A systematic review of herbal medicines for the treatment of cancer cachexia in animal models

Park, B. and You, S. and Cho, W. C. S. and Choi, J. Y. and Lee, M. S.

J Zhejiang Univ Sci B (2019) 20: 9–22

DOI: 10.1631/jzus.B1800171

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to summarize preclinical studies on herbal medicines used to treat cancer cachexia and its underlying mechanisms. METHODS: We searched four representing databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, the Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, and the Web of Science up to December 2016. Randomized animal studies were included if the effects of any herbal medicine were tested on cancer cachexia. The methodological quality was evaluated by the Collaborative Approach to Meta-Analysis and Review of Animal Data from Experimental Studies (CAMARADE) checklist. RESULTS: A total of fourteen herbal medicines and their compounds were identified, including Coptidis Rhizoma, berberine, Bing De Ling, curcumin, Qing-Shu-Yi-Qi-Tang, Scutellaria baicalensis, Hochuekkito, Rikkunshito, hesperidin, atractylodin, Sipjeondaebo-tang, Sosiho-tang, Anemarrhena Rhizoma, and Phellodendri Cortex. All the herbal medicines, except curcumin, have been shown to ameliorate the symptoms of cancer cachexia through anti-inflammation, regulation of the neuroendocrine pathway, and modulation of the ubiquitin proteasome system or protein synthesis. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that herbal medicines might be a useful approach for treating cancer cachexia. However, more detailed experimental studies on the molecular mechanisms and active compounds are needed.

Citation

Park, B., You, S., Cho, W. C. S., Choi, J. Y., & Lee, M. S. (2019). A systematic review of herbal medicines for the treatment of cancer cachexia in animal models. J Zhejiang Univ Sci B, 20(1), 9–22. https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.B1800171 Animals, Cancer, any of the authors, and does not need to obtain the Institutional Review Board of, Cachexia, Cachexia/*drug therapy/etiology, Herbal medicine, Herbal Medicine/methods/trends, human or animals., Jun-Yong CHOI, and Myeong Soo LEE declare that they have no conflict of interests., Medicine, East Asian Traditional/methods/trends, Neoplasms, Experimental/complications/*drug therapy, Phytotherapy/*methods/trends, This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by, Traditional East Asian medicine systematic review

Keywords

• Animals
• Cancer
• any of the authors
• and does not need to obtain the Institutional Review Board of
• Cachexia
• Cachexia/*drug therapy/etiology
• Herbal medicine
• Herbal Medicine/methods/trends
• human or animals.
• Jun-Yong CHOI
• and Myeong Soo LEE declare that they have no conflict of interests.
• Medicine
• East Asian Traditional/methods/trends
• Neoplasms
• Experimental/complications/*drug therapy
• Phytotherapy/*methods/trends
• This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by
• Traditional East Asian medicine systematic review