Synergy in traditional Chinese medicine

Although the Lancet Oncology's call (November, 2015) 1 The Lancet OncologyRethinking traditional Chinese medicines for cancer. Lancet Oncol. 2015; 16: 1439 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (19) Google Scholar for more research into traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is applauded, I take issue with the paradigm that there would be “a single active component,” 1 The Lancet OncologyRethinking traditional Chinese medicines for cancer. Lancet Oncol. 2015; 16: 1439 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (19) Google Scholar the magic bullet that hits a specific target. Rethinking traditional Chinese medicines for cancerThis month, traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) have taken centre stage in the medical field: Tu Youyou, a Chinese researcher from the China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Beijing was jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for her discovery of the naturally based compound, artemisinin, a treatment for malaria. In addition, Sinohealth Intelligence recently estimated that China's market for herbal remedies for cancer increased by 35% to nearly US$2·7 billion last year. Full-Text PDF