The effects of Chinese herbal medicine on cancer

 Tiejun Tang

Cancer is a leading cause of death globally, and it is estimated that one in every six deaths is due to cancer. Modern medicine uses treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy to treat cancer. For a long time, the side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy have been an unavoidable problem in cancer treatment. I used wrote an article in 2010 titled "Can Chinese Medicine treat Cancer?" (Click to read more) mainly discussing the topic of Chinese medicine reducing the side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Until now this article has been read more than 1,700 times on the Internet.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used in China for thousands of years and is gaining increasing attention as a complementary and alternative therapy for cancer. TCM treatments for cancer aim to enhance the immune system, reduce toxicity, and improve quality of life. Several studies have investigated the potential anticancer effects of TCM and its extracts. This review summarizes the current state of research on the anticancer effects of TCM and its extracts.

Methods: A literature search was conducted using the PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases. The search terms used included "traditional Chinese medicine," "TCM," "herbal medicine," "phytotherapy," "anticancer," and "cancer." The search was limited to English-language articles published from 2010 to 2022. Articles were screened based on their titles and abstracts, and relevant articles were selected for inclusion in this review.

Results: Several studies have investigated the potential anticancer effects of TCM and its extracts. The following TCM and extracts have been found to have anticancer effects:

1.       Hedyotis diffusa, also known as Oldenlandia diffusa (Baihuasheshecao), is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb that has been used for centuries to treat various illnesses, including cancer. Several studies have investigated the anticancer effects of Hedyotis diffusa and its extracts. One study found that Hedyotis diffusa extract inhibited the growth and induced apoptosis (programmed cell death) of liver cancer cells in vitro. The extract also inhibited the growth of liver tumors in mice. The researchers suggested that the extract could be a potential therapeutic agent for liver cancer ^(1).. Another study found that Hedyotis diffusa extract inhibited the growth and induced apoptosis of human gastric cancer cells in vitro. The extract also inhibited tumor growth in mice with gastric cancer. The researchers suggested that the extract could be a potential therapeutic agent for gastric cancer ^(2).. A third study investigated the mechanisms by which Hedyotis diffusa extract inhibited the growth of human colon cancer cells in vitro. The extract was found to induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in the cancer cells. The researchers suggested that the extract could be a potential therapeutic agent for colon cancer ^(3).

2.       Curcumin: Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric (Jianghuang) and has been shown to have anticancer effects in multiple cancer types, including breast, prostate, lung, and colon cancer ^(4). Curcumin has been found to inhibit cancer cell growth, induce apoptosis, and reduce inflammation ⁽⁵⁾.

3.       Triptolide: Triptolide is an extract from the Chinese herb Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F （Leigongteng）and has been shown to have anticancer effects in several cancer types, including pancreatic, ovarian, and prostate cancer ⁽⁶⁾. Triptolide has been found to induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, inhibit cancer cell migration and invasion, and reduce inflammation ⁽⁷⁾.

4.       Ginsenosides: Ginsenosides are a group of compounds found in ginseng and have been shown to have anticancer effects in several cancer types, including breast, lung, and liver cancer ⁽⁸⁾. Ginsenosides have been found to inhibit cancer cell proliferation, induce apoptosis, and reduce inflammation ⁽⁹⁾.

5.       Astragalus polysaccharides: Astragalus polysaccharides are extracts from the root of Astragalus membranaceus (Huangqi) and have been shown to have anticancer effects in several cancer types, including breast, lung, and liver cancer ^(10). Astragalus polysaccharides have been found to enhance the immune system, inhibit cancer cell proliferation, induce apoptosis, and reduce inflammation ⁽¹¹⁾.

6.       Scutellaria baicalensis: Scutellaria baicalensis (Huangqin) is a Chinese herb that has been shown to have anticancer effects in several cancer types, including lung, liver, and colon cancer ⁽¹²⁾. Scutellaria baicalensis has been found to inhibit cancer cell proliferation, induce apoptosis, and reduce inflammation ⁽¹³⁾.

Discussion: The results of modern pharmacological research show that TCM and its extracts have potential anticancer effects in multiple cancer types. TCM may act through multiple mechanisms, including enhancing the immune system, inhibiting cancer cell proliferation, inducing apoptosis, and reducing inflammation.

Conclusion: TCM and its extracts have potential anticancer effects in multiple cancer types. Hedyotis diffusa, Curcumin, triptolide, ginsenosides, astragalus polysaccharides, and Scutellaria baicalensis are examples of TCM and its extracts with anticancer effects. Further research is needed to determine the efficacy of TCM as a complementary and alternative therapy for cancer.

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1.  Chen J. Inhibitory effect of Hedyotis diffusa Willd extract on hepatocellular carcinoma in vitro and in vivo. Exp Ther Med. 2014;8(4):1051-1056.
2.  Li J. Inhibition of human gastric cancer cells by Hedyotis diffusa (Willd.) extract in vitro and in vivo. Pharm Biol. 2016;54(7):1155-1163.
3. Xu Y. Hedyotis diffusa Willd extract induces apoptosis via activation of the mitochondrion-dependent pathway in human colon carcinoma cells. Oncol Lett. 2015;9(5):2159-2165.
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