A great deal of pharmaceutical research and refinement in isolation & structure elucidation technique has placed the scientists in a better position to identify various anticancer herbs. Scientists all over the world are now concentrating on the use of herbs to fight cancer. Over a period of two decades, with advanced knowledge of molecular science, Sino Vedic Cancer Research Centre has identified more than 450 anticancer herbs having antimutagenic, DNA repairing, proapoptotic, antitumourangiogenesis, immunomodulatory, chemoprotective and radioprotective properties. These anticancer herbs inhibit growth & spread of cancer and tame aggressive cancer cells by repairing damaged DNA, inhibiting mutations in the genes, blocking cancer promoting enzymes & hormones, reviving the process of apoptosis and inhibiting tumourangiogenesis. Some of the commonly used Sino Vedic anticancer herbs are listed below:
Plumbago Zeylanica
Plumbago zeylanica contains Lupenone, lupeol acetate, plumbagin, alpha-sitosteryl-3alpha-glucopyranoside-6'-O-palmitate and trilinolein. Alpha-sitosterol showed cytotoxic activity against breast cancer. Plumbagin, a naphthoquinone, present in the roots of Plumbago zeylanica, has many beneficial effects such as antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer and antimutagenic effects. Plumbagin isolated from Plumbago zeylanica inhibits growth & spread of breast cancer, liver cancer, fibrosarcoma, malignant ascites and leukaemia by inhibiting cancer cell proliferation. Plumbagin augments macrophage activity. Plumbagin has antitumour and radiomodifying properties. When radiation is combined with plumbagin, the results are very encouraging. Plumbago zeylanica also possesses hepatoprotective, neuroprotective and immunomodulatory properties.
Podophyllum Hexandrum
Podophyllum hexandrum is an important medicinal plant, which grows in the inner ranges of Himalayas at an altitude of 2700 to 4200 meters from Kashmir to Sikkim, extending up to south west of China. Rhizome of Podophyllum hexandrum contains several lignans that posses anticancer activity. Podophyllotoxin is the most active among all the natural anticancer compounds. It is used as a starting compound for the synthesis of anticancer drugs etoposide and teniposide. Podophyllotoxin acts as an inhibitor of microtubule assembly. Podophyllotoxin and podophyllin (both lignans) isolated from Podophyllum hexandrum inhibit growth & spread of various cancers including that of the breast, ovary, lung, liver, urinary bladder, testis, brain, neuroblastoma, Hodgkin’s disease, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and leukaemia. Podophyllum hexandrum also possesses potent radioprotective and haemopoietic properties. Besides this, it also shows antiviral activities by interfering with some critical viral processes.
Prunella Vulgaris
Prunella vulgaris contains luteolin, esculetin, ursolic acid, caryophyllin, prunellin,oleanolic acid, rutin, rutoside, hyperin, hyperoside, delphinidin, cyanidin, cyasterone, caffeic acid, vitamin B1, vitamin C, vitamin K, nicotinic acid, beta-carotene, resins, bitters, tannins, volatile oil and alkaloids. Fruit Spike contains delphinidin, cyanidin, d-Camphor, d-fenchone, ursolic acid. Ursolic acid and oleanolic acid, isolated from Prunella vulgaris (Xia-ku-cao/Self heal), inhibit growth & spread of various cancers such as cancers of the breast, cervix, lung, oral cavity, oesophagus, stomach, colon, thyroid, malignant lymphoma, intracranial tumours and leukaemia. Prunella vulgaris is traditionally used in China to treat sores in the mouth and throat. Prunella vulgaris also possesses immunoenhancing, hepatoprotective, anti-HIV and anti-Herpes properties. Prunella vulgaris has normoblastic effect on the bone marrow.
Psoralea Corylifolia
Psoralea corylifolia (Bu Gu Zhi), one of the main herbs in traditional Chinese herbal medicine, contains psoralen, isopsoralen, corylidin, baracoumestan A, baracoumestan B, sophoracoumestan A, bakuchicin, bavachalcone, isobavachalcone, bavachromene, bavachromanol, bakuchalcone, bavachin, bavachinin, isobavachin, corylin, corylfolinin, corylinal, psoralenol, bakuchiol, stigmasterol, beta-sitosterol, triacontane, psoraldehyde, glucoside, daucosterol, limonene, terpineol-4, linalool, triacylglycerols, diacylglycerols, monoacylglycerols, psoralidin, angelicin. Bavachinin, corylfolinin and psoralen isolated from Psoralea corylifolia possess strong anticancer activity against lung cancer, liver cancer, osteosarcoma, fibrosarcoma, malignant ascites and leukaemia. Psoralen enhances immunity of the body by stimulating natural killer cell activity. Psoralidin isolated from Psoralea corylifolia inhibits growth & spread of stomach and prostate cancers by inhibiting G2/M phase of cell cycle. Psoralidin induces apoptosis in both androgen responsive and androgen refractory prostate cancers. Psoralea corylifolia also possesses immunomoenhancing and hepatoprotective properties.
