From traditional Ayurvedic medicine to modern medicine: identification of therapeutic targets for suppression of inflammation and cancer

Bharat B Aggarwal Ransom Horne, Jr., Professor of Cancer Research, Professor of Cancer Medicine (Biochemistry), and Chief, Cytokine Research Laboratory, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Cytokine Research Laboratory, Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Box 143, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. [email protected]

Haruyo Ichikawa Postdoctoral Fellow, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Cytokine Research Laboratory, Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Box 143, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77030, USA

Prachi Garodia Doctor, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Cytokine Research Laboratory, Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Box 143, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77030, USA

Priya Weerasinghe Instructor, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Cytokine Research Laboratory, Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Box 143, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77030, USA

Gautam Sethi Postdoctoral Fellow, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Cytokine Research Laboratory, Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Box 143, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77030, USA

Indra D Bhatt Postdoctoral Fellow, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Cytokine Research Laboratory, Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Box 143, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77030, USA

Manoj K Pandey Postdoctoral Fellow, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Cytokine Research Laboratory, Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Box 143, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77030, USA

Shishir Shishodia Assistant Professor, Texas Southern University, Department of Biology, 3100 Cleburne Street, Houston, Texas 77004, USA

Muraleedharan G Nair Professor, Michigan State University, 173 National Food Safety and Toxicology Center, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA

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Abstract

Cancer is a hyperproliferative disorder that involves transformation, dysregulation of apoptosis, proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis and metastasis. Extensive research during the last 30 years has revealed much about the biology of cancer. Drugs used to treat most cancers are those that can block cell signalling, including growth factor signalling (e.g., epidermal growth factor); prostaglandin production (e.g., COX-2); inflammation (e.g., inflammatory cytokines: NF-κB, TNF, IL-1, IL-6, chemokines); drug resistance gene products (e.g., multi-drug resistance); cell cycle proteins (e.g., cyclin D1 and cyclin E); angiogenesis (e.g., vascular endothelial growth factor); invasion (e.g., matrix metalloproteinases); antiapoptosis (e.g., bcl-2, bcl-X_L, XIAP, survivin, FLIP); and cellular proliferation (e.g., c-myc, AP-1, growth factors). Numerous reports have suggested that Ayurvedic plants and their components mediate their effects by modulating several of these recently identified therapeutic targets. However, Ayurvedic medicine requires rediscovery in light of our current knowledge of allopathic (modern) medicine. The focus of this review is to elucidate the Ayurvedic concept of cancer, including its classification, causes, pathogenesis and prevention; surgical removal of tumours; herbal remedies; dietary modifications; and spiritual treatments.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank for ChaRhonda Chilton for a careful review of the manuscript. This work was supported by the Clayton Foundation for Research, a Department of Defense US Army Breast Cancer Research Programme grant (BC010610), a PO1 grant (CA91844) from the National Institutes of Health on lung chemoprevention, and a P50 Head and Neck SPORE grant from the National Institutes of Health (all to BB Aggarwal).

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From traditional Ayurvedic medicine to modern medicine: identification of therapeutic targets for suppression of inflammation and cancer

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