Molecular target-guided tumor therapy with natural products derived from traditional Chinese medicine.
A tremendous interest exists in the Western world in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with rapidly increasing export rates of TCM products from China to Europe and USA. This led to a national decision of the Chinese government to implement a "Plan for the Modernization of Chinese Medicine". Concerning the use of Chinese medicinal herbs, two major directions can be distinguished. One field is phytochemistry and pharmacognosy. Secondary metabolites isolated from Chinese plants can be easily subjected to pharmacological, molecular biological, and pharmacogenomic analyses using methods of modern cell and molecular biology as exemplified for camptothecin from Camptotheca acuminata in the present review. The second field of interest is phytomedicine. Standardized international quality guidelines help to improve quality, safety and efficacy of Chinese medicinal herbs. Sustainability of natural products from TCM can be reached by breeding high-yield varieties or by biotechnological approaches. In the long term, natural products from TCM can contribute to the development of molecular target-guided therapies and individualized treatment strategies.
Efferth
Thomas
T
German Cancer Research Center, Pharmaceutical Biology (C015), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany. t.efferth@dkfz.de
Fu
Yu-Jie
YJ
Zu
Yuan-Gang
YG
Schwarz
Günter
G
Konkimalla
Venkata Sai Badireenath
VS
Wink
Michael
M
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D010597:Pharmacogenetics; D010598:Pharmacognosy
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D002166:Camptothecin