Protecting your patients after asbestos exposure - natural detoxification methods to protect against cancer - Brief Article - Editorial

Alternative Medicine Review, Oct, 2001 by Kathi Head

In the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks on the United States, both Americans and many people abroad have searched their hearts and minds for ways they can help in the healing process. As our society grapples with recovering from the initial trauma, the news from ground zero in New York City, the site of the World Trade Center, is disturbing. As Peter Chowka writes in the September 15th issue of NaturalHealthLine, "The destruction of the World Trade Center killed thousands of people outright but the danger may not be over for additional numbers of people because of exposure to tons of asbestos and other toxic substances that the buildings' collapse released into the environment."

While the full extent of the environmental impacts of the NYC attack may not be apparent for some time to come, early reports on air quality at ground zero were not reassuring. Among the toxins identified in the air near the World Trade Center site is asbestos, one of the most toxic and carcinogenic substances. Although reports differ about the actual extent of asbestos contamination in the air, it should be noted that even minute amounts of asbestos can result in problems ranging from acute effects of asbestosis to more long-term consequences including heightened risk of lung, esophagus, stomach, and colon cancers. At greatest risk are the thousands of rescue workers on the scene. But lower levels of toxins may be dangerous, as well, for people further from the site or to families of rescue workers whose clothing is contaminated.

As health care practitioners, we can play an important role in helping to prevent some of these potentially dangerous health consequences for people who survived the attacks and who live in the area. While most of us do not have patients in lower Manhattan, most of us probably know people who either live or work in New York City and the surrounding suburbs.

A MEDLINE search for information regarding potential preventive measures yielded some encouraging results. While the only primary prevention is avoidance or use of proper protective masks and clothing, nutritional and herbal supplementation may provide a secondary level of prevention by decreasing the carcinogenic potential of inhaled asbestos. While the pathogenesis of asbestos toxicity is not fully understood, it appears that reactive oxygen and nitrogen species generated by the fibers is a factor and that the endogenous antioxidant, glutathione, plays a key role in decreasing the carcinogenic potential of asbestos. Inhalation of asbestos as well as other fibers has been found to significantly decrease glutathione and its associated enzymes, as well as vitamin C, in the lung lining fluid. (1,2) In a study, N-acetylcysteine was found to protect animals from asbestos-induced oxidative damage and increase depleted glutathione levels. (3) Another animal study found vitamin C, added to drinking water, significantly inhibited the development of mesothelial and pleural tumors induced by asbestos exposure. (4) It is possible that other nutrients that increase glutathione levels such as lipoic acid, glutamine, and vitamin E might also provide a benefit. Because the primary site of inflammation is the lungs, a nebulized form of glutathione may also be beneficial.

Green tea may also offer some protection. Both in vitro (5) and animal studies (6) have found green tea may provide protective effects from asbestos toxicity. In the animal study, asbestos-exposed rats given two-percent green tea in drinking water had a 16-percent decreased risk of developing lung cancer, and survival time was longer in the rats that did develop cancer. The researchers wrote that the free radical scavenging and metal chelating effects of green tea catechins were responsible for the beneficial effects.

Lifestyle factors may play an important role, as well. Cigarette smoke appears to potentiate the effects of asbestos, at least in part by enhancing the binding of fibers to epithelial surfaces. (7) On the flip side, epidemiological studies suggest that diets high in the carotene-containing foods carrots and tomatoes appear to decrease the risk for mesothelioma, the primary type of lung cancer associated with asbestos exposure. (8)

While the environmental impacts represent only a small part of this unprecedented tragedy, helping to prevent the potential sequelae by arming our friends, family, and patients with information is something that we as health care practitioners can do.

We at Thorne Research wish to extend our deepest sympathies to the victims of the September 11th attacks on the United States.

References

(1.) Brown DM, Beswick PH, Bell KS, Donaldson K. Depletion of glutathione and ascorbate in lung lining fluid by respirable fibres. Ann Occup Hyg 2000;44:101-108.

(2.) Abidi P, Afaq F, Arif JM, et al. Chrysolite-mediated inblanace in the glutathione redox system in the development of pulmonary injury. Toxicol Lett 1999; 106:31-39.

(3.) Afaq F, Abidi P, Rahman Q. N-acetyl L-cysteine attenuates oxidant-mediated toxicity induced by chrysolite fibers. Toxicol Lett 2000; 117:53-60.