Synopses & Reviews
There has been a growing interest in the use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) both in China and globally. In China, increased health care costs are associated with the widespread use of Western drugs and their related side-effects. Currently two-thirds of the drugs used in China are of Western origin while the other third is TCM. Health care costs can be more effectively controlled by wider use of TCM. Such trends provide an opportunity to develop a pharmaceutical industry based on herbal products for both the Chinese and global markets. Internationally, the World Health Organization has noted that a majority of the populations of developing countries mainly relies on traditional herbal formulations. Therefore, standardized and effective herbal medicines can play an important role in health care. All of this coincides with the growing use of herbal medicines in industrialized countries. To date, very little scientifically sound research on TCM has been published in English. This book is meant to provide the English-speaking world with a collection of papers on this important subject, covering such topics as research and development, clinical studies, and commercialization.
Synopsis
The "First International Conference on Traditional Chinese Medicine: Science, Regulation and Globalization" was held from August 30 to September 2, 2000 at the University of Maryland at College Park, Maryland. There were approximately 250 participants from the Peoples Republic of China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and the United States. This objective of this conference was to promote international collaboration for the modernization of Traditional Chinese herbal medicines (TCM) and their introduction into the global health care system. It was mainly sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China and the NllI National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM). It was organized by Dr. William Tai, then director of the Institute of Global Chinese Affairs at the University of Maryland and Dr. Yuan Lin, president of Marco Polo Technologies, Bethesda, MD. This conference was conceived by Dr. Tai two years earlier recognizing that this was an appropriate time and also the unique location of the University of Maryland. Today, there is a growing recognition of the of alternative medicine in modem societies and the rapid loss of importance knowledge about traditional methods for the treatment of the multitude of human illnesses found throughout the world. TCM has been in common use in China for thousands of years; and many of its formulations are well defined.
Table of Contents
Preface. Acknowledgements. 1. Approaching Traditional Chinese Medicine: Inheritance and Exploration; Yongzheng Hui. 2. Floras, Plant Conservation and China's Future; P.H. Raven. 3. Natural Products Drug Discovery and Development at the United States National Cancer Institute; G.M. Cragg, D.J. Newman. 4. The Global Importance of Plants as Source of Medicines and the Future Potential of Chinese Plants; J. Miller. 5. Food, Medicinal Plants and Other Edible Materials as Sources of Bioactive Compounds that Enhance Metabolic Fitness and Improve Health; S.C. Bobzin, P. Burn. 6. Regions in China Rich in Resource for Medicinal Plants. A. Anhui Province; Zuojun Jiang. B. Hubie Province; Lincheng Ma. 7. The Camtothecin Expience: From Chinese Medicinal Plants to Potent Anti-Cancer Drugs; S.S. Yang, et al. 8. Approaches for Evaluation Immune-Modulation and Anti-Tumor Bioactivities in Chinese Medical Herbal Extracts; Pei-Fen Su, et al. 9. Using Transcription Factor Based Assays to Study Herbal Products; D. Pasco. 10. Molecular Basis for Medicinal Actions of Androgens and Green Tea Epigallocatechin Gallate; Shutsung Liao, et al. 11. Studies on Chemical Components and the Pharmacological Activity of Panax Ginseng Root; Li-Xiangao, et al. 12. Antibacterial Synergy in Rubricine: Extract from the Root of Arnebia euchroma a Chinese Medicinal Herb; S.A. Benson, et al. 13. On the Quality Assessment of Chinese Patent Medicine; Peishan Xie, Yuzhen Yan. 14. Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine Needs Five Finger Mountain and Golden Head Ring; P. Pui-Hay But. 15. A Practical Comprehensive Approach to Chinese Medicine Research; P.C. Leung, K.P. Fung. 16. Back to Nature: The Alternative Paradigm for Drug Development; J.S. Bindra, et al. 17. Global Markets for Botanical Products; P. Brevoort. 18. Opportunities and Challenges of Developing Medicinal Herbs; M. Chang. 19. Traditional Chinese Medicines: Regulatory and Scientific Challenges; M. Edgar. 20. Marco Polo Technologies: A Model for a Modern TCM Company; R. Yuan. 21. Commercialization of Chinese Herbal Medicine in the Global Market; Chung Guang Shen. 22. The Development of Modern TCM in China Tianfa Group; Jialong Gong. FDA Forum; Yuan Yuan Chiu, et al. Program. Invited Speakers. Subject Index.