Research studies over the last ten years indicate that Triphala may be an important drug of choice in anti-cancer therapy. For instance, early studies showed that E. officinalis a prime constituent of Triphala resulted in elevated levels of free radical scavenging activity with a parallel decrease of oxidative stress when tested in rat brain. The same authors also revealed that E. officinalis contains Tannin, which may be causing this effect (1).
In the British Journal of Cancer, Nandi et al published a study showing that dietary supplementation of E. officinalis fruit in mice significantly reduced the cytotoxic effects of a known carcinogen (3,4-benzo(a)pyrene) (2).  Subsequent in-vivo studies showed that treating mice with different doses of Triphala up to 80mg/kg  (LD50 dose i.p. of triphala 280 mg/kg b. wt) consecutively for five days before irradiation delayed the onset of mortality and reduced the symptoms of radiation sickness when compared with the non-drug treated irradiated controls (3). These findings  demonstrate that this ancient Ayurvedic formulation significantly protects mice against radiation-induced lethality. Perhaps what is common to these in vivo research studies is the role that Tannin, which is known to possess broad cancer chemopreventitive activity (4).
Other studies also confirm Triphala as a potential therapeutic anti-cancer agent. Studies published in J Ethnopharmacol. Feb 2005, revealed that gallic acid, a major polyphenol constituent in Triphala resulted in the suppression of the growth of cancer cell lines: MCF-7 breast cancer cells and PC-3 and DU-145 prostate cancer cells (5).  Tannins are polyphenols, which occur in vascular plant tissues and they exist in two major forms: condensed and hydrolysable; hydrolysable tannins consist of gallic acids. Gallic acid has been shown to act as a free radical scavenger (6). These studies indicate that Gallic acid a major polyphenol observed in Triphala, may be the molecule of interest acting as a free radical scavenger. Antitumor activity by phenolic antioxidants may also be explained by the inhibition of AP-1 activity through induction of Fra expression (7,  8).

However, it is the 2006 research studies by Sandhya et al that may reveal the true mechanism of action and an exciting breakthrough in the use of Triphala as an anticancer agent. Sandhya's team investigated the effects of Triphala on human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) and a transplantable mouse thymic lymphoma (barcl-95). They found that Triphala induced apoptosis in MCF-7 and barcl-95 cells in-vitro with a proportion of apoptotic cells dependent on Triphala concentration. When MCF-7 cells were treated with Triphala, gel electrophoresis revealed a pattern of DNA damage, characteristic of apoptosis (9). Apoptosis occurs when a cell actively terminates itself via various molecular signaling pathways. The rate of apoptosis is of major importance in tissue homeostasis.

Under normal circumstances, when DNA gets damaged, either the cell dies by apoptosis or the DNA is able to repair itself. In cancer cells, the damaged DNA is not repaired and the apoptotic pathways are disturbed resulting in the survival of cancerous cell. The main function of apoptosis is to dispose of a cell without causing damage or stress to neighbouring cells i.e. biochemical execution.

Sandhya's group verified that Triphala selectively destroys the cancerous cell via an apoptotic pathway, which in itself is an exciting breakthrough in the scientific research studies of herbal medicines. The same study also demonstrated that apoptosis was significantly higher in the excised tumor tissue of Triphala fed mice (40 mg/kg body weight) as compared to the control, further indicating the involvement of apoptosis in tumor growth reduction. The researchers stated, "These results suggest that Triphala possessed ability to induce cytotoxicity in tumor cells but spared the normal cells". Further they revealed that Triphala treated MCF-7 and barcl-95 cells showed a significant increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in a concentration dependent manner.


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