Herbs for cancer treatment

Abstract

Cancer is probably the most complex of all diseases as it is associated with mutation in the genomes. Mutation is caused by certain reasons like toxic chemicals, poisonous gases, radiations, etc. Cancer-causing genes are called as oncogenes (Bcl-2, C-myc, foc, jun, HER-2/neu/c-erb-2), and the genes which suppress cancer are known as suppressor genes (Bax, cx32, cx43, p53, etc). During cell cycle, only healthy cells can enter from G phase to cytokinesis phase, and unhealthy cells undergo apoptosis which is under the control of p53 gene (“guardian of DNA”). Mutation in this gene affects the whole cycle, which may result in the formation of tumors. According to the recent studies, mutation in genes like EGFR, PSA, and BRCA may lead to lung, prostate, and breast cancer, respectively. Our work is based on reliable data collected from various cancer databases like Integrative Oncogenomics Cancer Browser, Mouse Retrovirus Tagged Cancer Gene Database, the CEO Life Sciences Consortium, COSMIC, IntOGen, International Cancer Genome Consortium, CAB Abstract, J-GATE, ERIC, ProQuest, and INMEDPLAN and websites such as www.jstor.org, www.sciencedirect.com, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/, etc. The objective of this chapter is to state the role of genes in various cancers. Moreover, the information presented in this report may help the “to be” oncologists to learn more about the causes and therapies for cancer treatment Cancer is an extremely fatal disease, not only in developed but also in developing countries as it affects six million lives each year worldwide. According to the American Cancer Society each year 0.5% of US population is diagnosed with cancer. Annually, billions of dollars are invested on cancer research, yet the success rates are not satisfactory. Cancer cells arise due to the imbalance in the body functions and they invade and infect the normal cells. Cancer is not one disease; rather it is a group of various diseases. The present chapter includes explicit information on cancer types such as cancer of blood, lungs, colon and rectum, prostate, skin, breast, uterus, thyroid, lymphatic system, etc. Cancers are being treated by various methods which include chemotherapy, precision medicine, radiation therapy, surgery, stem cell transplant, hormone therapy, immune therapy, and targeted therapy. In some cases, cancer can be treated by single method, but mostly several methods are used to cure the disease. Moreover, the treatment specifically depends upon the stage and type of cancer. In chemotherapy and radiotherapy, survival rates are usually very low because of their undesirable side effects on human health. On the contrary, herbal therapy alone and in combination with the routine cancer treatment regimes has shown some promising potential, as it is free from side effects In the present day, cancer is a burning issue and is caused due to the mutation in the cells, which divide uncontrollably, so as to form abnormal mass of cells inside the body. It can also be caused by various reasons such as heredity, loss of exercise, alcohol, smoking, physical trauma, radiations, etc. Every year about 6 million cases of cancer are reported worldwide. Cancer cells possess immense potential to divide and to invade other parts of the body at a tremendous speed. Cancer treatment includes chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery, etc. which have their own side effects. Ayurveda is a science of life with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. Ayurvedic treatments have also been practiced in Western countries as well. Ayurveda defines cancer as a chronic imbalance of Tridosha (pathophysiological entities), dhatus (tissue), and Triguna (mental qualities) and can be treated without any side effect. In this chapter, emphasis has been made on how Ayurvedic medicine or the herbal remedies help to retard the process of cancer by targeting the specific tissue to improve the quality of patient's life. The success rates of herbal therapy have also been discussed Plants have been utilized for health and medicinal benefits for hundreds of years due to their multiple beneficial attributes such as anticancer, antitumor, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antibacterial, anti-ulcer, anti-arthritic, etc. It has been estimated that there are altogether 250,000 species of higher plants on Earth and among them 35,000-70,000 species are being used to treat various diseases due to the presence of secondary metabolites (alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, glycosides, saponins, etc.). Cancer is a worldwide leading cause of morbidity and mortality. To cure this at right time, herbal drugs are more beneficial than synthetic drugs, because the synthetic medicines can cause heavy damage to normal cells while destroying the tumor cells. The present work consists of a review of 149 plant families harboring 667 species reported to possess anticancer property. Moreover, other biological properties of the bioactive compounds are also covered. This work is based on reliable data collected from multifarious databases such as CAB abstract, MEDLINE, EMBASE, J GATE, ERIC, Proquest, INMEDPLAN, NATTS, The Plant List, JSTOR, Google Scholar, Springer, Elsevier, and websites such as www.sciencedirect.com, www.jstor.org, www.eflora.org, and www.pfaf.org. The complete data regarding plant names, synonyms, common names, botanical description, medicinal properties, and bioactive compounds present in the plant parts is compiled. In near future, these bioactive compounds can be deployed singly or in combination with routine chemotherapy and radiotherapy to treat various types of cancers, after proper standardization, dose optimization, and stringent clinical trials.