Essiac tea, also commonly referred to as essaic tea, is a time honored herbal remedy that is taken to help in the treatment and possible cure of a variety of ailments. As an example, it the tea is reputed to be an excellent means of fighting some forms of cancer and the development of tumors in general.

The tea in itself is a blend of four herbs. The main components are greater burdock root (Arctium lappa), slippery elm inner bark (Ulmus rubra), sheep sorrel (Rumex acetosella), and Indian rhubarb root (Rheum officinale).

Another 'version' of the tea blend contains four other constituents in addition to the main components. These are red clover, watercress, blessed thistle, and kelp. There is however much controversy over which blend has the most health benefits. Much debate also arises regarding which of the recipes is the authentic one.

The main health benefit of essiac or essaic tea pertains to its cancer fighting properties. The tea may also be taken for general health purposes, especially to help in ailments such as diabetes, disorders of the immune system, and liver problems. To this day, it remains the most popular alternative medicine treatment for cancer. Oncology however advises that the tea be taken as a complement to medical cancer treatments. It does however alleviate the tremendous side effects of cancer treatments, and there is much debate over whether the properties of the tea might even fight cancer on their own. However, the herbal tea has been ascertained as a safe remedy in cancer treatment.

Essiac or essaic tea owes its reputation to a Canadian cancer nurse, Rene Caisse, who used it to help treat cancer patients under her care. It as reported that some cancers were cured in this way, and other cancers' collateral effects were greatly reduced, allowing cancer sufferers to live a more productive life, unriddled by further health problems associated with cancer. The name of the herbal blend she used comes from her own family name, as in 'Caisse' spelled backwards.

Sheep sorrel and burdock root contained in the essiac or essaic tea are known to actually kill cancer cells, the other components helping in detoxifying the system and protecting internal organs. The tea is considered a Phase III cancer treatment, and it is the quality and processing of the blend which are at the heart of the cure, as opposed to the exact proportion of the constituents.