Application of Chinese Herbal Medicines to Revitalize Adult Stem Cells for Tissue Regeneration

• Published in: Chinese journal of integrative medicine Vol. 18; no. 12; pp. 903 - 908
• Main Author: 黄庆乐 萧永沁 岑慧婷 高思 梁秉中 高俊熙
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Chinese Association of Traditional and Western Medicine 01.12.2012
• Subjects: Cell Differentiation; Feature Article; Herbal Medicine; Humans; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Medicine, Chinese Traditional; Regeneration; Stem Cells - cytology; Stem Cells - drug effects; Tissue Engineering; 中国医药; 中药; 代谢性疾病; 应用; 成体干细胞; 治疗药物; 组织再生; 骨髓间充质干细胞; circulating mesenchymal stem cells; hematopoietic stem cell; mesenchymal stem cell; traditional Chinese medicine; adult stem cell
• ISSN: 1672-0415; 1993-0402
• DOI: 10.1007/s11655-012-1293-3

It has been established in the recent several decades that adult stem cells play a crucial role in tissue renewal and regeneration. Adult stem cells locate in certain organs can differentiate into functional entities such as macrophages and bone cells. Hematopoietic stem cells （HSCs） and mesenchymal stem cells （MSCs） are two of the most important populations of adult stem cells. The application of these stem cells offers a new insight in treating various pathological conditions, through replenishing cells of specific functions by turning on or off the differentiating program within quiescent stem cell niches. Apart from that, they are also capable to travel through the circulation, migrate to injury sites and differentiate to enhance regeneration process. Recently, Chinese medicine （CM） has shown to be potential candidates to activate adult stem cells for tissue regeneration. This review summarizes our own, as well as others＇ findings concerning the use of Chineseherbal medicine in the regulation processes of adult stem cells differentiation and their movement in tissue repair and rejuvenation. A number of Chinese herbs are used as therapeutic agents and presumably preventive agents on metabolic disorders. In our opinion, the activation of adult stem cells self-regeneration not only provides a novel way to repair tissue damage, but also reduces the use of targeted drug that adversely altering the normal metabolism of human subjects.