Aqueous Extract of Emblica officinalis Linn (Indian gooseberry) in Combination with Iodine is More Efficacious than Iodine Alone in Mitigating Mucositis in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Undergoing Curative Radiotherapy: Retrospective Observations

Fruits and their phytochemicals in mitigating the ill effects of ionizing radiation: review on the existing scientific evidence and way forward

“…Recent clinical studies by Hegde and co-workers reported that an aqueous extract of amla, when combined with iodine, was more efficacious than iodine alone at mitigating mucositis in head and neck cancer patients undergoing curative radiotherapy without interfering in the radiation-induced cell killing and tumor regression. 93 Radiation-mucositis characterized by the inflammation of the mucosal layer and epithelial cell death, resulting in the disruption of the mucosal barrier's integrity, is an important side effect and these observations have significant value (Table 1). About phytochemicals, gallic acid, 94,95 ellagic acid, 96,97 quercetin, [23][24][25] geraniin, 98 corilagin 99 and vitamin C or ascorbic acid [77][78][79][80][81] are also reported to possess radioprotective effects and are represented in Table 2 and Fig.…”

Phyllanthus emblica fruits: a polyphenol-rich fruit with potential benefits for oral management

“…In these studies, PEF was prepared into various forms of care products and administered to oral healthy or unhealthy subjects. 32,[34][35][36][44][45][46][47][48] A variety of results has shown that PEF can effectively improve oral hygiene, prevent and treat oral diseases, and it was even found to be comparable with the standard antibacterial drug chlorhexidine.…”

“…Additionally, a recent clinical study demonstrated that oral mucosal inflammation in head and neck cancer patients who received radiotherapy can be more effectively reduced by combining PEF aqueous extract with the common medication povidone-iodin and the killing of tumor cells is unaffected. 44 Oral cancer is a multifactorial disease, and its prevention and treatment also require efforts from various aspects. Numerous cancer prevention and anti-tumor active compounds in PEF exert anti-cancer effects through anti-mutagenesis, targeting the apoptosis pathway of cancer cells and inhibiting the cell cycle and other mechanisms, which exhibit a higher degree of anti-cancer activity than single components.…”

“…Additionally, a recent clinical study demonstrated that oral mucosal inflammation in head and neck cancer patients who received radiotherapy can be more effectively reduced by combining PEF aqueous extract with the common medication povidone-iodin and the killing of tumor cells is unaffected. 44…”