NC!) have found anti-tumor properties in the herb. NCI researchers felt compelled to investigate the plant after their own Jonathan Hartwell, Ph.D., published a monograph in The Journal of Natural products in which he pointed out that 33 different cultures around the world use red clover to treat cancer. That amounts to a whole lot of people agreeing that the herb has anti-cancer action.

And sure enough, NCI researchers emerged from their laboratories with confirmation that red clover contains four anti-tumor compounds, including daidzein and genistein.

In addition, red clover contains significant amounts of the antioxidant chemical tocopherol, a form of vitamin E that has been shown to help prevent breast tumors in animals, according to James Duke, Ph.D., herbal medicine authority for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

These findings are still preliminary, and red clover should not be considered a treatment for cancer at this time. But for those with cancers not aggravated by estrogen (non-estrogen dependent tumors), red clover may hold some promise. Ask your physician about using it in addition to your regular treatment.

Women’s Health - Several studies show that in large quantities, red clover acts like the female sex hormone estrogen, As a result, it might help relieve some menopausal symptoms, though women taking postmenopausal estrogen replacement therapy should discuss using it with their physicians.

Intriguing Possibility - One study showed red clover effective against several bacteria in the test tube, including the one that causes tuberculosis, which lends some credence to the Eclectics’ use of this herb in treating TB.

Rx for Red Clover

For a pleasantly sweet infusion, use 1 to 3 teaspoons of dried flower tops per cup of boiling water. Steep 10 to 15 minutes. Drink up to 3 cups a day.

In a tincture, use ½ to 1½ teaspoons up to three times a day. Medicinal red clover preparations should not be given to children under age 2. For older children and people over 65, start with low-strength preparations and increase strength if necessary.

Women taking birth control pills should consult their physicians before using this herb. Estrogens are used to treat some prostate cancers but also may accelerate the growth of estrogen-dependent breast and gynecological tumors. Estrogen also increases risk of internal blood clots (thromboembolism) and inflammation of blood vessels (thrombophlebitis). Those with a history of these disorders or heart disease or stroke should use red clover cautiously if at all. The medical literature contains no reports of harm from red clover.

Other Cautions

The FDA includes red clover in its list of herbs generally regarded as safe. For otherwise healthy non-pregnant, non-nursing adults who do not have estrogen-dependent cancers or a history of heart disease, stroke, thromboembolism, or thrombophlebitis, red clover is considered relatively safe in amounts typically recommended.

Red clover should be used in medicinal amounts only in consultation with your doctor. If red clover causes minor discomforts, such as stomach upset or diarrhea, use less or stop using it. Let your doctor know if you experience any unpleasant effects or if the symptoms for which the herb is being used do not improve significantly in two weeks.

For the Clover Lover

Red clover is a perennial that grows to 2 feet. Its leaves are arranged in groups of three. Its fragrant, edible, red or purple ball-shaped flowers are composed of many tiny florets.

Because it’s a legume, red clover adds nitrogen to the soil. and its deep roots help break up compacted soil. Plant seeds in spring or fall. In sunny conditions, this herb thrives in a variety of moist, well-drained soils but does not grow well in sand or gravel. Harvest the flowers when the tops are fully in bloom.