A narrative review on traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions and bioactive components in epilepsy treatment

Feng Tao; Yong Cai; Chunyan Deng; Zehao Chen; Yuntian Shen; Hualin Sun

doi:10.21037/atm-22-3306

A narrative review on traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions and bioactive components in epilepsy treatment

Ann Transl Med. 2023 Jan 31;11(2):129. doi: 10.21037/atm-22-3306. Epub 2022 Dec 13.

Authors

Feng Tao^#¹, Yong Cai^#², Chunyan Deng³, Zehao Chen³, Yuntian Shen³, Hualin Sun³

Affiliations

¹ Nantong University Informatization Center, Nantong University, Nantong, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China.
² Department of Neurology, People's Hospital of Binhai County, Yancheng, China.
³ Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Background and objective: In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), natural drugs and their bioactive components have been widely used to treat epilepsy. Epilepsy is a chronic disease caused by abnormal discharge of brain neurons that leads to brain dysfunction and cognitive impairment. Several factors are involved in the mechanisms of epilepsy, and the current treatments do not seem promising. The potential efficacy of natural drugs with lower toxicity and less side effects have attracted increasing attention.

Methods: We used the terms, "TCM", "traditional Chinese medicine", "herbal", "epilepsy", "seizure", and the name of each prescription and bioactive components in the review to collect papers about application of TCM in epilepsy treatment from PubMed online database and Chinese database including Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, and Weipu.

Key content and findings: We summarized some common TCM prescriptions and related active components used for the treatment of epilepsy. Six prescriptions (Chaihu Shugan decoction, Tianma Gouteng decoction, Kangxian capsules, Taohong Siwu decoction, Liujunzi decoction, Compound Danshen dropping pills) and nine main bioactive compounds (Saikosaponin A, Rhynchophylline, Tetramethylpyrazine, Gastrodin, Baicalin and baicalein, α-Asarone, Ginsenoside, Tanshinone, Paeoniflorin) were reviewed to provide a scientific basis for the development of potential antiepileptic drugs (AEDs).

Conclusions: The pharmacological effects and molecular mechanisms of TCM in the treatment of epilepsy are complex, targeting several pathological aspects of epilepsy. However, the limitations of TCM, such as the lack of standardized treatments, have prevented its clinical application in epilepsy treatment. Thus, additional clinical trials are required to further evaluate the effectiveness and safety of TCM prescriptions and their bioactive components in the future.

Keywords: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM); antiepileptic drugs (AEDs); bioactive compound; epilepsy.

Publication types

Review