What is salvestrol therapy?
Salvestrols are naturally occurring substances found in many fruits, vegetables and medicinal herbs produced by the plant to fight off fungal infections. Professor Gerry Potter (Professor Emeritus of Medicinal Cancer Chemistry and former Head of the Cancer Drug Discovery Group at De Montfort University) discovered salvestrols whilst working on a cancer drug that would target and kill only cancer cells while leaving normal cells unharmed.
What are salvestrols and how do they fight cancer?
The problem with many forms of cancer therapy is that cancer is a disease in which the body’s own cells grow out of control. In most respects, cancer cells are indistinguishable from normal cells, so cancer therapies often destroy normal cells as well as cancer cells, leading to possible ill health and side effects.
Prof. Potter is particularly interested in developing drugs that target and kill only cancer cells, and was intrigued by epidemiological studies showing that populations with diets high in fruit and vegetables had lower cancer rates than others. His research uncovered a mechanism that could explain these differences. Diets high in fruits and vegetables will naturally be high in substances called salvestrols, and this could be one way in which the body kills cells that have undergone somatic mutations (that is changes to the DNA) that lead to micro tumours – the first stage in the development of cancer.
How does salvestrol therapy help?
Western diets have become depleted in salvestrols for several reasons.
- We eat far fewer fruit and vegetables than our Palaeolithic ancestors.
- Plants produce salvestrols when fungal spores land on them. If they are sprayed with fungicide they do not make any salvestrols.
- Salvestrols taste bitter, and modern varieties of fruit and vegetables have been bred to taste sweeter – so the salvestrols have been bred out of them.
- Olive oil and cranberry juice are filtered to remove salvestrols because of the bitter taste and the cloudy appearance they give.
- Salvestrols are water soluble, so you lose them if vegetables are boiled in water.
How does salvestrol therapy work?
Salvestrols restimulate apoptosis (cell death) in cancer cells. They do this by targeting enzymes called tyrosine kinases and inhibiting them. In cancer cells, tyrosine kinases are highly over expressed causing rapid uncontrolled tumour growth and metastatic spread of the disease throughout the body. Salvestrols completely inactivate the tyrosine kinase signalling system, halting tumour growth and preventing metastatic spread. The remarkable thing about salvestrols is that they only cause cell death in cancer cells and not in normal cells.
Professor Potter has identified an enzyme (called CYP-1B1) that occurs only in cancer cells and not in normal cells. And he has also discovered that salvestrols only become cytotoxic (cell-killing) when in the presence of this enzyme. What happens is that salvestrols interact with CYP-1B1, and the enzyme changes the shape and function of the salvestrol molecule, so that it can interact with tyrosine kinases and cause cell death. But when salvestrols have not interacted with CYP-1B1 (which is only found in cancer cells) there is no activation, so normal cells are not killed. This means that salvestrol treatment does not have the same side effects that conventional cytotoxic treatment has. It also means that salvestrols can be used safely alongside conventional treatment.
Safety and Quality
The scientist who discovered Salvestrols has surmised that the gene that expresses the enzyme CYP-1B1 that Salvestrols make use of first appeared around 150 million years ago. So the body has been using this protective mechanism since human life evolved. Professor Potter has nevertheless performed many safety tests — not on animals, but on human cell lines and on human volunteers.
I only use salvestrols manufactured by Professor Potter’s own laboratories. These are the only products that I trust in terms of quality of the ingredients – and this quality is backed by Professor Potter’s own research.
I will be able to tell you what formulation of salvestrol is appropriate for you and advise you about what dosage will be best for you after a consultation. Salvestrols are available as capsules and creams in various formulations and strengths to suit different people with various needs.
What happens during a salvestrol therapy consultation?
During a consultation, you will be provided with information that will enable you optimise your health. All information is backed by scientific research and is evidence-based.
Topics covered include:
- How to reduce or avoid foods that promote growth.
- How to increase your intake of foods that have proven anti-cancer properties.
- The lifestyle strategies that have been shown by research to improve survival rates.
And people usually have lots of questions about salvestrol therapy:
- What is the appropriate dose?
- How long will I need to take them?
- Are there any side effects?
- What nutritional strategies optimise how well salvestrols work?
- What should I avoid when taking salvestrols?
- Can I take them alongside other treatments such as chemotherapy?
Herbs can also be prescribed to support the body and/or alleviate any distressing symptoms or drug side effects.
How much does salvestrol therapy cost?
A one-off, in-depth consultation is often enough to give you all the information you need. As well as clearly explaining the recommendations, and the science behind them, you will be given information sheets to take away that summarise everything that has been discussed. If it is not possible for you to come in person, a telephone consultation can be arranged, and the information sheets will be posted or emailed to you. Some people like to have continuing support during treatment but this is entirely up to you.
- An initial consultation lasting an hour and a half costs £75
- Salvestrol therapy costs between £61.50 – £184.50 a month, depending on the appropriate dose.
- If herbal support or treatment is required, the costs vary, but as an example, a typical prescription of a teaspoonful of liquid medicine (tincture) three times a day costs £11.00 per week, or £44 per month plus £4.50 p&p.
- 10-minute follow-up consultations are free when ordering more salvestrols, to answer any questions and keep you on track.
Other supportive therapies offered:
I am a qualified reflexologist and reiki master. Relaxation can be hugely beneficial. When we are relaxed, our body’s biochemistry changes profoundly, helping the immune system to function much better than it can when we are stressed. When we are really relaxed, the body secretes a hormone called DHEA which enhances immune function and healing.
