Got a Question?

Ask a question and get help from fellow gardeners:

common milkweed or euphorbia peplus

Author:		Stephen Harsh
Date:		6/18/2008 2:01:22 PM

I have heard and read a little about these two weeds (or are they one in the same) used in skin cancer trials etc.
Could you please let me know where I can find them (nurseries, wild ) as I wish to personally try their curative effects topically only. Thanks

Reply by christopher durant on 8/3/2008 6:46:43 AM

The plant is worldwide but In England its quite hard to find between January and May. There are some excellent pictures of it on the net so recognition should be easy. Typically plants are 5" high but we've got some 8" ones growing on our compost heap.

I've used peplus euphorbia sap on my own Actinic Keratosis (AK) with complete success. I have recently treated my Father who is 97 and had several large Squamous Cell Carcinoma in (SCC) and these have either cleared up completely or are in the process of doing so. We are all delighted because the only alternative was surgery with skin grafting. My Father had had two previous operations on SCC and was very resistant to going under the knife once again.

I learnt of this plants effectiveness in May 2005 (New Scientist) and had been waiting for Peplin to complete trials of their topical gel, however I got fed up with waiting and one of my Father's SCCIS had reached 1" diameter and was growing quickly. After a successful trial on my ear and cheek we went ahead and are very pleased we did.

To treat the AK, BCC or SCC (not melanoma) just squeeze out the milky resin directly on the cancer. Give it a good dose but try and avoid getting it on the normal surrounding skin. AK will react quite quickly with distinct reddening. BCC and SCC will take longer and if there is no reaction within a day or so, hit it with another dose. When it does react the BCC and SCC will become rather mucky as the cancer dies. In my Father's case we bathed the area with warm saline, it then scabbed over and when the scab came off there was new skin and it was clean as a whistle.

Reply by kevin klingner on 7/9/2008 2:02:22 PM

i have done some reseach on this milk weed or common spurge latin euphorbia peplus.it is indeed very common plant.it grows in almost all gardens and around old ruins.loves a dampish shady spot.You should have no trouble gettingplants from established gardeners or even from nurseries as on many occassions the aforesaid weed has come home in pots of plants it is said to be great in the cure of warts as well.i suspect all the euphorbias have this benefit.