Domanda Anti-Cancer herbs

Anti-Cancer herbs



Latin Name

Common name

Uses






Acacia arabica

Babul Tree, Kikar

Decoction of bark is an astringent lotion for ulcers, cancerous and syphilitic affections; used as a gargle and mouth wash in relaxed sore throat and spongy gums; infusion of the astringent pods is used in diseases of the mucous membranes, sores of mouth and for healing syphilitic ulcers



Ageretum conzyoides

Goat weed, Ajgandha, Sahadevi

Flowers anti-cancer; Leaves treat tumours, piles, uterine disorder, leprosy; leaves also styptic and anti-tetanus; roots antilithic for kidney stone



Annona squamosa

Custard Apple, Sharifa

Leaves and fruits good anti-cancer activity; treats malignant tumours and ulcers; bark yields tonic, and the seeds, fruits and leaves contain the alkaloid annoine



Anogeissus latifolia

Bakla

Cancer on face, skin diseases, carbuncle, leukoderma (whole plant); gum used as postnatal tonic



Bauhinia variegata

Variegated Bauhinia, Kachnar

Decoction of stem and root bark is used in ulcers, scrofulous tumours, syphilis, leprosy and other skin diseases; an emulsion of the bark made by triturating it with rice water is recommended with the addition of ginger in scrofulous enlargement of glands of the neck; bark, flowers, and root, well rubbed in rice water, are used as poultice for promoting suppuration; a paste of the bark with dried ginger is used as a cataplasm for scrofulous tumours; decoction of root is given in flatulence and also acts as an anti-fat remedy and is therefore very suitable for corpulent persons



Berberis aristata

B. asiatica

Indian barberry, Daru-Haldi, Chitra, Kingora, Rasot

Good biological activity for anti-cancer, and also used for indolent ulcers, gastric and duodenal ulcers; also hypoglycaemic, blood purifier, alterative, tonic; the chief constituent of the extract from stem, branches and root (extract popularly known as rasot) is the bitter alkaloid berberine



Boswellia serrata

Indian Frankincense, Indian olibanum, Kundri, Guggal-Salai


Oleoresin gum with good anti-cancer activity; other properties described under Anti-obesity Herbs

Calotropis gigantea;



C. procera


Swallow-Wart, Madar, Safed Aak;

Aak

Anti-cancer, anti-viral, antiseptic; also cures epilepsy, tetanus, paralysis of tongue, asthma, leprosy, skin diseases and ulcers (whole plant and latex)

Cassia fistula

Golden Shower, Amaltas

Good anti-cancer, anti-viral and antiseptic properties; also blood purifier and refreshing tonic; cures asthma, blindness, chest infections, epilepsy, leprosy, syphilis, liver complications, gargle reduces swelling of throat (leaves, flowers, fruits, stem bark and roots); best remedy for throat cancer



Catheranthus roseum

(= Vinca rosea)

Periwinkle, Sadabahar, Nayantara

Proven medicinal importance owing to presence of indole alkaloids rambasin, ajmalcine and serpentine, reserpine in roots and of vincristine, vinblastine and vindoline (VLB alkaloids in leaves); vincristine used in treatment of acute leukaemia including lymphocyte leukaemia; vincalenkoblastine used in treatment of Hodgkin’s disease & leuroscristine for breast cancer; also for treating malignant lymphoma; Combinations of leaf alkaloids used in multiple drug cancer therapy; root alkaloids are hypotensive, sedative, tranquillising and antifibrillic; leaves are anti-diabetic and diaphoretic



Hygrophila auriculata

Talmakhana

Anti-cancer, tonic, aphrodisiac, cures impotency, jaundice, body pain



Momordica charantia

Bitter gourd, Bitter melon, Karela

MAP 30, a 30 kDa basic protein from the bitter melon fruit or seed is useful in treating HIV infection and cancer; Momordica charantia is a medicinal plant whose edible fruits and seeds have been used for centuries in Southeast Asia as anti-infection and anti-tumor agents; other properties described under Anti-AIDS Herbs and Anti-Diabetic Herbs



Moringa oleifera

Ben Tree, Drumstick Tree, Sonjana, Sainga

Anticancer activity; reduces inflammatory tumours and swellings (root); nervous debility, epilepsy, spasmodic disorders, hysteria and as cardiac stimulant and diuretic (leaves, stem and root); flowers boiled with milk used as aphrodisiac; seed treats venereal diseases; stem bark contains alkaloids allied to ephedrine



Nerium indicum

Oleander, Kaner

Leaves are used externally as powerful resolvent and attenuant, especially for dispersing or absorbing a tumour, or other lesion; decoction of leaves used externally for reducing swellings; paste of root (in water) locally applied to chancres, ulcers, and root decoction used for reducing inflammatory swellings; oil extracted from root bark is locally used to treat skin diseases such as eczema, impetigo and other diseases of scaly nature and leprosy; leaves contain the glucoside nerrin and oleandrin; root contains bitter principles neridorin and neriodorein

Shorea robusta

Sal Tree, Sal, Salwa

Aromatic oleo-resin gum exuded from stem used to cure cancer, tumour, tubercles, carbuncle, skin infections, syphilis and gonorrhoea; also used as aphrodisiac and stimulant



Trianthema monogyna

Spreading Hogweed, Saanthi





Whole plant with good anti-cancer activity

Viola odorata

Sweet Violet, Banaf Shah

This plant is the well-known Banaf-Shah of Hakims; fresh leaves and flowers are a reputed drug for the treatment of cancer, both internally and externally; they are of great value for curing and relieving pain due to cancerous growth, especially in the throat and cancer of the tongue; flowers are useful in epilepsy, nervous disorders, kidney diseases, liver disorders and bilious affections



Woodfordia fructicosa

Jali, Dhai Phool, Dhayanti Phool,

Edible flowers anti-cancer and cooling tonic; also cure ulcers, syphilis, skin diseases, bilious sickness and night blindness

Xanthium strumarium

Cochlebur, Bur-Weed, Shankeswar, Chhota Gokhru

Root and its glucoside xanthostrumarin are useful in cancer and scrofula; seeds used for resolving ulcers and inflammatory swellings; fruits used as cooling, sedative, diuretic, diaphoretic tonic



Other Anti-cancer herbs:

Allium sativum (Garlic): described under General Tonic Herbs

Centella asiatica (Pennywort, Bramhi): described under Brain Tonic Herbs

Curcuma longa (Turmeric ): remarkable anti-cancer property; described under General Tonic Herbs

Ficus glomerata (Fig Tree): Bark for ulcers and cancerous affections; described under Anti-diabetic Herbs

Mucuna prurita (Cowhage, kavatch, Goncha): described under Aphrodisiac Herbs

Syzygium cumini (Black Plum, Jamun): described under Anti-diabetic Herbs