Therapeutic enhancement potential of ayurvedic herbs on cancer chemotherapy/radiation
Name of the herb
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Chemotherapy/ayurvedic herb intervention studies
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Allium sativum
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Water-soluble derivative of garlic, S-allylmercaptocysteine (SAMC),
inhibited proliferation and cell cycle progression in two human colon
cancer cell lines, SW-480 and HT-29, similar to the effects of sulindac
sulfide (SS), a well-known colon cancer chemopreventive agent.
Co-administration of SS with SAMC
enhanced the growth inhibitory and apoptotic effects of SS, suggesting the usefulness of SAMC alone or in combination with SS or other chemopreventive agents [92] |
Aloe vera
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In a randomised double-blinded clinical trial, comparing mild soap
and aloe vera gel against incidence of radiation therapy induced skin
reactions, the median time of five weeks was taken to show any skin
changes in the aloe/soap treatment versus three weeks in the soap only
treatment. The protective effect of adding
aloe to the soap regimen increases during long time radiation exposure [93]. In another clinical trial involving patients with advanced solid tumours, for whom no other standard effective therapy was available, combination of pineal indole melatonin (MLT) plus Aloe vera extracts produced some therapeutic benefits, at least in terms of stabilization of disease and survival when compared to MLT alone treatment [94] |
Alstonia scholaris
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The Alstonia scholaris extract pre-treatment increased the
effect of radiation as by enhancement of cell killing in HeLa and KB
cells, followed by HL60, MCF7, and HePG2 cells. In in vivo studies, with
Ehrlich ascites carcinoma bearing mice the pre-treatment of extract
caused increased life span of animals when compared with untreated
irradiated group [95]. The combination treatment of Alstonia scholaris extract with cyclophosphamide was also found to be most effective against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma as it caused the
highest tumour regression and enhanced the mean and average survival time when compared with cyclophosphamide alone treated group [96] |
Curcuma longa
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When radiation and curcuma were applied together as synergical
therapy, curcuma showed a radiation sensitising effect in HeLa, K-562
and IM-9 cell lines [97]. Curcumin, the active constituent from Curcuma longa also enhances the anticancer potential of Cisplatin and reduces its nephrotoxicity in fibrosarcoma bearing rats [78]
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Heliotropium indicum
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In a Phase I study consisting of Solid tumour patients who have
undergone prior chemotherapy/ radiation therapy, Indicine N-oxide, an
alkaloid from Heliotropium indicum have shown some improvement against skin melanoma and ovarian carcinoma [98]
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Moringa oleifera
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Pre-treatment with the leaf extract of M. oleifera exhibits
significant radiation protection to the bone marrow chromosomes in mice
and this could be useful to overcome side effects of radiation therapy
[99]
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Nigella sativa
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In mice bearing Ehrlich ascites carcinoma, thymoquinone (TQ), the main constituent of the Nigella sativa oil,
significantly enhanced the therapeutic efficacy of ifosfamide by
improving its antitumour effect and reducing its nephrotoxicity.
Furthermore, mice treated with ifosfamide in combination with TQ showed
less body weight loss and mortality rate compared to IFO single therapy
[100]
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Ocimum sanctum
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Orientin and Vicenin, two water-soluble flavonoids isolated from the leaves of Ocimum sanctum have
shown significant protection to the human lymphocytes against the
clastogenic effect of radiation, radiation lethality and chromosomal
aberrations in vivo. This radioprotection associated with their
antioxidant activity may have clinical potential in cancer therapy [101]
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Taxus buccata
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In a Phase II study, the triplet regimen based on taxol (active constituent of Taxus buccata),
ifosfamide, and carboplatin has proved active, safe, and easy to
deliver on an outpatient basis for patients with advanced stage IIIB-IV
non-small-cell lung cancer [102]. Another combination of Herceptin with
Taxol significantly improves the overall response rate, increases the
time to progression and the overall survival in breast cancer patients.
These effects are more pronounced in patients characterized with HER/2
+++ over expression [103]. Taxol also exerts a weak radiosensitising
effect on breast and cervical carcinoma cells on the basis of an optimal
Taxol/radiation scheduling [104]
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Withania somnifera
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W. somnifera when administered for 4 days before paclitaxel treatment and continued for 12 days caused significant reversal of neutropenia of paclitaxel in mice. It can be used as an adjuvant during cancer chemotherapy for the prevention of bone marrow depression associated with anticancer drugs [105]. The active component, withaferin A isolated from the extract showed significant antitumour and radiosensitising effects in experimental tumours in vivo, without any noticeable systemic toxicity [106]. In Ehrlich ascites carcinoma mice, the extract showed dose dependent inhibition on tumour growth and increased the survival rate. Combination of radiation therapy with extract increased tumour cure and tumour-free survival [107].It also reduces cyclophosphamide induced myelosuppression and leucopoenia can be useful in combination chemotherapy [108,109] |
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