| My search for a possible cancer cure began in late | | | | treatment. |
| 2004 when I found out that my cousin, lifelong friend | | | | In 1974, he published additional case reports in the |
| and running buddy, Jeff Johnson, had been diagnosed | | | | Turkish Medical Journal "Dirim". Doctor Ozel resigned |
| as having stage-three melanoma. The cancer had | | | | from his position as Chief Doctor at Mugla State |
| appeared out of nowhere and so it was quite a | | | | Hospital that same year in order to be able to work |
| shock to my cousin and everyone close to him. As | | | | on NOE and initiate research on the subject, |
| luck would have it, I had spent a lot of time the | | | | Doctor Ozel contacted various universities in Istanbul. |
| previous four years or so working on my dream of | | | | Years passed and he realized that no serious |
| someday posting a website aimed at helping aging | | | | scientific research could be performed in any of the |
| baby boomers and others live longer, healthier and | | | | local universities. In the meantime, his old patients |
| happier lives. Naturally, a lot of my research involved | | | | referred new ones to him, and more cancer patients |
| searching for ways to ward off and treat diseases | | | | presented to him as word of the results of the |
| and ills such as cancer, Alzheimer's, heart disease, high | | | | treatment spread. |
| blood pressure, kidney and liver disease, and so forth. | | | | In 1985 he started to look for research facilities |
| When I found out about my cousin, I already had a | | | | abroad. During 1986-1987 some tests performed in |
| head start on knowing where and how to look, and | | | | Europe proved the effect of NOE on the immune |
| so I began to redouble my efforts and focus my | | | | system as well as cancer tumors. The studies |
| research more on cancer. As a result of my research, | | | | showed that it was at least six times as potent as |
| I found a lot of very good information about fighting | | | | the most active commercially available |
| cancer and other diseases, boosting our immune | | | | immune-stimulants (Schizophylan, Krestin and Lentinan, |
| systems and improving health in general - much of | | | | which were patented by the Japanese in the 1980s). |
| which you may find in my simple "How to Live a | | | | In 1988, a research team was formed at Munich |
| Long and Healthy Life" book. However, it was not | | | | University Pharmacology Institute to isolate the |
| my research that led me to finding out about the | | | | active components contained in the N.O. extract. |
| magical, miraculous oleander plant - it was a card | | | | Several polysaccharides were identified that might be |
| game! | | | | responsible for some part of the immune activity. On |
| Yes, the way I first heard about the healing powers | | | | 17-22 July 1990, the initial results were presented as a |
| of oleander happened one evening when I was sitting | | | | poster at the symposium of Biology and Chemistry |
| down at a friendly card game and mentioned my | | | | of Active Natural Substances (BACANS) which was |
| cousin's cancer. An acquaintance of mine whom I had | | | | held in Bonn, Germany. The presentation was |
| known for a few years and who had worked for the | | | | published in Planta Medica 1990-56:66. However, no |
| American Medical Association at one time, looked | | | | single component of the extract was found to be |
| across the table at me and, as serious as could be, | | | | the sole source of its benefits. Instead, the activity is |
| said "I know a cure." He then proceeded to tell me | | | | induced by a complex mixture of components |
| an amazing story of what he knew about oleander. | | | | contained in the extract, acting synergistically to |
| Later, I found others who told me essentially the | | | | modulate the immune system. Since the early 1970's, |
| same basic story, although each person seemed to | | | | Doctor Ozel has been treating patients with |
| have a slightly different version. I fully expect that | | | | advanced and inoperable cancer as well as a wide |
| the story is headed toward becoming a modern day | | | | variety of other of illnesses. His results have been |
| legend someday. Although the versions I heard have | | | | truly remarkable. In fact, so fantastic were the |
| differed somewhat, the basic story line I believe to | | | | stories of his success that Doctor Ozel had to endure |
| be essentially correct is as follows: | | | | long periods of controversy from the Turkish medical |
| In the early 1960's a Turkish doctor by the name of | | | | establishment and there were those who tried to |
| Huseyin Ziya Ozel was searching for a cure for his | | | | charge the good doctor with being a charlatan. |
| pet dog's cancer when he noticed that a large | | | | Happily, the truth of his successes won out and such |
| number of Turkish villagers referred to him came | | | | charges were dropped from consideration when his |
| from high altitudes and he thought that perhaps | | | | results were proven. Scores of patients rose up to |
| there was more to the story than just the higher | | | | defend the good doctor, testifying about how they |
| incidence of skin cancer associated with higher | | | | had been cured when all other treatment options had |
| altitudes: | | | | failed. |
| In many versions of the story, Doctor Ozel was | | | | The patented name of Doctor Ozel's oleander |
| reported to have observed Turkish villagers drinking | | | | extract is Anvirzel(TM), whose trademark was once |
| an oleander remedy, which pretty much correlates | | | | owned by Ozelle Pharmaceuticals, which was formed |
| with the description of Oleander Leaf on the | | | | by Doctor Ozel's son and other investors. Today, |
| American Cancer Society website, where it states | | | | trademark rights are in dispute. Unfortunately, since |
| that Doctor Ozel started his study of oleander | | | | Doctor Ozel had claimed that oleander was a cure for |
| because of folk traditions that suggested that an | | | | cancer, as opposed to a natural supplement, and |
| extract from oleander was active against leukemia. It | | | | since his extract was patented and given a |
| should be noted that Doctor Ozel's daughter Sumru | | | | trademark, the FDA now considers oleander as an |
| disputes this version and states that Doctor Ozell | | | | unproven medicine which, because of the toxicity of |
| "studied folkloric remedies and discovered that | | | | the raw plant, must have it's safety and |
| poultices made of crushed oleander leaves and flour | | | | effectiveness proven before the FDA will allow it's |
| were applied topically to wounds and produced | | | | use even as a herbal supplement, and so it is very |
| amazingly fast healing of the wounds." The author | | | | difficult to obtain herbal supplements which contain |
| suspects that this version may have been put | | | | oleander in the United States. |
| forward to put distance between what Ozel | | | | Today, the lengthy and costly three-phase FDA trial |
| observed and what he later patented in order to | | | | process for approval of Anvirzel(TM) or any other |
| protect the patent from challenges. | | | | oleander extract, is far from over, although many |
| According to Ozel's daughter, Doctor Ozel made an | | | | people and millions of investor dollars are counting on |
| observation that the majority of cancer patients | | | | it ultimately being approved. In 2000, Ozelle |
| referring to him were coming from an altitude above | | | | Pharmaceuticals had successful phase I FDA trials |
| 600 meters. He thought that there should be a | | | | conducted on Anvirzel(TM), but subsequently ran into |
| correlation between the rate of cancer occurrence | | | | investor problems and had to reorganize. Although |
| and some environmental influence. | | | | Ozelle continues to publish plans that it will soon begin |
| Whatever the actual truth, Doctor Ozel obviously did | | | | phase II trials with Anvirzel(TM), such plans have not |
| observe Turkish villagers using oleander and did | | | | yet reached fruition and funding appears to continue |
| review that use as well as a number of | | | | to be a major problem for Ozelle. |
| environmental factors, and he proceeded to continue | | | | In the interim, a competing company, Phoenix |
| his research on oleander based on what he found. | | | | Biotech, also obtained a patent for Anvirzel(TM) in |
| Further research showed that Nerium Oleander was | | | | Honduras and has applied for a U.S. patent as well, |
| most abundant in lower altitudes and practically did | | | | and a clinic has been established in Honduras by the |
| not exist at high altitude. Satisfied that he may have | | | | name of Salud Integral. For the past eight years, the |
| determined the cause of the villager's good health, | | | | clinic has successfully treated a number of patients, |
| Doctor Ozel became intrigued with the plant and | | | | many of whom travel from the United States for |
| began to prepare and work with various extracts of | | | | initial diagnosis and treatment, as well as three-month |
| Oleander himself in 1966 while he was the head of | | | | supplies of Anvirzel(TM) for various cancers, |
| the surgical department at Mugla State Hospital of | | | | hepatitis-C, psoriasis and other immune disorders. |
| Turkey. | | | | Within just the past three years, a third competing |
| Doctor Ozel first conducted animal studies to | | | | company appeared by the name of Shimoda Atlantic |
| determine that the substance was non-toxic and, | | | | Oncology Biosciences, and claimed to have developed |
| once he determined the toxicology and effects of | | | | its own oleander extract named Xenavex(TM) which |
| Nerium Oleander Extract (or NOE), he conducted | | | | it claimed was much stronger due to an ethanol |
| further experiments and developed his treatment in | | | | extraction method. As it turned out, I and others |
| various forms until he eventually started tests on | | | | exposed the company as a fraud that was created |
| terminal human cases. | | | | to cheat investors and the drug was actually a heart |
| After initial success in treating human cancer patients | | | | medication imported from Russia. Furthermore, |
| with NOE, Doctor Ozel began to discussing his | | | | although the imported Russian medicine does have |
| findings with other professionals in his field. He sought | | | | slightly higher concentrations of oleandrin, the ethanol |
| analysis of the extract from various Turkish | | | | extraction method results in the loss of other |
| laboratories to understand the empirical results. They | | | | compounds that researchers believe work together in |
| were unable to characterize the extracted | | | | a synergistic way to make oleander extract so |
| compounds. In hope of gaining assistance from the | | | | powerful (over 500 trace compounds have been |
| government or research organizations, he prepared a | | | | identified in an aqueous, or water, oleander extract, |
| paper to present his first human cases at the Fourth | | | | including vital long-chain polysaccharides that are lost |
| Balkanic Medical Days Symposium held in Ankara on | | | | in ethanol extraction methods because they |
| 20 September 1973. | | | | precipitate out during the extraction process). |
| The cases presented were all considered terminal | | | | Sadly, I must report that it may be many years, if |
| cases when the patients came to Doctor Ozel. By | | | | ever, before an oleander based medicine wins FDA |
| law, he could not treat patients with an experimental | | | | approval. The simple fact is that it takes hundreds of |
| drug, such as NOE, unless they had exhausted all | | | | millions of dollars to get a new drug successfully |
| other conventional treatment methods with no | | | | through all the FDA trials, and this pretty much bars |
| response or were diagnosed as advanced stage, | | | | competition to all but the very large pharmaceutical |
| terminal cases. At the symposium he was able to call | | | | companies. Many feel that if the issue ever went to |
| the attention of the scientific community to NOE and | | | | court, the patent itself would be hard to defend, |
| how the extract had shown to be efficacious on | | | | since it is based on a common plant and a |
| cancer cases of different varieties. He was sure that | | | | centuries-old folk remedy. Others feel that, because |
| his presentation would trigger serious and abundant | | | | of the billions of dollars in profits at stake for the |
| research on NOE, and that it finally could be put into | | | | trillion-dollar world pharmaceutical industry and their |
| service for mankind. | | | | myriad cancer treatments, no oleander medicine will |
| The response from the scientific community was less | | | | ever be approved in the United States. |
| than overwhelming. The skepticism centered mainly | | | | The best hope as of the time of this writing appears |
| on the fact that the presentation contradicted what | | | | to be the development of an oleander based tablet |
| little literature there was on oleander species. Clearly | | | | by Phoenix Biotech which is reported to be have a |
| the results presented could not be explained as an | | | | much stronger concentration of oleandrin and the |
| extension of prior art but Turkish scientists strongly | | | | other cardiac glycosides while losing none of the |
| denied the facts that Doctor Ozel had presented | | | | other essential synergistic compounds. Only time will |
| without any further research. To conclude, the | | | | tell if a major pharmaceutical company with the |
| medical community was reluctant to accept the | | | | requisite funds will pick up this new oleander product |
| results. Doctor Ozel was undaunted by the criticism | | | | from Phoenix, shepherd it through FDA trials, and |
| and lack of support for the ideas presented. He | | | | finally bring it to market. |
| continued his research and patients continued to seek | | | | |