Mutual understanding between Traditional Chinese Medicine and systems biology: gaps, challenges and opportunities

Abstract

While Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and systems biology have philosophical differences, both address human health using an integrative approach and both aim towards personalised medicine. The post-genomic era provides a unique opportunity for the two fields to understand and benefit from each other. In this review, the two approaches are compared, and various examples and hypotheses are provided to show how some practices in TCM might be interpreted by systems biology.Keywords: TCM; traditional Chinese medicine; systems biology; CWM; conventional western medicine; personalised medicine; holism; herb; circadian rhythm; water structure; acupuncture points; ZHENG; Qi; qigong; body-mind relationship; gene expression; proteomics; metabolomics.

Anxiolytic Effect of Alcohol‐Water Extracted Suanzaoren‐Wuweizi Herb‐Pair by Regulating ECS‐BDNF‐ERK Signaling Pathway Expression in Acute Restraint Stress Male Rats

“…So, this also follows the "seven relations of TCM" theory, in which there are several aims and principles of herbal compatibility. ese include singular application, mutual promotion, mutual assistance, mutual restraint, mutual detoxification, mutual inhibition, and mutual intoxication [40]. e principle of mutual promotion explains why herb-pairs have significantly better pharmacological efficacy than individual herbs and why these always demonstrate better curative effects than when used alone [13,41].…”

Chemistry and pharmacology of the herb pair Flos Lonicerae japonicae-Forsythiae fructus

“…Herb pairs are simpler in composition than complete formulae but still therapeutically effective. There are several aims and principles of herbal compatibility, sometimes called the “seven relations of CM”: singular application, mutual promotion, mutual assistance, mutual restraint, mutual detoxification, mutual inhibition, and mutual intoxication [ 4 ]. The principle of mutual promotion explains why herb pairs have significantly better pharmacological efficacy than individual herbs, a principle that is applied in many famous herb formulae, such as Yinqiao San [ 1 ].…”

Phytochemical and Pharmacological Review of Da Chuanxiong Formula: A Famous Herb Pair Composed ofChuanxiong RhizomaandGastrodiae Rhizomafor Headache

“…Many herb pairs were recorded in the Treatise on Febrile and Miscellaneous Diseases and in the Synopsis of the Golden Chamber . Though there are several methods of herbs compatibility with different aims, which are called as “seven relations of Chinese Medicine”, such as singular application, mutual promotion, mutual assistance, mutual restraint, mutual detoxication, mutual inhibition, and mutual intoxication [8], herb pairs for mutual potentiation occupy mostly according to Chinese records and the classic books about herbs in China. Mutual potentiation, also called as mutual promotion, showed significantly better pharmacological efficacy than when the herbs were used individually, being applied in many famous herb pairs such as Danggui Buxue Decoction (Astragali Radix and Angelicae sinensis Radix) [9, 10] and Dan Qi Fang (Salviae miltiorrhizae and Panax notoginseng) [11].…”