JOHANNESBURG - Lessertia frutescens, known as cancer bush or kankerbos, could be a game-changer for cancer treatment.
Researchers report that the plant has shown positive results against aggressive, drug-resistant cancer cells.
This indigenous plant has been used in traditional medicine for generations.
Professor Chrisna Gouws said studies are continuing.
"The next step is to confirm our results that we have in the lab with animal studies, and then we are working towards a complementary medicine that can be used by people without a prescription.
“But getting towards a targeted treatment is still a long way off, because you need to identify single compounds with the activity and it's a very complex plant. But we hope to have a commercial product ready for supportive treatment by next year,” Gouws said.