ROLE OF KAMALA (NELUMBO NUCIFERAGAERTN.) IN PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF GARBHASHAYA ARBUDA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO UTERINE CANCER

Arbuda is a disease which grows very fast and causes either destruction of local tissues or body part or even death. In India, uterine cancer ranks 3rd among genital malignancy next to cervix and ovary. Uterine cancer differentiated into 2 types on the basis of their site of origin. One is endometrial cancer, most common form of uterine cancer and accounts for 95% of all the cases. Second is Uterine sarcoma (mamsajaarbuda), initiates in other tissues or muscles of uterus and accounts for 5% of all uterine cancer cases. The symptoms of uterine cancer includes- excessive and prolonged menstrual bleeding, watery-sticky foul smell discharge per vagina, bleeding after coitus and pain in lower abdomen. So in order to combat these problems of women, Ayurveda has the potential in prevention as well as in management of garbhashayaarbuda. Kamala (NelumbonuciferaGaertn.) helps in vitiation of pitta dosha and has cooling effect by sheetaveerya. It helps in blood clotting, thus stops excessive and prolonged menstrual bleeding. As well as it act as haemostatic agent due to madhura and kashaya rasa. Presence of tannin shows coagulation property, presence of iron shows haematinic property. AcharyaVagbhata mentioned it as rasayana, hence it promotes strength, virility and intellect. Kamala seeds contain polyphenols, flavonoids, hyperin. These effectively scavenge free radicals and maintain the balance of reactive oxygen metabolism at cellular level as well as delay ageing of a uterine cell. Neferine has anti-cancer activities. It inhibits cancer cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis. Kamala is also useful in heat created due to chemotherapy and radiotherapy.