Herb may reduce cancer treatment side-effects

[LahoreEstate]

By Sarwat Ghulam Rasool

KARACHI: Chicory, a herbal plant, is beneficial for cancer patients because it can reduce the toxicity produced by anticancer drugs during cancer treatment, revealed a research by the University of Karachi Biochemistry Department.

A research conducted by Clinical Biophysics Research Unit Professor Dr Tabassum Mahboob and her team, found that chicory, an important medicinal plant, can play a significant role in the prevention of toxicities, especially renal injury (toxicity produced in the kidney), produced during the treatment of cancer. Cisplatin is an anticancer drug extensively used for the treatment of cancer in different body organs including brain, liver, ovary, testis, lungs and bladder. During treatment of cancer, a high dose of this drug produces toxicities. Nephrotoxicity (toxicity in the kidney), neuronal (nervous system) and hematological (related to blood circulation) toxicities are widely spread during the treatment.

Dr Mahboob said, “Chicorium Intybus Linn, commonly known as chicory, has a great importance amongst the medicinal plants species as it can be used to recover the kidney from complications that arise due to the use of anticancer drugs.” Anticancer drugs, cisplatinium (II) diamine dichloride (cisplatin), minimise the effect of cancer, however, they also produce toxic substances mainly in the kidney, which could even lead to kidney failure. Dr Mahboob stated that her research team examined the healing effects of chicory and it was observed that this plant species minimises the adverse effects of cisplatin in cancer patients.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...009_pg7_21