Milkweed (euphorbia peplus)

What is milkweed?

Two different genus of plant are called milkweed, and this causes confusion. If you search for milkweed
in Wikipedia, the result is asclepias, a genus of herbaceous perennial plants that contain over 140 known
species, all of which have a milky sap. This is NOT the plant used as a remedy by Grow Youthful.

The milkweed referred to in this article is euphorbia peplus, which Wikipedia also refers to as milkweed.
E. peplus is also known as petty spurge, radium weed and cancer weed. It is native to most of Europe,
northern Africa and western Asia. It is now found in most countries in temperate and sub-tropical regions
including in Australia, New Zealand and North America, where it is regarded as an invasive noxious
weed. Milkweed typically grows in cultivated arable land, gardens, and other disturbed land.

E. peplus is an annual plant with a height of 5-30 cm (2-12"). It has smooth hairless stems with a
pink/red/purple tinge. The 1-3 cm long leaves are oval shaped, and it has green flowers.

Milkweed as a remedy / treatment

The plant's sap is toxic, especially to rapidly-replicating human tissue. The sap has long been used as a
traditional remedy for skin lesions including cancer, skin cancers such as basal cell carcinoma,
intraepidermal carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, and keratosis (especially actinic keratosis). It is
also used for warts, corns, sunspots and other skin blemishes.
Pharmaceutical companies have identified and synthesised some of the active ingredients in milkweed.
Their milkweed look-alike is called ingenol mebutate. Studies testing the effectiveness of ingenol
mebutate for the treatment of actinic keratosis are promising (1,2). However, I would strongly prefer to
use genuine milkweed as the traditional, natural remedy for keratosis and skin cancers. The real herb is
free if you grow it in your garden, and pharmaceutical drugs always come with additional side-effects.

A study (3) using real milkweed sap showed remarkable success in treating and healing various skin
cancers. The sap was applied for three days, once per day. Quoting PMID: "The complete clinical
response rates at 1 month were 82% (n = 28) for BCC, 94% (n = 16) for IEC and 75% (n = 4) for SCC.
After a mean follow-up of 15 months these rates were 57%, 75% and 50%, respectively. For superficial
lesions < 16 mm, the response rates after follow-up were 100% for IEC (n = 10) and 78% for BCC (n =
9)".

How to use milkweed

Cut off a small piece of stem from the plant. After a few seconds, a drop of milky-coloured sap will
appear on the cut. Apply it directly onto the skin lesion.

Apply the sap twice per day. This is not a hard and fast rule - please let everyone know of your
experience applying it in any other way.

You may need to apply the milkweed sap for between 2 to 7 days.

A typical sequence of healing is listed below. Obviously it will vary a lot, depending on what you are
treating, the severity, your state of health and age, and other conditions.
Day 1: Redness surrounding the lesion, sometimes mild localised pain.
Days 2-3: Swelling, red area spreads. There may be some level of pain from the lesion.
Days 4-5: lesion may ooze or form a crater.
Day 6. Lesion starts to dry, no pain, there may be some itching.
Day 7. Scab starts to form.
Days 7-10. Scab heals and falls off.

Do not pick at the scab that forms. It will delay healing, may cause infection, and may cause a scar. It is
tempting to pick but let it come off on its own.

Keratosis. When treating keratoses, on day 4 erythema (redness), flaking/scaling and crusting may peak.
Warnings:

 The first time you use it only use a tiny dot of the sap, to see how you react and how the lesion
reacts.
 Take care not to get the sap in your eyes. It can even cause blindness.
 Do not apply it to healthy skin.
 Do not spread it with your finger. Spreading it widely will cause swelling and inflammation.
 The lesion should be clean before you apply the sap. No skin cream etc.

Copyright © 2003-2015 David Niven Miller

Milkweed (euphorbia peplus)

www.growyouthful.com
Ailment: Keratosis Remedy: Milkweed (euphorbia peplus)
Milkweed (euphorbia peplus). Description, pictures/images, where to find it, Milkweed as a traditional
home remedy / treatment for actinic keratosis, other keratoses, skin cancers, basal cell carcinoma,
squamous cell carcinoma. How to use it, application, warnings.

Comment posted by Luna of Granite bay, CA, USA on 7 August 2015 at 7:39       3593
I used milkweed 1x a day for 3 days to treat a tenacious bcc on my shin that had recurred 3 times over 8
years after conventional treatment (liquid nitrogen, curettage, Aldara). So far, after 15 months no
recurrence. Have also used it to successfully treat several AK's on my face. Treatment reactions pretty
much as stated on this site. Painless and convenient and free!

Comment posted by Bob of SF Bay Area, CA, USA on 14 December 2014 at 14:21       3094
I was prescribed Picato by my dermatologist as a preventive measure for AKs. At USD$700 for 3 very
tiny tubes I just could afford it. After doing some research I learned that active ingredient is Imgenol
Menutate or the sap found in the Euphorbia Peplus. I am lucky that my yard in Northern California is full
of these little weeds. I applied it the same way that Picato is supposed to be used. I apply a few drops of
sap and with a wet finger rub it over an area about 3"x 3" or half my forehead. I do this once a day for
three days. Leave on for 6 hours. The healthy cells will get red like a sunburn and possible itch or burn a
little but if you have any precancer or cancer you will know it after day 1. The sap will attack the cancer
and you'll notice a reaction and then by day 3 a scab. Your normal skin might peel a little and the scab
will fall off. I have used the sap on my arm and various parts of my face with very good results. Cautions:
When using it on your face test small area first to check your reaction. Keep AWAY from eyes & mouth

Comment posted by Ian of Logan, Qld, Australia on 17 March 2014 at 17:40       2403
I had a BCC (basal cell carcinoma) just below one eye that was scheduled for excision and skin graft, not
happy, I applied Milkweed from the garden, once only, normal reaction and according to the skin clinic I
visit, it completely removed the BCC. I did wash my eyes on about the second day which must have
moved some into my eye accidentally and had excruciating pain and thought it might blind me, so I rinsed
continually for between 15 and 30 minutes. The pain very slowly receded. Take care and do not get it in
your eyes.

Comment posted by Iris of Hibiscus Coast, Auckland, New Zealand on 18 February 2014 at 7:6       2331
I have been using this milkweed for a few years. I have a lot of DSAP on my arms and legs so find it
difficult to find enough milkweed. Last year I tried it on my face putting it on for about a week, it came
up red and into a crust. When the crust was completely gone my cheek was lovely and smooth. I have just
used it on my other cheek but only for 4days. it is at the crust stage. It not only clears up skin conditions, I
tried it last year on the quick of my finger. The nail was growing out deformed. It would form a hard
piece on the quick and was excruciatingly sore especially if I bumped it. When i could pull off the sore bit
it was good but then would form another scab. The Dr said it was the root and the only thing he could do
was pull out the nail. I decided to try milkweed not really thinking it would work being the root but I have
not had the sore scab since although the nail is still deformed. you could say I am inclined to swear by it
for any skin problem.

Comment posted by David Niven Miller of Perth, WA, Australia on 1 November 2012 at 15:14       790
Milkweed euphorbia peplus is an effective treatment for actinic keratosis. I have a friend who used it to
successfully remove an actinic keratosis, and warts.
Another friend who used milkweed for the first time - he put a few drops of sap above his eyebrow, and
rubbed it in with his finger. That night the entire side of his face swelled up, and his eye was swollen
closed. It took two days for the swelling to subside. To his credit, he continued to use it in much smaller
doses, following the instructions at the link on the top of this page. Again, milkweed was successful in
removing a variety of keratoses. He also used it with success to treat basal cell carcinoma and squamous
cell carcinoma.
http://www.radiumweed.com.au/

Radium Weed
 About the Herb
 History
 Why it Works
 Grow & Use
 Buy the Seed

Euphorbia peplus

Euphorbia peplus, commonly known in Australia as Radium weed or milkweed, or cancer weed is classed
as a non-invasive weed, and most probably was introduced to Australia by European settlers in the early
1800s for its historical medicinal use as a purgative

Some folklore suggested that the irritant sap was applied to warts, corns, waxy growths, sun cancers and
rodent ulcers, but this is hard to qualify this absolutely.

Personally

My own introduction to the weed was through my Granfather who, having skin that was more suited to
his home country of Scotland suffered with consistant outbreaks of basal cell carcinoma's, commonly
referred to by many of his generation as 'sunspots'.
This treatment became a tradition in our family as my mother and consequently myself, inherited these
genetic traits.

I have been using the sap, as the need arose, for well over 20 years and have found it a clean, convenient
and extremely effective treatment with no adverse reactions and no scarring, but occassionally there is a
pigmentation change in the area as a reminder.

General information

It's native origins of Radium Weed are a little obscure and it may well have originated in the northern
Mediterranian region but it is now so widespread throughout the world that it can be found in most
gardens.

Radium weed is not classified as a noxious weed in any Australian State. It grows rapidly, self seeds
easily and it is wonderfully suitable for anyone to grow in even the smallest home garden.

 Questions & Answers

Go To Top
About the Herb and where it came from

Radium weed is not classified as a noxious weed in any Australian State. It grows rapidly, self seeds
easily and it is wonderfully suitable for anyone to grow in even the smallest home garden.
It's native origins are a little obscure and it may well have originated in the northern Mediterranian region
but it is now so widespread throughout the world that it can be found in most gardens.

The Euphorbiaceae family covers a wide variety of plants (almost 2000) including herbs, trees and slow-
growing succulents.
When the stems are cut, many members exude a milky sap (latex) which has an unpleasant taste and is
toxic when ingested in significant quantities.
Such chemical properties, combined with the presence of thorns on some species are probably useful to
protect the plant from grazing in the arid regions of the world where many of the family originate.
The presence of so many members of the Milkweed family, all producing the characteristic milky sap, is
the first reason for caution when selecting the weed for use as a treatment.
Euphorbia peplus is the only member of the family that exhibits exactly the right chemical combination,
to be useful in the treatment of BCC's and SCC's.
Most of the sap bearing plants that are related to it are toxic or caustic and can be extremely harmful to
the human animal.
Wild harvesting can be very dangerous, even if it only from the next door neighbour's garden.
Growing your own, from guaranteed seed is the safest way to produce the most benificial result.

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The Research

Basal cell carcinomas (BCC) and Squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) are the most common human cancers,
and most Australians will develop one or more BCC or SCC during their lifetimes.
Mortality from melanoma is about 50% in the state of Queensland.
As of 2009 the treatment of non-melanoma skin cancer costs over $200 million dollars in Australia,
making it a very expensive cancer.
Western countries with less UV flux than Australia also have high incidences of non-melanoma skin
cancer, due to our love of the outdoors.
In the US, the annual cost of non-melanoma skin cancer has been estimated at US$3.5 billion.
Growing your own remedy is obiviously a simple, reliable method of treating these skin cancers.

There are a few points that need to be applied when using the raw sap.

1. When plucking the stems to extract sap, choose the small stems first.
2. Do not allow the sap to get onto your fingers as it smears everywhere you touch and is very
uncomfortable on lips or eyes.
3. Apply the sap only to the most prominent tissue. It's caustic action will only irriate non cancerous skin
and will not prevent an eruption.
4. Do not overtreat. Once or twice per day is enough.
5. Allow your plants to self seed our you will not have continual supply.

While there are some mentions of Euphorbia peplus in historical texts, there seems to be very little actual use of
the herb to treat cancers of any kind. Homeopathically, the herb has been used for over 100 years, but not
necessarily to treat cancerous growths.

The activity of the raw sap seem to lie in the in macrocyclic diterpenes of three families.

These are Ingenane, Pepluane and Jatrophane.

Pepluane and jatrophane are unusual molecules with unusual structure and they are reported to be non-
inflammatory.
Ingenane, on the other hand is responsible for the irritant properties of the raw sap.

Over 70% of current pharmaceuticals are natural products or have been developed from a natural product
lead.
It is not 'alternative' to look to the plant world for treatment, it is really quite normal. Plant based
medicine is mainstream.
E.peplus is one of many plants in the Euphorbiaceae family that has been extensively used as a home
remedy for skin cancer for at least the last 100 years.

Unfortunately, most of the focus of attention on Euphorbia peplus has been to isolate the active
constituents for large scale and highly commercial production of the remedy and secure the ownership of
the active principles.

Intellectual property surrounding the use of ingenane, jatrophanes and pepluane as anti-neoplastic
differentiation control agents are the subject of patent application No. PCT/AU98/00656 and are the
property of Peplin Biotech Pty Ltd.

Regardless of the success of the patent applications and the ability to isolate or synthisize the components,
the plant itself continues to grow and be useful in it's native form.
Available to anyone with a little patch of dirt in which to thrive.

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Growing your own treatment

From many conversations with other sufferers, I have concluded that only foolish behaviour concerning
the use of the herb has resulted in unwanted effects.
Generally, once someone decides to begin to use the herb, it is impatience and a frantic desire to cure
everything at once that is the stumbling block.
If you can slow down your enthusiasm and carefully treat one BCC at a time, cleanly and sensibly, it will
be effective and safe.

Once you are confident that you have the genuine herb, it is straightforward to grow and use.

Contrary to much published information, Radium weed will grow in full sun as well as part shade.

A shady area will produce a taller plant with softer branch tissue and a deeper green colour.

Full sun produces a sturdier plant, lighter in colour, often shorter and higher in sap content.

In most temperate climates it will grow throughout the year but does best in full summer if it is watered
often.

The seed is best sown into loosly raked soil, covered lightly and then just left to germinate in it's own
time.
The plant reaches full maturity in 3 months, so buying a potted plant is not the best alternative as often it
will be 'past' it's best time.
Always allow some plants to remain untouched to ensure that self seeding can occur.

The root system is fine and dense but not deep, so water frequently but not heavily.
Remember that the plants are always happier without too much attention.

In temperate climates, the plant will happily grow during all seasons, but in areas where cold winters and
snow are common it can be grown under lights, indoors.

It will need at least 8 - 10 hours of light per day or it will become thin and 'leggy' thus producing too few
branches to be of any great use.

Water well and often but allow the pot to drain well. They are not 'bog plants'.

Radium weed thrives in slightly to very alkaline soil, and the sandier the better.

It does not need fertilizer but the ocassional seaweed emulsion will keep it happy.

As a weed, it enhances the soil, rather than consume as do most agri-crops.

Do not mulch the plant as this will cause weak stems and make it struggle.

 
Go To Top
If you want to buy the seed

To grow your own Radium Weed

Packet of 30 seeds - including packing and postage (Registered Post only in Australia) $9.50 AU

Packet of 60 seeds - including packing and postage (Registered Post only in Australia) $12.50 AU

Packet of 90 seeds - including packing and postage (Registered Post only in Australia) $16.50 AU

Bulk buy seeds 1 gram packet -aprox 1,600 fresh seeds, - including packing and postage (Registered Post
only in Australia) $150.00 AU

International Registered Post/ Essential for Bulk seed purchase outside Australia $7.50 AU

If you would like to buy 'The Little Radium Weed Book' to read more about using and growing the herb,
it is available as a single download as either an epub or pdf, or both if you wish, optimized for mobile
devices.

For the complete herb and seed shopping experience, visit our new (easy search) site which combines all
herb seed and plant purchases in one cart....(click here)

Questions and Answers:

Q1.Go To Top EXCELLENT idea to add the Petty Spurge Information Site to beautanicals.com.au
It helps the customer and saves you time/typing. That said...er...I have yet another question, but it's
something you may wish to add to your Info page (I rationalize that I'm actually "helping" you by
asking...[cringe]).
I assume nearly all buyers of Petty Spurge seeds plant them for medicinal purposes, and Petty Spurge is
an annual with a limited life span. I want to stagger two plantings to ensure that mature plants are always
available. Is that possible? I've been researching online, but still don't understand the life cycle of the
plant. I need to know:
What is the expected life span of the plant?
A1. Typical lifespan depends heavily on how frequently the plant is harvested for sap. If left untouched,
life span is usually 5-6 months. With frequent harvesting, lifespan can be increased by one month, (aprox)
The plants begin to die when their seed crop is mature. So, best practice is keep one plant aside (not
harvested for sap) always as your self seed producer.

Q2. Is the life span based on a particular growing season? Or is it a fixed number of months? I'll grow
them in planters indoors during the winter, and also wheel them outdoors in temperate Spring, Summer
and Fall.
A2. Test the first lot of seed for germination time and allow one month between plantings.

Q3. In brief: If first planting is at September 1, when should second planting occur? Best regards and
thanks,
Tom Burgess
A3. The time from planting to germination will depend on day length, so indoors is anyone's guess
initially. You can begin breaking small stems for sap when the plants are quite young (3 inches high), just
don't snap the main stem, only branches, at any stage of the plants growth. I hope this helps.

So, second planting should occur on November 1 + germination period.

Q4. Hi - I got some petty spurge seeds from you and have had great success with them in a pot. Now that
winter is approaching, in Idaho (USA) I wonder what I can do to get through the winter. Can I simply
leave the pot out in the cold or should I bring it indoors and take it out for watering and sun on mild
winter days? Hate to bother you but I can't get any answers here in Idaho. Many thanks, Den

A4. If bringing them in is convenient, then please do so as your chances of getting them to self seed are
higher, the longer they live. We recommend always leaving one plant untouched, (if you can stop
yourself) to allow for good seed formation. The seed will quite naturally fall and will germinate in the
same pot easily, so that you always have a goodly supply of plants. We get frost in winter and the plants
do survive, but it is safest not to risk it until you are confident that you have sufficient plants to fill your
needs.

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