Mechanisms of Traditional Chinese medicine/natural medicine in HR-positive Breast Cancer: A comprehensive Literature Review

Qinghong Yu; Chuchu Xu; Jiaqing Song; Ying Jin; Xiufei Gao

doi:10.1016/j.jep.2023.117322

Mechanisms of Traditional Chinese medicine/natural medicine in HR-positive Breast Cancer: A comprehensive Literature Review

J Ethnopharmacol. 2024 Jan 30;319(Pt 3):117322. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117322. Epub 2023 Oct 20.

Authors

Qinghong Yu¹, Chuchu Xu², Jiaqing Song³, Ying Jin⁴, Xiufei Gao⁵

Affiliations

¹ Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310053, China. Electronic address: yuqinghong0807@icloud.com.
² Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310053, China. Electronic address: 18868103252@163.com.
³ Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310053, China. Electronic address: 290807429@qq.com.
⁴ Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310053, China. Electronic address: jy13706718175@163.com.
⁵ The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, NO. 54 Youdian Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310006, China. Electronic address: gaoxiufei@zcmu.edu.cn.

PMID: 37866466
DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117322

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance: With the emergence of endocrine resistance, the survival and good prognosis of HR-positive breast cancer (HR + BC) patients are threatened. As a common complementary and alternative therapy in cancer treatment, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been widely used, and its internal mechanisms have been increasingly explored.

Aim of the review: In this review, the development status and achievements in understanding of the mechanisms related to the anti-invasion and anti-metastasis effects of TCM against HR + BC and the reversal of endocrine drug resistance by TCM in recent years have been summarized to provide ideas for antitumour research on the active components of TCM/natural medicine.

Methods: We searched the electronic databases PubMed, Web of Science, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure database (CNKI) (from inception to July 2023) with the key words "HR-positive breast cancer" or "HR-positive breast carcinoma", "HR + BC" and "traditional Chinese medicine", "TCM", or "natural plant", "herb", etc., with the aim of elucidating the intrinsic mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine and natural medicine in the treatment of HR + BC.

Results: TCM/natural medicine monomers and formulas can regulate the expression of related genes and proteins through the PI3K/AKT, JAK2/STAT3, MAPK, Wnt and other signalling pathways, inhibit the proliferation and metastasis of HR + BC tumours, play a synergistic role in combination with endocrine drugs, and reverse endocrine drug resistance.

Conclusion: The wide variety of TCM/natural medicine components makes the research and development of new methods of TCM for BC treatments more selective and innovative. Although progress has been made on research on TCM/natural medicine, there are still many problems in clinical and basic experimental designs, and more in-depth scientific explorations and research are still needed.

Keywords: HR-Positive breast cancer; Natural medicine; Signalling pathway; Target; Traditional Chinese medicine.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Breast Neoplasms* / drug therapy
China
Drugs, Chinese Herbal* / chemistry
Drugs, Chinese Herbal* / pharmacology
Drugs, Chinese Herbal* / therapeutic use
Female
Humans
Medicine, Chinese Traditional
Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases

Substances

Drugs, Chinese Herbal
Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases