Both in vitro and in vitro studies have proved that partial of Chinese materia medica including monomer or active ingredients have synergistic action with chemotherapeutic agents, the former could enhance the effect of the latter. Its mechanism may be correlated with the actions of Chinese materia medica in enhancing immune function, directly killing tumor cells, inducing tumor cell apoptosis, regulating cell cycle and reversing chemotherapeutic drug resistance, etc. The present article summarized the synergistic effect of Chinese materia medica, monomer or active ingredients, with various chemotherapeutic agents, and tried to provide a theoretical evidence for combined application of them in the procedure of clinical tumor treatment.
Antineoplastic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; therapeutic use ; Drug Synergism ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Integrative Medicine ; methods

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; therapeutic use ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; drug therapy ; Phytotherapy ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

Currently there is considerable interest among oncologists to find anticancer drugs in Chinese herbal medicine (CHM). In the past, clinical data showed that some herbs possessed anticancer properties, but western scientists have doubted the scientific validity of CHM due to the lack of scientific evidence from their perspective. Recently there have been encouraging results, from a western perspective, in the cancer research field regarding the anticancer effects of CHM. Experiments showed that CHM played its anticancer role by inducing apoptosis and differentiation, enhancing the immune system, inhibiting angiogenesis, reversing multidrug resistance (MDR), etc. Clinical trials demonstrated that CHM could improve survival, increase tumor response, improve quality of life, or reduce chemotherapy toxicity, although much remained to be determined regarding the objective effects of CHM in human in the context of clinical trials. Interestingly, both laboratory experiments and clinical trials have demonstrated that when combined with chemotherapy, CHM could raise the efficacy level and lower toxic reactions. These facts raised the feasibility of the combination of herbal medicines and chemotherapy, although much remained to be investigated in this area.
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Clinical Trials as Topic ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Humans

OBJECTIVEThe patients with recurrent or refractory neuroblastoma have a very poor prognosis and high mortality. 10-hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT) is a new agent extracted from comptotheca acuminate, a native plant. It has been shown to be very effective in some solid tumors such as gastric and colon cancers, lung cancers and ovary cancers. However, its efficacy in neuroblastoma has not been determined. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of HCPT in the treatment of recurrent or refractory neuroblastoma in children.

METHODSTen children with recurrent neuroblastoma and two children with refractory neuroblastoma were treated with HCPT. Of them, 5 children with recurrent neuroblastoma were treated with HCPT alone, and the other 7 patients received combination chemotherapy of HCPT plus other agents. The HCPT alone treatment group was injected with HCPT (7.5 mg/m2 daily) for 14 consecutive days. The combination chemotherapy group was alternately treated with the modified new protocol A1 (cyclophosomide 1 200 mg/m2 on day 1, etoposide 100 mg/m2 on days 1-5, HCPT 5 mg/m2 on days 1-3, cisplatin 90 mg/m2 on day 4) and the modified protocol B (ifosfomide 1.5 g/m2 on days 1-5, HCPT 5 mg/m2 on days 1-3, carboplatin 450 mg/m2 on day 2).

RESULTSFour patients (33.3%) achieved partial remission and 8 patients (66.7%) had stable disease. The median remission duration was 3.5 months (2-5 months). HCPT treatment as a single agent resulted in mild side effects. Myelosuppression and digestive disorders were found as the main adverse events in the combined chemotherapy group. No chemotherapy related deaths were found.

CONCLUSIONSHCPT is safe and effective in the treatment of recurrent or refractory neuroblastoma. The toxicities of HCPT are tolerable. The long-term efficacy of HCPT warrants further research.

Adolescent ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Camptothecin ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Neuroblastoma ; drug therapy ; Recurrence

Research has demonstrated that many chemical constituents dominated by piperidine alkaloids and flavonoids, such as lobelanidine, lobeline, and lobelanine, have been obtained from Lobelia chinensis Lour. Experimental studies and clinical applications have also indicated that L. chinensis possesses a number of pharmacological activities (e.g., diuretic, choleretic, breathing excitement, anti-venom, anti-bacterial, and anticancer). This paper focuses on the properties, chemical constituents, and anticancer activity of L. chinensis to clarify the connection among them, and identify the active anticancer compounds. This work serves as the foundation for further research and development of L. chinensis.
Alkaloids ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Lobelia ; chemistry ; Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Phytotherapy ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; therapeutic use ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; drug therapy ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Radiation-Sensitizing Agents ; therapeutic use ; Taxoids ; therapeutic use

Coumarins are a group of important natural compounds, and have been found to have multi-biological activities such as anti-HIV, anti-tumor, anti-hypertension, anti-arrhythmia, anti-osteoporosis, assuaging pain, preventing asthma and antisepsis. One of which is its anti-tumor effect and that is a research focus on. Therefore, we believe that it is necessaryto carry out further studies on the effect of coumarins compounds in anti-tumor. Investigation should emphasize on improving techniques for extraction and separation, searching the effective precursory compound, and synthesizing and screening out courmarin derivatives with high activity and low toxicity. Here the recent research progress in anti-tumor effect of coumarins compounds is reviewed.
Anti-Arrhythmia Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Anti-HIV Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Antihypertensive Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Coumarins ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Neoplasms ; drug therapy

BACKGROUNDStudies have shown that irinotecan can improve survival in patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer, but the overall benefit of irinotecan in the treatment of advanced or recurrent gastric cancer remains controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the benefits and risks of irinotecan for survival in patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer. Method We searched PubMed, EmBase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, reference lists of articles, and proceedings of major conferences for relevant clinical trials. We included randomized controlled trials that reported on the efficacy and safety of irinotecan in patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer. Outcomes were analyzed by survival rate, objective response rate (ORR), and toxicity. Furthermore, the analysis was further stratified by factors that could affect the treatment effects.

RESULTSEight trials recruiting 1 546 patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer were included in the analysis. Overall, irinotecan therapy was associated with a 6% improvement in survival rate, but this difference was not statistically significant (odds ratio (OR) 0.94; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.70-1.27; P = 0.69). However, irinotecan therapy had more frequent ORR than irinotecan-free arm (OR 1.70; 95% CI 1.34-2.17; P < 0.001). Furthermore, irinotecan therapy was associated with a clinically and statistically significant increase in the risk for declined hemoglobin, hyponatremia, and diarrhea, but it also protected against thrombocytopenia risk when compared with irinotecan-free therapy.

CONCLUSIONSThere is no evidence to support the use of irinotecan therapy in patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer; however, given the significant advantage in ORR irinotecan therapy using combination regimens may be considered for further evaluation in subsets of patients who may benefit from this treatment.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; Camptothecin ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; drug therapy ; Stomach Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Treatment Outcome

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; prevention & control ; Female ; Glutathione ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Paclitaxel ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo research the microemulsion preparation of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides and triterpenes and investigate its properities. Evaluate the effects of polysaccharides and triterpenes microemulsions against transplant tumor growth.

METHODThe microemulsion formula was optimized by constructing the pseudo-ternary phase diagrams of blank microemulsion. The polysaccharides and triterpenes microemulsions were prepared on the blank microemulsions. The appearance, particle distribution and Zeta potential were investigated by transmission electron microscope and grain size analyzer. The Heps mice were randomly administered with polysaccharides and triterpenes microemulsions (114.5, 57.25 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) for 7 days. The effectiveness was assessed based on tumor inhibitory ratio of mice with Heps tumors. The toxicity was evaluated by measurements of the mice weight, immune organ weight.

RESULTThe optimal microemulsion formula was composed of tween 20, dimethyl carbinol, water and 9-octadecenoic acid with the ratio of 14.3: 14.3: 33. 3:2. Polysaccharides and triterpenes microemulsions in transmission electron microscope were consisted of small spherical drop. The average particle size was 32.43 nm and the Zeta potential was -3.41 mV. The polysaccharides and triterpenes microemulsions showed an inhibition rate of 37.66% (57.25 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) and 52.34% (114.5 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) respectively against Heps tumor growth.

CONCLUSIONThe acquired microemulsion with small particle size is stable. It significantly inhibits the tumor growth in Heps mice.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; therapeutic use ; Emulsions ; Female ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; drug therapy ; Male ; Mice ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Particle Size ; Polysaccharides ; therapeutic use ; Reishi ; chemistry ; Triterpenes ; therapeutic use