About this Research Topic
Malignant tumors seriously threaten human life and health. They have a high mortality rate and poor prognosis and the drugs available in clinic are very scarce. At present, many drugs have been approved for several types of cancer, and great advances have been made in the precise medicine of cancer treatment. However, traditional or nonspecific drugs are still important for the treatment of many patients whose cancer has either not responded to cancer-specific anti-cancer drugs or has developed resistance. Despite significant advances in discovery of anti-tumor drugs during the recent years, some problems remain unresolved.
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has the characteristics of multiple targets and minimal adverse effects. Herbs of TCM can exert therapeutic effects by directly targeting cancer cells, reducing side effects, enhancing the body immunity, controlling tumor growth and metastasis. For example the compound kushen injection can relieve tumor-associated macrophage-mediated immunosuppression and sensitize hepatocellular carcinoma to sorafenibs. Over 60% of the clinically approved anti-cancer agents are either directly isolated from natural sources or modified from natural lead molecules. Most natural products originate from TCM with highly diverse bioactivities. This Research Topic aims to highlight the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the chemopreventive and therapeutic activity of natural pure compounds derived from TCM especially that of the Chinese herbal medicine-derived phytochemicals. Then we wish to further discover new anti-tumor targets through network pharmacology or molecular docking.
The goal is to unlock new possibilities for cancer treatment and provide research ideas for discovering potential drugs from natural products. We intend to elucidate the material basis of TCM efficacy and to search for compounds with antitumor bioactivity from natural products. The molecular mechanism will be explained from the aspects of cell proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis, tumor microenvironment, immune system and more to provide a new perspective for solving the shortage of clinical medication. The topics we are interested in covering include:
1. Anti-cancer properties of pure compounds derived from TCM
2. Therapeutic targets of anti-cancer phytochemicals
3. Pharmaceutical chemistry and pharmacology of natural products with highly anti-cancer activity
4. Research progress of anti-cancer natural products
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has the characteristics of multiple targets and minimal adverse effects. Herbs of TCM can exert therapeutic effects by directly targeting cancer cells, reducing side effects, enhancing the body immunity, controlling tumor growth and metastasis. For example the compound kushen injection can relieve tumor-associated macrophage-mediated immunosuppression and sensitize hepatocellular carcinoma to sorafenibs. Over 60% of the clinically approved anti-cancer agents are either directly isolated from natural sources or modified from natural lead molecules. Most natural products originate from TCM with highly diverse bioactivities. This Research Topic aims to highlight the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the chemopreventive and therapeutic activity of natural pure compounds derived from TCM especially that of the Chinese herbal medicine-derived phytochemicals. Then we wish to further discover new anti-tumor targets through network pharmacology or molecular docking.
The goal is to unlock new possibilities for cancer treatment and provide research ideas for discovering potential drugs from natural products. We intend to elucidate the material basis of TCM efficacy and to search for compounds with antitumor bioactivity from natural products. The molecular mechanism will be explained from the aspects of cell proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis, tumor microenvironment, immune system and more to provide a new perspective for solving the shortage of clinical medication. The topics we are interested in covering include:
1. Anti-cancer properties of pure compounds derived from TCM
2. Therapeutic targets of anti-cancer phytochemicals
3. Pharmaceutical chemistry and pharmacology of natural products with highly anti-cancer activity
4. Research progress of anti-cancer natural products
Keywords: Traditional Chinese Medicine, Natural Products, Cancer, Anticancer Drugs, Leading Compound
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