Chemical Database of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Chem-TCM is the digital database of individual molecules, constituents of plants used in the traditional Chinese herbal medicine. The database consists of four major parts: chemical identification, botanical information, predicted activity against common Western therapeutic targets, and estimated molecular activity according to traditional Chinese herbal medicine categories.
Chem-TCM database is a profound ethnopharmacological study, the culmination of the years of committed research work and modern computational chemistry advancements. It could be the most comprehensive to date attempt to connect Chinese and Western medicine on the molecular level.
The database was developed at King’s College London, in the UK, in part with the support of Innovation China-UK. TimTec LLC, a USA based company, is the sole licensee of the database and the commercial partner. Chem-TCM sublicenses are available for purchase from TimTec.
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A protein (mcIRBP) in Momordica charantia (bitter melon) regulates blood glucose levels binding to and activating the insulin receptor in mice.
Bitter melon (BM) was tested in normal and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. First, normal and diabetic Wistar rats were given four test extracts (EX-1-EX-4) of a wild-genotype BM or metformin by intubation. Second, normal Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into control and three test groups given for 52 days one of three BM preparations in food: Chinese or Indian commercial preparations or EX-4 from experiment I. In experiment I, extracts of BM administered at 50 mg/kg of body weight in normal rats reduced blood sugar for 4 hours without, unlike metformin, inducing hypoglycemia. In STZ-induced diabetic rats, two extracts administered at 250 mg/kg decreased glucose levels to values comparable to metformin at 150 mg/kg. At 4 hours, EX-1 and EX-4 significantly reduced blood glucose 67% and 63%, respectively, compared with metformin's 54%. In experiment II, all test groups had lowered systolic, but not diastolic, blood pressure. The China and EX-4 arms had significantly lowered serum glucose levels compared with the control. In the glucose tolerance test, only EX-4 had significantly lowered glucose levels. Only EX-4 had significantly lowered angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) activity. All active arms showed significance in the losartan challenge (the renin-angiotensin system [RAS]), with the greatest effect in the EX-4 group. In the N(ω)-nitro-l-arginine-methyl ester challenge, only EX-4 exhibited a significant impact on the nitric oxide system, suggesting higher activity in this group. In the STZ-induced diabetic rat model, wild-type BM powerfully lowered glucose levels, and, in healthy adult rats, wild-type BM exhibited beneficial effects in the regulation of blood glucose, in RAS and ACE inhibition, and in nitric oxide generation.
Ischemic brain injury is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and has attracted a lot of attention in the field of drug discovery. Cerebral ischemia is a complex pathological process involving a series of mechanisms, including generation of free radicals, oxidative stress, disruption of the membrane function, release of neurotransmitters and apoptosis. Thrombolytic therapy is the most effective therapeutic strategy, but the benefits are far from being absolute. Increased attention in the field of drug discovery has been focused on using natural compounds from traditional medicinal herbs for neuroprotection, which appears to be a promising therapeutic option for cerebral ischemia with minimal systemic adverse effects that could limit their long term use. The scenario calls for extensive investigations which can result in the development of lead molecules for neuroprotection in the future. In this context, the present review focuses on possible mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of herbal drugs in patients with cerebral ischemic injury. Natural compounds have been demonstrated to have neurofunctional regulatory actions with antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, calcium antagonizing and anti-apoptotic activities. Among the several leads obtained from plant sources as potential neuroprotective agents, resveratrol, EGb761, curcumin and epigallocatechin-3-gallate have shown significant therapeutic benefits in cerebral ischemic conditions. However, ligustilide, tanshinone, scutellarin and shikonin are the few lead molecules which are under investigation for treatment of cerebral ischemia.
Based on medicinal property combination modes, the authors screened topiramate's new functions according to e of TCM clinical experience, discovered topiramate's therapeutic effects on diabetes, hypertension and lung cancer in addition to epilepsy, and explore new drug function according to medicinal property combination modes, which could help greatly shorten the new drug R&D period.
Increased attention in the field of drug discovery has been focused on using natural compounds from traditional medicinal herbs for neuroprotection, which appears to be a promising therapeutic option for cerebral ischemia with minimal systemic adverse effects that could limit their long term use. The scenario calls for extensive investigations which can result in the development of lead molecules for neuroprotection in the future. In this context, the present review focuses on possible mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of herbal drugs in patients with cerebral ischemic injury. Natural compounds have been demonstrated to have neurofunctional regulatory actions with antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, calcium antagonizing and anti-apoptotic activities. Among the several leads obtained from plant sources as potential neuroprotective agents, resveratrol, EGb761, curcumin and epigallocatechin-3-gallate have shown significant therapeutic benefits in cerebral ischemic conditions. However, ligustilide, tanshinone, scutellarin and shikonin are the few lead molecules which are under investigation for treatment of cerebral ischemia. Link
While herbs might be a new cash crop for Appalachian growers, those plants have been used since prehistoric times for healing, explained Mary Burke-Pitts, a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist. Story
Their screen found that a compound named triptolide, a traditional Chinese medicine isolated from the thunder god vine (Tripterygium wilfordii (Latin) or lei gong teng (Chinese), was more potent than current therapies and cite other claims that triptolide is effective against other malignant cancers including pancreatic, neuroblastoma and cholangiocarcinoma. Story
Research from the China Education and Research Network indicates only one-twelfth of medical students in China are studying Chinese medicine, with the vast majority studying Western medicine. The number of well-known Chinese medicine doctors has dropped from 5,000 people in the 1980s to less than 500 today. Story
According to data provided by the Committee on Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy there are 47 valid manufacturing licences for prepared TCM products containing agarwood powder as an ingredient. Story
Traditional Chinese medicine shops here are chalking up brisk sales of herbs said to have cooling properties, thanks to the current hot weather and also the World Cup football season. Tan Cing Tong, who is a shop proprietor at Taman Bestari Indah here, said that sales of herbs like jin yin hua (Honeysuckle flower), dried chrysanthemum flowers and yang shen xu (American ginseng) have gone up by about 30% in the past two weeks. Story
A herb long used in traditional Chinese medicine for diabetes has been recently proven effective for allergic rhinitis, with some even touting the plant as a 'superfood'. Story
The British government says it is looking into integrating traditional Chinese medicine into the UK’s national health service. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt says if there is enough evidence to prove herbal medicines would benefit patients, they could be made available on the NHS and used alongside western medicines. A group of experts has now been tasked to look at the possibility. Story
The Cleveland Clinic, one of the country's top hospitals, is a surprising venue for the dispensing of herbs, a practice that is well established in China and other Eastern countries but has yet to make inroads in the U.S. because of a lack of evidence proving their effectiveness. The herbal clinic, which opened in January, has one herbalist who sees patients on Thursdays. Patients must be referred by a doctor and will be monitored to ensure that there are no drug-herbal interactions or other complications. The herbal clinic is part of the hospital's Center for Integrative Medicine, whose offerings also include acupuncture, holistic psychotherapy and massage therapy. Story
Apricots are a summertime fruit, and the seeds, leaves, branches, bark, and roots can all be used in medical concoctions. The pit, in particular, is commonly used as an expectorant and cough reliever, as well as to ease asthma and moisturize the lungs. Story
A recent study shows that herbal remedies may be more helpful at treating rheumatoid arthritis than common drugs used to treat inflammation associated with the health issue. Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F, also known as the "Thunder God Vine," has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine for joint pain and inflammation.
A traditional Chinese herbal remedy used to relieve joint pain and inflammation works as well as methotrexate, a standard drug treatment that is frequently prescribed to control the symptoms of active rheumatoid arthritis. Research published online in the Annals of the Rheumatic Disease said combining the herbal remedy with methotrexate – the disease modifying drug (DMARD) most commonly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis –was more effective than treatment with methotrexate alone. Story
Traditional Chinese medicine may help reduce insomnia-related anxiety, according to a new study. While ghrelin, a brain-gut peptide, increases anxiety and other abnormal emotions, Wen Dan Tang, a traditional Chinese medicine remedy, reduces insomnia-related anxiety. Researchers said the latest findings suggest the changes by the herbal plant may correspond to changes in the brain-gut axis. Story
A chief ingredient of a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herb has been shown to regulate genes responsible for tissue growth and differentiation in the periodontal ligament. The Chinese herb has been proven to have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties that protect the teeth and gums. Researchers note that the ingredient baicalin, found in Huang Qin, shows promise in periodontal ligament cell based therapy. The results were published in the Journal of Periodontology, the official publication of the American Academy of Periodontology. Story
A chemical compound found in the underground tubers of the Corydalis plant can effectively alleviate three different types of pain in mice, according to a paper published in the journal Current Biology. The pain-relieving compound is known as dehydrocorybulbine (DHCB). It was isolated by Chinese researchers as part of the herbalome project — an endeavor begun in 2008 to catalog all the active ingredients in traditional Chinese medicines.Story
A prediabetes diagnosis indicates that an individual has elevated blood sugar levels, but his or her glucose levels are not high enough to have developed Type 2 diabetes.Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) focuses on establishing balance in the body in order to treat disease, according to study author Dr. Chun-Su Yuan, director of the Tang Center for Herbal Medicine Research at the University of Chicago.For this study, researchers combined TCM’s traditional principles with modern medicine by identifying herbs that have proven effective in treating people with diabetes. Story
The establishment of the city's first traditional Chinese medicine hospital, a major new hospital at Kai Tak and health-care initiatives for the elderly are expected to be announced in Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying's second policy address today, the South China Morning Post has learned.But the focus on medical care will stop short of offering any groundbreaking proposals to help deal with the pressure on health services caused by an ageing population - it is predicted that about a third of Hongkongers will be aged 65 or above by 2041.There have been calls for a traditional Chinese medicine hospital to be set up in Hong Kong for years, with Baptist University wanting to develop a major TCM teaching hospital adjacent to its School of Chinese Medicine, on the southern part of the former Lee Wai Lee campus. Story
In the quest for new treatments, U.S. researchers are looking to traditional Chinese medicines, some of the oldest remedies in the world.A recent discovery resulted in a better treatment for a type of leukemia that strikes about 1 in 250,000 people in the U.S. Another study found a potential new painkiller in China's medicine chest. Other researchers are studying a traditional medicinal plant called "thunder god vine" for its anti-cancer properties. Story
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), an age-old healthcare system derived from China, is a mainstream medicine in China and is also popular in many other parts of the world [1-3]. Due to historic reasons, the scientific base of TCM awaits consolidation but emerging evidence has begun to illustrate TCM as an area of important medical rediscoveries. For example, the 2011 Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award was awarded to Youyou Tu for the discovery of Chinese herb-derived artemisinin, a drug for malaria that has saved millions of lives across the globe [4,5] and the 7th Annual Szent-Györgyi Prize was awarded to Zhen-Yi Wang and Zhu Chen for their TCM research that led to the successful development of a new therapeutic approach to acute promyelocytic leukaemia. These award-winning projects were both conducted well before the human genome was decoded and when information technology was in infancy. What has TCM to offer in the post-genomic era and the Information Age? To address this important question, the GP-TCM project kicked in as the 1st EU-funded EU-China collaboration dedicated to applying emerging technologies to TCM research [6,7]. Besides the consensus that omics and systems biology approaches will likely play major roles in addressing the complexity of TCM [7-9], more than half GP-TCM consortium members who responded to a consortium survey also cast votes of confidence in network pharmacology in TCM research . Then, what is network pharmacology? What is the state of the art of this technology in modern pharmacological and toxicological studies, and finally, what are its possible roles in TCM research?
The systematic documentation and formation of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) began over two thousand years ago. In volumes such as Huangdi Neijing, published as early as 400 BCE, Chinese scholars stressed the need for balance, among the body’s major organs (the lungs, kidney, liver, heart, and spleen), between the opposing forces of yin and yang and in the distribution of the life force, qi. Any sort of imbalance—too much or too little qi in any one organ, an excess of any single emotion, or an abundance of yang energy—would lead to sickness. This complex philosophy provides a simple explanation for a tradition of successful natural treatments, based on thousands of years of observation. More
That adage led a Purdue University researcher to pursue collaborating with a Chinese eye center and university to discover new drugs that possibly could cure or prevent vision loss and retinal degeneration. The focus of Yuk Fai Leung's new laboratory with the Joint Shantou International Eye Center of Shantou University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong is testing the benefits of traditional Chinese medicine, including herbs, flowers and other plants. More
Beijing has allocated 1.49 billion yuan to a subsidy fund to support development of traditional Chinese medicine in the rest of 2013. More
Chinese medicine is a rich source of pharmacologically active substances. How can we best tap the wealth of past empirical experience to enhance future therapeutic advancement? Better understanding of the chemistry of medicinal herbs would enhance the exploration of new therapeutic benefits and product development. This presentation provides an overview of innovative research for quality assurance, identification of active components, and understanding of the molecular mechanisms of multi-component herbal medicines. VIDEO
EU-funded project GP-TCM ('Good Practice in Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in the Post-Genomic Era') was set up to assess current EU research practice on the use, safety and efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine. In particular, the project focused on herbal medicines and acupuncture. More
Experts from Cardiff University’s School of Medicine have joined forces with Peking University in China to test the health benefits of a traditional Chinese medicine in cancer treatments. The team also set-out to examine how by combining it with more traditional methods like Chemotherapy could improve patient outcomes and potentially lead to the development of new cancer treatments and therapies. More
A healthcare service based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), will soon be established in China. The project, initiated in 2007, will help standardize a rising number of TCM services across the country to prevent fraud. The new department would integrate examination centers at hospitals to give advice regarding TCM drugs or techniques. More
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an integral part of mainstream medicine in China. Due to its worldwide use, potential impact on healthcare and opportunities for new drug development, TCM is also of great international interest. Recently, a new era for modernisation of TCM was launched with the successful completion of the Good Practice in Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in the Post-genomic Era (GP-TCM) project, the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) coordination action on TCM research. This 3.5-year project that involved inputs from over 200 scientists resulted in the production of 20 editorials and in-depth reviews on different aspects of TCM that were published in a special issue of Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2012; volume 140, issue 3). In this narrative review, we aim to summarise the findings of the FP7 GP-TCM project and highlight the relevance of TCM to modern medicine within a historical and international context. Advances in TCM research since the 1950s can be characterised into three phases: Phase I (1950s-1970s) was fundamental for developing TCM higher education, research and hospital networks in China; Phase II (1980s-2000s) was critical for developing legal, economic and scientific foundations and international networks for TCM; and Phase III (2011 onwards) is concentrating on consolidating the scientific basis and clinical practice of TCM through interdisciplinary, interregional and intersectoral collaborations. Taking into account the quality and safety requirements newly imposed by a globalised market, we especially highlight the scientific evidence behind TCM, update the most important milestones and pitfalls, and propose integrity, integration and innovation as key principles for further modernisation of TCM. These principles will serve as foundations for further research and development of TCM, and for its future integration into tomorrow's medicine. Article access
Traditional Chinese medicine could be a key weapon in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, a joint international study has found. The study involved a controlled clinical trial of 800 type 2 diabetic adults, comparing anti-diabetic drug Glibenclamide as a stand-alone treatment and treatment with Glibenclamide in conjunction with traditional Chinese medicine. More
According to a 2012 report by market research organization IBISWorld, government support and increasing demand in China has driven TCM to expected revenues of $25.7 billion in 2012, up 14.8% from 2011. The industry has grown by 20% each year on average since 2007, and profitability has continued to rise as well. More
BEIJING - A white paper on medical and health services released Wednesday by the Chinese government underlined the irreplaceable role of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), because of its unique characteristics and advantages in curing diseases of different kinds. More
Pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline will open a new research unit in China to look at traditional Chinese medicine.According to the company, Innovative TCM will be one of GSK's R&D programs in China, aiming to transform TCM from an experience-based practice to evidence-based medicines through innovation and differentiation. More
The Chinese character 藥 (yào) refers to a medicine or drug. It is composed of two parts. The top part, 艹, is the Chinese radical that indicates grass and grass-related plants, including herbs. The lower part, 樂 (pronounced yuè or lè), is a Chinese character in its own right. It has two meanings: music, as well as delight and happiness. More
Of the long history of the Chinese nation, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been one of the most treasured cultural heritages. Only at the end of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), did foreign missionaries bring Western knowledge and medicine to China. Over the 5,000 years before the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), our ancestors survived, relying mainly on herbal medicine, acupuncture, aijiu, orthopedic surgery and other ancient medical practices. More
Marcello Costa, Professor of Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology at Flinders University asks whether or not traditional Chinese medicine has a place in the health system. More
A Chinese traditional medicine has been authorized for sale in a European market for the first time, the Chinese Academy of Sciences announced on Wednesday.Industry experts said the approval would lead the way for Chinese traditional medicine to enter the mainstream European market. Di'ao Xin Xue Kang, a well-known herbal medicine produced by the Chengdu-based Di'ao Group, received marketing authorization from the Medicines Evaluation Board of the Netherlands, making it the first Chinese traditional drug to be identified as a therapeutic medicine in the European Union. More
Traditional Chinese medicine can be integrated with Western medicine to reduce medication requirements, lessen side effects and make biomedicine more effective, Chinese medicine practitioner George Y.C. Wong said at the second Colloquium on Globalization of Traditional Chinese Medicine at the Class of 1978 Life Sciences Center on Thursday. Wong was the keynote speaker at the event that focused on interactions between health care practices of different countries.Wong, a fourth-generation traditional medical practitioner who learned his trade from his grandfather through “osmosis,” spoke about the merits and disadvantages of traditional Chinese medicine, the uses of herbs for preventative medicine and how non-Western medicine can be incorporated into biomedicine. More
BOLOGNA, Italy, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The first "Dialogue on Human Health between Traditional Chinese Medicine Culture and Western Medicine" kicked off in the Italian city of Bologna on Thursday to promote interaction between the Chinese and European medical cultures.In the two-day conference, for the first time outstanding Chinese and European speakers met in Italy to discuss differences and complementarities between Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Western medicine. More
UNIVERSITY of Adelaide researchers will uncover how traditional Chinese medicine affects the human body in an effort to integrate it with Western medicine.The work will be the focus of a new Australian-Chinese research centre, which is being announced in Beijing today and worth millions of dollars to the university.It is a unique partnership bringing together an Australian university, the Shanxi College of Traditional Chinese Medicine and direct investment from the Zhendong Pharmaceutical Company.Professor David Adelson, the director of the Zhendong Australia-China Centre for Molecular Traditional Chinese Medicine, said this research would provide an insight into how traditional Chinese medicine acts. More
This past Thursday, Dr. George Y. C. Wong gave the keynote address on the globalization of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), a colloquium sponsored by the department of Asian & Middle Eastern Languages & Literatures. Wong is a fourth generation TCM practitioner and senior research scientist at the Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City who specializes in cancer. He presented the history of TCM, a medical practice that has persisted for four thousand to five thousand years.In explaining the underlying theories of TCM, Wong emphasized the connection between the mind and the body and the importance of categorizing symptoms through narratives. Wong stated that TCM differentiated between external and internal causes of disease. The six external causes were wind, cold, heat, damp, dryness, and summer heat. He also said that there are two internal causes, which can be divided between emotional and endogenous disorders. He listed the seven categories of emotional imbalances as unrestrained happiness, anger, anxiety, pensiveness, grief, fear and fright. The endogenous causes were improper diet, excessive physical challenge, and injuries. More
Scientists studying a four-herb combination discovered some 1,800 years ago by Chinese herbalists have found that the substance enhances the effectiveness of chemotherapy in patients with colon cancer.The mixture, known in China as huang qin tang, has been shown in early trials to be effective at reducing some side effects of chemotherapy, including diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. The herbs also seem to bolster colon-cancer treatment: Tests on animals with tumors have shown that administering the herbs along with chemotherapy drugs restored intestinal cells faster than when chemo was used alone. More