A PILOT STUDY ON THE EFFICACY OF AN INDIGENOUS ANTICANCER FORMULATION (AC COMPOUND) IN PATIENTS OF CANCER

Cancer is second to coronary artery disease as being the commonest cause of death in the western world. In India, as many as 2,500 persons die every day due to tobacco-related diseases. One woman dies of cervical cancer every 8 minutes in India. In Modern medicine, the available treatment modalities viz chemotherapy and radiotherapy cause decrease in immunity, decreased Quality of life, poor tolerance to surgery and altered efficacy of Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy. Ancient Ayurveda classics have described about tumours as ‘Arbuda’. Ayurveda can be helpful in the management of cancer in many waysas prophylactic, palliative, curative or supportive therapy. No doubt, it helps to improve quality of life (QOL) as adjuvant or as co therapy along with chemotherapy or radio therapy & Post surgery care. Ayurvedic drugs also minimize the side effects of Chemo/radio and other therapies. So, the current pilot study was done with the motive to evaluate the effect of a hypothetical compound (AC Compound) in the patients of Cancer. A significant improvement in some of subjective parameters like general well being, pain, indigestion, constipation and headache was seen in patients as a result of therapy. The results obtained from trial encourage more exploration and extended clinical trials in this field.


INTRODUCTION
Cancer is second to coronary artery disease as being the commonest cause of death in the western world. An estimated 7.4 million males were diagnosed with cancer worldwide in 2012. Lung cancer was the most common, accounting for almost a fifth (17%) of all cases diagnosed as cancer. Prostate cancer being the second most common cancer diagnosed in males worldwide (15%). Bowel, stomach and liver cancers are the remaining of the five most common cancers in males in the world, accounting for 10%, 9% and 7% of the male total, respectively 1 .An estimated 6.7 million females were diagnosed with cancer worldwide in 2012. Breast cancer being the most common, accounting for a quarter (25%) of all cases diagnosed. Bowel cancer was as the second most common cancer diagnosed in females worldwide (9%). Lung, cervical and stomach cancers are the remaining of the five most common cancers in females worldwide, accounting for 9%, 8% and 5% of the female total, respectively 2 . One woman dies of cervical cancer every 8 minutes in India 3. As many as 2,500 persons die every day due to tobacco-related diseases in India 4 . In Modern medicine, the available treatment modalities viz chemotherapy and radiotherapy cause serious side effects, decrease in immunity, decreased Quality of life, poor tolerance to surgery and altered efficacy of Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy. Ancient Ayurveda classics have described about tumours as arbuda. Doshas vitiated in any part of the body and afflicting the Mamsa dhatu produce a swelling, which is circular, fixed, slightly painful, big in size, broad based, slowly growing and does not suppurate 5 Ayurveda can offer support and comfort for the cancer patients. Ayurveda can be helpful in the management of cancer in many ways, as prophylactic, palliative, curative & supportive and no doubt it helps to improve quality of life (QOL) as adjuvant or co therapy along with chemotherapy / radio therapy or as Post surgery care to minimize the side effects of these therapies. Ayurveda helps in many ways to patients of cancer as mentioned above or to slower the progress of the cancer or when Chemo/ Radiotherapy or Surgery is contraindicated or for patients have no other choice for many reasons. Need of Study -The problem of Cancer has been chosen for the study as many factors demand attention and research in this field. There is increase in incidence globally and therapies available till the date are not much satisfactory and have serious adverse effects. Extensive research has been done in this field not only in modern medicine. Indigenous and many other healing methods are being explored. Ayurveda can offer a very good support and comfort to the cancer patients. Ayurvedic treatment can be helpful in the management of cancer in many ways, as prophylactic, palliative, curative & supportive and no doubt may help to improve quality of life (QOL). The Ayurvedic therapeutic principles and drugs can be used as primary or adjuvant or co therapy along with chemotherapy or radio therapy or Post surgery care to minimize the side effects of other therapies.

Aims & Objectives:
 To design the Aetiopathogenesis of Cancer in Ayurvedic perspective.  To study the efficacy of Trial drug 'AC compound' in cancer patients.  To study the efficacy of trial drug in reducing the toxic effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy in patients of Cancer.  To study the efficacy of AC compound in improving the overall quality of life in patients of cancer.  To provide an safe and cost effective therapy to the patients of Cancer

Method of preparation of trial drug:
The decoction of ingredients from 1 -17 was prepared by classical method by boiling in four time water and reducing to one fourth part of total quantity. Then obtained decoction was then boiled on medium flame till semisolid form Ghana is obtained which was then mixed with Gomutrabhawita Gugglu. Pills (Ghanavati) were prepared and air dried.

Dosage and Duration of trial:
Trial drug was given in dose of 500mg (2 tablets of 250 mg each), three times a day (1.5 gm /day) with Gomutra Arka (distilled Cow urine) as Anupana for 2 months. Follow up -At every 15 days during the trial and 1 month after completion of trial.   Kanchnara and Sadabahaar have anticancerous properties. Gugglu has antiinflammatory, Shothhara and Tridoshahara effects. Cow urine has been found to possess anticancerous effects in various studies. Though, this is a small pilot study to see primary results of trial drug but it can be extended with modifications in drug, dosage and specifically with more sample size.

Conclusions:
From the current pilot study following conclusions have been withdrawn-1. Cancer is really a dreadful condition leads to decrease in span and quality of life of patients 2. In ayurveda, the condition can be understood as severe doshik imbalance, deranged Agni, Dhatupaka and Dhatukshya for which drugs with Srotoshodhaka, Vatakaphashamka, Agnideepana, Balya, Rasayana properties must be used.
3. Trial drug showed good results in various subjective parameters though no much changes in laboratory parameters.
4. The trial drug was free from any adverse effect rather there was reduction in many toxic symptoms in patients taking allopathic treatment so we can conclude that the trial drug is also effective as co therapy and improves quality of life of cancer patients.
 For more authentic results and conclusions, the study should be extended /conducted on specific group of cancers with large sample size.