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Early metabolism evaluation making traditional Chinese medicine effective and safe therapeutics

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Abstract

Increasing attention is being paid to the scientific evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). As many TCMs are capable of biotransformation in the gastrointestinal tract, attention to biotransformation of TCM in the gastrointestinal tract may lead to discovery of the active components and active mechanisms. In this article, we review reports that host metabolic enzymes and intestinal bacteria may be responsible for the metabolism of TCM. Good understanding of the in vivo course of TCM will help us to know how to conduct metabolism evaluation of TCM by using in vitro human-derived system. This evaluation system will create new views on TCM as effective and safe therapeutic agents.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Resource Discovery, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China

    Liu Yong  (刘勇) & Yang Ling  (杨凌)

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  1. Liu Yong  (刘勇)
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  2. Yang Ling  (杨凌)
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Correspondence to Yang Ling  (杨凌).

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Project supported by the National Basic Research Program (973) of China (Nos. 2003CCA03400 and 2003CB716005), and the Leading Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. KGCXZ-SW-213-04), China

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Liu, Y., Yang, L. Early metabolism evaluation making traditional Chinese medicine effective and safe therapeutics. J. Zhejiang Univ. - Sci. B 7, 99–106 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.2006.B0099

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.2006.B0099

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