Cancer is an uncontrolled, abnormal cell growth condition associated with DNA damage. The increased prevalence of cancer becomes a global health concern.
A recent survey of the global incidence of cancer shows that the cancer prevalence in American states raises up more than 300 cases per 1 million populations.
According to the American Cancer Society, 5, 00,000 Americans in the United States die due to cancer.
The fetal outcome related to cancer fully depends upon the cancer stage. Dietary indiscretion and cigarette smoking are two great contributory factors in cancer progression.
There are several types of cancers, such as bladder cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, endometrial cancer, esophageal cancer, laryngeal cancer, leukemia, lung cancer, lymphoma, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, skin cancer, stomach cancer, testicular cancer.
Herbal medical approach cancer is not an organ-specific disease but involves the whole body. The inability of body defense mechanisms to adapt to the adverse environmental or physical condition due to poor immunity is the main culprit in cancer development and the spreading of the disease.
Herbs usually prevent cancer through a multi-targeted cellular approach instead of interrupting the single-cell signaling pathway. Oncologist experts are also agreed by studying different therapeutic approaches that multi-targeted therapy gives a better result. Moreover, healthy lifestyle management can prevent several types of cancer.
Avoidance of smoking and healthy dietary measures have cancer-preventive effects. The following herbs can reduce the risk of cancer cell growth and also assist in treating cancer along with conventional therapies.
Several herbal remedies like alfalfa, Irish moss, dandelion root, rose hips, oat straw, etc. augment skin tissue healing and prevent the risk of skin cancer development.
The topical application of tea tree oil as an ointment can act as antiseptic cream and prevent skin infection.
Turmeric, ginger, capsicum, bilberry, etc are different herbs that regulate the blood composition, and liver function and may prevent unwanted cell growth.
Astragalus herb has an immunity-boosting effect and Chinese cucumber seeds and peels have an anti-cancer effect.
Noni is a fruit that can alter cancerous cell growth to normal cell growth and also can block tumor growth.
DandGuiLonghui wan is a Chinese Traditional herb used as a folk medicine for treating leukemia.
A grape seed extract has an inhibitory effect on cancer cell growth.
Wheatgrass juice has a remedial effect against cancer, especially for cancer patients who are treated with radiation therapy.
Green tea has an anti-angiogenesis effect and can shrink the malignant tumor.
Spices like clove, cardamom, garlic, ginger also have anti-cancer properties.
Turmeric as cancer adjuvant therapy
Turmeric is a source of curcumin and this active ingredient of turmeric is not only effective as an anticancer agent in a single therapy, but research study evidence showed that a reduced dose of the chemotherapeutic agent with curcumin as adjuvant therapy is able to provide the same treatment efficacy. This means the addition of curcumin in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents can reduce the risk of higher dose-related severe adverse effects. A cancer patient can easily tolerate a lower dose of the chemotherapeutic agent. A research study showed that a combination of curcumin and cisplatin therapy is markedly decreased cancer growth in a lower dose of cisplatin than the alone therapy. In this case, Curcumin inhibits NF-κB activity. Moreover, curcumin also provides a synergistic effect with radiation therapy; because this herbal product arrests the cell cycle and suppresses the growth.
Noni has anticancer activity
The different phytochemicals present in Noni promote anti-cancer activity. Like sulfated polysaccharide content can impede metastasis; damnacanthal interferes with genetic function; Alizarin blocks blood circulation into the tumor cells; Limonene destroys cancer cells by secreting more T cells; ursolic acid induces apoptosis and reduces the cancerous growth by altering the immune system. A human study report showed that Noni fruit juice reduces cancer in smokers by blocking the DNA-binding capacity of carcinogens.
Noni also increases survival duration in gastric cancer patients. Noni can also be used as adjuvant therapy with other chemotherapeutic agents, as it can reduce the cancer symptoms like pain, fatigue, etc.
Anticancer effect of Green Tea
Tea polyphenols are able to modify various metabolic and signaling pathways in the regulation of proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Together all these physiological regulating factors restrict the clonal expansion of cancer cells. Tea polyphenols have been shown to reactivate tumor suppressors, obstruct the unrestricted replicative potential of cancer cells, and attach to nucleic acids implicated in epigenetic modifications of gene regulation.
Multiple polyphenols and/ or phytochemicals in green tea, including ()-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), (−)-epigallocatechin (EGC), (−)-epicatechin gallate (ECG), (−)-epicatechin (EC), and catechin have anti-cancer and other health benefits.
Among these phytochemicals, EGCG is the most promising anticancer ingredient in green tea and due to its high content of catechin.
Astragalus Cancer Adjuvant
Several laboratory test reports showed that active phytochemicals like apigenin and quercetin, formononetin obtain from Astragalus propinquus have an apoptotic and cytotoxic effect against human colon carcinoma cells. In addition, research results reported that the cytotoxic effect of Astragalus propinquus can be effective against breast cancer, erythroleukemia, leukemia cell. But recently it has been used as cancer adjuvant therapy. Several positive mechanisms like hemopoietic factors stimulating effect, activation of interleukin synthesis, potentiate chemotherapeutic agents activity, reduce the incidence of malignancies recurrence, increase survival period, and decrease the adverse drug reactions associated with radiotherapy and antineoplastic agents. An animal study showed that Astragalus propinquus with a combination of another herb like Ligustrum lucidum can reduce the risk of renal cell carcinoma. One of the most common side effects of cancer chemotherapy is an immune debilitating effect. The Polysaccharides present in Astragalus propinquus can potentially reduce this side effect.
Garlic as an anticarcinogenic agent
The increasing prevalence of cancer becomes a great threat to mankind. The two researchers, Weisberger and Pensky first demonstrated the anti-tumor property of garlic in 1958. After that multiple preclinical and clinical trials were conducted with garlic to determine the anti-carcinogenic effect against a variety of cancers including gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, and liver cancer. Both in vivo and in vitro studies found that active constituents of garlic target the cell cycle and induce apoptotic cell death and angiogenic activity, thus providing anti-carcinogenic activities.
