Prostate Cancer – Ayurvedic Herbal Treatment
Prostate cancer is a malignant tumor that consists of cells from the prostate gland. The cause of prostate cancer is unknown, but it is not believed to be related to benign prostatic hypertrophy. The risk factors for prostate cancer include advancing age, genetics, hormonal influences and environmental factors such as toxins, chemicals and industrial products. The tumor usually grows slowly and remains confined to the gland for many years. Symptoms and signs are more often associated with advanced prostate cancer. Symptoms include a diminished flow of urine, burning urination or blood in the urine. In the late stages, due to the spread of the tumor, other symptoms like back pain, pelvic pain, pain in the abdomen, jaundice, chest pain and cough are seen. Watchful waiting, surgery, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy and cryotherapy are the standard line of treatment for this condition.
The Ayurvedic treatment of prostate cancer is aimed at treating the local tumor and preventing or reducing its spread. Medicines used to treat the local tumor are: Triphala-Guggulu, Kanchnaar-Guggulu, Gokshuradi-Guggulu, Chandraprabha-Vati, Punarnavadi-Guggulu, Punarnavadi-Qadha, Arogya-Vardhini, Punarnava (Boerhaavia diffusa), Deodar (Cedrus deodara), Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia), Amalaki (Emblica officinalis), Haritaki (Terminalia chebula), Guggulu (Commiphora mukul), Erandmool (Ricinus communis), Gokshur (Tribulus terrestris), Sunthi (Zinziber officinalis), Marich (Piper nigrum), Pippali (Piper longum), Musta (Cyperus rotundus), Saariva (Hemidesmus indicus), Pashandbhed (Bergenia lingulata), Apamarga (Achyranthus aspera), Sahinjan (Moringa pterygosperma), Kuchla (Strychnos nuxvomica) and Varun (Crataeva nurvala). Medicines like Kanchnaar-Guggulu and Maha-Manjishthadi-Qadha are given in high doses to prevent the spread of the cancer to other parts of the body.
Medicines like Suvarna-Parpati, Suvarna-Raj-Vangeshwar-Ras, Suvarna-Malini-Vasant, Trivang-Bhasma, Tamra-Bhasma, Abhrak-Bhasma, Suvarna-Bhasma and Heerak-Bhasma are used in combination with other medicines to both improve the immune status of the body and to help control the tumor and prevent its spread.
Ayurvedic medicines can be used as additional therapy at any stage of conventional treatment, in order to improve the therapeutic response and the overall survival rate. All such patients should be under the regular care and supervision of an Oncology team.
Prostate Cancer – Ayurvedic Herbal Treatment by Abdulmubeen Mundewadi
