Individual therapies
Essiac is a mixture of roots, bark and leaves that you boil to make a drinkable liquid. Other Essiac products are known as Flor-Essence. There is no scientific evidence to use it as a treatment for cancer.
Summary:
Essiac is a mixture of herbs from Canada
There is no scientific evidence to support its use as a treatment for cancer
Essiac can have side effects
Essiac is a herbal remedy from Canada.
It has 4 ingredients:
burdock root
sheep sorrel
slippery elm
Indian Rhubarb root
A modified Essiac product called Flor Essence also includes:
watercress
blessed thistle
red clover
kelp
A Canadian nurse called Rene Caisse created Essiac. She named the remedy after herself. Essiac is her surname spelled backwards.
A commercial company now owns Essiac. Essiac is a registered trademark. Essiac Canada International is the only manufacturer that has rights to Rene Caisse's original formula of herbs.
Essiac is available as:
a powder – you make this into a tea that you drink
a liquid (extract) – that you can mix with water
capsules
dry versions
drops
The manufacturers advise you not to eat 1 hour before or after taking Essiac.
Using Essiac safely
The makers of Essiac and Flor essence say that Essiac can be used alongside cancer treatment. But some websites advise that you stop your cancer treatments while you have it.
Stopping cancer treatment such as cancer drugs, chemotherapy and radiotherapy could be very harmful to your health. Do not replace your conventional cancer treatment with any type of alternative cancer therapy.
It is understandable that you and the people who care about you might want to try something if you think it might help. Only you can decide whether or not to use an alternative cancer therapy such as Essiac.
Remember that Essiac:
is not accepted or licensed as a drug
is usually sold as a nutritional supplement
has no scientific evidence to support the claims made by its promoters
The only side effects linked to Essiac are nausea and vomiting.
The makers say that it might cause:
swollen glands
flu like symptoms
headaches
skin redness and inflammation
passing urine or opening your bowels more often than usual
In 1 case report a woman had a lack of appetite. She also felt sick, had tiredness, and abdominal pain after taking Essiac tea for 6 months. Her symptoms got better when she stopped taking the tea.
Another case report suggests that Essiac may slow down the rate at which your body breaks drugs down. This can mean that some drugs will be more potent or that their effects last longer in your body. The case report suggests that Essiac may block liver enzymes called cytochrome p450. These enzymes are important in getting some cancer drugs out of your system.
Talk to your cancer specialist about this if you are thinking of taking Essiac.
Most of the websites that promote Essiac use opinions not backed up by research. Some of this information is often anecdotal evidence. That means it is based on hearsay.
The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre tested Essiac in the laboratory. They found it had no anti-cancer features.
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) in the U.S tested Essiac several times. Their testing found that Essiac had no anti-cancer effects. One study in 2006 found that when Essiac was added to breast cancer cells in test tubes, it stimulated the cancer cells to grow.
In 2009 researchers reviewed all studies into Essiac and Essiac preparations. They found there were no well carried out clinical trials to show that Essiac can help with cancer.
The CAM-Cancer organisation reviews scientific research evidence. In 2011, they looked at all the reviews about Essiac and Flor Essence. They couldn’t find any well carried out clinical studies. They said that some of its ingredients could cause harm.
We need well designed clinical trials to test Essiac and its herbs. Only then will we know if Essiac works or is safe for people with cancer.
Be cautious about believing information or paying for any alternative cancer therapy on the internet.
Read more about the cost of complementary and alternative therapies
It is understandable that you might want to try anything if you think it might help treat or cure your cancer. Only you can decide whether to use an alternative cancer therapy such as Essiac.
You could harm your health if you stop your cancer treatment for an unproven treatment.
Some websites might promote Essiac as part of treatment for cancer. But no reputable scientific cancer organisations support any of these claims.
Last reviewed: 26 Sept 2022
Next review due: 26 Sept 2025
Find detailed information and research into some of the many different complementary and alternative therapies used by people with cancer.
A complementary therapy means you can use it alongside your conventional medical treatment. It may help you to feel better and cope better with your cancer and treatment. An alternative therapy is generally used instead of conventional medical treatment.
Find organisations, support groups, books, websites and other resources about complementary and alternative therapies.
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