Movatterモバイル変換

[0]ホーム
URL:

Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

Advertisement

Nature Plants
  • Perspective
  • Published:

Demystifying traditional herbal medicine with modern approach

Nature Plantsvolume 3, Article number: 17109 (2017)Cite this article

Abstract

Plants have long been recognized for their therapeutic properties. For centuries, indigenous cultures around the world have used traditional herbal medicine to treat a myriad of maladies. By contrast, the rise of the modern pharmaceutical industry in the past century has been based on exploiting individual active compounds with precise modes of action. This surge has yielded highly effective drugs that are widely used in the clinic, including many plant natural products and analogues derived from these products, but has fallen short of delivering effective cures for complex human diseases with complicated causes, such as cancer, diabetes, autoimmune disorders and degenerative diseases. While the plant kingdom continues to serve as an important source for chemical entities supporting drug discovery, the rich traditions of herbal medicine developed by trial and error on human subjects over thousands of years contain invaluable biomedical information just waiting to be uncovered using modern scientific approaches. Here we provide an evolutionary and historical perspective on why plants are of particular significance as medicines for humans. We highlight several plant natural products that are either in the clinic or currently under active research and clinical development, with particular emphasis on their mechanisms of action. Recent efforts in developing modern multi-herb prescriptions through rigorous molecular-level investigations and standardized clinical trials are also discussed. Emerging technologies, such as genomics and synthetic biology, are enabling new ways for discovering and utilizing the medicinal properties of plants. We are entering an exciting era where the ancient wisdom distilled into the world's traditional herbal medicines can be reinterpreted and exploited through the lens of modern science.

This is a preview of subscription content,access via your institution

Access options

Access through your institution

Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals

Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription

9,800 Yen / 30 days

cancel any time

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 12 digital issues and online access to articles

￥14,900 per year

only ￥1,242 per issue

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to the full article PDF.

￥ 4,980

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: Four successful cases of single plant natural products that have been isolated from their respective medicinal plant hosts and introduced into the clinic for treatment of various human diseases.
Figure 2: Structural basis for the therapeutic effects of several plant natural products in the context of interaction with their primary mammalian protein targets.
Figure 3: A new workflow for exploring and exploiting medicinal properties of plants in the post-omics era.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. The Plant List (accessed 1 June 2017);http://www.theplantlist.org/

  2. Weng, J.-K., Philippe, R. N. & Noel, J. P. The rise of chemodiversity in plants.Science336, 1660–1677 (2012).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Hardy, K.et al. Neanderthal medics? Evidence for food, cooking, and medicinal plants entrapped in dental calculus.Naturwissenschaften99, 617–626 (2012).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Lietava, J. Medicinal plants in a Middle Paleolithic grave Shanidar IV?J. Ethnopharmacol.35, 263–266 (1992).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Aboelsoud, N. H. Herbal medicine in ancient Egypt.J. Med. Plants Res.4, 82–86 (2010).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Yang, S.The Divine Farmer's Materia Medica: A Translation of the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Blue Poppy Press, 1998).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Li, S.The Ben Cao Gang Mu: Chinese Edition (Univ. California Press, 2016).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Patridge, E., Gareiss, P., Kinch, M. S. & Hoyer, D. An analysis of FDA-approved drugs: natural products and their derivatives.Drug Discov. Today21, 204–207 (2015).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Wani, M. C., Taylor, H. L., Wall, M. E., Coggon, P. & McPhail, A. T. Plant antitumor agents. VI. The isolation and structure of taxol, a novel antileukemic and antitumor agent fromTaxus brevifolia.J. Am. Chem. Soc.93, 2325–2327 (1971).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Neuss, N., Gorman, M., Svoboda, G. H., Maciak, G. & Beer, C. T.Vinca alkaloids. III.1 Characterization of leurosine and vincaleukoblastine, new alkaloids fromVinca Rosea Linn.J. Am. Chem. Soc.81, 4754–4755 (1959).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Kiyohara, H., Matsumoto, T. & Yamada, H. Combination effects of herbs in a multi-herbal formula: expression of Juzen-taiho-to's immuno-modulatory activity on the intestinal immune system.eCAM1, 83–91 (2004).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Phillipson, J. D. Phytochemistry and medicinal plants.Phytochemistry56, 237–243 (2001).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Courtwright, D. T.Forces of Habit: Drugs and the Making of the Modern World (Harvard Univ. Press, 2001).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Manglik, A.et al. Crystal structure of the micro-opioid receptor bound to a morphinan antagonist.Nature485, 321–326 (2012).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Huang, W.et al. Structural insights into μ-opioid receptor activation.Nature524, 315–321 (2015).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Vaughan, C. W., Ingram, S. L., Connor, M. A. & Christie, M. J. How opioids inhibit GABA-mediated neurotransmission.Nature390, 611–614 (1997).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Snyder, J. P., Nettles, J. H., Cornett, B., Downing, K. H. & Nogales, E. The binding conformation of Taxol in β-tubulin: a model based on electron crystallographic density.Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA98, 5312–5316 (2001).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Saville, M. W.et al. Treatment of HIV-associated Kaposi's sarcoma with paclitaxel.Lancet346, 26–28 (1995).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Gigant, B.et al. Structural basis for the regulation of tubulin by vinblastine.Nature435, 519–522 (2005).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Khoury, H. J.et al. Omacetaxine mepesuccinate in patients with advanced chronic myeloid leukemia with resistance or intolerance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors.Leuk. Lymphoma56, 120–127 (2015).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Garreau de Loubresse, N.et al. Structural basis for the inhibition of the eukaryotic ribosome.Nature513, 517–522 (2014).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Gandhi, V., Plunkett, W. & Cortes, J. E. Omacetaxine: a protein translation inhibitor for treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia.Clin. Cancer Res.20, 1735–1740 (2014).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Gu, Y.et al. Small-molecule induction of phospho-eIF4E sumoylation and degradation via targeting its phosphorylated serine 209 residue.Oncotarget6, 15111–15121 (2015).

    PubMed PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  24. Staker, B. L.et al. The mechanism of topoisomerase I poisoning by a camptothecin analog.Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA99, 15387–15392 (2002).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Ulukan, H. & Swaan, P. W. Camptothecins.Drugs62, 2039–2057 (2002).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Damayanthi, Y. & Lown, J. W. Podophyllotoxins: current status and recent developments.Curr. Med. Chem.5, 205–252 (1998).

    CAS PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Wu, C. C.et al. Structural basis of type II topoisomerase inhibition by the anticancer drug etoposide.Science333, 459–462 (2011).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Meng, Z. P.et al. Berbamine inhibits the growth of liver cancer cells and cancer-initiating cells by targeting Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II.Mol. Cancer Ther.12, 2067–2077 (2013).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Gu, Y.et al. CaMKII γ, a critical regulator of CML stem/progenitor cells, is a target of the natural product berbamine.Blood120, 4829–4839 (2012).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Dolma, S., Lessnick, S. L., Hahn, W. C. & Stockwell, B. R. Identification of genotype-selective antitumor agents using synthetic lethal chemical screening in engineered human tumor cells.Cancer Cell3, 285–296 (2003).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Stickel, S. A., Gomes, N. P., Frederick, B., Raben, D. & Su, T. T. Bouvardin is a radiation modulator with a novel mechanism of action.Radiat. Res.184, 392–403 (2015).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Zalacain, M., Zaera, E., Vazquez, D. & Jimenez, A. The mode of action of the antitumor drug bouvardin, an inhibitor of protein synthesis in eukaryotic cells.FEBS Lett.148, 95–97 (1982).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Wink, M. Medicinal plants: a source of anti-parasitic secondary metabolites.Molecules17, 12771–12791 (2012).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Tu, Y. The discovery of artemisinin (qinghaosu) and gifts from Chinese medicine.Nat. Med.17, 1217–1220 (2011).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Wang, J.et al. Haem-activated promiscuous targeting of artemisinin inPlasmodium falciparum.Nat. Commun.6, 10111 (2015).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Wu, Y.et al. Therapeutic effects of the artemisinin analog SM934 on lupus-prone MRL/lpr mice via inhibition of TLR-triggered B-cell activation and plasma cell formation.Cell. Mol. Immunol.13, 379–390 (2016).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Li, J.et al. Artemisinins target GABAA receptor signaling and impair α cell identity.Cell168, 86–100 (2017).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Lai, H. C., Singh, N. P. & Sasaki, T. Development of artemisinin compounds for cancer treatment.Invest. New Drugs31, 230–246 (2013).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Samochocki, M.et al. Galantamine is an allosterically potentiating ligand of neuronal nicotinic but not of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors.J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther.305, 1024–1036 (2003).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Raves, M. L.et al. Structure of acetylcholinesterase complexed with the nootropic alkaloid, (–)-huperzine A.Nat. Struct. Biol.4, 57–63 (1997).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Coleman, B. R.et al. [+]-Huperzine A treatment protects againstN-methyl-d-aspartate-induced seizure/status epilepticus in rats.Chem. Biol. Interact.175, 387–395 (2008).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Wang, H.et al. Multiple conformations of phosphodiesterase-5: implications for enzyme function and drug development.J. Biol. Chem.281, 21469–21479 (2006).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Leung, D. Y.et al. Effect of anti-IgE therapy in patients with peanut allergy.N. Engl. J. Med.348, 986–993 (2003).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Srivastava, K. D.et al. The Chinese herbal medicine formula FAHF-2 completely blocks anaphylactic reactions in a murine model of peanut allergy.J. Allergy Clin. Immunol.115, 171–178 (2005).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. Srivastava, K. D.et al. Food Allergy Herbal Formula-2 silences peanut-induced anaphylaxis for a prolonged posttreatment period via IFN-γ–producing CD8+ T cells.J.Allergy Clin. Immunol.123, 443–451 (2009).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Kattan, J. D.et al. Pharmacological and immunological effects of individual herbs in the Food Allergy Herbal Formula-2 (FAHF-2) on peanut allergy.Phytother. Res.22, 651–659 (2008).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  47. Ehrlich, H.Food Allergies: Traditional Chinese Medicine, Western Science, and the Search for a Cure (Third Avenue Books, 2014).

    Google Scholar 

  48. Wen, M. C.et al. Efficacy and tolerability of anti-asthma herbal medicine intervention in adult patients with moderate-severe allergic asthma.J. Allergy Clin. Immunol.116, 517–524 (2005).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. Srivastava, K., Sampson, H. A., Emala, C. W. Sr & Li, X. M. The anti-asthma herbal medicine ASHMI acutely inhibits airway smooth muscle contraction via prostaglandin E2 activation of EP2/EP4 receptors.Am. J. Physiol. Lung Cell Mol. Physiol.305, 1002–1010 (2013).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Srivastava, K. D., Sampson, H. A. & Li, X. The anti-asthma chinese herbal formula ASHMI provides more persistent benefits than dexamethasone in a murine asthma model.J. Allergy Clin. Immunol.127, AB261 (2011).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. Yang, N.et al. TheSophora flavescens flavonoid compound trifolirhizin inhibits acetylcholine induced airway smooth muscle contraction.Phytochemistry95, 259–267 (2013).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Yang, N.et al. Glycyrrhiza uralensis flavonoids present in anti-asthma formula, ASHMI, inhibit memory Th2 responsesin vitro andin vivo.Phytother. Res.27, 1381–1391 (2013).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Liu, C.et al. Ganoderic acid C1 isolated from the anti-asthma formula, ASHMITM suppresses TNF-α production by mouse macrophages and peripheral blood mononuclear cells from asthma patients.Int. Immunopharmacol.27, 224–231 (2015).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  54. Lam, W.et al. PHY906(KD018), an adjuvant based on a 1800-year-old Chinese medicine, enhanced the anti-tumor activity of Sorafenib by changing the tumor microenvironment.Sci. Rep.5, 9384 (2015).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. Lam, W.et al. The four-herb Chinese medicine PHY906 reduces chemotherapy-induced gastrointestinal toxicity.Sci. Transl. Med.2, 45ra59 (2010).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  56. Chan, K.et al. Good practice in reviewing and publishing studies on herbal medicine, with special emphasis on traditional Chinese medicine and Chinesemateria medica.J. Ethnopharmacol.140, 469–475 (2012).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  57. Luo, D.et al. Compound Danshen dripping pill for treating early diabetic retinopathy: a randomized, double-dummy, double-blind study.eCAM2015, 539185 (2015).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Avanzas, P. & Kaski, J. C.Pharmacological Treatment of Chronic Stable Angina Pectoris (Springer, 2015).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  59. Tagliaferri, M. A.et al. A phase IIb trial of coix seed injection for advanced pancreatic cancer.J. Clin. Oncol.31, e16023 (2013).

    Google Scholar 

  60. Liu, C., Hu, Y., Xu, L., Liu, C. & Liu, P. Effect ofFuzheng Huayu formula and its actions against liver fibrosis.Chi. Med.4, 12 (2009).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  61. Szasz, T. Psychiatry and the control of dangerousness: on the apotropaic function of the term “mental illness”.J. Med. Ethics29, 227–230 (2003).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  62. Liu, J., Lee, J., Salazar Hernandez, M. A., Mazitschek, R. & Ozcan, U. Treatment of obesity with celastrol.Cell161, 999–1011 (2015).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  63. Lee, J.et al. Withaferin A is a leptin sensitizer with strong antidiabetic properties in mice.Nat. Med.22, 1023–1032 (2016).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  64. Inokuma, Y.et al. X-ray analysis on the nanogram to microgram scale using porous complexes.Nature495, 461–466 (2013).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

  65. O’Connor, S. E. Engineering of secondary metabolism.Annu. Rev. Genet.49, 71–94 (2015).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  66. Cook, D.et al. Lessons learned from the fate of AstraZeneca's drug pipeline: a five-dimensional framework.Nat. Rev. Drug. Discov.13, 419–431 (2014).

    Article CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, 455 Main Street, Cambridge, 02142, Massachusetts, USA

    Fu-Shuang Li & Jing-Ke Weng

  2. Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, 02139, Massachusetts, USA

    Jing-Ke Weng

Authors
  1. Fu-Shuang Li
  2. Jing-Ke Weng

Corresponding author

Correspondence toJing-Ke Weng.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Rights and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Li, FS., Weng, JK. Demystifying traditional herbal medicine with modern approach.Nature Plants3, 17109 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/nplants.2017.109

Download citation

This article is cited by

Access through your institution
Buy or subscribe

Advertisement

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for theNature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox.Sign up for Nature Briefing
[8]ページ先頭
©2009-2026 Movatter.jp