138 Handbook of herbs and spices
9.1 Introduction
Cancer is a complex set of diseases and is one of the most devastating diseases
worldwide. According to WHO statistics, the burden of new cases in 2000 was
estimated to be 10.1 million in the world representing about 20% increase over the
previous decade. Similarly about 56% of the estimated deaths from cancer occur in
the developing world. The reason for the increased number of cancer deaths is due to
the increased life expectancy achieved by combating life threatening diseases. In
addition, tobacco consumption, newer infections, environmental degradation, change
in lifestyle and diet and malnutrition are all contributing major factors for the increase
in the burden. In males lung cancer is the leading cancer site both in terms of new
cases as well as deaths, with almost equal contribution. The second most common
cancer globally, is stomach cancer with almost two-thirds of the load contributed by
the developing world, in particular China. This is followed closely by prostate and
colo-rectal cancers. More than three-quarters of cases of prostate cancer and two-
thirds of colorectal cancer occur predominantly in the developed world. In men, in
the developing world the five leading cancer sites are lung, stomach, liver, oesophagus
and head and neck. These sites accounted for more than 55% of the cases diagnosed
and almost two-thirds of deaths due to cancer for the year 2000. Cancers of the breast
and cervix are the two most important cancer sites and account for one-third of all
cases diagnosed in the women of the developing world.
In order to combat diseases including cancer, human beings depended upon Mother
Nature from time immemorial and a number of traditional health systems existed in
the world. Herbs and spices have been used for generations by humans as food
supplements and to treat some ailments. Each system has developed a number of
effective herbal disease cure prescriptions, which spread throughout the world. The
evolution of different systems of medicine was originally associated with cultural
and religious history. An enormous number of medicinal plants were also recognized
in each health care system and distributed in different parts of the world. About
250,000 plant species are recorded from different parts of the world from which
about 80,000 plant species are medicinal. WHO also reported that over 30% of the
9Herbs, spices and cancer.........................................................................
S. Maiti and K. A. Geetha, National Research Centre for Medicinal and
Aromatic Plants, India