Ancient Chinese Herbs eases Chemotherapy Side Effects
Author: Yale University
Published: 2010/08/19 - Updated: 2010/09/30
Topic: Chinese Medicine (TCM) (Publications Database)
Page Content: Synopsis Introduction Main Item
Synopsis: Ancient Chinese herbal recipe tends to ease the side effects of cancer chemotherapy treatment.
Introduction
Ancient Chinese herbal recipe eases side effects of chemotherapy.Main Item
A combination of Chinese herbs in use for more than 1,800 years reduced the gastrointestinal side effects of chemotherapy in mice, while actually enhancing the effects of the cancer treatment, Yale University researchers report.
The formula used in the experiment consists of four herbs, called PHY906, and is based on a herbal recipe called Huang Qin Tang, used historically to treat nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. The study, published August 18 in the journal Science Translational Medicine, asked whether the use of the formula could reduce gastrointestinal effects of a common chemotherapy drug without affecting its ability to kill cancerous cells.
Chemotherapy causes a number of toxic side effects, which are usually treated with several different drugs with mixed success. "Chemotherapy causes great distress for millions of patients, but PHY-906 has multiple biologically active compounds which can act on multiple sources of discomfort," said Yung-Chi "Tommy" Cheng, Henry Bronson professor of pharmacology, co-director of the Yale Cancer Center's Developmental Therapeutics program and senior author of the paper.Mice undergoing chemotherapy that were given PHY906 lost less weight and experienced more anti-tumor activity than mice not given the formula, the team reported.
The herbal formula reduced toxicity of the chemotherapy by multiple mechanisms, including the inhibiting inflammation and promoting the creation of new intestinal cells, the team reported. This cannot be accomplished by current drugs, which usually target only one mechanism.
"This combination of chemotherapy and herbs represents a marriage of Western and Eastern approaches to the treatment of cancer," Cheng said.
Cheng is the co-discover of PHY906 and, with Yale, has a financial interest in PhytoCeutica Inc., a New Haven company developing the formula.
The study was funded by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health.
Wing Lam of Yale was lead author of the paper. Other Yale authors include Scott Bussom, Fulan Guan, Zaoli Jiang, Wei Zhang, Elizabeth A. Gullen, Shwu-Huey Liu, Yung-Chi Cheng.
Explore Related Topics
1 - Chinese Medicine Study Reveals How TCM Kills Cancer Cells - Compound kushen injection is used in China to treat various cancer tumours - but how it works has not been known before.
2 - Acupuncture Can Improve Quality of Life for People with TBI Related Headaches - Chinese acupuncture in treating patients with headaches due to previous traumatic brain injury show significant improvement in headache-related quality of life.
3 - Chinese Corydalis Herb Relieves Inflammatory and Neuropathic Pain - A compound called dehydrocorybulbine from the roots of the Corydalis yanhusuo plant prove to diminish pain.
Complete Publications Database
Page Information, Citing and Disclaimer
Disabled World is a comprehensive online resource that provides information and news related to disabilities, assistive technologies, and accessibility issues. Founded in 2004 our website covers a wide range of topics, including disability rights, healthcare, education, employment, and independent living, with the goal of supporting the disability community and their families.
Cite This Page (APA): Yale University. (2010, August 19 - Last revised: 2010, September 30). Ancient Chinese Herbs eases Chemotherapy Side Effects. Disabled World. Retrieved November 6, 2024 from www.disabled-world.com/medical/alternative/chinese/chemotherapy-herbs.php
Permalink: <a href="https://www.disabled-world.com/medical/alternative/chinese/chemotherapy-herbs.php">Ancient Chinese Herbs eases Chemotherapy Side Effects</a>: Ancient Chinese herbal recipe tends to ease the side effects of cancer chemotherapy treatment.
Disabled World provides general information only. Materials presented are never meant to substitute for qualified medical care. Any 3rd party offering or advertising does not constitute an endorsement.