Traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of cancers of hepatobiliary system: from clinical evidence to drug discovery

Abstract

Hepatic, biliary, and pancreatic cancer pose significant challenges in the field of digestive system diseases due to their highly malignant nature. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has gained attention as a potential therapeutic approach with long-standing use in China and well-recognized clinical benefits. In this review, we systematically summarized the clinical applications of TCM that have shown promising results in clinical trials in treating hepatic, biliary, and pancreatic cancer. We highlighted several commonly used TCM therapeutics with validated efficacy through rigorous clinical trials, including Huaier Granule, Huachansu, and Icaritin. The active compounds and their potential targets have been thoroughly elucidated to offer valuable insights into the potential of TCM for anti-cancer drug discovery. We emphasized the importance of further research to bridge the gap between TCM and modern oncology, facilitating the development of evidence-based TCM treatment for these challenging malignancies.

Keywords: Biliary cancer; Chinese medicine; Clinical trials; Drug discovery; Liver cancer; Pancreatic cancer.

Fig. 1

The bioactive compounds identified from several representative TCM formula with their potential target and pharmacological action. EMT, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition; MMPs, matrix metalloproteinases; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor

Fig. 2

Pharmacological mechanism of bioactive polysaccharides identified from Huaier granule