The Big Book: Cancer: The Complete Recovery Guide
The Small Book: Cancer Recovery Guide: 15 Alternative and Complementary Strategies for Restoring Health – For more information go to www.fightingcancer.com
“This book tells me everything. Why didn’t my doctor tell me this?”- Rev. Bill Newbern
NOSCAPINE – A CANCER CURE?
Ralph Moss, author of The Cancer Industry (a must-read book) and who has a weekly info mail out called Cancer Decisions has this to say about
Noscapine:
Noscapine
NOTE: The following information is mainly for people outside the US, since the drug in
question is not available in North America, but is commonly used in South Africa and
other countries.
Georgia scientists have found that a common cough suppressant called noscapine has
anticancer effects. Noscapine is derived from a non-addictive component of the opium
poppy (Papaver somniferum). It is a major component of the plant, present in amounts up
to 11 percent. Some of its trade names are Nitepax, Coscotabs, Capval, Longatin,
Narcotussin, Nectadon, Tusscapine, etc. It was first isolated by in 1817.
Noscapine induces cancer cells to undergo programmed cell death (apoptosis). It does
this by binding to tubulin, a protein within cells that forms cellular filaments called
microtubules. Interestingly, this is the same way that the better known but toxic agent,
paclitaxel (Taxol), works. When investigators gave noscapine to animals that had been
implanted with human breast or bladder tumors, it dramatically shrank these growths.
Certain derivatives of noscapine are proving even more effective, at least in the
laboratory. (Zhou J, Gupta K, Aggarwal S, et al. Brominated derivatives of noscapine are potent
microtubule- interfering agents that perturb mitosis and inhibit cell proliferation. Mol Pharmacol.
2003;63:799- 807)
In animals, a three-week regimen of noscapine reduced the size of breast tumors by 80
percent, and some tumors were eliminated entirely. Unlike taxol, noscapine is virtually
nontoxic, has a good safety record, and can be taken orally.
Noscapine inhibits the growth of brain cancer cells (i.e., glioblastoma) . In laboratory
experiments, an oral dose of 300 milligrams per kilogram in mice significantly reduced
the size of these deadly tumors. Prof. Harish C. Joshi of the Emory University School of
Medicine in Atlanta, a recognized expert on microtubules, has stated that the “unique
properties of noscapine, including its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, interfere
with microtubule dynamics, arrest tumor cell division, reduce tumor growth, and
minimally affect other dividing tissues and peripheral nerves, warrant additional
investigation of its therapeutic potential.” (Landen JW, Hau V, Wang M, et al. Noscapine crosses
the blood-brain barrier and inhibits glioblastoma growth. Clin Cancer Res. 2004 ;10:5187-201)
The anticancer potential of noscapine was discovered as part of a classroom assignment
by a 29-year-old graduate student named Keqiang Ye. He was given a routine class
exercise of researching tubulin-binding drugs. “It was a bit serendipitous,” Ye said. “I
came to Dr. Joshi’s lab knowing nothing about the biology of cells or cancer, and 20 days
later I found noscapine” i.e., as a treatment for cancer. The results were published in the
prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (Feb. 17, 1998). These
dramatic findings may explain the long folk association of opium poppies with anticancer
effects.
Noscapine (Nitepax) comes in 100 ml and 200 ml bottles. It is orange colored and orange
flavored.
Bottom Line: Although noscapine has been used safely and legally for over 30 years in
South Africa, Sweden, Japan, Portugal, Norway, etc. it has never been approved by the
FDA and is not on the US market. It is also hard to find over the Internet. The drug is
highly promising, but there is no commercial incentive for any pharmaceutical company
to undertake costly clinical trials, since this item is in the public domain.
One manufacturer is said to be Aspen Pharmacare, Ltd, which makes a noscapine product
called Nitepax. I know nothing further about this company and unfortunately cannot
suggest any North American sources of this interesting
Cancerfighter's Weblog 
Noscapine – cough syrup a cancer cure?
Posted by Jonathan Chamberlain on August 10, 2009
The Big Book: Cancer: The Complete Recovery Guide
The Small Book: Cancer Recovery Guide: 15 Alternative and Complementary Strategies for Restoring Health – For more information go to www.fightingcancer.com
“This book tells me everything. Why didn’t my doctor tell me this?”- Rev. Bill Newbern
NOSCAPINE – A CANCER CURE?
Ralph Moss, author of The Cancer Industry (a must-read book) and who has a weekly info mail out called Cancer Decisions has this to say about
Noscapine:
Noscapine
NOTE: The following information is mainly for people outside the US, since the drug in
question is not available in North America, but is commonly used in South Africa and
other countries.
Georgia scientists have found that a common cough suppressant called noscapine has
anticancer effects. Noscapine is derived from a non-addictive component of the opium
poppy (Papaver somniferum). It is a major component of the plant, present in amounts up
to 11 percent. Some of its trade names are Nitepax, Coscotabs, Capval, Longatin,
Narcotussin, Nectadon, Tusscapine, etc. It was first isolated by in 1817.
Noscapine induces cancer cells to undergo programmed cell death (apoptosis). It does
this by binding to tubulin, a protein within cells that forms cellular filaments called
microtubules. Interestingly, this is the same way that the better known but toxic agent,
paclitaxel (Taxol), works. When investigators gave noscapine to animals that had been
implanted with human breast or bladder tumors, it dramatically shrank these growths.
Certain derivatives of noscapine are proving even more effective, at least in the
laboratory. (Zhou J, Gupta K, Aggarwal S, et al. Brominated derivatives of noscapine are potent
microtubule- interfering agents that perturb mitosis and inhibit cell proliferation. Mol Pharmacol.
2003;63:799- 807)
In animals, a three-week regimen of noscapine reduced the size of breast tumors by 80
percent, and some tumors were eliminated entirely. Unlike taxol, noscapine is virtually
nontoxic, has a good safety record, and can be taken orally.
Noscapine inhibits the growth of brain cancer cells (i.e., glioblastoma) . In laboratory
experiments, an oral dose of 300 milligrams per kilogram in mice significantly reduced
the size of these deadly tumors. Prof. Harish C. Joshi of the Emory University School of
Medicine in Atlanta, a recognized expert on microtubules, has stated that the “unique
properties of noscapine, including its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, interfere
with microtubule dynamics, arrest tumor cell division, reduce tumor growth, and
minimally affect other dividing tissues and peripheral nerves, warrant additional
investigation of its therapeutic potential.” (Landen JW, Hau V, Wang M, et al. Noscapine crosses
the blood-brain barrier and inhibits glioblastoma growth. Clin Cancer Res. 2004 ;10:5187-201)
The anticancer potential of noscapine was discovered as part of a classroom assignment
by a 29-year-old graduate student named Keqiang Ye. He was given a routine class
exercise of researching tubulin-binding drugs. “It was a bit serendipitous,” Ye said. “I
came to Dr. Joshi’s lab knowing nothing about the biology of cells or cancer, and 20 days
later I found noscapine” i.e., as a treatment for cancer. The results were published in the
prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (Feb. 17, 1998). These
dramatic findings may explain the long folk association of opium poppies with anticancer
effects.
Noscapine (Nitepax) comes in 100 ml and 200 ml bottles. It is orange colored and orange
flavored.
Bottom Line: Although noscapine has been used safely and legally for over 30 years in
South Africa, Sweden, Japan, Portugal, Norway, etc. it has never been approved by the
FDA and is not on the US market. It is also hard to find over the Internet. The drug is
highly promising, but there is no commercial incentive for any pharmaceutical company
to undertake costly clinical trials, since this item is in the public domain.
One manufacturer is said to be Aspen Pharmacare, Ltd, which makes a noscapine product
called Nitepax. I know nothing further about this company and unfortunately cannot
suggest any North American sources of this interesting
Posted in Comments and Suggestions, Interesting products | Leave a Comment »