title: Harnessing traditional Chinese medicine to improve cancer therapy: issues for future development.
abstract: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has recently yielded a number of chemical compounds with clinically significant anticancer activity. The theory of TCM formulas, however, unlike Western medicine, is based on the interactions of the various Chinese medicinal materials in the body, rather than the activity of a single purified chemical compound. Mechanisms for the possible synergistic anticancer effects of components in TCM formulas have recently been postulated. Advanced research on the clinical effects of TCM formulas, however, has been hampered by inconsistent dosage formulations and unreliable quality control. Scientific challenges in dosage formulation and methods for ensuring quality control of TCM products will be discussed.
authors: College of Pharmacy, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA.
authors: Doreen
authors: D
authors: Pon
authors: Zhijun
authors: Z
authors: Wang
authors: Khanh Nguyen Bao
authors: KN
authors: Le
authors: Moses Sing Sum
authors: MS
authors: Chow
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000592:standards / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004304:Dosage Forms; D006801:Humans; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional / Q000592:standards; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000592:standards / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011786:Quality Control; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D004304:Dosage Forms; D028321:Plant Preparations