Phlegm-Eliminating Herbs for Cancer
Cancer is considered to be the second leading cause of human
death. It is unsatisfactory that in the past decades, the treatment for cancer
has not progressed as fast as it was expected, as only 50% of newly diagnosed
patients could be cured even today. The development of cancer is a
multifactorial process, involving tumor cells themselves, the interactions
between tumor cells and their microenvironments, as well as the interactions
between tumor cells and the host's immunity. Focusing on any single goal may
bring limited benefits. Phlegm-eliminating herbs, which can reduce phlegm and
eliminate pathological metabolites, are commonly used to treat cancer in China.
However, the underlying molecular targets and efficacy of herbal medicines in
cancer treatment still remain unclear. In this study, we reviewed the potential
anticancer mechanisms of some phlegm-eliminating herbs and their active
ingredients from the articles through such scientific databases as MEDLINE,
PubMed, and Google Scholar. We found that the anticancer mechanisms of
phlegm-eliminating herbs and ingredients include inducing apoptosis,
anti-proliferation, preventing tumor invasion and metastasis, and reducing
resistance to chemotherapy. In addition, some phlegm-eliminating herbs and
their ingredients have anti-inflammatory and anti-metabolic syndrome effects. We
suggest that the phlegm-eliminating herbs and ingredients are potential
candidates for anticancer treatment and cancer prevention by playing a
comprehensive role.
Source: Xiu LJ,
et al. Anticancer
effects of traditional Chinese herbs with phlegm-eliminating properties - an
overview. J Ethnopharmacol. 2015 May 30.
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