Traditional Chinese medicine: Ancient formula in modern times
Felix Cheung
Abstract
Modern biochemical analysis gives an insight into how major ingredients of an ancient Chinese remedy work in harmony to treat diseases
Original article citation
Wang, L. et al.Dissection of mechanisms of Chinese medicinal formula Realgar-Indigo naturalis as an effective treatment for promyelocytic leukemia. PNAS 105, 4826–4831 (2008).
Introduction
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) follows the tenet that a formula should have four major ingredients, each playing its unique role while working together synergistically, to achieve the optimum therapy. The four major ingredients have been described in ancient texts as 'emperor', 'minister', 'assistant' and 'delivering servant'. However, the molecular basis of such combination therapy has never been explained convincingly at the biochemical level for any known TCM formula. Zhu Chen and Saijuan Chen at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and co-workers1 have taken one well-known and clinically tested TCM formula for leukaemia therapy as a model and unveiled the biochemical roles of each ingredient.
The formula, known as realgar–Indigo naturalis formula (RIF), contains realgar and indigo minerals, as well as the herb red sage root. Through molecular analyses, the researchers showed that arsenic in realgar works as 'emperor' by directly attacking the receptor oncoprotein in leukaemia cells. Indirubin, the active ingredient in indigo, works as 'assistant' by antagonizing the toxicity of arsenic and slowing leukaemia cell growth. Tanshinone, the active ingredient in red sage root, acts as 'minister' by partially restoring those pathways that stop leukaemia spreading. Lastly, indurbin and tanshinone work as 'delivering servants'; these ingredients can enhance the cellular uptake of arsenic by increasing the gene-expression level and therefore the synthesis of carrier pore proteins in the cell membrane.
The study explains the molecular modes and synergistic effects of principal ingredients in a clinically proven TCM formula. This finding will help bridge the gap between TCM and modern medical sciences.
The authors of this work are from: State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics and Shanghai Institute of Hematology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Guangzhou Institute of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China; Shanghai Center for Systems Biomedicine, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Department of Biostatistics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Reference
Wang, L. et al. Dissection of mechanisms of Chinese medicinal formula Realgar-Indigo naturalis as an effective treatment for promyelocytic leukemia. PNAS 105, 4826–4831 (2008).