Natural Remedies

Kankerbossie for Ischemic Stroke Treatment













Kankerbossie

The cancer bush, or kankerbossie, has been used by the Khoi San and other indigenous people of southern African for centuries. It soon became one of the favorite indigenous medicinal plants of the early Dutch farmers too. The leaves, branches and root of this versatile plant are all used, and Its quick growth, water hardiness, easy propagation and striking leaves, flowers and fruit have made it a desirable garden subject as well. Lessertia is a perennial shrublet that grows from 0.3 m up to about 3 m tall. The red to orange flowers are borne in spring and summer. The leaflets of the compound, pinnate leaves are 10 mm long and silvery green-grey in color. The swollen bladder-like pod fruit is about 5 cm long and papery when dry. Like many members in this family the roots have nitrogen-fixing nodules.

Traditional Use

• Immune support
• Treatment for Cancer (hence it's common English and Afrikaans names)
• Longevity
• Stress, Depression and Anxiety
• Wasting from Cancer and TB
• Quality-of-Life tonic
• Appetite Stimulant in Wasted Patients (but not healthy people)
• Influenza
• Chronique Fatigues Syndrome, ME Syndrome and Yuppie Flue
• Viral Hepatitis
• Asthma and Bronchitis
• Type 2 Diabetes

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Buchu

Internal

The tea or a tincture is taken for the relief of urinary tract infections, especially in conjunction with prostate problems. It is also used in the symptomatic relief of rheumatism. Buchu is used to combat bloating while menstruating, to reduce high blood pressure and for congestive heart failure.

Buchu decreases inflammation of the colon, gums and other mucous membranes and is specifically used to treat bladder infections.

CAUTION Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use buchu and young children should also not use the herb. When taking Buchu, also remember to increase your consumption of foods rich in potassium (such as bananas, dark green vegetables, whole grains and fish), as the herb can decrease levels of potassium in the body.

External Use

The crushed leaves are steeped in vinegar to be used as a remedy for sprains and bruises.

The oil extracted from Buchu should not be used on the skin, because its high pulegone content is considered toxic. Note: the high pulegone content is found in the essential oil and not in the tea, or a poultice or infusion.

Thank you for reading about this very interesting and useful herb, that is of benefit when used to treat urinary tract infections, bladder and kidney problems, prostate problems and as a diuretic.

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Medical Marijuana for Ischemic Stroke Treatment

A recent meta-analysis of 144 animal studies including 1,473 subjects (rats, mice, and primates), published in the Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism in December 2014, found that in those who had suffered an ischemic stroke (temporary or permanent), the amount of the brain injured as a result was reduced in those subjects that had used cannabinoid therapies as opposed to those that had not.
The therapies included endocannabinoids (cannabinoids found within the body inherently), phytocannabinoids [those found in the cannabis plant, including cannabidiol (CBD, a non-psychoactive cannabinoid) and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, the psychoactive cannabinoid)] and synthetic cannabinoids acting at CB1/CB2 receptors.
While survival was not increased by the use of cannabinoid therapies, scores on measures assessing neurological function were improved after use of all cannabinoid therapies when separated by class (i.e. endocannabinois, phytocannabinoids, synthetic cannabinoids). Individually, the largest impact was seen with HU-210, a synthetic CB1/CB2 agonist (receptor stimulator) that is much more potent and longer-lasting than THC. The most significant effects on brain volume preservation were seen with use of agents within 2 to 6 hours post-stroke, with variation depending on the class of agent used. In many cases a dose-response pattern was recognized (the more agent used, the larger the volume of preserved brain matter).
However, certain individual agents showed no impact in reducing volume of damaged brain matter, or they only reduced the amount of damage at high doses (e.g. SR141716, a synthetic cannabinoid that prevents stimulation of the CB1 receptor). In one case, there was actually more damage caused by an agent (SR144528, a synthetic cannabinoid that prevents stimulation of the CB2 receptor).

Conclusion

While the authors recognize that the meta-analysis is imperfect and carries certain important limitations, it adds to a growing body of evidence which suggests that modulation of the endocannabinoid system may protect the brain from damage.
With further research and as part of a comprehensive treatment plan, standardized use of cannabinoid agents derived from medical marijuana may one day prove useful in reducing brain damage caused by stroke, and therefore has the potential to improve long-term quality of life (and potentially longevity) for hundreds of thousands of people each year.

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