Gotu kola, an important oriental medicinal herb, helps cancer patients stay strong

Cachexia, the muscle wasting syndrome that’s seen in chronic diseases such as cancer and diabetes, is typically associated with the rapid progression of the disease, especially in patients with cancer. However, research from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and Stellenbosch Universty in South Africa, together with the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (formerly Manipal University) in India, have suggested that gotu kola, a herb used in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine, could be used to reduce pro-inflammatory cytokine, which is a biomarker for cancer cachexia.

Cachexia is a factor in rapid decline in health for cancer patients

Multiple factors play a role in the progression of cancer; however, none have been as heavily documented as the role of inflammation in the onset of the disease. In particular, the condition works both ways: It helps with tissue repair and pathogen elimination, but chronic inflammation dramatically increases the likelihood of tumor development, including the development and spread of cancer.

It’s also a factor in the onset of cancer cachexia, a condition characterized by a depletion of adipose tissue and skeletal muscle which results in extreme and abnormal weight loss. In particular, inflammatory cytokines in the immune system, together with oxidative stress and programmed cell death (apoptosis), work in concert to decrease fat production in the adipose tissue, causing the hallmark “muscle wasting syndrome.”

As cachexia progresses, it adversely impacts a cancer patient’s survival rate. A study in the American Journal of Medicine indicated that a weight reduction of more than five percent is associated to “poor response to therapy and shortened survival.”

In the study, the team highlighted