Research Article

Hedyotis diffusa Combined with Scutellaria barbata Are the Core Treatment of Chinese Herbal Medicine Used for Breast Cancer Patients: A Population-Based Study

Table 5

Possible mechanisms of action of the most common Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) used for breast cancer treatment.

CHMPossible pharmacologic mechanismsReference

HFd
 Jia-Wei-Xiao-Yao-SanIncreases plasma TNF-alpha levels in depressed menopausal patients[30]
Antidepressant effects[31]
Possible selective estrogen receptor modulator[32]
Reliefs of climacteric symptoms in postmenopausal women without changing in estrogen level[33]
Adjusts the abnormal gastric motility and gastric myoelectrical activity of patients with functional dyspepsia[34]
 San-Zhong-Kui-Jian-TangInhibits the proliferation of human breast cancer[35]
SHe
 Hedyotis diffusa Induces Ca(2+)-mediated apoptosis in human breast cancer cells[26]
Induces breast cancer cell apoptosis via mitochondrial pathway[27]
 Scutellaria barbata Induces oxidative stress damage in breast cancer cells[25]
Botanical extract (Bezielle, BZL101) used for metastatic breast cancer[36]
 Salvia miltiorrhiza Inhibits growth of breast cancer cell[37]
Induces apoptosis of breast cancer cell[38]
 Scutellaria baicalensis Protects against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity[39]
 Rheum palmatum Shows cytotoxicity in both ER-positive and -negative breast cancer cell lines[40]

HF refers to a herbal formula; eSH refers to a single herb.