Ginseng

Other common name(s): Panax ginseng, Asian ginseng, Oriental ginseng, Chinese ginseng, Japanese ginseng, Korean ginseng, American ginseng, man root

Scientific/medical name(s): Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer (Asian ginseng), Panax quinquefolius (American ginseng)

Description

Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng) is a perennial plant grown in China, Korea, Japan, and Russia. American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius), a plant with similar (but not exactly the same) properties, is grown mainly in the United States. The dried roots of the plants are used in some traditional medicines to treat a variety of conditions, including cancer.
The ginseng plants of the Panax group discussed here should not be confused with eleuthero (Siberian ginseng), which has different properties (see separate document on Eleuthero).

Overview

There is no reliable scientific evidence that ginseng is effective in preventing or treating cancer in humans. Studies done in the lab suggest some substances in ginseng may have anti-cancer properties, and some population studies done in Asia suggest it may have a protective effect. Still, clinical trials are needed to determine if it is effective in people. Ginseng should be used cautiously, as it can cause undesirable side effects in high doses and may even be dangerous when taken with certain medicines, as well as when undergoing surgery.

Rabdosia Rubescens

Other common name(s): dong ling cao, oridonin, ponicidin

Scientific/medical name(s): Rabdosia rubescens, Isodon rubescens

Description / Overview

Rabdosia rubescens is a Chinese herb promoted as a treatment for cancer of the esophagus. It is also one of the eight herbs used in PC-SPES, an herbal formula that was once promoted as a treatment for prostate cancer (see PC-SPES).

In the past few years, several lab studies have shown that 2 extracts of Rabdosia rubescens, called oridonin and ponicidin, have some activity against cancer cells in the test tube. Oridonin has been tested against breast, prostate, and ovarian cancer cells; leukemia cells; and melanoma cells from mice. Most of these studies were done in China or Japan, and all showed activity against the cancer cells. Ponicidin was tested in the lab against human leukemia cells in China and found to help induce cell death (apoptosis.) Even though laboratory studies may show promise, further studies are needed to find out if the results apply to humans.

Other extracts from the herb are in earlier stages of study. No cancer studies using the whole herb were available. Extracted compounds are not the same as the herb, and study results are not likely to show the same effects. More research is needed to find out what role, if any, these substances may have in cancer treatment.

Coriolus Versicolor

Other common name(s): “Turkey Tail” mushroom, Yun zhi, polysaccharide K (PSK), polysaccharide-peptide (PSP)

Scientific/medical name(s): Coriolus versicolor, Trametes versicolor

Description

Coriolus versicolor is a mushroom used in traditional Asian herbal remedies. Two substances (extracted from the mushroom using hot water), polysaccharide K (PSK) and polysaccharide-peptide (PSP), are being studied as possible complementary cancer treatments. A polysaccharide is a starch-like carbohydrate formed by a large number of sugar molecules.

Overview

There is no reliable scientific evidence that the raw mushroom itself is an effective anti-cancer agent in humans. But there is some scientific evidence that the substances derived from certain parts of the mushroom may be useful against cancer. Clinical trials suggest that PSK may help people with certain cancers by increasing survival rates and longer disease-free periods, without causing major side effects. It is commonly used along with other cancer treatments in Japan. PSP has been studied less thoroughly thus far

Selenium

Other common name(s): high-selenium yeast, selenized yeast, chelated selenium

Scientific/medical name(s): Se, selenium dioxide, sodium selenate, sodium selenite, selenocysteine, selenomethionine

Description

Selenium is an essential mineral for both humans and animals. It is found in soil all over the world in varying amounts. Plants and small living organisms convert selenium to organic compounds, including selenomethione, which is the form selenium takes in foods. This organic form of selenium (sometimes called “chelated selenium”) is bound to proteins and can be used in body processes without further changes.

Overview

Selenium shows promise as a nutrient that may prevent the development and progression of cancer; however, more research is needed. A small amount of selenium is all the human body needs. Large amounts in supplement form can be toxic.

How is it promoted for use?

Selenium is said to help preserve elasticity in body tissues, slow the aging process, improve the flow of oxygen to the heart, and help prevent abnormal blood clotting. Selenium may stimulate the formation of antibodies (proteins that help fight invading microorganisms) in response to vaccines. Selenium may also play a role in normal growth, development, and fertility.

Selenium is claimed to protect the body against cancer by causing cancer cells to die before they have a chance to grow and spread, a process known as apoptosis; however, this has not yet been proven

Herbal Remedies Used for Many Centuries

Consumers may find it comforting that herbal remedies have been used for thousands of years. For example, the herb ephedra, the main ingredient in some over-the-counter asthma treatments, has been used in China for 5,000 years.
In modern times, plants also have made a major contribution to the pharmaceutical industry. As many as one-fourth of pharmaceuticals have botanical origins. Taxol, made from the Pacific Yew tree, is used to treat patients with cancers of the breast and ovary. Vincristine, from the periwinkle plant, is prescribed for lymphoma, leukemia, and other cancers.
Most people take herbs in the hopes of preventing illness, however, patients also turn to herbal remedies in hopes they will cure an existing illness. Cancer patients can be particularly susceptible to the lure of herbal remedies or other non-medical therapies. They may perceive a lack of major advancements in cancer treatment and therefore see no reason not to try something else, explained Barrie Cassileth, PhD, a founding member of the advisory board of the National Institutes of Health Office of Alternative Medicine.

Bulbus Iphigeniae

Source: The bulb of Iphigenia indica Kunth et Benth. family Liliaceae.

Indication: Clear away heat and toxic material, soften the hard masses and disperse the lumps: For skin infection, scrofula, snake bite etc. Recently, also used for cancer of the breast, thyroid, skin, cervix, nasopharynx and esophagus, and lymphosarcoma.
Pharmacological Actions: Colchicine, one of its active components, and its dervatives exert an inhibiting effect on various kinds of sarcoma and parenchymatous liver vancer in experimental animals. It serves as an inhibitor in the intermediate stage of cellular mitosis.

Herba Lobeliae Chinensis

Source: The whole plant of Lobelia chinensis Lour., family Campanulanceae.

Indication: (a). Promote diuresis to relieve edema: For ascites and edema. (b). Clear away heat and toxic material: For snake-bite poisoning, skin infection and bee or scorpion injuries.

Pharmacological Actions: (a). Its decoction or its active component lobeline stimulates the chemical receptor in common carotid artery and exaggerates respiration. (b). Gastric infusion of its infusion (1g/kg) exerts a strong and prolonged diuretic effect in rats and LD50 is 75g/kg. (c). Single or combined preliminary feeding of succinic acid, fumaric acid and p-hydroxybenzoic acid to the mice is protective against cobra intoxication.

Eupolyphaga seu Steleophaga

Source: The whole body of female Steleophaga plancyi (Bol.), family Blattidae.

Indication: Removing blood-stasis, promoting generation of bone. Indicated for amenorrhea, postpartum blood-stasis, abdominal masses, fracture, pain and injury of waist.

Herba Scutellariae Barbatae

Source: Herb of Scutellaria barbata D. Don, family Labiatae.

Indication: (a). Clear away heat and toxic material. promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis: For carbuncle, cellulitis, acute appendicitis, scorfula, snake bite, trauma and abdominal mass. Recently, usually applied for liver cancer, and also tumour of digestive tract, carcinoma of lung, cervix and breast, etc. (b). Clear away dampness-heat: For jaundice of dampness-heat type, ascites, edema. leucorrhea of dampness-heat type and dysentery. (c). Eliminate the phlegm, relieve cough and dyspnea: For cough of lung-heat type with profuse expectoration and dyspnea.

Pharmacological Actions: (a). Inhibiting sarcoma180, cervix carcinoma14 and brain tumour22 in mice. (b). Its alcoholic extract can relax bronchiospasm, and carthamidin counteract the spasm of smooth muscles induced by histamine. (c). Expectorant and antitussive. (d). Diuretic.

Fructus seu Radix Camptothecae Acuminatae

Source: The fruit, bark, and leaf of Camptotheca acuminata Decne., family Nyssaceae.

Indication: Clear away heat and toxic material, disperse the lumps and relieve swelling: For stomach cancer, primary liver cancer, lymphoma, leukemia, bladder cancer, also for the malignant tumor in the oral cavity and maxillary region, carcinoma of esophagus and lung.

Pharmacological Actions: (a). Both camptothecine and hydroxycamptothecine are anticarcinogenic components, which inhibit polymerase of DNA or damage DNA directly. (b). They distribute mainly in the digestive tract, kidney and bone marrow, and stimulate the digestive and urinary tract and inhibit the bone-marrow.

Herba Hedyotis Diffusae

Source: Herb of Hedyotis diffusa Willd., family Rubiaceae.

Indication: (a). Clear away heat and toxic material, promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis: For sthenia-heat syndrome in qifen and heat-toxic syndrome, especially for appendicitis, sorethroat and mumps; for acne, seborheic dermatitis, and various kinds of tumours, such as tumours of digestive tract, carcinoma of liver, pancreas and urinary bladder, lymphoma, hysteromyoma, etc.; also for snake bite. (b). Clear away dampness-heat: For jaundice of dampness-heat type, infectious hepatitis including acute, chronic and fulminant types, also for stranguria of heat-type, leucorrhagia of dampness-heat type and edema.

Pharmacological Actions: (a). Its components coumarins, triterpenes, polysaccharide and ß-sitosterol inhibit the growth of sarcoma180 and cervix carcinoma14 in vitro. (b). Promoting white cell phagocytosis and humoral immunity.

Flos Carthami

Source: The flower of Carthamus tinctorius L., family Compositae.

Indication: (a). Promote blood circulation to remove blood stasis, promote menstruation and alleviate pain: For blood-stasis syndrome with amenia, dysmenorrhea, or postpartum abdominal pain, and traumatic injury. Recently, for ischemic apoplexy, angina pectoris, thromboangiitis obliterans, sudden deafness, sclerederma neonatorum, flat wart, neurodermatitis, etc. (b). Promote blood circulation to relieve carbuncle: For preventing and treating bed sore (ecternal use); for conjunctivitis and the early stafe of the carbuncle. (c). Proote blood circulation and let out the skin eruption: For blood stasis with impediment of skin eruptions.

Pharmacological Actions: (a). Its decoction stimulate uteri and intestines of experimental animals i vitro. (b). Its decoction increases coronary flow and lowers blood pressure in dogs. (c). Small dose of its decoction mildly stimulates and large dose inhibits the heart of toads.

Radix Paeoniae Rubra

Source: Root of Paeonia lactiflora Pall., or several other species of the same genus, family Ranunculaceae.

Indication: (a). Clear away the heat and cool the blood: For seasonal febrile diseases involving xuefen with fever, eruptions and crimson tingue, and blood-heat syndrome with hematemesis or epistaxis. (b). Promote blood circulation to remove blood stasis: For blood-stasis syndrome with amenorrhea, menalgia, chest pain, abdominal apin, abdominal masses, trauma, or skin infection. (c). Clear away liver-fire to promote visual acuity: For liver-heat syndrome with conjunctivitis or hypochondriac pain..

Pharmacological Actions: (a). Paeoniflorin, one of its active components, has a strong antispastic effect and also analgesic, sedative, anticonvulsive, antibacterial and anti-imflammatory effects. (b). Dilating blood vessels, incresing coronary flow and improving myocardial oxygen supply. (c). Inhibiting platelets aggregation.

Cortex Moutan Radicis

Source: Cortex of Paeonia suffruticosa Andr., family Ranunculaceae.

Indication: (a). Clear away heat and cool the blood: For eruptive febrile diseases, blood-heat syndrome with hematemesis, hemoptysis, epistaxis, ets., heat-syndrome consuming yin or yin-deficiency syndrome manifested as night fever, hectic fever and anhidrosis. (b). Promote blood circulation to remove blood stasis: For blood-stasis syndrome manifested as amenorrhea, menalgia, or abdominal mass; for periappendicular abscess, also for skin infection, measles with incomplete and purple red eruptions. Recently also used for allergic rhinitis.

Pharmacological Actions: Paeonol is one of its active components. (a). Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. (b). Sedative. In mouse 125mg/kg intraperitonealy. (c). Analgesic. In mouse 1.0g/kg for gastric infusion.(d). Anticonvulsive. Relieving the convulsive seizures in experimental animals induced by electric stimulation or injection of pentyleneterazol or nicotine. (e). Antipyretic. Reducing fever in mouse induced by typhoid or paratyphoid vaccines. (f). Its decoction or paeonol can lower blood pressure in anaesthetized dogs and rats.

The old vine of Spatholobus suberectus Dunn

Source: The old vine of Spatholobus suberectus Dunn, family Leguminosae.
Indication: Enrich the blood and pcomote blood circulation, relax tendons and activate the meridians: For blood deficiency and blood stasis syndrome manifested as amenia, menalgia, menoxenia or soreness, numbness and immovability of extremities. recently used for leukocytopenia caused by radiation or other factors.

Pharmacological Actions: (a). Inhibiting the development of formaldehyde-induced arthritis in rats by gastric infusion of its decoction. (b). Intraperitoneal injection of its decoction exerts sedative and hypnotic effects on rats. (c). Intravenous injection for dogs can dilate coronary and femoral arteries, decreases peripheral resistance and increase the volume of blood flow. (d). Inhibiting the aggregation of thrombocytes induced by ADP or collagen.

Radix Trichosanthis

Source: Root of Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim., family Cucurbitaceae.

Indication: (a). Clear away heat and promote the production of fluid: For febrile diseases with thirst or consumption of body fluid, diabetes. (b). Clear away heat and toxic materials, relieve carbuncle and drain the pus: For early stage of skin infection, abscess, ruptured abscess. (c). Clear away lung-heat and relieve cough: For cough of lung-heat or dryness-heat type and hemoptysis. (d). Damage the chorionic syncytial trophoblast: For induction of labour in the second trimester of pregnancy, and trophocytic tumor.

Pharmacological Actions: (a). Interrupting pregnancy. (b). Its active component, trichosanthin, is effective on placental trophocytic tumor. (c). Bacteriostatic.

Radix Pseudostellariae

Source: Root of Pseudostellaria heterophylla (Miq.) Pax ex Pax et Hoffm., family Caryophyllaceae.
I

ndication: Supplement vital energy and promote the production of body fluid: For insufficiency of spleen-yin, spleen-energy, lung-yin and lung-energy manifested as poor appetites, fatigue, thirst and general debility during convalescence; for dryness of lung with non-productive cough, febrile diseases with consumption of body fluid and thirst, especially for insufficiency of yin and vital energy in children and spontaneous perspiration in debilitated person.

Radix Paeoniae Alba

Source: Root of Paeonia lactiflora Pall., family Ranunculaceae.

Indication: (a). Nourish blood and astringe yin: For yin-deficiency and blood-deficiency manifested as menoxenia, menalgia, leucorrhagia and metrorrhagia; for night sweat due to yin-deficiency and spontaneous perspiration due to low body resistance and imbalance between yin-energy and wei-energy; for muscular spasm and pain of extremities due to blood deficiency; for rheumatism due to insufficiency of yin-blood. (b). Calm liver yang: For deficiency of yin leading to hyperactivity of yang and sthenia of liver-yang manifested as dizziness, headache, irritability and insomnia; also for convulsion of wind-syndrome resulting from sthenic liver-yang, severe heat, yin-deficiency or blood -deficiency. (c). Soothe the liver and alleviate pain: For abnormal rising of liver energy or dominant liver energy attacking stomach manifested as pain in the chest and abdomen.

Pharmacological Actions: (a). Dilating the coronary artery and blood vessels of hind legs in dogs. (b). Lowering blood pressure transiently. (c). Inhibiting the intestines in rabbits in vitro. (d). Its component paeoniflorin inhibits the central nervous system.

Fructus Aurantii

Source: Nearly riped fruit of Citrus aurantium L., family Rutaceae..

Indication: Same as Fructus Aurantii Immaturus, but more mitigative. (a). Activate vital energy circulation and eliminate phlegm, disperse stagnation and remove mass: For indigestion and stagnation of vital energy with feeling of fullness in the chest and upper abdomen; for phlegm-syndrome with productive cough and chest pain. (b). Activate vital energy in the digestive tract: For stagnation of gastrointestine with diarrhea and dysentery with tenesmus, or constipation. (c). Supplement the vital energy: For hysteroptosis, gastroptosis, prolapse of rectum, etc. Recently used for shock, and also effective for elevating blood pressure and improving blood supply of the heart, kidney and brain.

Pharmacological Actions: (a). Its active components, synephrine and N-methylthramine, elevate the blood pressure in anesthetized dogs. (b). Increasing the coronary flow significantly and heart rate slightly in anesthetized dogs. (c). Diuretic. (d). Inhibiting the intestines in mice or in rabbits in vitro, stimulating the intestines in dogs with gastric fistula and intestinal fistula, and also inducing contraction of gravid or non-gravid uterus in rabbits both in vivo and in vitro.

Rhizoma Dioscoreae

Source: Rhizome of Dioscorea opposita Thunb., family Dioscoreaceae.

Indication: (a). Invigorate the spleen and stomach: For deficiency of spleen-energy and stomach-energy with poor appetite, fatigue, loose stools or chronic diarrhea, leucorrhagia, etc.; for febrile diseases with consumptionof body fluid or deficiency of spleen-yin and stomach-yin with poor appetite, thirst, dry tongue, diabetes, etc. (b). Invigorate the lung: For lung-deficiency with chronic cough or tuber-culosis; for deficiency of lung and kidney with dyspnea and chronic cough. (c). Invigorate the kidney and preserve the essence: For kidney-deficiency manifested as emission, enuresis, frequent micturition and leucorrhagia.

Pharmacological Actions: Its decoction (1:1280) can promote the phagocytosis of leukocyte in vitro.

Caulis Spatholobi

Source: The old vine of Spatholobus suberectus Dunn, family Leguminosae.

Indication: Enrich the blood and pcomote blood circulation, relax tendons and activate the meridians: For blood deficiency and blood stasis syndrome manifested as amenia, menalgia, menoxenia or soreness, numbness and immovability of extremities. recently used for leukocytopenia caused by radiation or other factors.

Pharmacological Actions: (a). Inhibiting the development of formaldehyde-induced arthritis in rats by gastric infusion of its decoction. (b). Intraperitoneal injection of its decoction exerts sedative and hypnotic effects on rats. (c). Intravenous injection for dogs can dilate coronary and femoral arteries, decreases peripheral resistance and increase the volume of blood flow. (d). Inhibiting the aggregation of thrombocytes induced by ADP or collagen.

Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae

Source: The pericarp of Citrus reticulata Blanco, family Rutaceae.

Indication: (a). Activate vital energy circulation and invigorate spleen: For stomach-cold and stagnation of vital energy with fullness and pain in the abdomen and vomiting, for spleen-deficiency and stagnation of vital energy with poor appetite, loose stool, fullness of the abdomen, for dampness-retention syndrome involving spleen-yang with fullness of the abdomen, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, poor appetite and loose stool. (b). Deprive dampness and eliminate phlegm: For phlegm-dampness syndrome with productive cough and thin expectoration. (c). Lower the adverse rising energy and stop vomiting: For vomiting due to stomach-cold, for that due to deficiency-cold of spleen and stomach, for that due to stomach-heat. (d). Relieve local infection: For carbuncle, especially for acute mastitis.

Pharmacological Actions: (a). Its volatile oil acts as a slight irritant to the gastrointestinal tract, which can promote the secretion of digestive fluid and expel the flatus. (b). The component limomene is an expectorant and antiasthmatic. (c). Methyl hesperidin, another component, given hypodermically in a dose of 100mg/kg may promote the discharge of bile in anesthetized rats. (d). Dilating the coronary artery and decreasing the level of serum cholesterol.

Radix Polygoni Multiflori

Source: Root tuber of polygonum multiflorum Thunb., family Polygonaceae. That prepared by drying is known as crude sample, and that prepared by steaming with the juice of black soya beans as prepared sample.

Indication: (a). Invigorate the liver and kin=dney, benefit essence and blood: For insufficiency of essence and blood manifested as baldness, backache with weakness of the knee joint, immovability of extremitis, hemiplegia and paraplegia; for blood-deficiency syndrome manifested as sallow complexion , palpitation, dizziness, tinnitus, numbness of the extremities, insomnia, dreaminess sleepiness, somnambulism, epilepsy, urticaria and dermatoxerasia; for hypofunction of liver and kidney with emission or leucorrhagia. Recently, also used for hypercholesterinemia and atherosclerosis. (b). Relax the bowels (crude herb): For constipation of asthenia-syndrome. (c). Clearaway tooxic material (curde herb): For scrofula, carbuncle, etc. In addition, the prepared herb is used for chronic malaria with deficiency of vital energy and blood.

Pharmacological Actions: (a). The prepared sample can promote lymphocyte transformation. (b). Reduceing serum cholesterol, and relieving atherosclerosis. (c). The crude sample is a purgative.