title: An overview of epigenetics in Chinese medicine researches.
abstract: Chinese medicine (CM) has contributed to human health care for several thousand years and is still popular in Asian countries. But the mechanisms underlying CM remain obscure, and need to be clarifified by modern biological subjects and methods. Recently, CM researches on epigenetics have gained obvious improvement following rapidly developed molecular technologies. In this review, we revealed mutual characteristics of epigenetics and CM, such as holism, yin-yang dynamic nature, reversibility and balance, and visceral manifestation. Moreover, epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation, histone post-transcriptional modifications, micro RNA interference, etc. may help explore the molecular basis of CM syndrome classifification, and mechanisms of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM), CHM compounds and Chinese herbal formulae activities. Meanwhile, CM and epigenetics might promote each other and jointly develop following the continuous progress of epigenetics in CM researches.
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Complexity System, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China.
authors.forename: Xue-Qing
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Complexity System, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China. shibingsu07@163.com.
authors.forename: Shi-Bing
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Su
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D013577:Syndrome
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal
keywords: Chinese herbal formula; Chinese herbal medicine; Chinese medicine; Chinese medicine syndrome; epigenetics; histone modification; methylation