The short answer, is no.
There is no evidence that Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treats individuals with cancer and diabetes alone. However, studies have shown that when integrated with current treatments, herbal medicine therapy in fact increases the survival rates of patients.
Chinese Medicine Shop by Bomb Bao. Flikr Image.
In a 2014 study led by Dr. Lee, roughly 700 individuals diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer participated between 2001-2010. Significant results over the 10-year period proved that supplementary TCM therapy helped to improve the survival rate of breast cancer patients as lower death rates of 12% were observed.
Chinese herbal medicines such as Pu Gong Ying and Ban Zhi Lian were prescribed as supplements to Taxane, a class of drugs used for breast cancer treatment. These herbs were experimentally found to prevent uncontrolled cell growth and increase frequencies of tumour cell-mediated apoptosis that would otherwise lead to tumour formation and cancer.
Dr. Lee’s study also indicated that among the TCMs used, some assisted to diminish side-effects from breast cancer treatments.
Another study in 2016 investigated if Chinese medicine therapy reduced complications caused by Type II diabetes. The researchers found that although patients who took antidiabetic medicines such as metformin and insulin did not lower their dosage intakes after introducing TCM treatments, their risk of vascular side-effects greatly improved. But just how great?
Insulin by 2C2KPhotography. Flikr Image.
An astonishing 33% decrease in risk of stroke was observed in Type II diabetic individuals who regularly used Chinese medicinal herbs. The study was conducted between 2000 and 2011, during which the most common herbs prescribed to Type II diabetic individuals were danshen and da huang.
Dan shen, also known as red sage, is extensively popular in Asian countries such as Taiwan as a traditional Chinese herb. Not only is it known to reduce risks of hypertension, a long-term condition of high blood pressure, but it also promotes better blood flow. Together, this significantly helps in decreasing the chances of stroke in diabetic individuals.
So red sage won’t help us fight diabetes, but it certainly helps to prevent cardiovascular diseases that are associated with it. For a perfectly healthy individual, traditional Chinese medicine is probably a great supplement to take – that is, if you’re willing to tolerate the medicine’s bitter taste.
