camptotheca acuminata

[Guest guest]

Has anyone heard of TCM use of member of the family Nyssaceae:

camptotheca acuminata? Possibly xi shu (happy tree). It has a anti-cancer

ingredient quinoline alkaloid - camptothecin, analogs of which are being

used to treat cancer. 2 of which have been FDA approved Hycamtin

(ovarian) and Camptosar (metastatic colorectal).

I've plugged it into all the db's (yes, tradimed, too) and come up short.

Evidently its used in China to treat leukemia and stomach and liver CA,

but its not in any of the pharmacopeia I've looked in.

Thanks in advance.

[Guest guest]

Pamela,

 

Here's what I've found. Hope it helps.

 

Fructus Et Radix Camptothecae (Xi Shu) is listed on page 441 of

Hong-yen's Hsu's Oriental Materia Medica: A Concise Guide (Oriental

Healing Arts Institute, Long Beach, CA, 1986). It is categorized as a

blood-quickening med.

 

Flavor & nature: Bitter and cold

 

Functions: Quickens the blood and dispels stasis, combats cancer and

disperses binding (I've Nigelized these.)

 

Indications: Gastric, rectal, and bladder carcinoma, chronic

" lymphemia " [?, I think he means leukemia], hepatosplenomegaly due to

schistosomiasis

 

Dose: Root cortex, 9-15g; fruit, 3-9g

 

In the Zhong Yao Da Ci Dian (Dictionary of Chinese Medicinals),

Shanghai Science & Technology Publishing Co., Shanghai, 1990, this med

is listed in Vol. 2 on page 2331.

 

Flavor & nature: In a Jiangxi source, listed as bitter and astringent;

in a Shanghai source, listed as bitter, cold, toxic.

 

Functions: In Jiangxi source, controls cancer and disperses binding.

In another source on new Chinese herbs, breaks the blood and

transforms stasis.

 

Indications: Various kinds of cancers, chronic leukemia,

hepatosplenomegaly due to psoriasis and schistosomiasis

 

In Jiangxi source, stomach, rectal, and bladder cancers and chronic

leukemia

 

In yet another source, particular species of chronic and acute leukemia

 

Dose: Root cortex in decoction, 3-5 qian; fruit, 1-3 qian

 

Contraindications: From the Shanghai source, typically, the fruit is

less effective than the root cortex but is relatively more toxic.

 

Bob