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It seems fewer and fewer people state that a human being is the perfect creature of the nature, the cleverest and the wisest one. We are definitely not on the top of the world. This appears to be true if we take into account that a human being knows so little about the macrocosm, the universe and nature surrounding us. Moreover, it would be fair to claim that we know too little about ourselves as well. There are so many secrets uncovered, so many questions without the answers, so many things we are afraid of. Multiple diseases, such as cancer, belong to the area of the unsolved problems, to the troublesome, harmful, and scary things humans take infinite pains to eliminate from their lives. Concerning the above mentioned cancer, some scientists claim there is progress in the discovering ways of effective fighting options against it. One of them is the use of Astragalus in combination with other herbs (for example, Ligustrum lucidum orPanax ginseng) for the conventional and adjunctive treatment. Many laboratory tests, trials in animals, and a number of studies in people show that Astragalus can be used not only as a general tonic and immune system booster in healthy users, but a means to help cancer sufferers (breast, cervix, and lung types of cancer were treated during the studies) overcome their disease used in combination with radiation and chemotherapy. Trials, conducted mainly in China, report about the significant reduction of a number of deaths, increase in survival and disease-free state in cancer patients given the preparation of Astragalus. It is also said that a lifespan of patients is prolonged due to the combination of chemotherapy and Astragalus and Ligustrum use. The studies in mice concluded that Astragalus works by inhibiting the growth of the tumors. The researchers from the University of Texas Medical Center, Houston, suppose that such components as choline, bioflavenoids and a polysaccharide Astagalan B, found in the Astragalus extract, are those ingredients, which play the key role in improving the immune response to the cancer development. Namely, they promote the increase in B-cells growth, T-cells (natural killer cells) activity, tumor necrosis factor, and antibody production. Astragalus preparations are also believed to raise the quantities of interferon and leukocytes in the blood stream. A very important benefit of the herb is enhancing the effectiveness of the anti-cancer drugs (for example, synthetic IL-2) and therapies (chemotherapy ability of destroying cancer cells is increased). In addition, patients will undoubtedly praise Astragalus power to prevent or lessen the side effects of anti-cancer drugs (mitomycin C and cisplatin) and rehabilitate the depleted by chemotherapy immune system. To sum it up, Astragalus is believed to completely restore the functioning of the damaged immune system cells, enhance the formation of its new cells, and in general, to activate the immune system for the fight with cancer. In spite of a great number of trials, conducted to evaluate Astragalus ability to be a mighty helper in the struggle against cancer, the majority of modern scientists hesitate to announce the final verdict, noting that more well-organized official studies in people are needed.
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