Academia Sinica's Institute of Agricultural Sciences yesterday announced that it has discovered that the local plant Anoectochilus Formosanus Hayata (金線蓮) can be used to halt the growth of breast cancer cells.
The institute found that extracts from the plant, a perennial orchid that grows in the nation's forests, can speed up the death of breast cancer cells and block their growth, said Tseng Jy-mon (曾驥孟), a researcher at the institute.
Tseng made the comments yesterday at the Formosan Medical Association.
Tseng said that extracts from the plant has demonstrated "an amazing result" in the lab during its screening tests against the breast cancer cell (MCF-7). Tseng also said the extract further restrained the structural growth of the cancer cells in the lab.
According to Tseng, breast cancer is one of the hardest cancers to treat as chemotherapy is not very effective. For many patients with aggressive tumors, mastectomy is often the only chance of cure.
Tseng said the institute will soon cooperate with hospitals to develop the extract into a medication. Tseng said such a medication will "benefit breast cancer patients enormously."
The plant, which belongs to the Orchidaceae group, has long been a common ingredient used in traditional Chinese herbal medicine.
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