Sea buckthorn and cancer diseases

Every year, many thousands of people are affected. A cancer diagnosis can change life in many ways. But thanks to early detection and advances in medical treatment, the diagnosis has lost some of its terror. Cancer can be cured. However, success comes at a price. Typically, radiotherapy or chemotherapy is accompanied by severe side effects. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy can be very taxing and, even when successfully completed, the years that follow are shaped by them. During such a challenging phase of life, the natural ingredients of the sea buckthorn plant can support your body and well-being in multiple ways.

What is sea buckthorn?

Sun-loving plants must take particular care to protect themselves from damage caused by UV radiation. The same applies to plants as to humans: too much radiation can cause harm. Radiation generates oxidative cellular stress through so-called free radicals in the tissue. Many substances in sea buckthorn are bioactive; they bind free radicals and can thus protect your cells and tissue from oxidative stress.

Sea buckthorn (Hippophae Rhamnoides) is particularly rich in bioactive substances. In nature, the plant stands out because of the berries’ vibrant sunny colour, but their bright colour does not determine their true value.

“Sea buckthorn is probably the plant with the highest content of biologically active ingredients and effects,” says clinical investigator and university professor Dr. W. Mosgöller.

It is no coincidence that the plant has been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years.

What makes sea buckthorn so special?

Sea buckthorn contains a wealth of valuable plant-based active compounds. To name just one of the better-known antioxidants: the vitamin E contained in sea buckthorn pulp oil serves as an important form of cell protection and helps protect the body’s cells from increased (therapy-related) stress and its consequences.

The most important bioactive ingredients in sea buckthorn include:

1. Polyphenols
2. Vitamins (A, B₁₂, C, E)
3. Unsaturated fatty acids
4. Organic acids (citrates, malates, etc.)
5. Saponins (bitter compounds)
6. Minerals

But let us take it one step at a time:

Polyphenols

Polyphenols are found in the skins of many fruits, vegetables and grains. Sea buckthorn is particularly rich in them. Polyphenols are the largest group of bioactive substances offered by sea buckthorn. They have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and blood-pressure-regulating effects. They protect our cells and organs from free radicals, such as those that occur, for example, during irradiation with high-energy radiation [1, 2].

Vitamins

Sea buckthorn is known as a “vitamin C bomb.” Its vitamin C content even exceeds that of citrus fruits. This means the plant can do more than just support the immune system. Difficult phases of life are characterised by fatigue and weakness. Vitamin C protects against oxidative stress and improves iron absorption [3, 4]. Vitamin C contributes to normal energy metabolism and the normal functioning of the nervous and immune systems.

In addition, there is fat-soluble vitamin A, its precursors, carotenoids, as well as vitamin E (tocopherol). Most people know vitamin A as the “vitamin for eyesight,” but it supports immune defence and has a role in cell division.

Vitamin E is a free-radical scavenger and helps protect cells from oxidative stress.

Sea buckthorn is one of the few plant-based sources of vitamin B12. This makes the plant particularly interesting for vegans who take vitamin B12 tablets. Vitamin B12 plays an essential role in blood and cell formation, as well as in metabolic processes, and is indispensable for maintaining the functionality of the nervous system.

Unsaturated fatty acids and organic acids

Sea buckthorn contains polyunsaturated fatty acids, including omega-3, omega-6 and the rare omega-7 fatty acids, whose positive effects and safety of use have been confirmed by scientific working groups, as well as by health authorities such as the German Bfarm or the European EFSA.

The berries and leaves of sea buckthorn also contain organic acids, which are involved in metabolic processes and have antimicrobial effects [5, 6].

“The use of sea buckthorn oil with its fatty acids palmitoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid is significant for radiation protection,” says university professor Dr. Wilhelm Mosgöller.

Minerals and saponins (bitter compounds)

Sea buckthorn contains a variety of minerals and trace elements, carbohydrates and proteins, as well as saponins. These are bitter compounds which, like polyphenols, are attributed with anti-inflammatory, blood-pressure-lowering, immunostimulatory, antibiotic and antioxidant effects [7-9].

Sea buckthorn – preparation

There is good reason why sea buckthorn can be found in food supplements and teas. SANDICCA sea buckthorn oils (pulp oil or seed oil) not only taste good; thanks to their bioactive ingredients, they are also a raw material for natural cosmetics. It has been sufficiently demonstrated that sea buckthorn extracts have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory effects [10-12]. Vitamin E is a versatile antioxidant, and the antioxidant effect of vitamin C has been clinically tested in adults and children [13].  

Knowledge of how sea buckthorn can have a positive effect on our health continues to develop. At SANDICCA, we follow international research.  We want to help shape it through our own studies. Our main focus is on studies investigating its use in cancer and as support for cancer treatment.

The strain of cancer treatment

The severity of the side effects pushes patients to the limits of their physical and psychological resilience. –University Professor Dr. W. Mosgöller

Thanks to medical advances, the nature of the disease has changed. Whereas cancer used to be fatal, today it is increasingly described as a chronic illness. However, oncological treatments such as radiotherapy or conventional chemotherapy can be extremely burdensome for those affected.

Side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy

Common side effects of chemotherapy include nausea and diarrhoea, tiredness and exhaustion, infertility, as well as symptoms associated with free radicals and increased inflammatory activity in the body. Radiotherapy targets the tumour, but also damages the genetic material (DNA) in the irradiated skin cells and in adjacent tissue and body regions. Most chemotherapy treatments place a considerable strain on the liver and other organs.

However, the increase in successful treatments is positive. This is reflected in the growing number of so-called long-term survivors. Yet with this success, the number of patients experiencing late effects of treatment due to therapy-related DNA damage is also increasing.

Long-term effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy

The German Cancer Society writes about the possible after-effects of cancer treatment:  

… Modern diagnostic and therapeutic procedures have made it possible for cure rates to rise sharply in recent years. In Germany alone, around four million people are living who have successfully overcome cancer. Even though the risk of relapse decreases over time for those affected, cancer treatments can sometimes cause undesirable long-term effects that impact quality of life…¹

Once the disease has been overcome, few people ask what damage the life-saving cancer treatment has caused, or whether anything can be done about it. After treatment, medical follow-up care takes place. Has the tumour been defeated for good? Or will there be a relapse? Following treatment comes the period of recovery from organ and tissue damage caused as a side effect of the therapy.

It often goes unnoticed that long-term damage to healthy cells caused by both chemotherapy and radiotherapy increases the risk of developing a secondary tumour [14].

In view of the growing number of long-term survivors, more studies will be conducted in the future to follow them over the long term. In this context, SANDICCA GmbH is driving research into the active role of sea buckthorn products.

Relieving the side effects and late effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy with sea buckthorn

Sea buckthorn has antioxidant & anti-inflammatory effects

In normal quantities, free radical molecules perform important functions, such as communication between immune cells [15]. However, environmental influences and, in particular, oncological treatments often lead to an increase in free radicals. An excess of these can cause cell damage. Cell damage is desired in tumours, but for normal cells the treatment means oxidative stress. Chronic oxidative stress is associated with a wide range of diseases. Examples include diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, inflammation, cardiovascular disease and – unfortunately – cancer as well [15]. Cancer treatments trigger inflammatory reactions in the body, and chronic, persistent inflammation is a significant factor that promotes the development of tumours.

The anti-inflammatory active compounds in sea buckthorn can neutralise free radicals and thus reduce the negative effects of oxidative stress.

International research is examining how regulating free radicals can help prevent cancer and alleviate the side effects of cancer treatment [12].

Sea buckthorn during radiotherapy (radiation therapy)

The aim of radiotherapy is the destruction of cells in a limited area where the tumour is located. Healthy skin lies above it, and healthy tissue surrounds it. Irradiation causes cells to die or become damaged. The result is a “tissue wound” that triggers an inflammatory reaction. Free radicals and inflammatory messenger substances enter the bloodstream and circulate through the body. As with influenza, the inflammation is not confined to a local area but affects the entire body.

Numerous research reports describe how the anti-inflammatory substances in the sea buckthorn plant can limit the side effects of radiotherapy and radiation therapy, such as burns to healthy skin. The international research on sea buckthorn to date gives hope that the bioactive ingredients of the sea buckthorn plant can alleviate, and perhaps even completely prevent, radiation-induced damage to healthy tissue [16-18].

Both chemotherapy and radiotherapy aim to kill cancer cells. However, these treatments also damage the surrounding tissue. The free radicals produced during treatment are fatal to cancer cells, but they also create a focus of inflammation, and the inflammation spreads throughout the body. Oncologists try to strike a balance between combating the tumour on the one hand and managing side effects and protecting healthy tissue on the other [19].

SANDICCA has made it its mission to advance research, particularly clinical studies, with and for the benefit of patients.

Sea buckthorn during chemotherapy

As with radiotherapy, many chemotherapeutic agents used to treat cancer also cause oxidative stress. They act by generating free radicals, which attack tumour cells but also healthy tissue. However, because antioxidants could protect not only healthy cells but also cancer cells from damage and thereby weaken the effect of cancer treatment, many oncologists believe that antioxidants should be avoided directly during chemotherapy or radiotherapy [20]. This view focuses on the tumour and overlooks the fact that the free radicals and inflammatory substances produced during treatment spread throughout the body, where they may damage healthy tissue and organs rather than the tumour.

There is no dispute among experts that antioxidants can reduce the side effects of chemotherapy or radiotherapy . Studies describe the protective effect on normal tissue as being greater than the impairment of cancer treatment [21]. Because many side effects of cancer treatment appear in areas distant from the tumour, we are committed to a holistic treatment approach that takes both the tumour and its surrounding environment, or the entire body, into account.

IMPORTANT: To avoid overlooking any possible contraindications to using food supplements to support your tumour treatment, you should discuss your intended use with your treating oncologist in advance.

Strengthening the immune system during cancer with sea buckthorn

The vitamin C contained in sea buckthorn contributes to normal energy metabolism and the normal functioning of the nervous and immune systems. Vitamin C and vitamin E help protect cells from oxidative stress.

Chemotherapeutic agents spread throughout the body and also affect healthy cells; immune cells are very often particularly affected. Due to its unique combination of active compounds, sea buckthorn strengthens the immune system like no other plant and supports the body’s defences. A strengthened immune system can fight infections more effectively and prevent or minimise complications that make the course of treatment more difficult.

The immune-active micronutrients in sea buckthorn include, in particular, vitamins C, D, A and E, as well as zinc. Zinc is crucial for the normal development and function of cells involved in the immune response and responding to infections. It helps keep inflammatory reactions in the body in balance and ensures the maintenance of the skin’s barrier function against infectious agents [22].

The bioactive constituents of sea buckthorn and their interaction make the plant a unique source of strength for the immune system.

Cured of cancer, but not healthy

As a rule, the immune system is severely weakened during and after cancer treatment. Constituents of sea buckthorn, such as vitamin C, can contribute to normal energy metabolism and the normal functioning of the nervous and immune systems. Vitamin A supports the body’s immune defences and has a role in cell division. Skin damage caused by radiotherapy can be cared for through the use of vitamin A-containing preparations. Vitamin A is important for cell growth.

Cancer, and cancer treatment in particular, can cause persistent tiredness and lack of energy (fatigue syndrome). The same applies here: vitamin C contributes to normal energy metabolism and the normal functioning of the nervous and immune systems. Vitamin C and vitamin E help protect cells from oxidative stress.

Sea buckthorn for late effects of cancer treatment

Polyphenols, which are abundant in sea buckthorn, have the potential to alleviate inflammation and tissue damage that may occur as late effects of cancer treatment [1, 2, 14, 23].

Because free radicals destroy cancer cells during radiotherapy and chemotherapy but also damage healthy cells, and damaged cells may remain in the body after successful cancer treatment, one of the undesirable long-term consequences is a secondary tumour, which can develop from a cell with damaged DNA.

The preventive effect of long-term intake of antioxidant substances has been investigated for the long-term intake of vitamins A & E (carotenoids, vitamin A, vitamin E). Both vitamins have limited potential to inhibit the development of secondary tumours. However, smokers should not take vitamin A or beta-carotene supplements. There is also evidence that, in smokers, long-term intake of high-dose carotenoids increases tumour risk[24], whereas a protective effect has been described for the polyphenols in sea buckthorn and green tea (kaempferol, quercetin, epicatechin) [25].

Conclusion

Research into sea buckthorn opens up perspectives both for supporting cancer treatment in consultation with the treating doctor and for preventing possible late effects of radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. Taking it on the day of treatment could interact with tumour radiation or certain chemotherapies. Please speak to your treating doctor about whether intake should be paused on these days. 

In view of the physical and psychological challenges faced by cancer patients during and long after successful cancer treatment, sea buckthorn, due to its wealth of bioactive constituents such as polyphenols, vitamins, unsaturated fatty acids and much more, is a strong ally in a difficult life situation such as a cancer diagnosis. The aim of supportive therapy with sea buckthorn is to support patients’ physical and mental well-being, as well as their physical resilience.

The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties may help reduce oxidative damage and inflammatory reactions in the body caused by cancer treatment. In addition, vitamin A supports the body’s immune defences and has a role in cell division—functions that are severely affected by most cancer treatments.

In view of its positive properties, sea buckthorn is a valuable dietary supplement during this phase of life, with potential for supportive adjunctive therapy.

Research is continually expanding our understanding of the diverse effects of sea buckthorn and our knowledge of the plant’s potential health benefits. Sea buckthorn has the potential to significantly improve the quality of life of cancer patients and mitigate the long-term effects of treatment.

SANDICCA GmbH

As a young, innovative company, SANDICCA is involved in current sea buckthorn research with university partners. The results feed into the development of new high-quality products to support male and female cancer patients.

With our two sea buckthorn oils (sea buckthorn pulp oil and sea buckthorn seed oil), as well as the Immuno-Fresh preparations (Fresh Elixir +C and Fresh Elixir Immuno Plus), we already offer solutions to improve quality of life during the demands of cancer treatment. Our mission is to substantiate the potential of traditional medicinal plants using modern scientific methods.

Our goal is to

• support cancer patients during treatment and follow-up care and
• support them after treatment in returning to their well-being.

Cited specialist literature

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Internet sources

https://ak-omega-3.de/

https://www.bfarm.de/SharedDocs/Risikoinformationen/Pharmakovigilanz/DE/RV_STP/m-r/omega-3-fettsaeuren.html

https://www.efsa.europa.eu/de/press/news/120727