Scientists have discovered that a common garden plant, feverfew, can destroy leukaemia cells. A study at Birmingham University discovered that the feverfew plant could destroy leukaemia cells.

Feverfew, which comes from the Latin word meaning ‘fever reducer’, is grown in many gardens across the world and has long been thought to have healing properties. It is sold in many health-food shops as a remedy for migraine and other aches and pains.

Researchers said the parthenolide compound, found in its leaves, could be key to cancer treatments after it was POTENT Feverfew modified to attack tumours. Prof John Fossey said, “This is important because we have shown a way of producing parthenolide that could make it much more accessible and also because we’ve been able to improve its ‘drug-like’ properties to kill cancer cells. “It’s a clear demonstration that parthenolide has the potential to progress from the flowerbed into the clinic.”

The parthenolide compound appears to work by increasing levels of reactive oxygen species, causing cancer cells to die. — Daily Mirror

Source:

The Times of India, 02 August 2019, Chennai.