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| Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) |
| Ashwaganda is one of the most revered plants in Ayurvedic medicine. It has recently been shown to have antitumor, immunomodulatory, and radiosensitizing effects in experimental tumors in vivo, without any systemic toxicity. I recommend it during and after radiation therapy. 46,47 Ashwagandha significantly increases white blood-cell count, reducing leucopenia caused by radiation and immune suppressive drugs. It also has a normalizing effect on red blood-cell count, hemoglobin, and platelet count. |
| Astragalus (Huang chi root) |
| In Chinese medicine, astragalus is known to strengthen the body's natural defenses that involve the immune system. It is one of the main herbs used in fu-zheng therapy to enhance the immune system during chemo and radiation therapy. It seems to increase not only interferon levels but also natural killer-cell and T-cell activity. It also makes the T-cells more aggressive. Astragalus has been shown to have liver-protective activity against a number of toxic substances, including carbon tetrachloride. |
| In Traditional Chinese Medicine, astragalus is prescribed for spleen deficiency characterized by chronic weakness, low vitality, fatigue, diarrhea, spontaneous sweating, and lack of appetite. It's a true blood builder. |
| Astragalus also possesses antitumor activity and inhibits platelet aggregation. It has been shown to increase tenfold lymphokine-activated killer-cells (tumor-fighters). It protects the heart, liver, and kidney from the toxicity of chemotherapy and has been shown to potentiate and reduce the overall toxicity of interleukin-2 against two specific forms of cancerrenal-cell carcinoma and melanoma. |
| She-Quan-Da-Bu-Tang, a Chinese formula that includes astragalus and ligusticum, has proved most effective in enhancing cellular immunity, specifically interleukin production by the body, in addition to potentiating the activity of chemotherapeutic agents, inhibiting recurrences, prolonging survival time, and reducing the adverse toxicities of antineoplastic agents. |
| Astragalan, an extract of the whole plant, has demonstrated immune-enhancing abilities, but the active constitutents of astragalus are believed to be the result of a combination of ingredients rather than one single agent.48 |
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