Pharmacological study on traditional Chinese medicine and natural product in China / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

ABSTRACT

China is abundant in natural medicinal resources. Natural medicine (NP), especially traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), have been widely employed in prevention and treatment of diseases in China for thousands of years, which make a great contribution to health care of Chinese people and the prosperity of the Chinese nation. TCM is the excellence culture inheritance of China and a medicine system with long history, tradition and unique theory and technique. Prescriptions or formula are the main form of TCM and the compatibility and composition of them are made up following the theory of TCM among which the theory of compatibility is the essential part. Clinical application and modern pharmacological study both demonstrated that TCM prescription possesses unique effect in comparison with chemical drugs. However, the pharmacological study of TCM prescription is very difficult due to multiple herbs which contain complicated chemical components in the prescription. So, the key point for the pharmacological study of TCM prescription is to elucidate its integrative effect and the mechanism of action. In recent years, great advances have been achieved in the research on TCM prescription and modern study of TCM prescription, including pharmacological and chemical studies, has becoming a hot research field in China. The pharmacological studies of TCM and NP are conducted with different ways and methods including holistic approaches in various experimental model animals and in vitro experiments in tissue, organ and cell models. In addition, a lot of new technics and methods such as″ omics″ technologies were employed in the molecular level studies, for example, researches on the mechanism of action of TCM and NP. In addition, a lot of new drugs have been developed from TCM prescriptions in China. The classical preparations of TCM, including decoction, pill, powder, ointment and pellet, etc, are prepared with traditional methods. While, the new preparations are similar to modern pharmaceutical preparations such as tablet, capsule, oral liquid, even injection and manufactured under the condition of modern pharmaceutical industry according to the requirements of GMP. To elucidate the activity mechanism and the active fractions or components are very important basis for the development of new drugs from TCM prescription. Although pharmacological study of TCM has made great progresses, it is still a great challenge to elucidate the active components and the mechanism of action of TCM prescription due to the complexity of the prescription. However, with the rapid development of science and technology and their continuous application in this research field, the pharmacological study on TCM prescription has been progressing and getting deeper rapidly.