Natural compound derived from ashwagandha plant could benefit lymphoma patients

A new UNC study finds that a chemical derived from ashwagandha disrupts viral and cancer processes that make B-cell lymphomas difficult to treat with standard chemotherapy. Cancer has many causes, including inherited genes, alcohol- and tobacco-use, and environmental carcinogens. But scientists are now focusing more on viruses, such as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which have been linked to certain cancers, including diffuse large B cell lymphoma, Burkitt lymphoma, NK/T cell lymphomas, and Hodgkin lymphoma.