Plumbago zeylanica, commonly known as Chitrak, is an herbaceous plant that has been deeply researched for its anti-cancer properties, properties which are thought to be exerted due to the high content of Plumbagin, an active constituent found in Plumbago zeylanica, Juglans regia (English Walnut), Juglans cinerea (whitenut) and Juglans nigra (blacknut) [9].

Now, a group of scientists and researchers from the Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin, have discovered how Plumbagin, a quinoid constituent isolated from the roots of the medicinal plant Plumbago zeylanica used in Indian and Chinese systems of medicine for more than 2,500 years for the treatment of various types of ailments [9], inhibits in vivo prostate cancer development in the transgenic adenocarcinoma of mouse prostate [9].

The Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin, were the first ones to publish in another study in 2008 how plumbagin inhibited the growth and invasion of hormone refractory prostate cancer cells [9]. Image left: Plumbago zeylanica by Latihamba under Creative Commons License (CC BY 2.0).

PLUMBAGO ZEYLANICA

Family: Plumbaginaceae
Genus: Plumbago
Common name: Ceylon leadwort, Doctorbush [5,6], Chitrak.

We already heard about the anti-Helicobacter pylori properties of Plumbago zeylanica in a recent article about the subject, were 15 Chinese medicinal herbs were studied in order to find out if they could be able to inhibit urease, an enzyme that is generally produced by pathogens as Helicobacter pilori and that help the bacteria to resist and persist in the mucous layer of the stomach, but what we didn't know yet was the powerful anti-cancer activity of one of the active components of Plumbago zeylanica, Plumbagin, an active constituent found in Plumbago zeylanica that has shown incredible properties exerted by the vitamin K3 analogue from the Ayurvedic medicinal plant Chitrak (Plumbago zeylanica) Plumbagin. Image left: Plumbago zeylanica by Robert Lafond under Creative Commons License (CC BY-SA 2.0).

PLUMBAGO ZEYLANICA

Family: Plumbaginaceae
Genus: Plumbago
Common name: Ceylon leadwort, Doctorbush [5,6].

Vernonia amygdalina, a perennial herb belonging to the Asteraceae family, has been used in traditional herbal remedies for centuries. Some of the active constituents found on this herb include saponins and alkaloids, terpenes, steroids, coumarins, flavonoids, phenolic acids, lignans, xanthones, anthraquinones, edotides and sesquiterpenes.

More and more pharmaceutical companies and chemical laboratories center their interest in natural chemicals found in herbs and plants used for the treatment of common illnesses. Some of them have shown to be far from effective but some others have proven to have wonderful results in vitro and in vivo.

THUNDER OF GOD VINE

An example of these last ones is Thunder of God Vine (Tripterygium wilfordii Hook), from which scientist have obtained an active constituent, a triterpene extracted from the plant that has shown important anti-cancer properties, Celastrol. Tripterygium wilfordii for cancer treatment seems to be this way another possible option in the search of active constituents from plants for the treatment of cancer.