| Soc. Sci. Med. Vol.29, No. 8. 1989
Geology, Trace Elements and Health
Harry V. Warren
Platinum and Cancer
Cisplatin and more recently carboplatin are compounds that
have been effective in treating some cancers. (Unhappily the
resulting side effects have been so devastating as to make both
quite unacceptable.)
The Johnson Matthey Research Center reports that over 2000
analogues of cisplatin have now been screened and that many research
groups are now trying to identify a third generation drug which will
be as effective as cisplatin but not have its unacceptable side
effects.
We have suggested that platinum in honeybee pollen might be
present in a form harmless to humans but still acceptable in cancer
treatment. We have found platinum in one plant in British Columbia
(Ergonium ovalifolium) but it grows at elevations over 5000
ft, elevations at which honey bees do not appear to function
effectively in British Columbia. We have tried to obtain pollen from
the Sudbury area of Ontario. Pollen from a locality 10 miles away
from Sudbury was found to contain 6 ppb (dry weight) of platinum. We
are now trying to obtain pollen with larger amounts of platinum from
Rustenburg Platinum Mines and Impala Platinum Limited in South
Africa, and also from the U.S.A.
To the best of our knowledge the use of platinum in honeybee
pollen has not been investigated for cancer treatment. In honeybee
pollen from the Tulumeen area of British Columbia we found from 2 to
4 ppm (dry weight) of platinum. Animal testing will begin shortly.
NOTE: The point that the researcher here is apparently
making is that if the Platinum was in a less toxic form where the
human body could tolerate this treatment protocol, you could use a
lesser dosage and still have effectiveness as a cancer treatment.
|
