Camptotheca, Xi Shu 喜树
Happy Tree
Xi Shu (TCM)
Botanical name:
Camptotheca acuminata
Parts used:
Fruit; Root bark
Temperature & Taste:
Cold, dry. Bitter, Pungent, Toxic
Uses:
1. Clears Heat and Toxin:
-Herpes, Psoriasis (topical)
-Toxic Sores
–Hepatosplenomegaly caused by schistosomiasis
2. Moves the Blood, Clears Stasis, Resolves Masses:
–various Cancers including Esophageal, Lung, Breast, Ovarian, Stomach, Liver, Colorectal, Head and Neck, Bone etc.
–choriocarcinoma, lymphosarcoma
-acute and chronic Leukemia
3. Externally:
-topically for Psoriasis, Herpes, Toxic Skin Sores
Dose:
1. The Fruit is generally regarded as stronger in effect, but is more toxic than the root-bark.
2. Begin with lower doses increasing as needed
3. It should not be cooked in iron vessels
Fruit in Decoction: 3–9 grams
Root-bark in Decoction 10–15 grams
Main Combinations:
Major Formulas:
Cautions:
1. Avoid overdose.
2. Do not cook in Iron pots.
3. Use cautiously in Immunosuppressed. Immunosuppression caused by camptothecin was temporary; immunity recovered after 9 days of drug withdrawal
Toxicity:
Isolated camptothecin has been used in Cancer therapy, but was discontinued due to severe toxicity, particularly hemorrhagic cystitis. However, less toxic analogues have seen a resurgence of interest. As with other toxic medicines used in Cancer therapy, there can still be use for the whole plant rather than its isolated compound.
Main Preparations used:
ANTI-FUNGAL
–Antifungal activity of camptothecin, trifolin, and hyperoside isolated from Camptotheca acuminata.
ANTI-VIRAL:
–Camptothecin and 1O-methoxycamptothecin have obvious inhibitory effects on herpes virus in vitro
PSORIASIS
–Plant extracts for the topical management of psoriasis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
ULCERATIVE COLITIS
–Therapeutic Mechanism and Effect of Camptothecin on Dextran Sodium Sulfate-Induced Ulcerative Colitis in Mice.
CONTRACEPTIVE
–Camptothecin 5mg/kg, once a day, by gavage or subcutaneous injection for 1-3 times, can be 100% resistant to early pregnancy in rats 7-9 days after mating
CANCER
–The long story of camptothecin: From traditional medicine to drugs.
–Extraction and composition of three naturally occurring anti-cancer alkaloids in Camptotheca acuminata seed and leaf extracts.
–Anticancer drugs from traditional toxic Chinese medicines.
–Camptothecin and its analogues: a review on their chemotherapeutic potential.
–Camptothecin, over four decades of surprising findings.
–Advances in cancer therapy with plant based natural products.
–[Camptothecin and derivatives: a new class of antitumor agents].
ENDOMETRIAL
–Antitumor Effects and Biological Mechanism of Action of the Aqueous Extract of the Camptotheca acuminata Fruit in Human Endometrial Carcinoma Cells
LIVER:
–Triterpenes from the fruit of Camptotheca acuminata suppress human hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation through apoptosis induction.
LUNG:
–Camptothecin analogues in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer.
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