Chinese 'Thunder God Plant' may be able to crush cancer

Scientists believe that a plant called 'Thunder God Vine', which has been used in Chinese medicine for centuries, may offer a cure for pancreatic cancer.

Boffins from University of Minnesota's Masonic Cancer Center has been testing a drug called Minnelide, which is extracted from the 'Thunder God Vine', and on Thursday they presented their results in the Science Translational Medicine, according to The Register. According to BusinessWeek, the drug may soon be tested in humans, after it was able to wipe out pancreatic tumors that were found in mice. According to Fox, the only drug that is currently available to treat the cancer only increases the life expectancy by six weeks. The team who developed the drug is hoping that the FDA will give the approval to start human trials soon. They are hoping that they will be able to start by next spring.