Cancer has officially been crowned by the World Health Organization as the deadliest killer disease of the 21st Century, mostly owing to the lifestyle changes and stress in our current daily life. Though in Western medicine, studies are still underway in fighting the disease, scientists are yet to come up with a sure shot medicine that can be used to cure Cancer. Ayurveda, being the oldest primordial system of medicine uses medicines made from plants and herbs to suppress or prevent various tumours. According to Susrutha and Charaka Samhitha, cancer is described as either Granthi (minor neoplasm) or Arbuda (major neoplasm).
In Ayurvedic Treatment, the human body is categorized as Vata, Pitta or Kabha and a balance between the three is very important for a normal body function. The presence of a malicious tumour in a human body results in the balance between these three systems spiralling out of control and are referred to as ‘Tridoshas’ which in turn may result in tissue damage. What sets apart the cancer therapy in the Ayurvedic Treatment approach from that of western medicine is that Ayurvedic Treatment doesn’t follow an aggressive approach but rather concentrates on overall healing by finding the root cause of the disease at hand.
Unlike western medical practice, where the focus is given on symptoms in finding a treatment plan, Ayurvedic treatment puts its focus on causes and the treatment plan is decided to enhance the overall well-being of the person by following a healthy lifestyle. Ayurvedic treatment for cancer is based on a vivid variety of herbs that are proven to have properties that can fight the disease and hence are found useful to be considered as Ayurvedic remedies for Cancer.
To mention a few natural remedies:
- Amla – A super-food rich in Vitamin C, gallic acid, pectin, flavonoids, quercetin etc which are known compounds that enable rejuvenation. Trials have proved their ability to destroy cancerous cells while leaving out the healthy ones.
- Garlic – Rich in sulphur, flavonoids, arginine and selenium. Being a known antibacterial agent, it has the ability to stop the development of cancer-causing agents.
- Turmeric – It is a well-known fact that curcumin, which is the core component in turmeric is an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antiseptic. Studies have shown that it has the ability to protect healthy cells while destroying cancer cells.
There are plenty of herbs that are known to have anti-cancer properties like Ashwagandha, Holy Basil, Ginger etc.
Personalized Treatments
Ayurvedic therapies have always been based on a core understanding and analysis of the host-drug interactions to find and establish an appropriate treatment plan for each person. Different medicines and herbs are used as Ayurvedic remedies for Cancer based on the location of the disease.
Medicines & Herbs Used
Based on the affected area, here are a few mentions of herbs used in the Ayurvedic treatment of Cancer
Blood Cancer : Anantmula, Suvarna Vasant Malti Rasa
Lung Cancer : Pippali, Hirak Rasayan
Liver Cancer: Bhuvamalaki, Arogyavardhini
Stomach Cancer: Shatavari, Amlaki, Aloe-Vera, Sarphunkha
Breast Cancer: Chinchabhallataka, Gojivha
Medicines used as Ayurvedic remedies for Cancer:
Kanchnara Guggulu – Detoxifies and purifies the blood
Kaishore Guggulu – Known for anti-inflammatory properties
Triphala Guggulu – Helps balance the Tridoshas
Maharishi Amrit Kalash – High in antioxidants
Cruel Plus – Improves Immunity
Muneks Tablet – Helps prevent tissue damage
These herbs and medicines are very few citations from a vast variety of medicines and herbs known in Ayurvedic treatment for cancer and need to be taken under the strict guidance of an approved practitioner after going through with necessary check-ups.
Ayurvedic treatment for cancer and its therapeutic approach is divided into different categories where each phase is focused on a different aspect of health like Health Maintenance, Restorative function, Disease and its cure and Spiritual approach. The categories are:
Prakrithisthapini Chikitsa
Rasayana Chikitsa
Roganashini Chikitsa and
Naishthiki Chikitsa
The herbs used as ayurvedic remedies for Cancer and known to assist self-healing, reduce the side effects of traditional cancer treatments and other cancer-related complications. Further studies are being conducted on the herbal decoctions and plant-derived compounds and a few of them have been approved for their anti-cancer properties. Etoposide, Lycobetaine, colchiciamide, curdione, monocrotaline are a few of the approved plant-derived components. Every herb that is found to have anti-cancer property contains more than one active principle which often displays its therapeutic benefit for any specific type of cancer while used in combination with another herb or medicine.
New findings prove the outlook Ayurvedic treatment for cancer follows which is that there is a link between metabolic syndrome, inflammation and cancer and that seemingly unrelated diseases can also arise from a prolonged state of changes in metabolism, immune function and internal body balance in general.
