The DOI matches its Crossref record; 54 of the 54 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Synergistic Effects of Chinese Herbal Medicine: A Comprehensive Review of Methodology and Current Research
Open accessAbstract
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an important part of primary health care in Asian countries that has utilized complex herbal formulations (consisting 2 or more medicinal herbs) for treating diseases over thousands of years. There seems to be a general assumption that the synergistic therapeutic effects of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) derive from the complex interactions between the multiple bioactive components within the herbs and/or herbal formulations. However, evidence to support these synergistic effects remains weak and controversial due to several reasons, including the very complex nature of CHM, misconceptions about synergy and methodological challenges to study design. In this review, we clarify the definition of synergy, identify common errors in synergy research and describe current methodological approaches to test for synergistic interaction. We discuss the strengths and weaknesses of these models in the context of CHM and summarize the current status of synergy research in CHM. Despite the availability of some scientific data to support the synergistic effects of multi-herbal and/or herb-drug combinations, the level of evidence remains low, and the clinical relevancy of most of these findings is undetermined. There remain significant challenges in the development of suitable methods for synergistic studies of complex herbal combinations.
Overview
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Citations
Cites
Drug combination studies and their synergy quantification using the Chou-Talalay method
Chou, T.-C. (2010) · Cancer Research · doi:10.1158/0008-5472.can-09-1947 · Cited by 5,739
Chou, T.-C. (2006) · Pharmacological Reviews · doi:10.1124/pr.58.3.10 · Cited by 5,163
Atherosclerosis: current pathogenesis and therapeutic options
Weber, C., & Noels, H. (2011) · Nature Medicine · doi:10.1038/nm.2538 · Cited by 2,203
Synergy and other interactions in phytomedicines
WILLIAMSON, E. (2001) · Phytomedicine · doi:10.1078/0944-7113-00060 · Cited by 1,004
Wang, L., Zhou, G.-B., Liu, P., Song, J.-H., Liang, Y., Yan, X.-J., Xu, F., Wang, B.-S., Mao, J.-H., Shen, Z.-X., et al. (2008) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.0712365105 · Cited by 733
Tao, W., Xu, X., Wang, X., Li, B., Wang, Y., Li, Y., & Yang, L. (2013) · Journal of Ethnopharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2012.09.051 · Cited by 634
Recent analytical approaches in quality control of traditional Chinese medicines—A review
Jiang, Y., David, B., Tu, P., & Barbin, Y. (2010) · Analytica Chimica Acta · doi:10.1016/j.aca.2009.10.024 · Cited by 469
Devita, V. T., Young, R. C., & Canellos, G. P. (1975) · Cancer · doi:10.1002/1097-0142(197501)35:1<98::aid-cncr2820350115>3.0.co;2-b · Cited by 411
van Vuuren, S., & Viljoen, A. (2011) · Planta Medica · doi:10.1055/s-0030-1250736 · Cited by 367
Adherence to HIV combination therapy
Chesney, M. A., Morin, M., & Sherr, L. (2000) · Social Science & Medicine · doi:10.1016/s0277-9536(99)00468-2 · Cited by 341
Liang, X., Li, H., & Li, S. (2014) · Molecular BioSystems · doi:10.1039/c3mb70507b · Cited by 263
Synergy assessed by checkerboard a critical analysis
Hsieh, M. H., Yu, C. M., Yu, V. L., & Chow, J. W. (1993) · Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease · doi:10.1016/0732-8893(93)90087-n · Cited by 228
What is synergy? The Saariselkä agreement revisited
Tang, J., Wennerberg, K., & Aittokallio, T. (2015) · Frontiers in Pharmacology · doi:10.3389/fphar.2015.00181 · Cited by 217
Li, X., Xu, X., Wang, J., Yu, H., Wang, X., Yang, H., Xu, H., Tang, S., Li, Y., Yang, L., et al. (2012) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0043918 · Cited by 189
Yue, W., Yang, C. S., DiPaola, R. S., & Tan, X.-L. (2014) · Cancer Prevention Research · doi:10.1158/1940-6207.capr-13-0337 · Cited by 160
Where is the hope for drug discovery? Let history tell the future
De, K., Li, X., & Zhang, H. (2008) · Drug Discovery Today · doi:10.1016/j.drudis.2008.07.002 · Cited by 158
Wang, X., Zhang, A., Wang, P., Sun, H. J., Wu, G., Sun, W., Lv, H., Jiao, G., Xu, H., Yuan, Y., et al. (2013) · Molecular & Cellular Proteomics · doi:10.1074/mcp.m112.021683 · Cited by 157
The importance of pharmacological synergy in psychoactive herbal medicines.
Spinella, M. (2002) · PubMed · Cited by 142
Network-based drug discovery by integrating systems biology and computational technologies
Leung, E. L., Cao, Z., Jiang, Z., Zhou, H., & Liu, L. (2012) · Briefings in Bioinformatics · doi:10.1093/bib/bbs043 · Cited by 141
Scholey, A. B., & Kennedy, D. O. (2002) · Human Psychopharmacology Clinical and Experimental · doi:10.1002/hup.352 · Cited by 135
Han, J., Ye, M., Guo, H. J., Yang, M., Wang, B., & Guo, D. (2007) · Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis · doi:10.1016/j.jpba.2007.02.023 · Cited by 132
Evaluating Response to Antineoplastic Drug Combinations in Tissue Culture Models
Reynolds, C. P., & Maurer, B. J. (2005) · Humana Press eBooks · doi:10.1385/1-59259-869-2:173 · Cited by 126
Zhang, A., Sun, H. J., & Wang, X. (2013) · Phytotherapy Research · doi:10.1002/ptr.5032 · Cited by 124
The rediscovery of ancient Chinese herbal formulas
Jia, W. P., Gao, W., Yan, Y., Wang, J., Xu, Z., Zheng, W., & Xiao, P. (2004) · Phytotherapy Research · doi:10.1002/ptr.1506 · Cited by 118
Zhang, A., Sun, H. J., Yuan, Y., Sun, W., Jiao, G., & Wang, X. (2011) · Fitoterapia · doi:10.1016/j.fitote.2011.07.014 · Cited by 116
Lin, F.-M., Chen, L.-R., Lin, E.-H., Ke, F.-C., Chen, H.-Y., Tsai, M.-J., & Hsiao, P. (2007) · Carcinogenesis · doi:10.1093/carcin/bgm137 · Cited by 113
Liang, X., Chen, X., Liang, Q., et al. (2010) · Journal of Proteome Research · doi:10.1021/pr1009299 · Cited by 112
Modern bioinformatics meets traditional Chinese medicine
Gu, P., & Chen, H. (2013) · Briefings in Bioinformatics · doi:10.1093/bib/bbt063 · Cited by 108
Cheah, Y. H., Nordin, F. J., Sarip, R., Tee, T. T., Azimahtol, H. L. P., Sirat, H. M., Abd-Rashid, B. A., Abdullah, N., & Ismail, Z. (2009) · Cancer Cell International · doi:10.1186/1475-2867-9-1 · Cited by 106
Wang, X.-N., Han, X., Xu, L., Yin, L.-H., Xu, Y., Qi, Y., & Peng, J. (2008) · Phytomedicine · doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2008.05.002 · Cited by 96
Seo, B. R., Min, K.-J., Cho, I. J., Kim, S. C., & Kwon, T. K. (2014) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0095588 · Cited by 88
Wang, X., Xu, X. J., Tao, W., Li, Y., Wang, Y., & Yang, L. (2012) · Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine · doi:10.1155/2012/519031 · Cited by 85
Xu, X., Li, F., Zhang, X., Li, P., Zhang, X., Wu, Z., & Li, D. (2014) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0096780 · Cited by 78
Wang (2009) · Oncology Reports · doi:10.3892/or_00000539 · Cited by 77
Antioxidant properties of fruit and vegetable juices: more to the story than ascorbic acid.
Leonard, S. S., Cutler, D., Ding, M., Vallyathan, V., Castranova, V., & Shi, X. (2002) · PubMed · Cited by 72
Yi, W., & Wetzstein, H. Y. (2011) · Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture · doi:10.1002/jsfa.4394 · Cited by 65
Inhibitory effect of Ginkgo biloba extract on human platelet aggregation
Dutta-Roy, M. J. G. A. K. (1999) · Platelets · doi:10.1080/09537109975933 · Cited by 63
Combination effects of baicalein with antibiotics against oral pathogens
Jang, E., Cha, S.-M., Choi, S.-M., & Cha, J. (2014) · Archives of Oral Biology · doi:10.1016/j.archoralbio.2014.07.008 · Cited by 59
Cheung, D. W.-S., Koon, C. M., Ng, C.-F., Leung, P., Fung, K., Poon, S. K.-S., & Lau, C. B. (2012) · Journal of Ethnopharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2012.08.011 · Cited by 50
Yue, G., Wei, J., Qian, X., Yu, L., Zou, Z., Guan, W., Wang, H., Shen, J., & Liu, B. (2013) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0065164 · Cited by 49
Yaacob, N. S., Kamal, N. N. N. M., & Norazmi, M. N. (2014) · BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine · doi:10.1186/1472-6882-14-252 · Cited by 48
Lee, S.-J. (2015) · Journal of pharmacopuncture · doi:10.3831/kpi.2015.18.020 · Cited by 48
Rimmon, A., Vexler, A. M., Berkovich, L., Earon, G., Ron, I., & Lev‐Ari, S. (2013) · Biochemistry Research International · doi:10.1155/2013/251752 · Cited by 44
Yan, Z., Hua, H., Xu, Y., & Samaranayake, L. P. (2012) · Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine · doi:10.1155/2012/106583 · Cited by 43
5. An Experimental Research on the Antagonism between the Actions of Physostigma and Atropia
Fraser, T. R. (1872) · Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh · doi:10.1017/s0370164600042565 · Cited by 42
Koon, C. M., Woo, K. S., Leung, P., & Fung, K. (2011) · Journal of Ethnopharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2011.08.073 · Cited by 39
Estrogenicity of Glabridin in Ishikawa Cells
Poh, M. S. W., Yong, P. V. C., Viseswaran, N., & Chia, Y. Y. (2015) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0121382 · Cited by 30
Wang, X., Zhao, X., Yang, B., et al. (2011) · Phytochemical Analysis · doi:10.1002/pca.1277 · Cited by 28
Zhang, S.-J., & Xue, Z.-Y. (2012) · Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine · doi:10.1016/s1995-7645(12)60135-7 · Cited by 28
Alternative Medicine: Is It All in Your Mind?
Tausk, F. (1998) · Archives of Dermatology · doi:10.1001/archderm.134.11.1422 · Cited by 26
Lam, F. F. Y., Seto, S. W., Kwan, Y. W., Yeung, J. H. K., & Chan, P. (2006) · European Journal of Pharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.ejphar.2006.07.038 · Cited by 26
Self-citationFixed Combination Drugs for Cardiovascular Disease Risk Reduction: Regulatory Approach
Orloff, D. G. (2005) · The American Journal of Cardiology · doi:10.1016/j.amjcard.2005.08.005 · Cited by 22
Liu, Y., Ling, Y., Hu, W., Xie, L., Yu, L., Qian, X., Zhang, B., & Liu, B. (2009) · Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine · doi:10.1093/ecam/nep175 · Cited by 18
Ilango, K., Kammalla, A. K., Ramasamy, M., Agarwal, A., & Dubey, G. P. (2014) · International Journal of Phytopharmacy · doi:10.7439/ijpp.v4i1.65 · Cited by 5
Cited by
Aung, T., Qu, Z., Kortschak, R., & Adelson, D. (2017) · International Journal of Molecular Sciences · doi:10.3390/ijms18030656 · Cited by 319
Status and Challenges of Plant-Anticancer Compounds in Cancer Treatment
Garcia-Oliveira, P., Otero, P., Pereira, A. G., Chamorro, F., Carpena, M., Echave, J., Fraga-Corral, M., Simal-Gandara, J., & Prieto, M. A. (2021) · Pharmaceuticals · doi:10.3390/ph14020157 · Cited by 303
Ginkgetin: A natural biflavone with versatile pharmacological activities
Adnan, M., Rasul, A., Hussain, G., Shah, M. A., Zahoor, M. K., Anwar, H., Sarfraz, I., Riaz, A., Manzoor, M., Adem, Ş., et al. (2020) · Food and Chemical Toxicology · doi:10.1016/j.fct.2020.111642 · Cited by 102
Metadata
- Authors
- Zhou, X., Seto, S. W., Chang, D., Kiat, H., Razmovski-Naumovski, V., Chan, K., & Bensoussan, A.
- Venue
- Frontiers in Pharmacology
- Publisher
- Frontiers Media SA
- Published
- 2016-07-12
- Volume
- 7
- Pages
- 201-201
- ISSN
- 1663-9812 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2469832905
- Cited by
- 538
- References
- 54
- FWCI
- 43.92
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
Data sources
Bibliographic data: Semantic Scholar, OpenAlex, Crossref.
Contains information from the Semantic Scholar Academic Graph Datasets, made available under the ODC Attribution License (ODC-BY 1.0).
Semantic Scholar’s data is described in: Kinney, R., et al. (2023). The Semantic Scholar Open Data Platform. arXiv:2301.10140.
