Molecular and Celluar Mechanism Studies on Anticancer Effects of Chinese Medicines (2011)

ImportantThis chapter reviewed the recent progress on Chinese medicines in the cellular and molecular mechanism studies and the major active chemical ingredients of Chinese medicines in relation to therapeutic values in order to understand their pharmacological action, active chemical ingredients and application of new approaches.We noted that the cellular and molecular mechanisms and the major active chemical ingredients of Chinese medicines have been deeply and widely studied which provide a useful information for new drug development and Chinese medicine clinical practice, but the challenges in safety (such as Aristolochic acid nephropathy, Chinese medicines adverse reaction and herb-drug interaction), quality control (like batch-to-batch reliable, contamination pesticide and heavy metals) and green enviroments (protection of endangerous species from animal and plants) have also become emerging issues.On the other hand, research mainly focused on sigle Chinese medicines in the past decades, we should do more studies on composite fomulae (consist of over two single Chinese medicines) by using new technologies, such as "Omics" technologics and system biology to get more evidences for Chinese medicine practice and new drug development in the future. The structure of this chapterThe selected twelve Chinese medicines cover the following contents: i. Name of the herb: Common names, botanical name, family, origin, distribution, commercially cultivated or wild, traditional use in Chinese medicine clinical practice ii.General chemical and pharmacological profiles iii.Mechanism studies on anticancer effect of Chinese medicines in in vitro and in vivo study iv.Adverse reactions v. References 4. The contents of this chapter 4.1 Rhizoma coptidis (Huanglian in Chinese) Coptis Rhizome (CR) is the dried rhizome of Coptis chinensis Franch (Ranunculaceae).Its Chinese name is huanglian, which was first recorded in Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong's Materia Medica, 220 A.D.) Other two species of Coptis Rhizome (Coptis deltoidea C. Y. Cheng et Hsiao.and Coptis teetoides C. Y. Cheng (or Coptis teeta Wall.) were also specified in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (The State Pharmacopoeia Commission of the P.R. China, 2005).It is native to Sichuan, Hubei, Xizang, Shanxi, and Jiangxi Province of China.The source of Huanglian can be obtained from wild species of or cultivated plants.The GAP base of Huanglian in China is located in Chongqing, Hubei.Traditionally, CR can be used in treatment of diseases like diarrhea, inflammation of the eye, and women's abdomen ailments caused by damp-heat.Raw material of CR mainly includes a series of alkaloids, such as berberine, coptisine, epiberberine, berberrubine, palmatine, columbamine, jarorrhizine, worenine, magnoflorine, groelandicine, berberastine, oxyberberine and thalifendine ect.Other chemicals in CR include ferulic acid, obakunone and obakulactone etc. Berberine is the main component and is credited as criteria for quality control of CR in China Pharmacopeia (Edition 2005).CR and berberine have been used for treatment of intestinal infections (acute gastroenteritis, www.intechopen.com