Baby's breath may help cure cancer

SOUTHHAMPTON, England, April 29 (UPI) -- Extract from the baby's breath flower may improve the efficiency of anti-leukemia drugs by up to 1 million times, a British doctor says.

"I am usually careful about the words I use with things like this but this discovery could truly revolutionize the way these antibody-based drugs work and it will save lives," Dr. David Flavell said of the findings by researchers with Leukemia Busters, the charity he and his wife started following the leukemia death of their son.

"And this doesn't just apply to leukemia. There is a really big possibility this can be used for many cancers too."

The Sun reported Thursday clinical trials, which could take three to five years, are being prepared.

The researchers say molecules called saponins from Gypsophila paniculata, the small, white-blossomed flower commonly known as baby's breath, appeared in trials to break down the membrane of cancer cells, making it much easier for drugs to attack the cancer, the British tabloid said.

"This is a potentially very important discovery that could allow us to kill leukemia cells in the patient much more effectively with much lower doses of immunotoxin," The Daily Telegraph quoted Flavell as saying. "The challenge now is to establish how best to apply this laboratory discovery to the treatment of patients.

"We are all excited at the major advance this could represent for immunotoxin treatments for leukemia.

"We still need to do laboratory-based work to further develop this discovery into a practical and safe treatment for patients and money is the key to achieving this."