Molecular And Cellular Mechanism Studies On Anticancer Effects Of Chinese Medicine

Chinese medicine is an unique medical system, among which Chinese medicines (including Chinese medicinal plants, Chinese animal drugs, Chinese mineral drugs and composite formulae) have been used in main stream medical health care in China for years of thousands and have been accepted by many countries as complemental and alternative medicine. As one of the major traditional medicines and Ethnomedicines in the world, Chinese medicines as a resource and materials for unmet medical needs have been attracted by scientists in medical, pharmaceutical, biomedical engineering and life sciences. The challenges in safety (such as Aristolochic acid nephropathy, Chinese medicines adverse reaction and herb-drug interaction), quality control (like batch-to-batch reliable, contamination pesticide and heavy metals) and green enviroments (protection of endangerous species from animal and plants) have also become emerging issues. In the past decades, chemical and pharmacological profiles of many Chinese medicines have been extensively studied. In this chapter, we focus on advanced progress in molecular and celluar mechanism studies on anticancer action of Chinese medicines by trend prediction from top journals of Chinese medicine, ethnomedicine, alternative and complemental medicine. 12 representative Chinese medicines were selected in this chapter (Rhizoma coptidis, arsenic, Rhizoma Curcuma longae, Radis stephaniae tetrandrae, Radix tripterygii wilfordii, Radix scutellariae, Herba artemisiae annuae, Radix ginseng, Radix notoginseng, Radix astragali, Radix angelicae senensis and Radix salviae miltiorrhizae) and we reviewed the recent progress in order to understand their pharmacological action, active chemical ingredients and application of new approaches (genomics, proteomics and metabolics). We concentrated on the cellular and molecular mechanisms of the therapeutic actions of these Chinese medicines and introduced the major active chemical ingredients in relation to therapeutic values. These Chinese medicines can be used in treatment of cancer. After reviewing hot Chinese medicines in treatment of cancer in this chapter, we hope it will lead to further exploration of Chinese medicines by advanced scientific technology in drug discovery for treating cancer.