The effects of Emblica officinalis and Tinospora cordifolia herbal treatment on the prognosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the buccal mucosa and tongue

Abstract

ObjectiveThe fruit of Emblica officinalis (Eo) and Tinospora cordifolia (Tc) has been widely consumed as a folk medicine in Southeast Asia due to its nutritional and pharmacological effects. Number of laboratory research showed these herbs have an inhibitory effect on cancer cells. A randomized double blind prospective clinical trial was conducted during 2005–2009 to determine whether a herbal preparation made from Eo and Tc has a prognostic effect in the treatment of oral cancer. Material and methodsThe study group comprised of 114 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) of buccal mucosa (70) and tongue (44). Following conventional treatment they were randomly assigned to a trial (51) and a control group (63). The trial group was administered a herbal regimen consisting of Eo and Tc in powdered form and the control group a placebo for three months. The efficacy of the herbal regimen in the prognosis of OSCC patients was analysed by the recurrence free survival and incidence of recurrences in relation to patient’s age and stage of the lesions. ResultsThe results, showed statistically significant improvements in the prognosis of the trial group consisted of OSCC buccal mucosa with greatly reduced local (p=0.02) and overall recurrences (p=0.05). The trial group of OSCC of the tongue, showed a highly statistically significant reduction in nodal (p=0.01) and overall recurrences (p=0.01).The reduction of nodal recurrence was greater in the OSCC tongue group. Five-year combined recurrence-free survival of the trial groups together (62.7%) was significantly better, in comparison to (42.3%) the control group (p=0.031).