title: Botanical drugs and stem cells.
abstract: The potential to generate virtually any differentiated cell type from stem cells offers the possibility of creating new sources of cells for regenerative medicine. To realize this potential, it will be essential to control stem cell differentiation. Chinese herbal medicine is a major aspect of traditional Chinese medicine and is a rich source of unique chemicals. As such, individual herbs or extracts may play a role in the proliferation and differentiation of stem cells. In this review, we discuss some of the Chinese herbal medicines that are used to treat human diseases such as neuronal degenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and osteoporosis. We also describe the relationship between Chinese herbal medicines and stem cell regulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Science and Graduate Institute of Biotechnology, National Dong Hwa University, Hualien, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Po-Cheng
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Li-Fu
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Po-Yen
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Shinn-Zong
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Wan-Chen
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Wuen-Shyong
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chang-Hai
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Tzyy-Wen
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Chiou
authors.forename: Horng-Jyh
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Harn
mesh_terms: D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000628:therapy; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000628:therapy; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000628:therapy; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000637:transplantation; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D055495:Neurogenesis; D044968:Regenerative Medicine
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal