Rasayana Chikitsa as Adjuvant Therapy in Cancer Survivorship: Mechanism and Evidence Review

Abstract

Cancer survivors increasingly experience treatment-related morbidity - fatigue, myelosuppression, neuropathy, and impaired quality of life (QoL) - that persists well beyond active oncological treatment. Rasayana Chikitsa, the Ayurvedic discipline of rejuvenation and Vyadhikshamatva (host-resistance) enhancement, has been explored as a complementary adjuvant strategy to mitigate these sequelae. This review synthesises classical conceptual foundations of Rasayana with contemporary mechanistic and clinical evidence, focusing on immunomodulation, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory pathways, and chemo-/radioprotective effects of key Rasayana dravyas such as Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia), and compound formulations including Brahma Rasayana and Rasayana Avaleha. While preclinical data robustly support multi-targeted modulation of NF-κB, STAT3, and PI3K/AKT signalling along with antioxidant and immune-enhancing activity, clinical evidence remains limited to small trials, observational cohorts, and case reports. Rasayana therapy appears to offer a biologically plausible, low-toxicity adjunct for improving QoL and reducing treatment-related toxicity in cancer survivorship, but rigorous randomised controlled trials are needed before definitive clinical recommendations can be made.