Herbal hope for patients with pancreatic cancer seen in ayurvedic triphala

A research finding presented Tuesday at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research promises a possible remedy for pancreatic cancer in an Indian herbal preparation.

A team at University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute found that Ayurvedic preparation Triphala (extracts from three fruits) affected the growth of human pancreatic tumors grafted on to mice.

Triphala, a traditional medicine said to be formulated thousands of years ago, is considered the most effective and safest laxative and colon tonic by many health care practitioners in India. They claim Triphala is mild, non-habit forming, and a rejuvenator.

Researchers also uncovers its has anti-cancerous properties. The new research found that it worked in mice without damaging normal pancreatic cells.

During the study, mice grafted with human pancreatic tumors were fed with Triphala five days a week. After four weeks the tumor size and proteins contents of the tumors were compared with those of a control group of mice that had not received the formulation and the tumors in the first group were found half a size of that in the second group.

Also the treated mice tumor cells had higher levels of proteins associated with apoptosis - which would help the body normally disposes of damaged, old of unneeded cells, the study said.

Professor Srivastava said in a meeting with colleagues, "Triphala triggered the cancerous cells to die off and significantly reduced the size of the tumors without causing any toxic side effects. Triphala had also activated tumor-suppressor genes, but did not negatively affect normal pancreatic cells."

Srivastava expressed hope that with more studies it would be possible to prove Triphala's potential as an agent in preventing and treating the pancreatic cancer.

The research, however, is still at a very early stage scientists said.