Sino Vedic Anticancer Herbs

Phytoconstituents of Swertia chirata are swertiamarine, mangeferin and amarogenitine 1,5,8-trihydroxy-3-methoxyxanthone, 1-hydroxy-2,3,5,7-tetramethoxyxanthone, 1-hydroxy-3,5,8-trimethoxyxanthone, 1-hydroxyl-2,3,4,6-tetramethoxyxanthone, 1-hydroxy-2,3,4,7-tetramethoxyxanthone, 1,8-dihydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyxanthone. 1,7-dihydroxy-3,8-dimethoxyxanthone, 1,3,5,8-tetrahydroxyxanthone, balanophonin, oleanolic acid, maslinic acid and sumaresinolic acid. The herb contains a bitter glycoside, chiratin, which on hydrolysis yields two bitter principles: ophelic acid, an amorphous bitter hygroscopic principle and chiratogenin, a yellow bitter glycoside, insoluble in water. Both the crude and purified extracts of Swertia chirata significantly inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis, suggesting the anticancer potential of Swertia chirata. Swerilactones isolated from Swertia chirata possess anti hepatitis B virus activity.

Main chemical constituents of Terminalia chebula are chebulagic acid, chebulinic acid, corilagin, beta-sitosterol, gallic acid, ellagic acid, ethyl gallate, tannic acid, galloyl glucose & chebulaginic acid. Terminalia chebula is used in inflammation, wound, ulcer, jaundice, renal calculi, immunological disorders, hepatopathy and splenopathy. Tannins isolated from Terminalia chebula have anticancer activity against prostate cancer and leukaemia. Terminalia chebula seed powder or extract possesses potent antidiabetic and anticancer activity. Methanol extract of Terminalia chebula fruit has proved its anticancer activity against breast cancer, osteosarcoma and prostate cancer by decreasing cancer cell viability, inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis. Flow cytometry confirms that apoptosis is induced by the methanolic extract of Terminalia chebula fruit at lower concentrations. Chebulagic acid isolated from the fruits of Terminalia chebula inhibits growth and spread of colon cancer by inducing apoptosis.

Tinospora cordifolia possesses neuroprotective, hepatoprotective, antistress, antiulcer and antipyretic properties. In the early 1900s, giloin, gilenin, and gilosterol were found in the Tinospora cordifolia together with the bitter principles. More recently, a wide variety of sesquiterpenes and diterpenes have been isolated from the stems of Tinospora cordifolia. Tinospora cordifolia contains tinosporine, tinosporide, tinosporidine, tinosporaside, tinosponone, tinocordioside, tinocordiside, tinocordifolin, tinocordifolioside, cordifolide, cordifol, cordifolone, columbin, isocolumbin, chasmanthin, cordioside, cordiofolisides A, B, and C, clerodane furano diterpene, phenylpropanoids, diterpene furon glycosides, palmatosides C and F, palmarin, palmatine, tetrahydropalmatine, berberine and b-sitosterol. Ecdysterone, makisterone A, 20a-hydroxyecdysone are the phytoecdysones isolated from aerial parts of Tinospora cordifolia. Other constituents reported from Tinospora cordifolia include a new phenolic lignan and the following compounds: octacosanol, heptacosanol, alpha-sitosterol, magnoflorine, tembetarine, jatrorrhizine, syringine and syringine apiosylglycoside. Sesquiterpenes and diterpenes isolated from Tinospora cordifolia inhibit growth & spread of various cancers including cancers of lung,cervix, throat and malignant ascites. Polysaccharide fraction isolated from Tinospora cordifolia inhibits lung metastasis. Arabinogalactan, syringine, cordiol, cordioside, cordifoliosides (A & B) isolated from Tinospora cordifolia possesses significant immunoenhancing activity. Tinospora cordifolia provides protection against chemotherapy induced leucopenia. Tinospora cordifolia reduces side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Although the Viscum album is a parasite and as such dependent on the host plant for nutrients and water, it does not rely on it for carbon dioxide. Since the Viscum album produces green, chlorophyll containing leaves, it can perform its own photosynthesis. As a rule Viscum album does not kill the host plant and thus is not really harmful to it. While birds feed on the berries without apparent harm, they are toxic to humans. The major constituents of Viscum album are the lectins (carbohydrate binding proteins), which include viscumin, polypeptides known as viscotoxins (with a basic chemical structure of thionins), and a number of phenolic compounds (e.g., digallic acid, o-coumaric acid) found in their free state or as glycosides. Lectins, polypeptides and phenolic compounds isolated from Viscum album inhibit growth & spread of various cancers including that of the breast, cervix, ovary, lung, stomach, colon, rectum, kidney, testis, malignant melanoma, sarcomas, fibrosarcoma, malignant ascites, lung metastasis and leukaemia by inducing apoptosis and antitumourangiogenesis activity. Viscum album extract induces apoptotic death of endothelial cells conducive to cancer angiogenesis. Lectins isolated from the Viscum album possess both anticancer and immunostimulating activities. Viscumin, responsible for most of the biological activities of the Viscum album, works by bringing together immune system effector cells and cancer cells. Lectin-II induces apoptosis in cancer cells via activation of caspase cascades. Topical administration of Viscum album extract inhibits growth of bladder carcinoma.