Cancer in Ayurveda-An Approach in Etiopathogenesis: February 2015
Cancer in Ayurveda-An Approach in Etiopathogenesis: February 2015
Cancer in Ayurveda-An Approach in Etiopathogenesis: February 2015
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Kalpana Kachare
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ABSTRACT
The Cancer is such a disease, which is very complicated in nature with complexity at every
level at anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology and gene expression. So treating
such disease is a big challenge. Numerous techniques are employed oyed to combat these diseases,
including surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy,
chemotherapy, interferon therapy, hormone therapy and blood
transfusion. But the remedies that are currently in use are either only for reducing the immediate
complications associated with these
these diseases or for slowing down the proliferation of the diseas-
disea
es. Thus the mortality and morbidity rates are more in cancer person. Ayurveda which is not only
a system of medicine but a way of life, advocating prevention of disease as its primary aim and
following holistic approach in dealing with different diseases. As per the sequence of pathogene-
pathogen
sis of disease given by Madhavkara, Nidan is the first step and foremost step of the manifesta-
manifest
tion of disease and it gives the particular knowledge about the pathogenesis
pathogenesis of disease. Ayurveda
is supposed to add a step on to the curative aspects of cancers that have resemblance with clini-
clin
cal entities of arbuda and granthi mentioned in Sushruta samhita.
Key words: Cancer, Ayurveda , Etiopathogenesis, Nidan.
INTRODUCTION
AYURVEDIC CONCEPT OF CANCER Granthi and Arbuda come nearest
nea to cancer
Ayurveda is a Science of life. We than any other disease.
know that Cancer is one of the most dreaded According to Ayurveda,
Ayurveda cancer re-
disease of 20th century and spreading further sults from lifestyle errors such as unhealthy
with continuance and increasing incidence foods, poor hygiene, or poor behavior, or
in 21st century. Classical Ayurvedic texts from physical trauma, all leading to imbal-
imba
have several references to cancer. Some ances of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha,
Kapha resulting in
terms used to describe the condition are injury to the inner layer of the dermis (Rohi-
(
general while others are much more specific. ni, the sixth layer of the skin) and the forma-
form
According to Ayurveda, there are various tion of abnormal branches of blood vessels.
disease entities which resemble new In this stage, early Granthi or Arbuda can
growths. They are described under the head-
hea develop in the form of bubble-shaped
bubble glan-
ings of Shotha, Dushtavrana, Gulma,
Gulma Kshu- dular growths. Granthi has been described
draroga. But for purpose of the malignant as a round, hard, and bulging swelling, pro- pr
nature of the disease, the description of duced owing to the aggravation of Vata and
Kalpana B Kachare & A C Kar : Cancer In Aurveda - An Approach In Etiopathogenesis
Kapha vitiating the muscle, blood, and fatty surrounding tissues. It is almost like well
tissues. Arbuda has been described as a differentiated from the surrounding tissues.
round, large, muscular, immovable, deeply Sushruta have mentioned Adhyarbuda, Dwi-
rooted, slowly growing swelling produced rarbuda , this type of Arbudas can be corre-
owing to the aggravation of Doshas vitiating lated with malignant stage of cancer or me-
the muscle, blood, and fatty tissues. Both tastasis of cancer. Malignant cancer has rap-
types of swelling can be inflammatory or id growth it have the property to invade sur-
non-inflammatory, based on the Doshas in- rounding tissues and capacity of rapid me-
volved. Tridoshaja tumors are usually ma- tastasis.
lignant because all of the three major body SAMPRAPTI AND CAUSES OF AR-
humors lose mutual coordination resulting in BUDA (ETIOLOGY)
a morbid condition various signs and symp- Etiopathogenesis of Arbuda is based
toms arising owing to the progression of on Doshic theory. Human body is made up
cancer have been described in detail for ex- of Tridosha (Vata, Pitta, Kapha). It is be-
ample, anemia, cachexia and loss of appe- lieved that equilibrium of Vata, Pitta and
tite. Kapha ensurse good health. If any of the
Cancer has been understood to exist factors of Tridosha gets vitiated due to the
for thousands of years. While cancer may be changed dietary habit and life style, body
more prevalent today because people live to becomes diseased. Though vitiated “Do-
a greater age than in the past, Cancer has shas” are responsible for the development of
always occurred. Healers since the begin- Arbuda almost all Ayurvedic texts have giv-
ning of time have tried to understand the en maximum importance to Kapha. Sushruta
condition and manage those who have been has mentioned that due to excess of Kapha,
suffering. The following terminology de- Arbuda does not suppurate, which is consi-
scribes the most basic concepts dered to be the common and important fac-
SIGN AND SYMPTOMS OF ARBUDA : tor for any growth in the body. Thus, it
Vrittam, Sthiram, Mandrujam, Ma- seems justified to postulate that excess of
hantama, Unalpa-moolam, Chiravruddhi, vitiated Kapha in the body might be respon-
Apakam these are the symptoms which is sible for the precipitation of cancer.
mentioned by Sushruta. In the modern era Irritation and trauma may precipitate
also these symptoms we are getting in the or activate the formation of Arbuda. Where
case of benign and malignant stage of carci- for the enlargement of external genitalia lo-
noma. cal application of certain irritable medicines
Symptoms of benign tumor grow have been advised. More often improper use
slowly don’t invade and metastasize. These or misuse of those drugs i.e. Linga Vridhika-
are the well differentiated. Vrittam (round), ra Yoga has led to the development of Mam-
Sthiram (immoveble) , Manda ruja (slightly sarbuda. According to Sushruta trauma is
painful), Mahant(big size), Unalpa-moolam also considered to be another causative fac-
(deep seated), Chirvruddhi (slowly increas- tor for the development of Mamsarbuda,
ing) and Apakam(non-supurating) are the whereas Vagbhatta has described that when-
classical symptoms of benign growth. Be- ever there is excessive formation of Mamsa
nign tumor have minimal tendency to invade Dhatu it may lead to various pathological
473 www.iamj.in IAMJ: Volume 3; Issue 2; February- 2015
Kalpana B Kachare & A C Kar : Cancer In Aurveda - An Approach In Etiopathogenesis
Mamsaja Ostha: This is an incurable dis- which is painful, increases gradually in size
ease of lips which becomes heavy, thick pro- and is incurable. This resembles a tumour of
truding fleshy mass and developing ulcers hard palate.
occasionally. Such lesions of the lips can be Galaudha : Simillar to other diseases, this
considered as exophytic lesion (Acerman’s disease develops also due to vitiation of
Cancer). Rakta and Kapha. In this disease, an exten-
Alasa: Due to vitiation of Rakta and Kapha, sive swelling occurs in the throat obstructing
there is a deep seated swelling under the sur- both the passages of oesophagus and trachea
face of the tongue. It increases gradually in with the result that patient develops difficul-
size, with fishy odour discharge and de- ty in swallowing and also in respiration
stroys the surroundings structures. Such which becomes fatal to the patient. A malig-
types of disease resembles Adenocystic and nant growth at oropharynx may give all
Mucoid epidermoid tumours of salivary these symptomatic features
glands. Benign tumors
Mamsa Kacchapa: Due to vitiation of Ka- Table No. 1 : Symptoms of a benign tu-
pha, a big swelling develops on the palate mor
BENIGN SYMPTOMS CAUSE
TUMOR
Vata Granthi Variable, pricking and cutting pain, large, Aggravated Vata, due to dry or
black, round, non-fixed, its size may fluc- stale foods, stress, insomnia,
tuate, hard, bulging and if pricked, exudes fatigue etc.
a clear, thin fluid.
Pitta Granthi Burning sensations, red or yellow in co- Aggravated Pitta, due to res-
lour, suppurates quickly and exudes a tlessness, spicy food, over-
warm blood when pricked. controlling, agressive beha-
viour etc.
Kapha Granthi Painless, large, hard tumor, pale colour, Aggravated Kapha caused by
the area around is cold and itches. Suppu- too much fatty foods, fast
rates slowly and if pricked, exudes thick, foods, lack of movement, le-
white, cloudy pus. thargy.
Rakta Granthi Loss of tactile sensations. Symptoms sim- Aggravated Vata, Pitta and
(Blood) ilar to Pitta Granthi. Kapha circulate through the
bloodstream, with Pitta Dosha
as
The main cause for the distur-
bance.
Mamsa Granthi Large, oily, hard tumor tends to be very Excessive consumption of
(Muscle tissue) vascular. They ulcurate and bleed easily wrong kinds of meat.
and often become malignant. Symptoms
are similar to imbalance of the Kapha Do-
sha.
Meda Granthi Soft, fatty tumor, but movable. Symptoms Intake of too much fat, where
(Fatty tissue) similar to imbalanced Kapha Dosha, upon Vata transport it to the
usually grow in proportion to body muscle tissue or skin.
growth. If pricked, exudes a coppery,
white or black fatty fluid.
Asthi Granthi Tumor growth outside of the normal area Fractures or injuries to the
(Bone tissue) of the bone. bone, that accumulate Vata.
Sira Granthi Vascular tumors, painless and do not pul- Overexertion, severly accumu-
(Channels) sate. lated Vata weakens the blood
Contracting, dehydrating, deformation. consistency, which enters the
channels of the body.
Benign tumors, when detected in an secretion of disturbed (vitiated) blood. This
early state, are curable because the drying, form is very difficult to cure. Mamsarbuda
compressing and contracting qualities of Va- occurs when muscles get disrupted from
ta have closed the blood vessels. This has fighting for instance. When from the punch-
made it impossible for the tumor to root ing, the muscles show a swelling which is
deeply in the tissues and growth and nou- stony hard, painless, glossy, and immobile
rishment are highly limited. However when without inflammatory signs, of same colour
these tumors are in the blood-stream, they as the surrounding then this is the tumor.
are much more serious and harder to cure. These are more common in non-vegetarians.
Important features for a successful chance of Mamsarbuda is extremely difficult to cure
recovery are pain and mobility of the tumor. for the same reasons as Raktarbuda.
Whenever a tumor is completely attached Adhyarbuda: Development of another tu-
and has started to grow, it is hard to treat. mor over the first tumor or when a tumor
Malignant tumors arises on a pre existing site or near a primary
Raktarbuda occurs when aggravated tumor.
Doshas hamper blood vessels in their func- Dwirarbuda: When two tumors arise at the
tioning, impeding the blood circulation as same time those tumors that cause large se-
well. This leads to disturbances in the blood, cretion of fluid in the surrounding tissue, are
comparable to the accumulation of toxins located in vital locations or channels (lym-
(Ama) in the blood. These toxins (e.g. carci- phatic system and blood vessel system) or
nogens) can be the cause of a tumor. When attached to the surrounding tissue are highly
tumors develop in the blood vessels, their difficult to cure.
spreading through the blood- and lymphatic The Development of Malignant Tumors
system will soon become a reality. This When a benign tumor suddenly starts
large spreading of tumors will make recov- to grow excessively and roots deeply into
ery extremely difficult. Symptoms of blood the tissue, with symptoms compatible with
tumor little fluid or pus accumulation (in- increased Kapha Dosha and fatty tissue, a
flammatory signs) around the tumor grows malignant tumor is occurring. Malignant
quickly, covered with small metastases and tumors do not suppurate and also do not ex-
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