title: The roles of traditional Chinese medicine in gene therapy.
abstract: The field of gene therapy has been increasingly studied in the last four decades, and its clinical application has become a reality in the last 15 years. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), an important component of complementary and alternative medicine, has evolved over thousands of years with its own unique system of theories, diagnostics and therapies. TCM is well-known for its various roles in preventing and treating infectious and chronic diseases, and its usage in other modern clinical practice. However, whether TCM can be applied alongside gene therapy is a topic that has not been systematically examined. Here we provide an overview of TCM theories in relation to gene therapy. We believe that TCM theories are congruent with some principles of gene therapy. TCM-derived drugs may also act as gene therapy vehicles, therapeutic genes, synergistic therapeutic treatments, and as co-administrated drugs to reduce side effects. We also discuss in this review some possible approaches to combine TCM and gene therapy.
authors.affiliation: Changhai Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China; E-mail: lingchangquan@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Chang-quan
authors.initials: CQ
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.affiliation: Changhai Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Li-na
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Changhai Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Changhai Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Yuan-hui
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Changhai Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Zi-fei
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Changhai Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Division of Cellular and Molecular Therapy, Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA; E-mail: lingchen@peds.ufl.edu.
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ling
mesh_terms: D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D005796:Genes / Q000187:drug effects; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional / Q000379:methods