“Selected Vegetables” and “Sun’s Soup” are names given to several different mixtures of vegetables and herbs that have been studied as treatments for cancer and other medical conditions, including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).[1-6] The original formulation contained shiitake mushroom (Lentinus edodes [Berk.] Singer), mung bean (Phaseolus radiatus L.), Hedyotis diffusa Willd. (also known by the Chinese herbal name Bai Hua She She Cao), and barbat skullcap ( Scutellaria barbata D. Don, also known by the Chinese herbal name Ban Zhi Lian).[1]

A second formulation, specifically named “Selected Vegetables” (“SV”), was tested in a phase I/II clinical trial that involved patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (refer to the Human/Clinical Studies ¹ section of this summary for more information).[4] SV, which is a freeze-dried vegetable and herb product, is marketed in the United States as a dietary supplement under the names “Freeze-dried SV” or “DSV.”[5]

A third formulation, called “Frozen SV” or “FSV,” has also been studied clinically in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (refer to the Human/Clinical Studies ¹ section of this summary for more information).[6] FSV, like SV/DSV, is marketed in the United States as a dietary supplement.[5]

In the United States, dietary supplements are regulated as foods, not drugs. Therefore, premarket evaluation and approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are not required unless specific disease prevention or treatment claims are made. The FDA can, however, remove from the market dietary supplements that it deems unsafe. It should be noted that no formulation of Selected Vegetables/Sun’s Soup has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of cancer or any other medical condition.

Because dietary supplements are not formally reviewed for manufacturing consistency, there may be considerable variation from lot to lot, and there is no guarantee that ingredients identified on product labels are present in the specified amounts or present at all.

SV/DSV and FSV are reported to contain soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.), shiitake mushroom, mung bean, red date (Ziziphus jujuba Miller), scallion (Allium bakeri Regel), garlic (Allium sativum L.), leek (Allium fistulosum L.), lentil (Lens culinaris Medic.), Hawthorn fruit (Crataegus monogyna Jacquin and/or Crataegus oxyacantha L.), onion (Allium cepa L.), ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer), Angelica root (Angelica sinensis), licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.), dandelion root (Taraxacum officinale Weber), senega root (Polygala senega L.), ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe), olive (Olea europaea L.), sesame seed (Sesamum indicum L.), and parsley (Petroselinum crispum [P. Miller] Nyman ex A.W. Hill).[4,6]

Many of the ingredients in Selected Vegetables/Sun’s Soup were chosen because previous biochemical research and traditional Chinese medicine suggested they contain molecules that have anticancer or immune-system –stimulating activity. Reviewed in [1-6]

Selected Vegetables/Sun’s Soup is administered orally as part of the diet.[1,4,6] Reviewed in [3] Studies in humans have not always specified a dose or an administration schedule [1], but daily doses of 30 g SV/DSV, mixed with water or other soup, or of 10 oz (approximately 283 g) FSV were used in the above-mentioned clinical studies in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.[4,6]

To conduct clinical drug research in the United States, researchers must file an Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the FDA. An IND must also be obtained for clinical evaluation of dietary supplements as agents for the treatment or prevention of disease. Because the IND application process is confidential and because the existence of an IND can be disclosed only by the applicants, it is not known whether an IND currently exists for the study of Selected Vegetables/Sun’s Soup as a treatment for cancer or any other disease.

In this summary, the specific formulation of Selected Vegetables/Sun’s Soup given to individual patients or groups of patients will be identified wherever possible.

References

1. Sun AS: Herbal Treatment of Malignancy. US Patent 5437866. August 1, 1995. Washington, DC: US Patent and Trademark Office, 1995. Available online. ² Last accessed November 28, 2007. 
   
   
2. Sun A: Food therapy for non-small cell lung cancer. In: Comprehensive Cancer Care: Integrating Complementary and Alternative Therapies - A Conference for Health professionals, June 12-14, 1998. Breakout Session 405: Herbal Therapies. Available online. ³ Last accessed November 28, 2007. 
   
   
3. Cancer Advisory Panel for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAPCAM).: Minutes of the First Meeting - July 8-9, 1999: Section X: Phase I/II study of stage III and IV non-small cell lung cancer patients taking a specific dietary supplement - Dr. Alexander Sun, Medical Director, Connecticut Institute of Aging and Cancer. Bethesda, Md: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2002. Available online. ⁴ Last accessed November 28, 2007. 
   
   
4. Sun AS, Ostadal O, Ryznar V, et al.: Phase I/II study of stage III and IV non-small cell lung cancer patients taking a specific dietary supplement. Nutr Cancer 34 (1): 62-9, 1999.  [PUBMED Abstract]
   
   
5. Sun Farm Vegetable Soup (SV). Milford, Conn: Sun Farm Corporation, 2000. Available online. ⁵ Last accessed November 28, 2007. 
   
   
6. Sun AS, Yeh HC, Wang LH, et al.: Pilot study of a specific dietary supplement in tumor-bearing mice and in stage IIIB and IV non-small cell lung cancer patients. Nutr Cancer 39 (1): 85-95, 2001.  [PUBMED Abstract]
   
   

Glossary Terms

A disease caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). People with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome are at an increased risk for developing certain cancers and for infections that usually occur only in individuals with a weak immune system. Also called AIDS.

The root of any of a group of herbs called Angelica. It has been used in some cultures to treat certain medical problems, including gastrointestinal problems such as loss of appetite, feelings of fullness, and gas.

A type of research study that tests how well new medical approaches work in people. These studies test new methods of screening, prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of a disease. Also called clinical trial.

A product that is added to the diet. A dietary supplement is taken by mouth, and usually contains one or more dietary ingredient (such as vitamin, mineral, herb, amino acid, and enzyme). Also called nutritional supplement.

The amount of medicine taken, or radiation given, at one time.

A method used to dry substances, such as food, to make them last longer. The substance is frozen and then dried in a vacuum.

An herb with a root that has been used in some cultures to treat certain medical problems. It may have anticancer effects.

A unit of weight in the metric system. One gram is equal to one thousandth of a kilogram and is approximately 30-times less than an ounce.

The fruit of the hawthorn tree or bush. It has been used in some cultures to treat certain medical problems, including heart problems and gastrointestinal problems.

An herb used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat certain medical problems. It has been used to boost the immune system and may have anticancer effects.

The complex group of organs and cells that defends the body against infections and other diseases.

In clinical trials, refers to a drug (including a new drug, dose, combination, or route of administration) or procedure that has undergone basic laboratory testing and received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be tested in human subjects. A drug or procedure may be approved by the FDA for use in one disease or condition, but be considered investigational in other diseases or conditions. Also called experimental.

The smallest particle of a substance that has all of the physical and chemical properties of that substance. Molecules are made up of one or more atoms. If they contain more than one atom, the atoms can be the same (an oxygen molecule has two oxygen atoms) or different (a water molecule has two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom). Biological molecules, such as proteins and DNA, can be made up of many thousands of atoms.

A type of bean grown in warm climates, usually for its seed and for bean sprouts. Mung bean may have anticancer effects.

A group of lung cancers that are named for the kinds of cells found in the cancer and how the cells look under a microscope. The three main types of non-small cell lung cancer are squamous cell carcinoma, large cell carcinoma, and adenocarcinoma. Non-small cell lung cancer is the most common kind of lung cancer.

By or having to do with the mouth.

A measure of weight (one-sixteenth pound) and volume (one-eighth cup).

A trial to study the safety, dosage levels, and response to a new treatment.

The fruit of the jujube plant. It has been used in some cultures to treat certain medical problems.

An herb that belongs to a group of herbs named the Scutellaria species or scullcap. Both the root and the above-ground part have been used to make herbal medicines. The root has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat lung cancer and other medical problems.

The root of an herb called Polygala senega. It has been used in some cultures to treat certain medical problems, including problems of the respiratory system.

A dark oriental mushroom widely used as a food. Several anticancer substances have been found in shiitake mushrooms, including lentinan, which has been studied in Japan as a treatment for stomach and colorectal cancer. The scientific name is Lentinus edodes.