Abstract
Traditional Chinese medicine is an accepted and integral part of clinical cancer management alongside Western medicine in China. However, historically TCM physicians were unaware of the chemical constituents of their formulations, and the specific biological targets in the body. Through HPLC, flow cytometry, and other processes, researchers now have a much clearer picture of how herbal medicine works in conjunction with the immune system in cancer therapy. Among them, the regulation of tumor-related T cells plays the most important role in modulating tumor immunity by traditional Chinese medicine. Encouraging results have been well-documented, including an increase in T cell production along with their associated cytokines, enhanced regulation of Tregs and important T cell ratios, the formation and function of Tregs in tumor microenvironments, and the promotion of the number and function of normal T Cells to reduce conventional cancer therapy side effects. Chinese herbal medicine represents a rich field of research from which to draw further inspiration for future studies. While promising agents have already been identified, the vast majority of Chinese herbal mechanisms remain undiscovered. In this review, we summarize the effects and mechanisms of specific Chinese herbs and herbal decoctions on tumor related T cells.
Highlights
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has utilized herbs and herbal extracts to treat a variety of diseases and disorders for over 2000 years
An extensive search was undertaken in PubMed/MEDLINE, ScienceDirect, Ovid, PLoS, and Google using the keyword search terms TCM, Chinese herbs, T cells, tumor regulation, and cancer along with specific T cell descriptors, and both individual Chinese herbs and formulas
Though the study was primarily looking at Rehmannia glutinosa polysaccharide liposome (RGPL) as a vaccine adjuvant, the results provide a mechanism for increased antitumor and antiviral immune responses, and warrant further study of this important herbal extract
Summary
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has utilized herbs and herbal extracts to treat a variety of diseases and disorders for over 2000 years. Within TCM, treatment methods are inextricably linked to pattern-differentiation (BIAN ZHENG) This differential diagnosis is based on four distinct examination methods— observation, palpation (Chinese pulse methods), interrogation, hearing, and smelling. These diagnoses are dependent upon the clinician’s subjective judgement and clinical experience, which can induce considerable variability in clinical trials and evidencebased research (Hsiao and Liu, 2010). The formula chosen would be based on differential diagnosis and classical Chinese medicine texts such as the Shang Han Lun and Jin Gui Yao Lue. In some cases, TCM practitioners may have advanced training through a doctoral program or specialty centers, such as Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Cancer Center, from which they may have additional sources for choosing treatment protocols (mskcc.org). Dietary therapy, acupuncture, and moxibustion have long been the standard form of treatment in Chinese medical literature, and represent a rich resource for future investigation
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