Treatment of Cancer With Herbal Medicine

Lecturer Dr. Sulaiman Ajaj Abdullah

College of Pharmacy, University Of Anbar, Ramadi, Iraq

Department: Laboratory and Clinical Sciences

The term "herbal medicine," sometimes known as "botanical medicine" or "phytomedicine," describes the use of a plant for therapeutic purposes. Herbal products are complex mixes of organic substances that can be extracted from any portion of the plant (seeds, berries, roots, leaves, bark, or flowers). Potential reservoirs for several secondary metabolites exist in medicinal plants. Natural bioactive substances derived from plants are now being investigated as an alternative to synthetic anticancer medications due to the toxicity issues, side effects, and high cost of conventional medicine.

In the last decade, Herbal products have become increasingly popular, and now they are used by approximately 20% of the population. Many novel medications are originated indirectly from medicinal plants. About 3000 plant species have been reported to have alleged anticancer activity. Currently, 60 percent of anticancer medicines originate from natural goods and crop derivatives. Natural products have therefore received considerable attention as essential provenances for the development of useful efficient anticancer agents. Herbal treatments are frequently used by cancer patients in the hope of achieving an anti-cancer effect, reducing cancer-related symptoms, and/or improving quality of life. According to researches, herbal remedies may be useful for:

·        Improve the immune system.

·        Relieving cancer symptoms.

·        Minimize medication side effects.

·        Slow cancer growth (metastasis).

·        Disrupt cancer cells.

Malignant tumors can now be treated successfully with complementary and alternative medicine, particularly when it comes to providing comfort and support to cancer patients. These medications are not used only by the rural peoples in developing countries for primary health care, but also by urban peoples in developed countries where modern drugs predominate. There are many different herbal natural health product formats, including teas, tinctures, and capsules. Healthcare professionals should be aware of issues with product quality and standardization while working with herbal products. The possibility of interactions with radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and other drugs must also be considered by practitioners. Practitioners should expand their knowledge and expertise to be able to successfully advise cancer patients who are interested in herbal treatment. Most herbs are considered to be generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. However, patients must keep in mind that herbal products are still a form of medication. Make sure to first acquire your oncologist's approval before using herbal medicine.

Key words: Herbal medicine; Herbal products; Cancer treatment

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