A new study from the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute suggests that a commonly used herbal supplement, triphala, has cancer-fighting properties// that prevent or slow the growth of pancreatic cancer tumors implanted in mice. The study found that an extract of triphala, the dried and powdered fruits of three plants, caused pancreatic cancer cells to die through a process called apoptosis – the body’s normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted or unneeded cells. This process often is faulty in cancer cells. Results of the study, abstract number LB-142, are being presented in a late-breaking session at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, April 14-18, at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Triphala, one of the most popular herbal preparations in the world, is used for the treatment of intestinal-related disorders. It is typically taken with water and thought to promote appetite and digestion and to increase the number of red blood cells.

"We discovered that triphala fed orally to mice with human pancreatic tumors was an extremely effective inhibitor of the cancer process, inducing apoptosis in cancer cells," said Sanjay K. Srivastava, Ph.D., lead investigator and assistant professor, department of pharmacology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. "Triphala triggered the cancerous cells to die off and significantly reduced the size of the tumors without causing any toxic side effects."

Dr. Srivastava and colleagues fed mice grafted with human pancreatic tumors 1 to 2 milligrams of triphala for five days a week and then compared tumor size and levels of apoptotic proteins in the tumors to a control group of mice that received normal saline only. They found that the mice that received triphala had increased levels of proteins associated with apoptosis and significantly smaller tumor sizes when compared to the control group. Triphala-treated tumors were half the size of tumors in untre
'"/>




Page: 1 2
Related medicine news :

1. Uterine Fibroid Embolization Gaining Popularity
2. Study Warns About The Use Of Popular Asthma Drug To Stop Childrens Coughs
3. Popularity Of Homeopathy On The Increase
4. Popularity Among Peers Increases Susceptibility To Smoking Habit Among School Children
5. Valentine Day Becoming Popular In India
6. Bio-functional Garments Gaining Popularity
7. Warfarin the Not So Popular Drug for Stroke
8. Tooth Enamel Eaten Away By Popular Drinks
9. Chinese NGO To Popularize Sex Education For Youngsters
10. Concerns About Popular Anti-Ulcer Pill Used For Inducing Labor
11. FDA issues warnings on Three Popular Asthma drug labels