Ayurvedic Treatment for Cancer | Chinese Medicine in Cancer Treatment

Posted by Mohit Mathur on December 2nd, 2019

Liu Wei Di Huang is a Chinese herbal formulation used in the treatment of cancer. It contains Rehmannia glutinosa, Corni Officinalis, Dioscorea batatas, Poria cocos, Paeonia suffruticosa and Alismatis orientalis. The Beijing Institute for Cancer Research has reported significant regression of tumours in the patients of small-cell lung cancer after administration of Liu Wei Di Huang. Studies have shown that Liu Wei Di Huang enhances the therapeutic effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Angelica Sinensis (Dang Gui) is used by the Chinese physicians to ayurvedic treatment for cancer of the cervix. The polysaccharide fraction of Angelica Sinensis, known as “AR-4” possesses immunostimulating activities such as induction of interferon production, stimulation of the immune cell proliferation and enhancement of the antitumour activity of the immune cell.

Berberine is used by Chinese physicians to treat bone marrow depression caused by chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Berberine is isolated from Hydrastis Canadensis (Goldenseal), Mahonia aquifolium (Oregon grape root) and Berberis vulgaris (Barberry).

Prunella vulgaris (Xia Ku Cao) also known as Wild Selfheal contains rosmarinic acid, which is considered as one of the best antioxidants. Chinese physicians have been using this herb to treat cancer.

Actinidia chinensis (Yang-t’ao) root is used by Chinese physicians in the treatment of cancer. Actinidia chinensis contains a polysaccharide known as “ACPS-R” that possesses immune-enhancing and anticancer activities.

Polyporus umbellatus (Zhu Ling) is found to increase the life span of cancer patients by enhancing the activity of the immune cells against cancer.

In Longhua Hospital of Chinese Medicine, a study was conducted on 60 patients suffering from advanced stages of squamous cell carcinoma of the lung and the oral cavity. These patients were divided into two groups. One group was treated with Chinese herbal medicines and the other with chemotherapy. The average survival period in the group treated by Chinese herbal medicines was 465 days, whereas, in the chemotherapy group, the average survival period was 204 days. The survival rate after 1 year was 67 per cent in the herbal group and 33 per cent in the chemotherapy group. After 2 years, the survival rate was 13 per cent in the herbal group and 3 per cent in the chemotherapy group.

Dr Chen-lian Pan has reported a very good survival rate in 300 patients suffering from the advanced stages of cancer after treatment with the Chinese herbal medicines. The total effective rate of the herbal medicines was 51 per cent with the longest survival period of 11 years.

Dr Minyi Chang, who treated more than 5,000 cancer patients with the Chinese herbal medicines since 1982, has described the effectiveness of 256 Chinese anticancer herbs in his book, Anticancer Medicinal Herbs.

Kampo is the Japanese version of the Chinese herbal medicine. In Kampo, the herbs are used in combinations. There are more than 140 Kampo formulations, out of which the most effective anticancer combinations are Juzen-taiho-to and Sho-saiko-to.

Juzen-taiho-to (JT-48) is a combination of Astragalus, Angelica, Cinnamomum, Ginseng, Glycyrrhiza, Urtica, Paeonia and some other herbs. Juzen-taiho-to enhances anticancer activity of the natural killer cells (NK cells) and reduces toxic effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Sho-saiko-to contains Bupleurum, Pinellia, Scutellaria, Ziziphus jujuba, Panax ginseng, Glycyrrhiza and Zingiber. Sho-saiko-to enhances activity of the macrophages and enables the patient to fight cancer effectively.