Anti-Cancer Effects of Traditional Medicinal Herbs on Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Abstract

Backgrounds: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is among the most frequent oral cancers in individuals under 40. Documents have endorsed that a diet enriched with fruit and vegetables can banish the risk of developing major cancers. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different concentrations of four medicinal herbs including saffron, ginger, cinnamon and curcumin on OSCC cell line. Methods: Having obtained the aqueous extract of the four herbs, they were administered on OSCC cell lines per se and in dual, triple, and quadruple combinations. Their effects were measured in different concentrations and in 24 and 48 hours by using MTT assay. Results: The minimum and maximum effective concentrations were respectively 108 and 217 mg/ml for curcumin with IC30 of 77mg/ml, 108 and 270 mg/ml for ginger with IC30 of 58 mg/ml, 2 and 10 mg/ml for saffron with IC30 of 1.9 mg/ml, and 5 and 40 mg/ml for cinnamon with IC30 of 3.3 mg/ml. The best effect of the combinations was seen for cinnamon-saffron after both 24 and 48 hours and the four herbs combination after 48 hours. Conclusion: Although all the four herbs were effective on OSCC cell line, the strongest extract was saffron, followed by cinnamon. Combination of cinnamon-saffron and combination of the four herbs showed maximum effects. These findings suggest that traditional medicinal herbs may potentially contribute to oral cancer treatment; providing new windows for the development of new therapeutic strategies for OSCC.

Medicinal chemistry inspired by ginger: exploring the chemical space around 6-gingerol

“…Ginger extract was claimed to have promising activity against various types of cancer ( e.g. oral squamous cell carcinoma, 20 chronic myeloid leukemia, 21 lung cancer 22 etc ). It was also studied for reducing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.…”

Applications of yoga in oral oncology: A systematic scoping review

“… 29 Moreso for a degenerative disease, like cancer, people tend to use all sorts of traditional practices, especially in combination with modern medicine. 30 , 31 For instance, some medicinal herbs have been found to contribute positively to oral cancer treatment, which could signal opportunity for eventual development of new therapeutic strategies. 30 It has also been noted that the use of traditional methods for oral cancer treatment was common.…”

“… 30 , 31 For instance, some medicinal herbs have been found to contribute positively to oral cancer treatment, which could signal opportunity for eventual development of new therapeutic strategies. 30 It has also been noted that the use of traditional methods for oral cancer treatment was common. 31 There are several conclusions that traditional medicine could be a significant and efficacious alternative in the treatment of oral cancers.…”

“…Medical pluralism, a combination of western and traditional medicine is a global practice 29 . Moreso for a degenerative disease, like cancer, people tend to use all sorts of traditional practices, especially in combination with modern medicine 30,31 . For instance, some medicinal herbs have been found to contribute positively to oral cancer treatment, which could signal opportunity for eventual development of new therapeutic strategies 30 .…”

Aqueous Extract of Cinnamon (Cinnamomum spp.): Role in Cancer and Inflammation

“…Inflammation is a protective response elicited by cells when tissue damage is caused by infection, trauma, exposure to a toxin, or physical or ischemic injury. A successful inflammatory response leads to homeostasis and inflammation resolution upon the removal of the stimulus [ 7 , 9 ]. However, a standoff between the immune response and a stimulus that cannot be eradicated results in chronic inflammatory conditions [ 6 , 10 ].…”