Zhao HT. From traditional Chinese medicine formulations to effective anticancer agents: Insights from Calculus bovis. World J Gastroenterol 2024; 30(35): 4011-4013 [DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v30.i35.4011]
Corresponding Author of This Article
He-Tong Zhao, Doctor, MD, Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Navy No. 905 Hospital, Huashan Road, Shanghai 200050, China. zhtzhao@126.com
Research Domain of This Article
Oncology
Article-Type of This Article
Letter to the Editor
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Gastroenterol. Sep 21, 2024; 30(35): 4011-4013 Published online Sep 21, 2024. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v30.i35.4011
From traditional Chinese medicine formulations to effective anticancer agents: Insights from Calculus bovis
He-Tong Zhao
He-Tong Zhao, Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Navy No.905 Hospital, Shanghai 200050, China
Author contributions: Zhao HT wrote this paper.
Supported byNational Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 82204909.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The author reports no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: He-Tong Zhao, Doctor, MD, Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Navy No. 905 Hospital, Huashan Road, Shanghai 200050, China. zhtzhao@126.com
Received: July 13, 2024 Revised: August 27, 2024 Accepted: September 4, 2024 Published online: September 21, 2024 Processing time: 61 Days and 9.4 Hours
Abstract
This editorial examines the therapeutic potential of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for aggressive cancers, particularly liver cancer. It highlights the study by Huang et al, which shows how Calculus bovis, a component of the TCM Pien Tze Huang, suppresses liver cancer by inhibiting M2 macrophage polarization via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. This research emphasizes the importance of transitioning from effective TCM formulations to isolating active components and understanding their mechanisms. While the study provides valuable insights, it primarily focuses on the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and does not delve deeply into the mechanisms of individual components. Future research should aim to comprehensively study these components, explore their interactions, and validate findings through clinical trials. This approach will integrate traditional wisdom with modern scientific validation, advancing the development of innovative cancer treatments based on TCM formulations.
Core Tip: This study elucidates the anticancer potential of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), focusing on Calculus bovis (CB), a principal component in Pien Tze Huang, in treating liver cancer. It demonstrates CB’s role in suppressing liver cancer progression by inhibiting M2 macrophage polarization through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Key findings emphasize the transition from holistic TCM formulations to the isolation of specific active ingredients, underscoring the necessity for modern scientific methods to dissect these components further. This approach highlights a significant shift towards integrating traditional remedies with contemporary oncological research to develop novel cancer therapies.
