Now oral cancer patients will no longer have to suffer in pain from radiation associated mucositus, for a cheap and very effective relief solution will soon be available in chemists. Scientists at the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology and Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, India have developed an ayurvedic mouthwash.
This ayurvedic mouthwash consists of three commonly used medicinal herbs that help to control mucositus. Mucositus, which is a result of radiation, results in mouth sores and gum inflammations that last for over six to eight weeks. This often results in a break of radiation treatment, allowing the tumor to return, rendering the whole purpose of the treatment ineffective.
A clinical study that took a whole year was conducted on 148 patients, who were suffering from oral cancer, while undergoing radiotherapy. The study found that the patients, who were using the mouthwash, experienced reduced pain and also helped to cut down the oral bacterial infections. The study also found that the patients required a less amount of painkillers, as a result of using the mouthwash.
The two Council of Industrial and Scientific Research institutes have recently filed for a global patent for the ayurvedic mouthwash, which is expected to hit the markets in January 2007.
Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology director M Radhakrishnaa Pillai said, “We cannot reveal the names of the medicinal herbs as we are yet to receive the patent. But the plans are common and are used in many of out traditional medicines.”
Pillai said that the patient will have to use the mouthwash four times in a day.