What is essiac?

Essiac is an herbal formula made from eight powdered herbs - Wild Turkey Rhubarb Root, Sheep Sorrel, Slippery Elm Bark, Burdock Root, Watercress, Kelp, Red Clover, and Blessed Thistle. The herbs are harvested, powdered, and mixed per the Rene Caisse formula. The powdered mix is then brewed into a tea and consumed (usually cold).

Each of the herbs in essiac have certain properties that help the body in different ways. A brief description of each is shown below:
Blessed Thistle: Blessed Thistle is reported to have an antibiotic effect that stimulates and cleanses the digestive system. It may also help the body reduce the side-effects of chemotherapy, without interfering with the chemo drugs.
Burdock Root: Used by itself, burdock is frequently used as a digestive and appetite aid, due to its bitter stimulation of the digestive juices and bile secretion. Among the conditions it has been used to treat are anorexia nervosa, kidney ailments, cystitis, boils, styes, sores, rheumatism, gout, sciatica, and a variety of skin conditions. It removes excess fluid from the body. It is also a source of chromium, magnesium, silicon, and thiamine.
Kelp: Kelp is high in iodine and trace minerals, and supports proper thyroid gland function and metabolism.
Red Clover: Red Clover is used to purify the blood. It is also used as an expectorant and as an anti-spasmodic, and provides relief from coughs and bronchitis. It is frequently combined with both yellow dock and burdock to treat skin eruptions and other skin conditions.
Red clover is a source of many valuable nutrients including calcium, chromium, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, thiamine, and vitamin C. Red clover is also considered to be one of the richest sources of isoflavones (water-soluble chemicals that act like estrogens and are found in many plants).
The isoflavones isolated from red clover have been studied for their effectiveness in treating some forms of cancer. It is thought that the isoflavones prevent the proliferation of cancer cells and that they may even destroy cancer cells. Laboratory and animal studies have found that red clover isoflavones may protect against the growth of breast cancer cells.
Sheep Sorrel: Sheep Sorrel breaks down foreign tissue masses (such as tumors) and toxic deposits in the body, and stimulates the body's immune system. It is extremely high in vitamin and mineral content. It also relieves inflammation.
Slippery Elm Bark: Slippery Elm Bark strengthens and soothes mucous membranes, and dissolves excess mucous in organs, tissue, lymph glands, and nerve channels. It also aids in waste elimination, and lubricates bones and joints. It has been used to treat digestive system conditions such as gastritis, diarrhea, ulcers, and colitis, and other conditions such as hemorrhoids, vaginitis and various skin conditions.
Turkey Rhubarb Root: Rhubarb Root has a purgative action that is excellent in treating constipation, and an astringent effect that enables intestinal cleansing. It has the ability to remove intestinal debris, and has antiseptic properties.
Watercress: Watercress is a rich natural source of phenylethylisothiocyanate (PEITC), which gives the plant its unique peppery flavor.
Scientific studies have shown that PEITC has the ability to kill cancer cells and prevent cancer-causing agents from being metabolized into carcinogens and to stimulate enzymatic activity involved in detoxification of carcinogens.
In the 1990s, a human dietary trial involving watercress and smokers demonstrated that smokers eating 2 oz of watercress with each meal were protected from a key carcinogen (NKK) associated with tobacco and implicated in lung cancer.
Watercress also contains methylsulphinylalkyl glucosinolate, a precursor of a range of methylsulphinylalkyl isothiocyanates (MEITC) – more usually found in broccoli and Brussel sprouts, and that together these compounds formed a more potent anti cancer weapon.
In addition to each herb's properties, the combined herbs seem to have a synergistic effect that may help the body reduce or eliminate cancerous tumors and may provide relief from a variety of conditions, including arthritis, fibromyalgia and diabetes.