Mechanisms of anorexia cancer cachexia syndrome and potential benefits of traditional medicine and natural herbs.

Mechanisms of anorexia cancer cachexia syndrome and potential benefits of traditional medicine and natural herbs.
Curr Pharm Biotechnol. 2016 Oct 18;
Authors: Ming-Hua C, Bao-Hua Z, Lei Y
Abstract
Anorexia cancer cachexia syndrome is prevalent in advanced cancer patients, which is featured by anorexia, decreased dietary intake, body weight loss (skeletal muscle mass loss), and unable to be reversed by routine nutritional support therapy. Up to now, the main mechanisms involved in cancer cachexia include excessive systemic inflammation, which is represented by increased plasma levels of IL-1, IL-6, TNF-alpha, tumor-induced factors, such as PIF and LMF. These factors eventually act on orexigenic and anorexigenic neurons located in hypothalamus or protein and lipid metabolism of peripheral tissues, which lead to anorexia, decreased dietary intake, enhanced basic metabolism rate and hyper catabolism. The treatment modality includes early nutritional intervention, physical activity and drug treatment.However, studies about drugs used to treat cachexia are always controversial or merely effective in stimulating appetite and increasing body weight，though not lean body mass. The main target of pharmaceutical treatment is to improve appetite, decrease systemic inflammation and promote anabolic metabolism. Nevertheless, the treatment effectiveness of chemical drugs are not reaching consensus by existing cachexia guidelines. Complementary and...

Source: Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology - October 17, 2016 Category: Biotechnology Authors: Ming-Hua C, Bao-Hua Z, Lei Y Tags: Curr Pharm Biotechnol Source Type: research