188
Modern day medicine uses few plant products in cancer therapy, taxol and vinca
alkaloids, to name a few. Out of the 121 drugs currently in vogue for cancer therapy
90 are plant derived (Craig 1997, 1999). According to Newman et al. (2003) 48 out
of 65 drugs approved for cancer treatment during a period between 1981 and 2002,
were based on natural products, or mimicked natural products in one form or
another. These phytochemicals, which combat disease by preventing inflammatory
response, are commonly called chemotherapeutic or chemo-preventive agents.
8.2
Ayurvedic Concept of Carcinogenesis
The balanced condition of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha (‘Thridoshas- three humors’) in
body, mind, and consciousness is the ayurvedic concept of health. Ayurvedic treatment restores the balance between these three systems. Charaka and Sushruta, in
their compilations or “samhitas”, use the terms Granthi and Arbuda for benign
tumour and malignant tumour respectively (Charaka 700 BC; Susrutha 700 BC).
Tumours become malignant when all three “doshas” lose mutual co-ordination,
causing morbidity (Singh 2002). Several reports suggest that ayurvedic plants and
their constituents have modulating effects on several therapeutic targets. However,
ayurvedic drugs are yet to be validated by current scientific procedures (Aggarwal
et al. 2006).
The ayurvedic approach to treatment of cancer including Sodhana chikitsa
(detoxification) is the prime method for medical management of cancer. Internal
and external purification processes include five ways of treatment, collectively
named Panchakarma chikitsa. Samana chikitsa (palliative treatment) is to rectify
the dosha and to cure the disease. Rejuvenative therapies restore and strengthen the
patient and remove any ill effects that may have occured due to purification or
cleansing. This is the step prior to therapy specific to the disease (Balachandran and
Govindarajan 2005).
There are numerous pre-clinical studies with individual herbs and their derivatives and a few reports on complex herbal formulations like Rasagenthi lehyam,
Brahma rasayana, Semecarpus lehyam, and Triphala, etc. (Joseph et al. 1999;
Rekha et al. 2001; Jena et al. 2003; Naik et al. 2005).
Cancer is a highly complex disease developed over a period of 20–30 years or
more, before it can be detected. Interruption of a cell-signalling pathway has been
the method of cancer treatment in most cases, but multi-targeted therapy may have
better chances of success. Current treatment methods for cancer concentrate at the
molecular level rather than organism level (Reductionist approach). On the other
hand, ayurvedic treatment for cancer is holistic, which may be preferred (Garodia
et al. 2007).
A. Augustine and G.S. Pillai
Modern day medicine uses few plant products in cancer therapy, taxol and vinca
alkaloids, to name a few. Out of the 121 drugs currently in vogue for cancer therapy
90 are plant derived (Craig 1997, 1999). According to Newman et al. (2003) 48 out
of 65 drugs approved for cancer treatment during a period between 1981 and 2002,
were based on natural products, or mimicked natural products in one form or
another. These phytochemicals, which combat disease by preventing inflammatory
response, are commonly called chemotherapeutic or chemo-preventive agents.
8.2
Ayurvedic Concept of Carcinogenesis
The balanced condition of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha (‘Thridoshas- three humors’) in
body, mind, and consciousness is the ayurvedic concept of health. Ayurvedic treatment restores the balance between these three systems. Charaka and Sushruta, in
their compilations or “samhitas”, use the terms Granthi and Arbuda for benign
tumour and malignant tumour respectively (Charaka 700 BC; Susrutha 700 BC).
Tumours become malignant when all three “doshas” lose mutual co-ordination,
causing morbidity (Singh 2002). Several reports suggest that ayurvedic plants and
their constituents have modulating effects on several therapeutic targets. However,
ayurvedic drugs are yet to be validated by current scientific procedures (Aggarwal
et al. 2006).
The ayurvedic approach to treatment of cancer including Sodhana chikitsa
(detoxification) is the prime method for medical management of cancer. Internal
and external purification processes include five ways of treatment, collectively
named Panchakarma chikitsa. Samana chikitsa (palliative treatment) is to rectify
the dosha and to cure the disease. Rejuvenative therapies restore and strengthen the
patient and remove any ill effects that may have occured due to purification or
cleansing. This is the step prior to therapy specific to the disease (Balachandran and
Govindarajan 2005).
There are numerous pre-clinical studies with individual herbs and their derivatives and a few reports on complex herbal formulations like Rasagenthi lehyam,
Brahma rasayana, Semecarpus lehyam, and Triphala, etc. (Joseph et al. 1999;
Rekha et al. 2001; Jena et al. 2003; Naik et al. 2005).
Cancer is a highly complex disease developed over a period of 20–30 years or
more, before it can be detected. Interruption of a cell-signalling pathway has been
the method of cancer treatment in most cases, but multi-targeted therapy may have
better chances of success. Current treatment methods for cancer concentrate at the
molecular level rather than organism level (Reductionist approach). On the other
hand, ayurvedic treatment for cancer is holistic, which may be preferred (Garodia
et al. 2007).
A. Augustine and G.S. Pillai