Current Pharmaceutical Design
ISSN (Print): 1381-6128
ISSN (Online): 1873-4286
William A. Banks
VAPSHCS/GRECC S-182
Building 1, Room 810A
1600 S. Columbian Way
Seattle, WA 98108
USA
Author(s):
Kai- Chun Cheng, Ying-Xiao Li and Juei-Tang Cheng
Affiliation: Department
of Psychosomatic Internal Medicine, Kagoshima University Graduate
School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima City 890-8520, Japan.
Abstract:
Cancer-related cachexia, a condition in which the body is consumed
by deranged carbohydrate, lipid and protein metabolism
that is induced by inflammatory cytokines. Cachexia is associated with
poor treatment outcome, fatigue and poor quality of life.
Pharmacological
intervention in the treatment and/or prevention of cachexia has been
mainly aimed at the use of appetite enhancers to increase
oral nutritional intake so far. Herbal remedies are part of traditional
and folk healing methods with long histories of use. In this report, we
have assessed which herbal approaches have had associated cancer
cachexia case reports. Commonly used herbal medicines in western
countries include essiac, iscador, pau d’arco tea, cannabinoids and so
on. Some Kampo herbs and formulations are commonly used by
cancer patients reduce the side effects and complications during the
antitumor therapy. The relevant herbal medicines include ginseng, C.
rhizome and radix astragali, and the related herbal remedies, such as
TJ-48, TJ-41, PHY906 and Rikkunshito. However, there still have
some adverse effects caused or amplified by herb and drug interactions
that are difficult to separate. However, randomized effectiveness
of herbal medicines shall be further identified in controlled clinical
trials involving cancer patients with cachexia.
Keywords: Cancer-related cachexia, cancer
cachexia treatment, insulin resistance, proinflammatory cytokines,
food intake, chinese herbs, cannabinoids, antitumor therapy,
Rikkunshito, clinical trials.
Other
