This cow may not seem to have much in common with this shark. But remarkably, they both contain within their bodies a potential cure for cancer in humans.

At one time Chinese medicine was seen as little more than quackery, or a new age alternative to Western medicine but now it's recognised that many of these concoctions have real medicinal value.

Sharks have long been harvested for their cartilage, which is turned into powders and tablets as an anti cancer agent, and it works.

But if sharks are harvested for this valuable substance alone it could endanger their populations. And so far it's been too expensive to synthesize the shark cartilage in the laboratory.

Dr. Greg Harper of CSIRO knew that the same active ingredient found in the shark cartilage is also found in cow cartilage.

Dr Greg Harper
"It's been known for a long time that cartilage itself doesn't have a blood vessel system and so people 20 years ago reasoned that cartilage must have some component in it that inhibits the growth of those blood vessels, maybe those components can be used to block the growth of tumors and certainly that turned out to be the case"


So when cows are sold to the meat market, the cartilage, a by-product of meat processing, can be used for anti cancer therapies.

"Once you understand how the natural product works, then you're able to take advantage of that mechanism and modify it and commercialise it on a larger scale"

The development of this anti cancer agent from cow cartilage is currently under trial in the United States and could prove to be an exciting breakthrough for cancer sufferers. The cow product can be harvested as a by-product of the meat industry meaning a bonus for the farmer.

  *THIS INFORMATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE MEDICAL ADVICE OR AN ENDORSEMENT FOR ANY PRODUCT, BRAND OR COMPANY.

IT IS INTENDED FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.

 NO COMMERCIAL ARRANGEMENT HAS EVER BEEN ENTERED INTO OR INDEED WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IN THE FUTURE BETWEEN AUSTRALIA'S OWN & CSIRO IN RELATION TO THE ABOVE CONTENT.