Agrotechnology

Contribution of a traditional medicinal plant in the management of cancer

2^nd International Conference on Agricultural & Horticultural Sciences

Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel, Hyderabad, India February 03-05, 2014

Arun Raj G. R, Prasanna N. Rao and Shailaja U

Posters: Agrotechnol

Abstract:

Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the developed world and a similar trend has emerged in the developing countries too. Cancer prevalence in India is estimated to be around 2.5 million, with over 8,00,000 new cases and 5,50,000 deaths occurring each year due to this disease. The total cancer cases are likely to go up from 979,786 cases in the year 2010 to 1,148,757 cases in the year 2020. Objectives: To draw the attention of Ayurvedic research institutes and scholars to the Dashapushpa , to comprehend the role of Dashapushpa in cancer management. Materials & Methods: The whole study is based on the literary material from Ayurvedic classics like Arogya Kalpadruma , Sarvaroga Chikitsaratna , Abhidana manjari , Kodasheri margam , Prayoga samuchayam , Chikitsa kauthukam , Vaidya manorama , Agastya marmashastra . Methodology comprised of a concept about the role of traditionally used medicine, ie., Dashapushpa in the management of cancer on the basis of its clinical practice by some traditional Visha Chikitsaka . Discussion: Cancer can be considered as a visha that is poison based on the similarity in the properties of both cancer and visha . So the same visha chikitsa can be useful in the treatment of cancer. Dashapushpa is a group of ten auspicious herbs according to Kerala tradition viz. Bhadra ( Aerva lanata ), Viparitha lajjalu ( Biophytum sensitivum ), Indravalli ( Cardiospermum halicacabum , Musali ( Curculiogo orchioides ), Durva ( Cynodon dactylon ), Bhringaraja ( Eclipta alba ), Akhukarni ( Emilia sonchifolia ), Harikrantha ( Evolvulus alsinoides ), Lakshmana ( Ipomea sepiarea ) and Sahadevi ( Vernonia cinerea ). Conclusion: Further detailed investigation of its pharmacological activity, toxicity, clinical trials and standardization of Dashapushpa may help to develop new formulation for controlling various types of cancers.

Biography :

Arun Raj G. R was born in Kerala state, India. He did his BAMS graduation from Kerala University (2004-09). Currently, he is pursuing post graduation in Kaumarabhritya (Ayurvedic Pediatrics) from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences at Sree Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara College of Ayurveda and Hospital, Hassan, Karnataka. He has published about twenty three papers in various national and international journals. To add, he has presented 12 papers in different national and international seminars. Currently, he is working on evaluating the efficacy of an Ayurvedic herbo-mineral preparation in the management of chronic tonsillitis in children.