Mandookparni and Cancer

[Guest guest]

Hello

 

Found this info about much praised herb in Ayurveda - " Asiaticoside, a major

component of gotu kola, has also been associated with tumor growth in mice.

Anyone with a history of precancerous or cancerous skin lesions -- such as

squamous cell, basal cell skin cancer, or melanoma -- should not use gotu

kola. "

 

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/gotu-kola-000253.htm

 

 

Regards

 

Rajeev Upadhye

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www.yuyutsu.biz

http://rajeev-upadhye.blogspot.com/

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[Guest guest]

> Found this info about much praised herb in Ayurveda - " Asiaticoside, a major

> component of gotu kola, has also been associated with tumor growth in mice.

> Anyone with a history of precancerous or cancerous skin lesions -- such as

> squamous cell, basal cell skin cancer, or melanoma -- should not use gotu

> kola. "

>

> http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/gotu-kola-000253.htm

 

 

 

Ayurveda uses more than 2000 herbs for formulating medicines useful for various

conditions. Most herbs have toxicity in order that they are protected from

enemies. The ancient vaidyas who practiced ayurveda, found ways of removing

toxicity of the herb by processing herbs in substances such as cow milk, cow

urine etc. In a way, the toxic (tamasik) ingredients dissolved in satvic

substances, making the residual herb satvic and non-toxic.

 

Without understanding this basic ayurvedic philosophy, if a scientist would

create an extract of the herb and feed to innocent mice, the mice will suffer.

If one compares this method to the ways of ayurveda, where vaidyas never had to

use mice, frogs or rabbits for testing herbs. An indication to their ways of

testing herbs is available in post#9069, 12617. They classified herbs and other

substances used in Indian medicine based on their own system (gunas, veerya,

etc), evaluated by human experience primarily.

 

Some herbs have mild toxicity, which human body can deal with, and the toxins

are eliminated through urine, sweat and feces. And it is the toxicity which is

used as healing agent in many medicines. Only such herbs can be used in the form

of fresh juices. Brahmi is one amongst such herbs.

 

When ayurveda is discussed, it is essential to remain within the framework of

ayurveda defined by ancients. By mixing parameters of modern science,

non-uniqueness, confusion prevails. When modern science can not find anything

abnormal in reports, it classifies the condition as mental (e.g. schizophrenia,

anxiety etc), by that time the patient is tired of investigations. Vaidya has to

treat all conditions, whether classified as mental or phyisical by modern

science. Perhaps the success of ayurveda in treating these conditions using

Medha promoting herbs has caused jealousy, fear in the minds of modern

researchers, and attempts to defame ayurveda results in the type of research

posted in the referenced post.

 

It is difficult to understand how a herb which is so useful to preserve mental

health, acuity, sharpness, relieve fatigue can cause cancer? Brain is the most

sensitive to detect poison, so how a brain tonic herb can become tumor promoting

because a western researcher suspects it? Brahmi has been used to cure fever,

swellings, Chittabhram. When juice of leaves of Brahmi is mixed with honey and

given upto 50 grams everyday, it makes brain and memory very sharp within 3-6

months. This mixture is also useful to reduce the intensity of chicken pox.

Brahmi is also useful in Unmada, the ayurvedic equivalent of schizophrenia,

hyperactivity etc. If a tea is made by decocting Brahmi leaves with fenugreek

seeds, it cures constipation and improves motions. Brahmi is also useful in

chronic (Jeerna is ayurvedic term) fever. Brahmi is useful to improve the voice

too. Brahmi is useful healing agent in wounds.

 

Efficacy of Brahmi in curing some of the stubborn skin diseases such as eczema

and psoriasis is not a common knowledge. It guards the health of the skin and

also causes skin smoothness, glow. In fact most of the skin diseases owe their

root cause to stress, and Brahmi plays an important role in reducing stress. If

a western researcher wishes to create an impression that because mice fed Brahmi

for long time develop skin cancer, it is unsafe for humans, let them distance

themselves for ayurveda and herbal healing, and embrace the potent synthetic

drugs. The real chittabhrama is this.

 

Secondly, ayurveda knew how to combine the herbs so that toxicity of one herb

was balanced by another herb. Can we infer properties of common salt by

combining those of Sodium and Chlorine, since these two atoms make one molecule

of salt? Hydrogen is combustible, and oxygen is needed for combustion, but when

they combine, the water is the result which extinguishes fire. Many herbal

juices which cause nausea, loose motions, itching etc, when combined with other

herbs, become well accepted. The body throws out the toxic ingredients through

elimination routes, in a mild way. And ayurveda offers pulse as best guide to

know who is sensitive to which herb or their combination. Vaidyas should learn

and master the pulse techniques, instead of just writing prescriptions of pharma

drugs based on modern reports. Patients may find modern method more convincing,

but detecting slow long term damage remains out of consideration then.

 

Dr Bhate

[Guest guest]

I do not have that deep knowledge but my heart was not ready to believe this.

Is it another propaganda by the western pharma against anything that helps human

health?

 

___________

 

http://www.umm. edu/altmed/ articles/ gotu-kola- 000253.htm

 

__________

 

If a western researcher wishes to create an impression that because mice fed

Brahmi for long time develop skin cancer, it is unsafe for humans, let them

distance themselves for ayurveda and herbal healing, and embrace the potent

synthetic drugs. The real chittabhrama is this.

[Guest guest]

Well yuyutsu,

Ayurvedic drugs are given in whole and never in the form of an isolated

component.Nature is very efficient in making a whole plant so that any possible

undesirable effect of aparticular component accidently discovered by man ,is

already compensated for in the whole plant.Blindly believing in the lopsided

animnal experiment results can be misleading.

 

______________

 

Asiaticoside, a major

component of gotu kola, has also been associated with tumor growth in mice.