Researchers from QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute have made an exciting discovery for cancer patients everywhere. A chemical found in a rare plant from Australia has the ability to "eat" cancerous tumors and completely eradicate them within days.
The tumor-eating chemical is found in the seeds of berries of the Blushwood plant. The chemical, which is being called EBC-46, takes three weeks to extract and the process is quite difficult. Experts are even saying that they still don't completely understand why the chemical is in the seed of the Blushwood berry in the first place.
Farming Blushwood in large quantities will also be extremely difficult because it needs the very specific rainforest conditions in North Queensland to thrive. The Atherton Tablelands are currently the only place where the berry grows, but researchers hope to be able to farm the plant someday.
The possible cancer cure is almost too good to be true, and researchers are very optimistic that human trials are not too far on the horizon. So far, treatments using EBC-46 have been used successfully in clinical trials involving pet dogs, cats and horses.
