University of Windsor biochemistry professor Siyaram Pandey speaks during a press conference at the school on Tuesday, February 18, 2020, regarding his research group and the ongoing project on the anti-cancer effects of dandelion root extract.Dan Janisse / Windsor Star

A University of Windsor research team whose dandelion root cancer cure-all fell short of human testing has its sights set on a clinical trial for another natural treatment.

Joined by students whove studied the cancer-fighting properties of lemon grass extract, biochemistry professor Dr. Siyaram Pandey announced on Tuesday an Indian food extract company has pledged $1 million to test a lemon grass supplement on humans in conjunction with chemotherapy treatments.

Before that can happen, Pandey said, his lab must determine the lemon grass product reduces cancer activity, has no toxicity, and has no negative interaction with chemotherapy drugs work the company, Synthite, has given $70,000 to.

Im not saying its going to cure everything, he said. But some patient in India who received the supplement in conjunction with chemotherapy outside the pending clinical trial ended up in remission after having low chances of such a successful outcome, he said.

Rodent tumours studied in Pandeys lab also saw a size reduction when given lemon grass extract at the same time as chemotherapy drugs.

Despite positive lab results and anecdotal cases for dandelion root extract as a cancer treatment, that projects funding body, Advanced Orthomolecular Research Canada, decided not to fund the research teams drug on drug interaction research.

University of Windsor biochemistry professor Siyaram Pandey speaks during a press conference at the school on Tuesday, February 18, 2020, regarding his research group and the ongoing project on the anti-cancer effects of dandelion root extract.Dan Janisse / Windsor Star

I am a bit frustrated, because Im going uphill convincing the doctors. Doctors think it is a snake oil. This time I am really happy with oncologists so strongly supporting (us), Pandey said

If the lemon grass product does well as a supplement in the clinical trial, it is possible Pandey and his team could, in the future, shift focus onto lemon grass extract as a natural, non-toxic treatment to replace chemotherapy.

The group is also studying white tea, rosemary, long pepper and Lakshmi Taru for potential cancer treating properties.

Univeristy of Windsor science alumnus Lokanth Chawla pledged $100,000 to the teams cancer research on Tuesday. The 71-year-old presented a cheque for $50,000 and said he would give a second cheque in August.

Maybe after 20, 30 years you know how many people hes going to be helping? Chawla said. My mother died badly, with chemo and radiation. Thats the reason Im doing this.

The group began its work with dandelion root extract in 2010, funded in part by the family of Kevin Couvillion, who died that year at the age of 26 after a three-year battle with myeloid leukemia. The dandelion root research was named in his honour. Pandey and his changing team of students provide an update on their research each year on Couvillons birthday, Feb. 18.

More than 60 students have participated in Pandeys anti-cancer research since 2010, he said. Some of them have gone on to become doctors and pharmacists.

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University of Windsor biochemistry professor Siyaram Pandey speaks during a press conference at the school on Tuesday, February 18, 2020, regarding his research group and the ongoing project on the anti-cancer effects of dandelion root extract.Dan Janisse / Windsor Star

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University of Windsor researchers test lemon grass extract in cancer treatment - Windsor Star