Lecture 18

Question 1

How do plants prevent/treat cancer?

Answer 1

Mitotic inhibitors

Question 2

Why do plants have mitotic inhibitors?
A) Increase reproductive success
B) Defence
C) Cure cancer
D) Attract pollinators

Answer 2

B

Question 3

What type of plant is Yew?

Answer 3

Tree/shrub

Question 4

T/F

All parts of the Yew plant are toxic

Answer 4

False - the fleshy seed-coat is not - was used for poisoned arrows

Question 5

T/F

Yew is not used today

Answer 5

False - it’s used in gardens/topiary - is shade resistant

Question 6

How many yew seeds can kill a child?
A) 1
B) 5
C) 10 
D) 90

Answer 6

B

Question 7

T/F

Many societies used yew as a poison

Answer 7

True

Scythians tipped arrows, Celts tipped arrows and did ritual suicides, foraging cultures used it to hunt

Question 8

What is the mechanism of yew toxicity?

Answer 8

Alkaloids = hypotension = heart failure

Question 9

What is the active ingredient yew gave to cancer treatment?

Answer 9

Taxol - it prevents cell division

Question 10

T/F

Yew’s use in cancer treatment is due to ethnobotany

Answer 10

False

Question 11

What is the distribution of yew?

Answer 11

circumboreal

Question 12

In Ayurvedic medicine yew was used for:
A) opening the 3rd eye
B) cancer treatment
C) stimulant 
D) in religious ceremonies
E) All of the above
F) all but C

Answer 12

F

Question 13

T/F

Yew is a symbol of immortality and eternity in Ayurveda

Answer 13

False

In Norse it was

Question 14

T/F

Christian churches have lots of yew trees because they worship them

Answer 14

False

the trees were there first from druid sacred sites that christianity overtook

Question 15

Which cancers is taxol used a treatment for?
A) colon
B) breast
C) lung
D) testicular
E) ovarian

Answer 15

B, C, E

Question 16

What is the Madagascar periwinkle traditionally used for?

Answer 16

Hodgkin’s lymphoma

Ayurveda & traditional Chinese

Question 17

Which alkaloids come from the Madagascar periwinkle?
A) vincristine
B) caffeine
C) vinblastine 
D) all of the above

Answer 17

A & C

Question 18

How does Madagascar periwinkle treat cancer?

Answer 18

Disrupting cell division by inhibiting tubulin

Question 19

What do we use vincristine for in western medicine?

Answer 19

lukemia & lung cancer

Question 20

What do we use vinblastine for in western medicine?

Answer 20

Hodgkin’s lymphoma

Question 21

Where is the mayapple native?

Answer 21

Eastern NA

Question 22

What is mayapple traditionally used for?
A) external cancer
B) internal cancer
C) A&B

Answer 22

A

Question 23

What is the active ingredient in mayflower?

Answer 23

Etoposide & teniposide

Question 24

How does mayflower treat cancer?

Answer 24

inhibits topoisomerase 2 - prevents mitosis continuation

Question 25

``` What cancers is etoposide not used for? A) lung B) all leukemias C) glioblastoma D) testicular cancer ```

Answer 25

B - only non lymphatic leukemias

Question 26

``` Which cancers is teniposide used for? A) lung B) lymphocytic leukemia C) testicular D) ovarian ```

Answer 26

B

Question 27

``` What non-cancer related medical applications are there for mayflower? A) treat HPV B) antiviral C) antitumor D) anti rheumatic ```

Answer 27

All of the above

Question 28

``` What is vitamin B17 used for A) cancer treatment B) antimicrobial C) antioxidant D) anti-inflammatory ```

Answer 28

None of the above - it's cyanide

Question 29

What is the action of cyanide?

Answer 29

Stops cellular respiration

Question 30

What is the best prevention of cancer?

Answer 30

Proper diet & healthy lifestyle

Question 31

How are vegetables beneficial for cancer prevention?

Answer 31

phytochemicals - dithiolthiones (broccoli etc) stimulate liver to destroy carcinogens

Question 32

``` Which tea is the best cancer preventative? A) roibus B) black C) green D) fruit ```

Answer 32

C - green tea has catechizes which prevent metastasis