
Nutraceuticals in leukemia
Author(s) -
Madhumita Roy,
Arup Mukherjee,
Sutapa Mukherjee,
Jaydip Biswas
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of ayurvedic and herbal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2454-5023
DOI - 10.31254/jahm.2017.3107
Subject(s) - medicine , leukemia , disease , cancer , bone marrow , adjuvant therapy , acute leukemia , nutraceutical , blood cancer , immunology , traditional medicine , pathology
The term Leukemia signifies cancer of the blood, bone marrow and lymphoid system and is resulted due to abnormal proliferation of immature white blood cells. Conventional therapeutic modalities for leukemia act by targeting various signalling pathways that contribute to leukemogenesis. These treatment strategies may be effective in tackling the disease but they often pose severe side effects as they harm the normal healthy cells along with the cancer cells. Thus alternative means of leukemia therapy need to be explored. Ayurveda, one of the ancient forms of medicine practised in the Indian subcontinent, may be a good option. Ayurveda aims to cure diseases by harnessing the power of natural herbs and other plant resources or phytochemicals. It has been documented that ayurveda is effective in the treatment of various types of cancer, including leukemia. These ayurvedic formulations may find their use as an adjuvant therapy in conjunction with existing treatment protocols. Ayurveda is unique in the way that it helps to control the disease in a non-toxic way by preventing growth of abnormal blood cells vis a vis sparing the normal cells. They also aid to relieve the leukemic patient of pain and anxiety in the later stages of the disease. Thus intense research is warranted to establish the potential of ayurveda or natural medicine in the therapy of leukemia.