Artemisinin, a substance derived from wormwood that is used to treat malaria in China, reacts with iron to produce 'free radicals' -- toxic compounds that can destroy cells.
Because cancer cells take up more iron than do normal cells, they should be more susceptible to the toxic effects of artemisinin, Dr. Henry Lai from the University of Washington in Seattle, and colleagues reasoned. In an earlier study, Lai's team showed that, in fact, this was true.
High Tech Twist to Ancient Drug Kills Cancer
