Integrated analysis on the “toxicity-efficacy” of toxic Chinese materia medica

Abstract

[Abstract]: The Chinese materia medica (CMM) has been applied in the prevention and treatment of many diseases for thousands of years, including common diseases, frequently-occurring diseases, and rare diseases with remarkable curative effects. However, due to abuse or misuse, environmental pollution, and improper preparation methods in clinical application, some CMM present safety problems, such as cardiac toxicity, liver toxicity, neurotoxicity, renal toxicity, and even carcinogenic effects. Based on the coexistence characteristics of toxicity and efficacy of toxic CMM, integrated analysis is a powerful method to systematically study traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). In our review, scientific connotation of toxic CMM-induced toxicity and efficacy, including historic development and characteristics of toxic CMM, and challenges for evaluating the toxicity and efficacy of toxic CMM were summarized. Hereby, we put forward the integrated analysis thought and methods for “material basis of toxicity-efficacy, mechanisms of toxicity-efficacy, synergy and attenuation principles” of toxic CMM, as well as taking Radix Aconiti Lateralis Preparata (namely Fuzi) as the representative to elaborate the integrated analysis path on the “toxicity-efficacy” of toxic CMM, which provides scientific evaluation ideas and criterion of clinical application for CMM in the prevention and treatment of diseases in accordance with the characteristics of TCM.

Keywords

• Toxic Chinese materia medica
• Toxicity-efficacy
• Integrated analysis
• Traditional Chinese medicine
• Radix Aconiti Lateralis Preparata (Fuzi)