Chapter 1 - Strategy for Modern Research of Traditional Chinese Medicine Formulae

Abstract

One of the key tasks in the strategy to modernize traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is efficient methodology development. Based on systems biology and network biology, we proposed a methodology for the study of TCM compound prescriptions that combines the theory of TCM with modern biological techniques. The methodology involves both theories of reductionism and holism at both the macroscopic and microscopic levels, for in vivo and in vitro analyses. The proposed methodology is composed of four research platforms: chemical, pharmacology, systems biology and network biology. The proposed methodology provides a powerful tool to modernize the study of TCM compound prescriptions, which may be important to fully reveal the essential principals of TCM, and to promote new drug discovery based on TCM formulae as well as the dissemination and further development of TCM theory.