『Life Sciences, Cancer Letters and Anticancer Drugs』に発表された研究論文によれば、東洋医学(漢方)で古来から薬としてもちいられることもある、ヨモギから抽出される、アルテミシニン(artemesinin)と呼ばれる成分が、健康的な細胞1つに対して、1万2,000個もの癌細胞を死滅させたと報告しています。
参考文献: “This Little Known Chinese Herb Kills 12,000 Cancer Cells For Every Healthy Cell”, Arjun Walia, March 26, 2014 “Scientists develop new cancer-killing compound from salad plant”, Rachel Tompa, October 13, 2008, University of Washington “Effects of artemisinin-tagged holotransferrin on cancer cells”, Lai H, Sasaki T, Singh NP, Messay A, Life Sci. 2005 Jan 28;76(11):1267-79. Epub 2004 Nov 23 “Antiproliferative effects of artemisinin on human breast cancer cells requires the downregulated expression of the E2F1 transcription factor and loss of E2F1-target cell cycle genes”, Tin AS, Sundar SN, Tran KQ, Park AH, Poindexter KM, Firestone GL., Anticancer Drugs. 2012 Apr;23(4):370-9. doi: 10.1097/CAD.0b013e32834f6ea8
2015/5/6 追記分の参考文献: “Development of artemisinin compounds for cancer treatment“, Henry C. Lai, Narendra P. Singh & Tomikazu Sasaki, Investigational New Drugs The Journal of New Anticancer Agents, ISSN 0167-6997 Invest New Drugs, DOI 10.1007/s10637-012-9873-z