Composition of eleven herbals for treating cancer

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a new herbal formulation which has been found to be effective for the treatment of cancer. More particularly, the formulation can be used to treat squamous cell carcinomas, tumours and other metastatic states, including lung cancer.

The conventional treatment of tumerous cancers, including lung cancer, comprises surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. The drugs given during chemotherapy are of necessity very powerful and, in consequence, can have serious and undesirable side-effects. There is therefore a need for improved pharmaceutical or medicinal preparations for use in the treatment of cancer. It is the object of this invention to provide such a product.

According to this invention there is provided a pharmaceutical or medicinal preparation which comprises a mixture of the following eleven herbs: Withania somnifera, Chlorphyton borivilianum, Boerhavia diffusa, Elephantopus scaber, Moringa oleifera, Tecoma undulata, Bauhinia purpurea, Ficus racemosa, Cyperus rotundus, Sphaeranthus acmella and Tinospora cordifolia or a mixture of the active ingredients that have been extracted from those herbs or chemically synthesized. This product has been found by the inventor to be particularly effective for the treatment of lung cancer, including all types of bronchogenic carcinomas and pleural malignancies. The preparation is preferably formulated for administration to patients as a liquid or syrup, but could also be administered as a capsule or tablet.

The ingredients for a typical herbal formulation according to this invention are set out in Table I. It should be appreciated that the proportions of the individual herbs may be varied and the figures quoted in Table I are by way of illustration only. In particular, the proportions of one or more of the components may be varied in order to optimize the pharmacological effects produced by the formulation to suit the specific needs of patients being treated.

It is an important feature of the product of the present invention that it contains a mixture of herbs, or extracts from herbs, rather than being based on a single herb. A synergistic effect has been noticed between the various ingredients. The herbs when exhibited unexpected synergistic property. The activities of similar herbs are combined to optimize and enhance the pharmacological effects without increasing the adverse toxic reactions (which becomes a distinct possibility if the herbs are used singly in a concentration of 100%). The advantage of a multi-drug regimen also lies in the fact that the possibility of development of drug resistance is minimized.

Preliminary clinical trials of the product of this invention have produced definite clinical evidence of improvement in the condition of patients suffering from lung cancer. These improvements include: i) reduction in the tumour size as noted on X-ray, ultra sonography, C.T. Scan and MRI. ii) improvement in the relevant biochemical parameters; and iii) disappearance of malignant cells from sputum and pleural fluid;

and more subjectively: i) sense of well being, ii) improvement in appetite, and iii) increased vigour and enthusiasm in daily activities.

The formulation of this invention is itself effective for the treatment of cancer. It may also be used as an adjuvant to conventional modes of anticancer therapy, namely radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. The formulation may be presented as a dietary supplement for patients diagnosed as having any type of cancer. It may also be used to create a sense of general well being and to increase the vitality in patients diagnosed as having any type of cancer, to increase the appetite, restore health and increase the lifespan of patients diagnosed as having any type of cancer; to improve the ambulatory capacity in patients diagnosed as having any type of cancer; to activate the nervous system, prevent degenerative changes, stimulate regeneration and improve the psychological status in patients diagnosed as having any type of cancer, and to stimulate metabolism, accelerate anabolism, promote catabolism thereby flushing the body of toxic metabolites and reducing the side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The hepatic clearance of substances like iron and ferritin in cases of thalassemia is also improved, thereby reducing the iron overload in such cases.

The manufacture of a product according to the present invention will now be illustrated by the following example. However, it will be appreciated that the active ingredients may be chemically synthesised as an alternative to being extracted from the natural herbs.

EXAMPLE

Method of Extraction

Each of the herbal components of the formulation were de-seeded (wherever required), ground finely to powder form and then submitted individually to conventional solvent extraction methods.

By way of illustration only, the extraction can be performed by using volatile freon gas. This process has the advantage of being fast and also has the ability to preserve the active chemicals (alkaloids, non-alkaloids, electrolytes, minerals, etc.) in their natural form (as it does not involve heating and denaturation at any stage of the process). Freon, being a highly volatile compound with its boiling point at -21.degree. C., evaporates totally after extraction, yielding an ultrapure concentrate of the chemicals. The chemicals are thereafter diluted appropriately and mixed in the proportions mentioned in Table 1.

Preliminary Clinical Data

Case 1

A 53 year old male patient had complaints of chest pain and blood in sputum. Bronchoscopic biopsy revealed a squamous cell carcinoma of the lung. The patient refused conventional therapy and was put on the herbal formulation of the present invention. Two gelatin capsules containing 450 mg to 480 mg each of the powdered herbal formulation was administered to the patient once every 8 hours, three times a day. One month after therapy began, there was a complete stoppage of haemoptysis and chest pain with improvement in appetite and ambulatory capacity.

Case 2

A male patient 42 years old and a habitual smoker was diagnosed as a stage III squamous cell carcinoma of lung with hepatic metastasis. The patient refused conventional therapy and was put on the herbal formulation of the present invention. Two gelatin capsules containing 450 mg to 480 mg each of the powdered herbal formulation was administered to the patient once every 8 hours, three times a day. The tumour size after six months of herbal therapy was the same as at the time of diagnosis. However, there has been a marked improvement in the psychological status of the patient and also in his appetite and ambulatory capacity.

It can be concluded that the herbal formulation of the present invention has a very beneficial effect on apparently terminally ill patients suffering from malignant tumours and even metastatic carcinomas. Furthermore, therapy with this formulation appears to have the advantages of targeting only malignant cells, producing no serious adverse side effects, causing no damage to healthy cells, improving the immuno-modulatory effect and also producing an anti-oxidant effect.

TABLE 1 Polyherbal formulation for All Cancers Description of Ingredients Sr. Latin Common Adverse No. Binomial Names Distribution Parts used Quantity Reactions 1. Withania Ashwagandha All parts of Roots, 8-12% None somnifera India leaves preferably 10% 2. Chlorophyton Shwet Cultivated Roots 3-8% None borivilianum Mushali throughout preferably India 5% 3. Boerhavia Punarnava Cultivated Rhizomes 8-12% None diffusa mool throughout (dried as preferably India well as 10% raw) 4. Elephantopus Gaozaban Few parts of Roots, stem 3-8% None scaber India preferably 5% 5. Moringa Saragavo Throughout Seeds, 8-12% None oleifera India along Leaves preferably roadsides and 10% waste places 6. Tecoma Ragat rohida Cultivated Stem 8-12% None undulata throughout preferably India 10% 7. Bauhinia Kanchnar Cultivated Stem 8-12% None purpurea throughout preferably India 10% 8. Ficus Udumbar Throughout Stem 3-8% None racemosa India preferably 5% 9. Cyperus Nagarmoth Throughout Rhizomes 8-12% None rotundus India preferably 10% 10. Sphaeranthus Gorakhmundi Throughout Whole 3-8% None acemella India plant preferably 5% 11. Tinospora Tinospora Throughout Stem 17-23% None cordifolia India in preferably forests 20%