PC-SPES - Medicinal Uses, Interactions, Side Effects, Dosage
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<p><strong>PC-SPES </strong></p>
<p>PC-SPES (PC stands for prostate cancer; SPES is the Latin root for hope) is a mixture of concentrated extracts of eight primarily Chinese herbs: <em>Dendranthema morifolium </em>(chrysanthemum; ju hua), <em>Ganoderma lucidum </em>(reishi mushroom; ling zhi), <em>Glycyrrhiza glabra </em>(licorice; gan cao), <em>Isatis indigotica </em>(dyer's woad; da ging ye), <em>Panax pseudoginseng </em>(sanchi ginseng; san qi), <em>Rabdosia rubescens </em>(rabdosia; dong ling cao), <em>Scutellaria baicalensis </em>(baikal skullcap; huang qin), and <em>Serenoa repens </em>(saw palmetto). </p>
<p><strong>Uses and Benefits: </strong> </p>
<p>In the early 1990s, Dr. Sophie Chen, a chemist, formulated PC-SPES with the help of Dr. Allan Wang and colleagues. The herbal remedy was reportedly derived from a recipe handed down by Wang's great-grandfather, a Court physician to the emperor of China. It was marketed commercially in the U.S. in 1996, and its popularity was initially prompted by anecdotes and testimonials from prostate cancer Support groups and internet bulletin boards. PC-SPES is specifically used to treat prostate cancer. </p>
<p><strong>Pharmacology:</strong></p>
<p>PC-SPES contains many active plant chemi­cals, including flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, and saponins. Each individual herb has specific anti-neoplastic, anti-inflammatory, or immunomodulatory properties reported in experimental <em>in vitro </em>studies. Anti-proliferative effects include inhibition of DNA poly­merases, topoisomerases, and signal transduction pathways. </p>
<p><strong>Cinical Trials: </strong></p>
<p>To date, PC-SPES has been evaluated in six small (n = 8-70), uncontrolled, observational studies of listate cancer patients with both hormone-sensitive and hortly refractory tumors. All trials found significant reductions USA serum levels compared to baseline, and most demonted treatment-related PSA declines of > 50%, which are kown to be associated with improved survival in other studies ofl 1st ate cancer treatment. </p>
<p><strong>Adverse Effects:</strong></p>
<p>Side effects are characterized as relatively mild and well tolerated relative to other cancer therapies, and are similar to standard oral estrogen treatment or androgen-ablation therapy. Common adverse effects observed in the clinical trials, which appear to be dose-dependent, include gynecomastia or nipple tenderness (35-100%), decreased libido or erectile dysfunction (100% in two studies), and hot flashes (4-42%). Mild gastrointestinal effects, leg cramps, and occasional allergic reactions also occur. </p>
<p>Less frequently, thromboembolic events such as superficial phlebitis, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and pulmonary emboli have been observed (2-6% of patients in the larger studies). The actual cause-and-effect relationship of this side effect is unknown, as patients with prostate cancer may be at increased baseline risk of hypercoagulable events. </p>
<p>Unlike conventional androgen deprivation therapy, PC-SPES was not associated with a reduction in bone mineral density in a small 1-year study of 15 patients. </p>
<p><strong>Side Effects and Interactions:</strong> </p>
<p>Although there are no reported drug interactions with PC-SPES, interactions might be expected with other hormonal therapies. Certainly there is a greater potential for interactions compared to that of single herb products, because of tho large number of herbs that constitute this preparation. </p>
<p><strong>Cautions:</strong></p>
<p>PC-SPES is relatively contraindicated in patienbi with a history of thromboembolic or significant cardiovascular dis ease due to the risk of thromboembolic side effects. Some researchers or clinicians recommend aspirin or low-dose warfarin, especially in higher-risk patients, for prophylaxis of thromboem bolic complications. The effectiveness of this approach has not been clinically evaluated. </p>
<p><strong>Preparations </strong><strong>& </strong><strong>Doses: </strong></p>
<p>PC-SPES is marketed (by BotanicLab) in 320-mg capsules containing a proprietary mixture of the eight herbal extracts. The dose administered in the clinical trials is 3-9 capsules/day, typically administered as 1-3 capsules t.i.d. on an empty stomach. Patients and clinicians typically adjust the dosage depending on the severity of the disease, the PSA response, and the side effects of the therapy. The cost of PC-SPES treatment is significant. A bottle of 60 capsules costs $108 when ordered from the manufacturer; at 6-9 capsules/day the monthly cost is $324-486.</p>
<p><strong>Summary Evaluation </strong></p>
<p>PC-SPES is an herbal mixture that can significantly reduce PSA rum levels and may reduce disease progression in patients with plostate cancer. At least part of its mechanism of action is due orgenic or androgen-antagonist activity, which also causes ndictable side effects. Significant reductions in PSA are espeilly observed for patients with hormone-responsive prostate but the risk of thromboembolism, while small, poses a . The risks may be more acceptable for hormone-refrac prostate cancer, in which PC-SPES has less reliable effects the PSA, but in which conventional options are limited. </p>
About the Author
Steve Mathew is a writer, who writes many great articles on <a href="http://www.online-health-care.com/herbal-medicines/index.htm">herbal medicines </a> for common ailments and diseases. For more information on herbal remedies and <a href=http://www.health-care-tips.org/home-remedies/index.htm">home remedies </a> visit our site on <a href="http://www.health-care-tips.org">health care</a>.
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