Cholangiocarcinoma (CC), also known as gall bladder cancer, is a malignancy of the biliary duct system and may originate either in the liver or the extrahepatic bile ducts. More than 95% of these tumors are ductal adenocarcinomas and many patients present with inoperable or metastatic disease. Long-standing inflammation and chronic parasitic infection are believed to be responsible for this condition. Common symptoms include jaundice, clay colored stools, dark urine, itching, weight loss and abdominal pain.
The Ayurvedic treatment of CC is aimed at treating the tumor, controlling the symptoms, preventing a blockage of bile flow, infection and other complications and prolonging life. Ayurvedic medicines like Arogya-Vardhini, Triphala-Guggulu, Kanchnaar-Guggulu, Punarnavadi-Guggulu, Chandraprabha-Vati and Bhunimbadi-Qadha are used to treat the actual tumor. Herbal medicines like Kutki (Picrorrhiza kurroa), Sharpunkha (Tephrosia purpurea), Kalmegh (Andrographis paniculata), Punarnava (Boerhaavia diffusa), Karela (Momordica charantia), Trikatu (Three pungent herbs), Pippali (Piper longum), Marich (Piper nigrum), Mandukparni (Centella asiatica), Haridra (Curcuma longa) and Daruharidra (Berberis aristata) can also be used for this purpose. Most of these herbal medicines also reduce inflammation and prevent infection.
Medicines like Yashtimadhuk (Glycyrrhiza glabra) and Amalaki (Emblica officinalis) can prevent or treat complications like fistula formation. These medicines need to be given in very high doses round the clock, in order to heal fistulas resulting from the tumor. In order to prevent a recurrence of fistula, these medicines should be continued for at least two months after complete healing has occurred.
Some patients are not in a position to swallow medicines, for example, those with severe vomiting. For such patients, the medicines can be powdered, mixed with milk and honey, and then administered by a syringe, through a nasogastric tube.
Medicines like Kutki, Trikatu, Shankh-Vati, Chitrakadi-Vati, Hingashtak-Churna and Samudradi-Lavan-Churna can be used to treat jaundice and abdominal pain. Itching is usually caused because of a deposition of bile pigment under the skin. This symptom can be treated using medicines like Haridra, Amalaki, Trikatu and Triphala (Three fruits). Weight loss is usually treated by the basic treatment of the tumor itself. However, extensive weight loss can be treated using medicines like Suvarna-Malini-Vasant, Suvarna-Sutshekhar-Ras, Suvarna-Parpati, Panchamrut-Parpati, Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus), Bala (Sida cordifolia) and Naagbala (Grewia hirsuta).
Medicines like Mahamanjishthadi-Qadha, Saarivasav, Kanchnaar-Guggulu and Punarnavadi-Qadha can be used to prevent the spread of the tumor to other parts of the body. These medicines, in combination with immunomodulatory medicines, have a combined effect in prolonging life for the affected patients. Immune-boosting medicines include Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum), Bhrungraj (Eclipta alba), Triphala, Abhrak-Bhasma, Suvarna-Bhasma and Heerak-Bhasma.
CC is generally considered to have a poor prognosis with an overall survival of approximately six months, despite aggressive modern anti-cancer therapy and interventional supportive care. Ayurvedic treatment, therefore, has a definite role to play in treating this tumor and prolonging life.
Dr. A. A. Mundewadi is Chief Ayurvedic Physician at Mundewadi Ayurvedic Clinic based at Thane, Maharashtra, India. He is available as an online Ayurvedic Consultant at http://www.ayurvedaphysician.com.
The online clinic offers Ayurvedic treatment for all chronic and refractory health problems. Dr. A. A. Mundewadi uses high quality herbal extracts in tablet form, which are easy to take, effective and safe for long-term use.
Dr. A. A. Mundewadi, B.A.M.S., has clinical experience of 25 years and clinical research experience of 12 years. He has conducted extensive research in HIV infection, Schizophrenia and many other chronic diseases.
In October of 2010 ecoveda travelled to India, this is a short film from part of our visit to a remarkable Ayurvedic garden in the countryside of the state Tamilnadu about an hour’s drive from the City Tiruchirapalli. Talking to the botanist who is owns and maintains this garden it would take four days to fully look around. Not only does the botanist care for all the plants most of which he has planted himself in the sixteen years that the garden had been growing he also teaches students about the importance of Ayurvedic herbs. The site also contains accommodation for students to stay. The Ayurvedic garden is also very important to the local community by providing workshops free of change to the poorer people and teaching them how they can grow their own medicinal plants in their own gardens. Seeds and cutting are also provided free to these people enabling them to get started with their own gardens. After our short visit we all left very inspired by the work this man is going and the service he is providing to the local people. In this video the botanist shows us some of the plants that he has growing further out in the garden the plants we see here are more for educational purposes.
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