These researchers have shown that a combination of the botanical medicine Huanglian with Taxol (a breast cancer chemotherapy) led to a doubling of cell death compared to Taxol alone. In separate studies, they have documented that concurrent use of this botanical medicine and Adriamycin (a cancer chemotherapy) led to 100% remission of cancer in animal models. 

Botanicals have been used for centuries, their safety is known, they have few side effects, and they are relatively inexpensive.  However, because there is little profit potential in the medical discoveries related to these non-patentable compounds, scientific research is not funded, even though these compounds show great promise in helping to cure patients.   With the insight and hard work at Memorial Sloan-Kettering and the funding of committed donors, we will see that these botanical medicines are tested and that validated information is distributed to patients and their physicians.