Radioprotective effects of vitexina for breast cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy with cobalt-60

• Published in: Integrative cancer therapies Vol. 1; no. 1; pp. 38 - 43
• Main Authors: Hien, Tran Van, Huong, Nguyen Boi, Hung, Pham Manh, Duc, Nguyen Ba
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.03.2002
• Subjects: Apigenin; Blood Cell Count; Breast Neoplasms - blood; Breast Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Cobalt Radioisotopes - adverse effects; Female; Flavonoids - therapeutic use; Health Status; Humans; Lymphocyte Activation - drug effects; Lymphocyte Activation - radiation effects; Middle Aged; Radiation Injuries - etiology; Radiation Injuries - prevention & control; Radiation-Protective Agents - therapeutic use; Radiotherapy - adverse effects; Weight Gain - drug effects; Weight Gain - radiation effects; Weight Loss - drug effects; Weight Loss - radiation effects
• ISSN: 1534-7354
• DOI: 10.1177/1534735402001001003

Vitexina, a product containing the flavonoid vitexin as the main component, is derived from a plant, Vigna radiata (L.), that has been traditionally used in Vietnam for detoxification. This remedy is also used to treat the symptoms of conditions classified as "hot" in traditional medicine. The present study is a randomized, placebo-controlled comparative clinical trial for investigating the radioprotective effects of Vitexina for breast cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy with cobalt-60. No relevant weight loss, (even weight gain), occurred in 70% of patients in the Vitexina group, whereas 73% of the placebo group lost 1 to 2 kg of weight after 6 weeks of radiation therapy. The administration of Vitexina produced a significantly protective effect in peripheral blood cells in amount and in lymphocyte blast-transformation function. Condition of hot was observed in almost all cancer patients in this study by tongue examination. Hot condition did not change in the Vitexina group, but the incidence of hot and extreme hot cases were significantly increased in the placebo group after 6 weeks of radiation therapy. The results suggest that application of medicinal plants of the "clearing heat and detoxification" classification as an adjuvant would be a potential solution in integrative cancer therapy.