Essiac tea, sold as a dietary supplement in the United States, is an herbal blend commonly used in the alternative treatment of cancer. The Food and Drug Administration does not oversee the cultivation, production or sale of essiac tea or related generic tea blends. There is no assurance of safety, purity or effectiveness. Consult your doctor before using any herbal remedy to treat a medical condition.
History
Essiac tea gets its name from a Canadian nurse who claimed the mixture of herbs was a traditional Ojibwa Native American cancer treatment. Rene Cassie obtained the recipe for essiac tea from a patient who reported the tea was instrumental in curing her breast cancer, according to OncoLink, an online cancer information site published by the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania. Cassie promoted essiac tea in a cancer center in Ontario by giving it free to her patients until the center closed in 1942 over controversy about the tea’s effectiveness. Cassie continued to treat patients until she sold the tea’s patent to a Canadian company in 1977.
Ingredients
Essiac tea contains four individual herbs: burdock root, or Arctium lappa; Indian rhubarb root, or Rheum palmatum; sheep sorrel, or Rumex acetosella; and slippery elm bark, or Ulmus fulva Michx, according to the Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine. Neither the American Cancer Society nor the American Medical Society approves of the use of essiac tea in the treatment of cancer.
Evidence
No clinical studies concerning essiac tea as a successful treatment for cancer exist, according to OncoLink. Evidence is anecdotal and limited to patient testimonials. The Canadian Department of National Health and Welfare interviewed cancer patients who used essiac tea to treat their condition. Patient reports varied and interviewers found no conclusive benefit from essiac tea, reports OncoLink.
Essiac Tea Recipe
Although readily available in health food stores, some patients prefer to make their own version of essiac tea. The Gale Encyclopedia publishes the recipe for preparing an identical tea at home by combining 4 oz. of slippery elm bark, 1 oz. of powdered rhubarb root, 16 oz. sheep sorrel and 6.5 cups of burdock root. To make the tea, add 8 oz. of the herbal blend to 2 gallons of boiling water, simmering the mixture for 10 minutes before removing from the heat source. Allow the tea to steep for six hours, strain and store in the refrigerator. Consult a doctor of naturopathy before using any version of essiac tea to treat cancer.
Dosage
The standard dosage of essiac tea is 4 tsp. of prepared essiac liquid, added to the same amount of warm water, according to the Gale Encyclopedia. Individuals weighing between 100 lbs. and 150 lbs. may take up to 4 oz. of the tea daily. Add 2 oz. to the daily total for every 50 lbs. of weight over 150 lbs. For example, a person weighing 200 lbs. would add 2 oz. to his total daily intake of tea, or up to 6 oz. of tea per day. No recommended dosage exists for children.
Warnings
Since no scientific evidence confirms that essiac tea is a cure for cancer, patients should use essiac as a complimentary treatment to their doctor’s treatment program. In addition, pregnant women and nursing mothers should not take essiac, unless directed to do so by their doctors. OncoLink lists nausea and vomiting as the only two reported side effects.
References
- OncoLink: NCI/PDQ Health professionals: Essiac/FlorEssence
- “Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine, Volume 2”; Jacqueline L. Longe; 2005
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