Non-Surgical Herbal or Home Remedies for Tongue Cancer

Tongue cancer begins with the formation of squamous cells on the tongue. This in turn leads to tumor growth, and from there the cancer can spread to other areas of the mouth. Some lifestyle choices that may contribute to a person getting tongue cancer are smoking cigarettes, a pipe or cigars; using snuff, chewing tobacco and other tobacco products; or heavy alcohol drinking. Those afflicted with the disease sometimes turn to herbal or nonsurgical home remedies.

Effectiveness

• Medical evidence is unclear as to how effective herbal and home remedies are in combatting cancer. Proponents of herbal remedies generally tout their prevantative qualities rather than their healing properties, although some are marketed as tongue cancer treatments.

Sea Buckthorn Berries

• Sea buckthorn berries can be purchased online or at some health food stores. They are an anti-inflammatory that help to improve immune function as well as help to heal mucous membranes. This may be why they are marketed as a treatment for tongue and other types of oral cancer. The recommendation is to consume half a cup of sea buckthorn berries daily for four months.

Grape Seed

• Grape seed, like the grapes it comes from, contains antioxidants which are helpful to the body because they destroy free radicals that create the cellular damage than can lead to cancer. Since free radicals can initiate cancer cell production, grape seed can be helpful when it comes to treating cancer. In the Jan. 1, 2009, issue of "Clinical Cancer Research," Dr. Xianglin Shi of the Graduate Center for Toxicology at the University of Texas, found that grape seed extract eliminates laboratory leukemia cells by forcing them to kill themselves. To implement this herbal treatment, crush 50 grams of grape seed into a paste. Add the paste to 250 milliliters of water and boil it for 30 minutes. Strain the paste out and then drink 15 milliliters of the leftover liquid twice a day for six months. Grape seed can be purchased at a health food store or online.

Bitter Gourd Juice

• Bitter gourd juice, which can be purchased online or in a health food store, is also called bitter melon juice. Bitter gourd juice is used to treat oral cancers, including tongue cancer. Treatment calls for taking a tablespoon of bitter gourd juice twice a day for five months.