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ScienceDaily (Sep. 29, 2008) — Gecko is a Chinese traditional medicine. It has definite effect on malignant tumor, especially on digestive system tumor. The incidence and mortality of tumor keep ascending all over the world. However, there was no study on the pharmacological studies of Gecko and its mechanisms of anti-tumor action remained unclear.
Now a research group in China has found that Gecko powder can inhibit EC9706 and EC1 growth and proliferation.
Gecko can also decrease vascular endothelin growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor expression in tumor tissue and induce tumor cell apoptosis.
As is known, the effect on anti-tumor of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is related to more pathways and more targets. Most studies on action mechanisms of TCM in anti-tumor showed that TCM could inhibit tumors though supporting the healthy energy and strengthening the body resistance.
The research team, led by Prof. Wang from Henan University of China, showed that Gecko could not only reinforce immunity of organism but also induction of tumor cell apoptosis and the down-regulation of protein expression of VEGF and bFGF.
Chemotherapy, one of the major methods to treat cancer in Western medicine at present, has a poor selectivity and strong toxic and side effects, thus influencing its anticancer effect. In the past 40 years, Chinese experts have gained remarkable achievements in cancer treatment by integrating TCM with chemotherapy. This article gives us pharmacological studies of Gecko about antitumor and thus may provide foundation for its effective constituent.
Journal reference:
- Liu et al. Antitumor effect and mechanism of Gecko on human esophageal carcinoma cell lines in vitro and xenografted sarcoma 180 in Kunming mice. World Journal of Gastroenterology, 2008; 14 (25): 3990 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.14.3990
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