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Recent statistics indicate that the overall cancer incidence in the United States, in spite of billions of dollars spent on research each year, has not changed significantly in the last half-century. Cancers of the prostate, breast, lung, and colon, although most common in the Western world, are least common in the Eastern world. Allopathic medicine commonly practiced currently is only 100 years old. Although traditional medicine has been around for thousands of years, no integration exists between it and allopathic medicine. Ayurveda, the science of long life and one of the most ancient medical systems still practiced on the Indian subcontinent, can be used in combination with modern medicine to provide better treatment of cancer. This review focuses on the ayurvedic concept of the causes of cancer and its linkage with inflammation, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. How ayurvedic medicine can be integrated with allopathic medicine is also discussed in this review.

Nuclear factor-kappaBeta (NF-kappaBeta) is a transcription factor that is activated in response to various inflammatory stimuli such as cytokines, growth factors, hormones, mitogens, carcinogens, chemotherapeutic agents, viral products, eukaryotic parasites, endotoxin, fatty acids, metals, radiation, hypoxia, and psychological, physical, oxidative, and chemical stresses. In addition, constitutively active NF-kappaBeta is frequently encountered in a wide variety of tumors. Furthermore, NF-kappaBeta activation has been shown to regulate the expression of over 400 genes involved in cellular transformation, proliferation, inflammation, viral replication, antiapoptosis, angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis, oxidative stress, and osteoclastogenesis. Therefore, because of the critical role NF-kappaBeta plays in the pathogenesis of cancer, specific inhibitors of this factor are being sought. Agents that prevent cancer or inflammation have been found to suppress NF-kappaBeta activation. Numerous reports indicate that ancient plants and their components are potent as NF-kappaB inibitors. However, ancient medicine such as traditional Chinese medicine, Kampo, Ayurveda requires rediscovery in light of our current knowledge of allopathic (modern) medicine for the therapeutic and preventive purpose. In this review, we present evidence that numerous agents identified from fruits and vegetables can interfere with NF-kappaBeta pathway. The structure of drugs and their relationship with NF-kappaBeta inhibitory activity is discussed.

Recent evidence indicates a convergence of molecular targets for both prevention and therapy of cancer. Signal-transducer-and-activator-of-transcription-3 (STAT3), a member of a family of six different transcription factors, is closely linked with tumorigenesis. Its role in cancer is indicated by numerous avenues of evidence, including the following: STAT3 is constitutively active in tumor cells; STAT3 is activated by growth factors (e.g., EGF, TGF-alpha, IL-6, hepatocyte growth factor) and oncogenic kinases (e.g., Src); STAT3 regulates the expression of genes that mediate proliferation (e.g., c-myc and cyclin D1), suppress apoptosis (e.g., Bcl-x(L) and survivin), or promote angiogenesis (e.g, VEGF); STAT3 activation has been linked with chemoresistance and radioresistance; and chemopreventive agents have been shown to suppress STAT3 activation. Thus inhibitors of STAT3 activation have potential for both prevention and therapy of cancer. Besides small peptides and oligonucleotides, numerous small molecules have been identified as blockers of STAT3 activation, including synthetic molecules (e.g., AG 490, decoy peptides, and oligonucleotides) and plant polyphenols (e.g., curcumin, resveratrol, flavopiridol, indirubin, magnolol, piceatannol, parthenolide, EGCG, and cucurbitacin). This article discusses these aspects of STAT3 in more detail.

Purpose: Deoxyelephantopin (ESD) and isodeoxyelephantopin (ESI) are two sesquiterpene lactones derived from the medicinal plant Elephantopus scaber Linn. (Asteraceae). Although they are used for the treatment of a wide variety of proinflammatory diseases, very little is known about their mechanism of action. Because most genes that control inflammation are regulated by activation of the transcription factor nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB), we postulated that ESD and ESI mediate their activities through modulation of the NF-kappaB activation pathway., Experimental Design: We investigated the effect of ESI and ESD on NF-kappaB activation by electrophoretic mobility shift assay and NF-kappaB-regulated gene expression by Western blot analysis., Results: We found that ESI suppressed NF-kappaB activation induced by a wide variety of inflammatory agents, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin-1beta, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, and lipopolysaccharide. The suppression was not cell type specific, and both inducible and constitutive NF-kappaB activation was blocked. ESI did not interfere with the binding of NF-kappaB to DNA but rather inhibited IkappaBalpha kinase, IkappaBalpha phosphorylation, IkappaBalpha degradation, p65 phosphorylation, and subsequent p65 nuclear translocation. ESI also suppressed the expression of TNF-induced NF-kappaB-regulated, proliferative, antiapoptotic, and metastatic gene products. These effects correlated with enhancement of apoptosis induced by TNF and suppression of TNF-induced invasion and receptor activator of NF-kappaB ligand-induced osteoclastogenesis., Conclusion: Our results indicate that ESI inhibits NF-kappaB activation and NF-kappaB-regulated gene expression, which may explain the ability of ESI to enhance apoptosis and inhibit invasion and osteoclastogenesis.

Cancer is a hyperproliferative disorder that involves transformation, dysregulation of apoptosis, proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis and metastasis. Extensive research during the last 30 years has revealed much about the biology of cancer. Drugs used to treat most cancers are those that can block cell signalling, including growth factor signalling (e.g., epidermal growth factor); prostaglandin production (e.g., COX-2); inflammation (e.g., inflammatory cytokines: NF-kappaB, TNF, IL-1, IL-6, chemokines); drug resistance gene products (e.g., multi-drug resistance); cell cycle proteins (e.g., cyclin D1 and cyclin E); angiogenesis (e.g., vascular endothelial growth factor); invasion (e.g., matrix metalloproteinases); antiapoptosis (e.g., bcl-2, bcl-X(L), XIAP, survivin, FLIP); and cellular proliferation (e.g., c-myc, AP-1, growth factors). Numerous reports have suggested that Ayurvedic plants and their components mediate their effects by modulating several of these recently identified therapeutic targets. However, Ayurvedic medicine requires rediscovery in light of our current knowledge of allopathic (modern) medicine. The focus of this review is to elucidate the Ayurvedic concept of cancer, including its classification, causes, pathogenesis and prevention; surgical removal of tumours; herbal remedies; dietary modifications; and spiritual treatments.

Indole-3-carbinol (I3C) is produced by members of the family Cruciferae, and particularly members of the genus Brassica (e.g., cabbage, radishes, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and daikon). Under acidic conditions, 13C is converted to a series of oligomeric products (among which 3,3'-diindolylmethane is a major component) thought to be responsible for its biological effects in vivo. In vitro, 13C has been shown to suppress the proliferation of various tumor cells including breast cancer, prostate cancer, endometrial cancer, colon cancer, and leukemic cells; induce G1/S arrest of the cell cycle, and induce apoptosis. The cell cycle arrest involves downregulation of cyclin D1, cyclin E, cyclin- dependent kinase (CDK)2, CDK4, and CDK6 and upregulation of p15, p21, and p27. Apoptosis by I3C involves downregulation antiapoptotic gene products, including Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, survivin, inhibitor-of-apoptosis protein (IAP), X chromosome-linked IAP (XIAP), and Fas-associated death domain protein-like interleukin-1-beta-converting enzyme inhibitory protein (FLIP); upregulation of proapoptotic protein Bax; release of micochondrial cytochrome C; and activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3. This agent inhibits the activation of various transcription factors including nuclear factor-kappaB, SP1, estrogen receptor, androgen receptor and nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). This indole potentiates the effects of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) through induction of death receptors and synergises with chemotherapeutic agents through downregulation of P-glycoprotein (P-gp). In vivo, I3C was found to be a potent chemopreventive agent for hormonal-dependent cancers such as breast and cervical cancer. These effects are mediated through its ability to induce apoptosis, inhibit DNA-carcinogen adduct formation, and suppress free-radical production, stimulate 2-hydroxylation of estradiol, inhibit invasion and angiogenesis. Numerous studies have indicated that I3C also has a strong hepatoprotective activity against various carcinogens. Initial clinical trials in women have shown that I3C is a promising agent against breast and cervical cancers.