The American journal of Chinese medicine
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Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the world and classified into non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC). As tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), several triterpenoid saponins can target to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a widely used molecular therapeutic target, to exhibit remarkable anti-proliferative activities in cancer cells. As one of triterpenoid saponins, 20([Formula: see text])-ginsenoside Rg3 [20([Formula: see text])-Rg3] was confirmed to be an EGFR-TKI in this work. ⋯ Molecular docking suggested that the combination of both hydrophobic and hydrogen-bonding interactions may help stabilizing the 20([Formula: see text])-Rg3-EGFR binding. Furthermore, their binding stability was assessed by molecular dynamics simulation. Taken together, these data provide the evidence that 20([Formula: see text])-Rg3 could prohibit A549 cell proliferation, probably by arresting the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase via the EGFR/Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK pathway.
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The incidence of diabetes worldwide continues to rise, placing a huge economic and medical burden on human society. More than 90% of diabetic cases are type 2 diabetes (T2D). At present, the pathogenesis of T2D is not yet fully understood. ⋯ Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) presents unique advantages in the treatment of T2D. Multiple metabolites and metabolic pathways have been identified in the treatment of TCM, providing valuable biomarkers and novel targets for drug therapy and pharmacological mechanism. Therefore, this paper reviews the modern achievements of metabolomics in T2D research and the progress of TCM management in recent years, in order to provide valuable information for related research.
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Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (CRP), also known as Chenpi in Chinese, is the dry mature peel of Citrus reticulata Blanco or its cultivated varieties. CRP as the health-care food and dietary supplement has been widely used in various diseases. However, the potential pharmacological mechanisms of CRP to predict and treat various diseases have not yet been fully elucidated. ⋯ The 121 targets are closely related to various diseases of the cardiovascular system, respiratory system, gastrointestinal system, etc. These targets are further mapped to compound-target, target-disease, and target-pathway networks to clarify the therapeutic mechanism of CRP at the system level. The current study sheds light on a promising way for promoting the discovery of new botanical drugs.
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Cancer is a disease with a high mortality and disability rate. Cancer consists not only of cancer cells, but also of the surrounding microenvironment and tumor microenvironment (TME) constantly interacting with tumor cells to support tumor development and progression. Over the last decade, accumulating evidence has implicated that microbiota profoundly influences cancer initiation and progression. ⋯ Recently, accumulating studies have attached the importance of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to cancer treatments, and the bioactive natural compounds have been considered as potential drug candidates to suppress cancer initiation and development. Interestingly, more recent studies demonstrate that TCM could potentially prevent and suppress early-stage cancer progression through the regulation of gut microbiota. This review is on the purpose of exhausting the significance of gut microbiota in the tumor microenvironment as potential targets of Chinese medicine.
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As a traditional Chinese alternative health care approach, acupuncture is gaining increasing attention and reputation in China and overseas. While becoming increasingly popular globally, some consumers and professionals still know little about the therapy and underlying mechanisms of acupuncture. Due to local superiority, there are large numbers of both clinical applications and mechanistic studies performed in China compared to countries overseas. ⋯ The evolution of acupuncture tools and the rationality of acupoints are also discussed. This review not only summarizes the mechanisms of acupuncture but also provides useful information, such as specific acupoints and acupuncture procedures, for treating common diseases. Therefore, the current study provides useful information for both investigators and acupuncturists.