New Potential Pharmacological Functions of Chinese Herbal Medicines via Regulation of Autophagy

Autophagy is a universal catabolic cellular process for quality control of cytoplasm and maintenance of cellular homeostasis upon nutrient deprivation and environmental stimulus. It involves the lysosomal degradation of cellular components such as misfolded proteins or damaged organelles. Defects in...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2016-03, Vol.21 (3), p.359
Main Authors: Law, Betty Yuen Kwan, Mok, Simon Wing Fai, Wu, An Guo, Lam, Christopher Wai Kei, Yu, Margaret Xin Yi, Wong, Vincent Kam Wai
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
autophagy
Autophagy - drug effects
Biological Products - pharmacology
Cell Transformation, Neoplastic - drug effects
Chinese herbal medicines
Clinical Trials as Topic
Disease Susceptibility
Drug Discovery
Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
Drugs, Chinese Herbal - administration & dosage
Drugs, Chinese Herbal - classification
Drugs, Chinese Herbal - pharmacology
Energy Metabolism - drug effects
Humans
Immunomodulation - drug effects
Medicine, Chinese Traditional
natural products
novel functions
Review
Signal Transduction - drug effects
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Summary:Autophagy is a universal catabolic cellular process for quality control of cytoplasm and maintenance of cellular homeostasis upon nutrient deprivation and environmental stimulus. It involves the lysosomal degradation of cellular components such as misfolded proteins or damaged organelles. Defects in autophagy are implicated in the pathogenesis of diseases including cancers, myopathy, neurodegenerations, infections and cardiovascular diseases. In the recent decade, traditional drugs with new clinical applications are not only commonly found in Western medicines, but also highlighted in Chinese herbal medicines (CHM). For instance, pharmacological studies have revealed that active components or fractions from Chaihu (Radix bupleuri), Hu Zhang (Rhizoma polygoni cuspidati), Donglingcao (Rabdosia rubesens), Hou po (Cortex magnoliae officinalis) and Chuan xiong (Rhizoma chuanxiong) modulate cancers, neurodegeneration and cardiovascular disease via autophagy. These findings shed light on the potential new applications and formulation of CHM decoctions via regulation of autophagy. This article reviews the roles of autophagy in the pharmacological actions of CHM and discusses their new potential clinical applications in various human diseases.
ISSN:1420-3049
1420-3049
DOI:10.3390/molecules21030359