Abstract

ANTI-CANCEROUS EFFECTS OF VARIOUS AYURVEDIC HERBS: A REVIEW

Anjali Dabas*, Pankaj Kundal, Narayan Bavalatti and Manjusha Rajagopala

Abstract

Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) are responsible for majority of deaths worldwide. Out of all the NCDs, cancer is the leading cause of death before the age of 70 years. Worldwide incidence and mortality of Cancer is rapidly increasing. The contemporary cancer therapy (chemotherapy) is known to have drug-induced toxic side effects. Hence, there is an urgent need to explore safer possibilities in Ayurveda. Ayurvedic herbs work on different organ systems simultaneously, thereby healing the body as a whole, as well as supporting the body’s defence system. Symptoms of diseases like arbuda, granthi etc. described in Ayurvedic texts, have much resemblance with clinical features of carcinoma. Further, in Ayurveda, many plants are told to have granthihara, gandmalahara, arbudahara properties. Various studies have also been conducted to prove the anti-cancerous activities of herbal drugs like curcumin, Triphala, Guduchi Haritaki (Terminalia chebula), Vacha (Acorus calamus), Kanchanara (Bauhinia variegate (L.) Benth.), Bhumyamlaki (Phyllanthus amarus), Yahtimadhu (Glycyrrhiza glabra) etc. Therefore, need of the hour is to develop adjuvant chemotherapeutic agents for various carcinomas. Keeping this in view, the present work is designed to review and summarize the research works carried out in recent past, regarding anti-cancerous activities of various herbs. For this purpose, a thorough study of various research articles, as well as the Ayurveda classics have been carried out to bring out a valuable compendium.

Keywords: Anti-cancerous Herbs, Curcumin, Guduchi, Triphala.