Overview
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), also known as Indian Ginseng. Its root has a horsey smell. In Sanskrit, ashva means “horse” and gandha means “smell.” Ashwagandha is classified as an adaptogen, since it enhances the body’s resilience to stress. The primary function of ashwagandha is to provide relief from anxiety and stress. It is also ideal for treating rheumatoid arthritis and fatigue. Additionally, this plant’s roots, berries, and leaves work well in neutralizing the symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders and epilepsy.
Ashwagandha showed great potential in relieving post-chemotherapy stress for cancer patients. Moreover, it improved the quality of life of cancer patients. This article will cover the role of ashwagandha in treating cancer. So, without further delay, let’s begin.
Here is the relevant information regarding ashwagandha’s role in cancer management.
Mechanism of Action
The ashwagandha extracts showed great potential as an anticancer agent. The mechanism of action includes alterations in levels of
- endogenous catalase
- peroxide dismutase
Moreover, it showed increased lipids reduction. The antitumor effects show increased sensitivity in cancer cells, especially with conventional chemotherapy medication. It decreased their adverse effects without affecting effectiveness.
Ashwagandha also showed potential in repairing oxidative damage. It reduced inflammation consistently. The epigenetic changes may reverse the effects using ashwagandha compounds.
This is made possible with the presence of withaferin A (WA). Withaferin A occurs at higher levels in chloroform extracts of the ashwagandha leaves. An aqueous (ashwagandha with water) leaf extract has anticancer capabilities. It works with another component called triethylene glycol (TEG), an activator of p53 and pRB (tumor suppressor protein).
Ashwagandha and Breast Cancer
Doctors in the Universiti Sains Malaysia used a standardized dose regimen of two grams of ashwagandha extract every eight hours during the chemotherapy of 100 breast cancer patients.
- Reduced fatigue in chemotherapy
- Overall improvement of quality of life
Researchers concluded that ashwagandha has similar biological effects to steroids. This is due to active components called withanolides.
Ashwagandha for Prostate Cancer
Dried alcohol ashwagandha root extract is used on the human prostate cell line (PC-3). It is to identify and evaluate its therapeutic properties in cancer treatment. Ashwagandha therapy suppressed cell proliferation of prostate cancers.
Additional Ashwagandha Anticancer Study
One study reported that using Withaferin A shows cytotoxicity in various tumor cell lines. It induced oxidative stress in human leukemia HL-60 cells. It also has similar effects in the estrogen receptor-positive and estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer cells.
The cytotoxic property induces early reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation.
It triggers a series of mitochondrial-dependent and -independent apoptosis pathways.
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