Application of Genetic Algorithm for Discovery of Core Effective Formulae in TCM Clinical Data

Table 4

Traditional indications and biological effects of herbs.

Herb	Abbreviation	Traditional indications^#	Effects of cancer treatment	Reference
Astragalus root	AR	To reinforce Qi and invigorate the function of the spleen.	Immune stimulating effect. Improving quality of life for patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer.	[31, 32]
Akebia fruit	AF	To regulate Qi, to promote blood circulation and relieve pain, and to cause diuresis.	Popularly used for primary liver cancer treatment in China.	[33]
Atractylis ovata	AO	To invigorate the function of the spleen and replenish Qi and to eliminate dampness by causing diuresis.	Antiangiogenic activity. Inhibiting the growth of B16 cancer cells.	[34–38]
Chinese date	CD	To tonify the spleen, replenish Qi and to nourish blood.	Antiproliferative activity in human breast cancer cells.	[39]
Chinese sage herb	CS	To remove toxic heat and blood stasis and relieve pain.	Antiangiogenic activity.	[40]
Coix seed	CSE	To transform dampness and promote water metabolism, to strengthen the spleen, and to clear heat and eliminate pus.	Affecting cellular pathways in neoplasia: to inhibit NFkappaB and protein kinase C signaling.	[41]
Doederlein's spikemoss herb	DS	To remove toxic heat and dampness and to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis.	Antiproliferative activity in three types of human cancer cells in vitro.	[42]
Herba Oldenlandiae	HO	To eliminate heat and toxic material, to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis, and to clear dampness heat.	Antiproliferative activity in eight cancer cell lines. Strengthening the patient's resistance.	[43–45]
Malt	MA	To invigorate the function of the spleen, to regulate the function of the stomach, and to promote the flow of milk.	Proliferative function of colonic epithelial cells.	[46–49]
Pachyma cocos	PC	To cause diuresis, to invigorate the spleen function, and to calm the mind.	Inhibiting the growth of nonsmall cell lung cancer cells.	[50, 51]
Pyrrosia leaf	PL	To induce diuresis, relieve dysuria, remove heat, and arrest bleeding.	Its active components: isomangiferin has capability of inhibiting virus replication within cells, and fumaric acid has chemopreventive potential for tobacco-nitrosamine-induced lung tumors.	[52, 53]
Pinellia tuber	PT	To remove damp and phlegm, to relieve nausea and vomiting, and to eliminate stuffiness in the chest and the epigastrium.	Antiproliferative activity in five cancer cell lines in vitro.	[54, 55]
Rhizoma batatatis	RB	To replenish the spleen and stomach, to promote fluid secretion, and to benefit the lung.	Inhibiting the cancer cell line of melanoma B16 and Lewis lung cancer in mice in vivo.	[56]
Rice-grain sprout	RS	To promote digestion, invigorate the function of the spleen, and improve appetite.	Popularly used for strengthening function of the spleen and the stomach during cancer treatment in China.	[57]
Tangerine peel	TP	To regulate the flow of Qi, to invigorate the spleen function, to eliminate damp, and to resolve phlegm.	Antioxidative and anti-inflammatory functions. Antiproliferative activity in human gastric cancer cells.	[58, 59]

#Information is queried from TCM-ID database (http://bidd.nus.edu.sg/group/TCMsite/).