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Can euphorbia cause cancer?
By DGH | February 25, 2009
Euphorbia milii picture
I got another query from a reader in my other blog about the plant called euphorbia. Her mom is in a very sad condition, but I myself don’t even know if euphorbia plant really causes cancer. Here goes her comment:
is it really true that euphorbia causes cancer?? my mother has a different varieties of that plant. she has now a malignant tumor stage 4 and she undergone operation 2 times from her goiter and to her head. they remove her skull on top of her head because it is already affected by the tumor. but doctor said that these was cause by her goiter. she is now waiting for her next operation and after wards, radioactive therapy and chemo. help me to be enlightened about it because if it is really true, i will destroy all of it..
I can only pray and hope for the best for her mom. =( Say a little prayer for their family after you read this please. May you be blessed!
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Topics: Health & Beauty & Fitness | 26 Comments »
November 5th, 2009 at 7:16 am
nah…thats not true…dont blame the plant!!actually there is a research that this plan has a promoting activity that is responsible in absence of tumor.well this plant has more than 2000 species.can you specify the name of the plant?the name of the plant that ussually seen on the gardens of many people were called milii or crown of thorns in others…..if you have one, dont kill it i will continue my research for you>>:))
January 18th, 2010 at 10:58 am
yeah.. its true.. the plant euphorbia is “MALAS”.. it has a bad spirit.. that causes many sickness.. and can cuase death for the whole family who lives in the house with euphorbia plants.. it is proven.. ive searched about this plant.. that is from the middle east.. one man there that owns that plant .. his family was died becauseof that plant.. after of wat happened to his famiy he decided to destroy it. but before he destroy it a seaman saw it and get one of it.. and that seaman brought it in the phillipines.. it is proven that if you have that plant in your house your family will always get sick.. that sometimes causes death for the whole family.. because that plant grows even you dont watered him.. it is beautiful to see.. but it brings badluck to your life.. so if you dont want bad luck happens to you and to your family.. destroy that plant.. and its better to tell it to your other friends about it.. to prevent the growing numbers of that plant.. im juz a concerned citizen.. thats why im telling you this. its all up to you if your going to beleive it..
May 21st, 2010 at 3:20 am
Is it true that euphorbia plant are not supposed to place in front of the house because according to superstitions they unlucky especially in financial situation or family matters. There cause problems everytime because of the torns.
September 21st, 2010 at 7:14 am
it’s really a big question mark? why in the hell would a plant be a source or caused of cancer? I mean how? what is the logic? well if you are EATING these..maybe! but on a lighter note, I don’t really believe this whole thing. It’s quite weird
November 25th, 2010 at 4:07 pm
Dear thunder, no its not true regarding sup, superstitions are just mind n heart weakness in sense of believe! the more anyone thinks abt it more he associates things (anythng goin wrong) to it. though it may happen without it or may not with it.
June 23rd, 2011 at 12:12 pm
we called it “CANCEROUS PLANT” kasi nga nag c cause siya ng cancer kung sino man ang nag aalaga nito, mga kapitbahay namin meron din mga ganyan pati kami pero may nagsabi samin na MALAS nga daw yun at nag c cause ng CANCER so nag search ako dito sa internet, at ayon nga sa search ko BADLUCK ang halaman na yun, yung kapitbahay namin namatay dahil sa breast cancer super dami niya talagang euphorbia as in, sinabihan na namin siya pero hindi siya nakinig 🙁 hindi naman po masamang maniwala sa mga pamahiin. meron talagang mga pamihiin. concern lang din po ako 🙂
October 6th, 2011 at 6:11 am
There are species of Euphorbia which are linked to certain kinds of cancer, BUT!
-This species is not one of them.
-The kinds of cancer involved do not include brain and thyroid cancer.
-Even the kinds of cancer linked to some Euphorbia species appear to need fairly specific circumstances (infection by a particular common virus, repeated exposure to the Euphorbia sap over a long period of time, living at low altitudes, malaria, and eating a lot of cured fish and meats.
So no, there is no reason to think that Euphorbia milii gave your reader’s mother cancer. (And even if they had, there’s nothing to be gained from destroying a sick woman’s plant collection, unless you want to make her feel worse.)
They also do not cause financial catastrophe, they don’t kill or sicken whole families, they don’t contain evil spirits (or any other kind of spirits, for that matter), and they don’t grow if you stop watering them. Your commenters who say otherwise clearly have no idea how widespread this plant actually is. Believe me, if every family that owned a Euphorbia milii died, sickened, or were financially ruined, you wouldn’t be able to find any for sale.
November 8th, 2011 at 7:23 am
I don’t know what to believe right now regarding the issue of euphorbia causing sickness and bad luck to the family who has it. The fact that Filipino are really superstitious, we can’t blame that. If one has to believe that it causes bad luck, he or she has to destroy those plants after spending a lot of money in collecting different varieties. Is there someone out there who is a feng shui expert? at least in relation to the issue of these plants bringing bad luck.
April 20th, 2014 at 7:35 pm
there are many species of euphorbia in my home but can not cause any problem to my family so i can’t belive this
July 12th, 2014 at 2:05 pm
i will take this as my research topic guys..so that i can give you a correct oppenion..cu
July 14th, 2014 at 9:58 am
All bad comments belong to Pilipino isnt it because theyre nature to believed in superstition.thisnplant milli is hips of thorns so why they called the plant bad luck how about Rose plant they are having big thorns as well.Anyway we should believed in all things it gives good luck better than badbluck
July 19th, 2014 at 10:22 am
The common species of Euphorbia found in household gardens is Euphorbia Milii (Crown of Thorns). Research on mice indicates that it does not cause tumors. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14581170)(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378427403003035). However, its latex is used as a molluscicide (to kill snails). Therefore, to be safe, be cautious while handling this plant.
July 22nd, 2014 at 11:27 pm
We all know smoking causes cancer, dnt we smoke????????????????? Why blaming a beautiful plant…..
July 28th, 2014 at 3:55 pm
Euphorbia tirucalli in africa causes burkits lymphoma which is widespread in african children since they play with the sap…this is the real species ..no othr species of euphorbia dnt harm u ..
August 1st, 2014 at 3:11 pm
I have nearly fifty assorted potted plants of the thorny flowering eurphobia plants in garden so far I have no problems with them as i trim and take cuttings for propagation. However i strongly advice gardeners not to get the thorns pierce your fingers and let the latex drops contact you skin.let it dry a little in the sunlight and the nhandle them even without gloves on.As a keen floriculturist i pay no heed to rumours of cancer causing elements in this plant….so far no bad luck has come to me or to my family .Even in hot summers of April and MAY months it blooms profusely.
August 11th, 2014 at 12:10 pm
Hi,
Dont be so superstitious in life. The Euphorbia is a beautiful plant taht can find a place in your garden if yu can find a space for that. It has thorns and can prick yu if not handled carefuly.But while cutting the stem and leaves avoid contact with the milky plant juice, because it may cause skin irritation, allergy or blisters depending on individuals susceptibility.
It is a known fact many of the this pant species have toxicity in their juices and were used for even as a poison. Many people use them with their madicinal values also. Recently there are reports that some of these plant extracts are use ful for the treatment of cancer, especially some form of skin cancer. One should understand that any madicine has got a capability to attacck the type of virus or bacteria taht is causing the disease. In short the medicine has hot the capability to destroy the cell taht cause the disease.In that process the medicines do harm to the human cells also, in varying dimensions. The same is true with any medicine.If that is accepted, the Euphorbia juice alone can not be blamed as a harmful plant.
One can continue to love that plant with a little precaution to handle them carefully without getting hurt and avoiding exposure to the plant juice.
September 10th, 2014 at 8:42 am
There are many varities of euphorbia in my home.Somebody told to us that it can cause cancer.When my aunty hear these words she became afraid. So she had cutted some euphorbia plants. But i cannot that it can cause cancer. After asking to everybody about whether this plant cause cancer i will cut
September 16th, 2014 at 2:06 pm
i dont think these beautiful innocent plants can cause cancer
if so it would be some other species
if anyone comes know the truth please answer with scientific explanation
September 20th, 2014 at 4:18 am
There r many of euphorbia in my home and everyone is asking 2 get rid of it…
September 23rd, 2014 at 7:35 pm
in the case of euphorbia lot of comments but as far as I am concerned every plant release oxygen and absorb carbondioxide there by makes good health
and benefit to human beings.
July 17th, 2015 at 7:58 am
Hello one and all,
I have been growing *Money Plant* in my siting room for many years and some friends tell me that this plant can cause cancer. Can this be true?
Thanks
Carina
April 12th, 2016 at 5:54 pm
Euphorbia never cause cancer. The sap (milk) of the will cause hypersensitivity (Allergic reaction). In our lab we have found that Euphorbia has antioxidant activity. Moreover in chinese medicine Euphorbia is an anticancer drug.
April 28th, 2016 at 2:18 am
My mom had euphorbias all over her yard. She developed a tumor in her intestine which required surgery. Cancer came back and and spread to her brain. Makes me wonder if her euphorbias/sap killed her?
June 29th, 2016 at 5:00 am
Greetings to all Euphorbia lovers, I am operating a euphorbia nursery in Fiji islands and have over 50 varieties of Euphorbia Milli. I have been blessed with very good health and have been thriving financially since I started my nursery. I do now have any ill health due to this plant and no bad luck so far so all I can say is continue to enjoy this lovely plant and do not feel threatened by words of peculations. Yes the truth is that smoking causes cancer, alcohol causes cancer not a plant which can beautify your home.
September 20th, 2016 at 4:25 am
y these people afraid to die, any sickness that will occur into our body is just your responsibilities not to blame any plants that one of Gods creation.If you don’t take care your health then more symptoms of illness you will get and feel to your body. Most of our food in take today are not safe because of chemicals use. so we should responsible to choose what should food will eat that fit to our health.
May 4th, 2017 at 5:47 am
It’s nt true at all.