Tata Memorial Center to Research Ashwagandha and Other Medicinal Herbs in Cancer Treatment

Cancer remains a life-threatening disease with complex, expensive, and long-term treatment procedures. While many herbal remedies claim to offer a cure, scientific backing is often limited. Ashwagandha, a well-known herb in Ayurveda, is one such plant believed to offer cancer-fighting properties. However, there is no conclusive evidence yet to confirm its effectiveness in completely curing the disease.

Tata Memorial Center's Initiative

Mumbai’s Tata Memorial Center (TMC) is taking a scientific approach to explore the role of medicinal plants in cancer therapy. TMC is developing a large-scale project to grow and test over 500 herbs including ashwagandha and turmeric. Additionally, a 100-bed research and treatment hospital is being established to examine the real-world effects of these herbs in cancer cases.

This initiative began in 2018 under Dr. Vikram Gota, who started studying the effects of ashwagandha in cancer patients. Encouraged by early positive results, TMC now aims to expand testing significantly.

Results from Dr. Gota’s Study

Dr. Vikram Gota, Professor and Head of Clinical Pharmacology at TMC’s ACTREC center in Navi Mumbai, has been researching withaferin-A—an active compound found in ashwagandha. His study showed promising outcomes, including a potential 50% reduction in mortality rates among bone marrow transplant patients. The findings from his research suggest that both ashwagandha and turmeric may possess anti-cancer properties.

New Rs 300 Crore Research Center at Khopoli

TMC is investing Rs 300 crore to establish the Integrative Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ICTREC) in Khopoli. Spread across 20 acres, the center will cultivate over 500 medicinal plants to study their effectiveness against cancer.

Once operational, this will be the only cancer hospital in India where medicinal herbs are grown, tested, and used as part of treatment protocols—creating a unique integration of traditional knowledge and modern science.

Read More: 30 Heartfelt Instagram Captions for When You Miss Someone Deeply