The use of steam/heat in conjunction with plant based bioactive compounds as immunotherapy to shrink/kill tumours and viruses has reportedly received a United States of America Patent Number: US10086182B2.
Just as in hyperthermia therapy, steam therapy (heat) containing plant based bioactive compounds applied to an ailing human body raises the body temperature higher than normal thereby creating artificial fever to shrink/kill tumours and viruses.
How is steamotherapy treatment is given? It can be local/targeted areas of the body, or whole body immersion steamotherapy. Local/targeted areas of the body therapy: Before the therapy, ultrasound, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), or Computed Tomography (CT) scan will be performed to tell the exact location for the treatment, up to 46 degrees celsius temperature may be used.
During the therapy, the area to be treated is numbed. A small probe with tiny thermometer is inserted into the tumour to monitor the temperature and nearby tissues.
A funnel steam applicator is placed on the targeted area of the body to administer pressurized steam comprising of water vapor containing plant based bio active compounds as immunotherapy to shrink/kill tumours at a temperature range of 41-46 degrees centigrade.
The steam (heat) destroys/weakens the cells of the tumour; it also increases blood flow through the weakened tumor, which simultaneously allows plant based bio active compounds as immunotherapy to more thoroughly permeate the tumour.
Whole body immersion steamotherapy: This process treats cancer that has spread throughout the body (metastatic cancer).The patient is placed in a steam therapy equipment chamber and sedated or given light anesthesia. A rectal thermometer is inserted into the rectum through the anus to monitor the patient’s temperature. The patient is then exposed to pressurized steam comprising of water vapor containing plant based bio active compounds as immunotherapy at a constant temperature of 46 degrees centigrade for short periods of time to shrink/kill tumours.
The steam (heat) destroys/weakens the cells of the tumor; it also increases blood flow through the weakened tumor, which simultaneously allows plant based bioactive compounds as immunotherapy to more thoroughly permeate the tumour.
A large variety of plant based bioactive compounds (phytochemicals) have been isolated and characterised from familiar sources including vegetables such as onion and broccoli, fruits like apples and grapes, spices such as nutmeg, pepper and turmeric, brews such as green tea, oolong tea and red wine, which possess strong antioxidant properties.
Also, scientists have demonstrated the application of the active ingredient in turmeric (curcumin) for inhalation treatment of primary lung cancer. Curcumin is a widely active pharmacological agent extracted from plants. Its anticancer effects are well documented. However, the poor stability, low water solubility, low bioavailability, and rapid metabolism of curcumin seriously limit its biomedical applications.
The study published in the journal Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B and titled “Inhalation treatment of primary lung cancer using liposomal curcumin dry powder inhalers” concluded: “In this study, curcumin and its liposomal formulation were directly administered to the lungs of rats with lung cancer via pulmonary delivery, where the bioavailability and metabolism limitations of curcumin do not exist.
“Furthermore, our investigation of the anti-lung cancer mechanisms of curcumin demonstrates that the strong anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects and the improvement in apoptosis induced by curcumin significantly contribute to its anticancer effect. More importantly, the liposomal formulation highly enhances the effect of curcumin by overcoming the water solubility limit and increasing cell endocytosis. This inhalable liposomal curcumin formulation is a promising pulmonary medication for the treatment of lung cancer.”
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Traditional chemotherapy causes serious toxicity due to the wide bodily distribution of these drugs. Curcumin is a potential anticancer agent but its low water solubility, poor bioavailability and rapid metabolism significantly limits clinical applications.
The researchers developed a liposomal curcumin dry powder inhaler (LCD) for inhalation treatment of primary lung cancer. The lung deposition of LCDs was evaluated. The therapeutic efficiency and mechanism of LCDs were explored on rat lung cancer models with comparison to curcumin powders and gemcitabine (a clinical first-line anticancer drug).
Curcumin powders, LCDs and gemcitabine were directly sprayed into the lungs of rats with lung cancer through the trachea. LCDs showed higher anticancer effects than the other two medications with regard to pathology and the expression of many cancer-related markers. LCDs are a promising medication for inhalation treatment of lung cancer with high therapeutic efficiency.
Curcumin is isolated from Curcuma longa. It is one of the most studied and most popular natural products of the past decade. Curcumin has been demonstrated to have extensive pharmacological activities including antioxidation, anti-inflammation, anticancer, antimicrobial, and immunoregulation. Curcumin inhibits the proliferation and migration of A549 lung cancer cells and enhances apoptosis. However, curcumin shows low water solubility, poor bioavailability and rapid in vivo metabolism, which seriously limits its clinical applications. A variety of nanotechnologies have been tried to modify the physicochemical properties of curcumin and its distribution in vivo. However, these technologies remain at the laboratory level without further clinical applications. Nonetheless, topical curcumin formulations may be a good strategy for local treatment of diseases because the major physicochemical disadvantages of curcumin may be avoided.
