Application and assessment of Chinese arsenic drugs in treating malignant hematopathy in China.
Chinese arsenic drugs have been applied in Chinese medicine for several centuries. Beginning from 1970s, arsenic containing drugs have been generally used for the treatment of malignant hematologic diseases including acute promyelocytic leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, and multiple myeloma. No matter what ingredients of arsenic drugs were applied, either arsenic trioxide, arsenic disulfide, or arsenic containing Chinese herbal compositions including Qinghuang Powder and Realgar-Indigo naturalis formula, they all provided the distinct approaches for the management of malignant hematologic diseases, and good clinical efficacy was obtained with mild adverse reactions. Moreover, the mechanisms of action have been continually elucidated.
Hu
Xiao-mei
XM
Department of Hematology, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100091, China.
Liu
Feng
F
Ma
Rou
R
D000077237:Arsenic Trioxide; D001152:Arsenicals / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002681:China; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D010087:Oxides / Q000627:therapeutic use
D001152:Arsenicals; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D010087:Oxides; C528183:realgar-indigo naturalis; D000077237:Arsenic Trioxide