Xi Shu - Camptotheca aruminata

Professional Data
 Pin Yin
Xi Shu
 
 Latin
Camptotheca
 Introduction Back to Top
Camptotheca is the root, fruit, bark, stem and leaf of Camptotheca aruminata Decne (Fam. Davidiaceae).
 Western medical Back to Top
xi shu is used to treat various cancers, leukemia and psoriasis, etc..
 Eastern medical Back to Top
  • Pattern: Breaks Blood, resolves stagnated Blood, treats cancer and disperses lumps.
  • Properties: Bitter, cold. Toxic.
  • Channels entered: Liver.
 Chemical constituents Back to Top
xi shu contains camptothecine, 10-hydroxycamptothecine, methoxycamptothe-cine, deoxycamptothecine, venoterpine, betulic acid and vincoside-lactam, etc..
 Pharmacological actions Back to Top
Anti-tumor effect

Intraperitoneal injection of camptothecine at the dosage of 10~12.5mg/kg to mice had significant inhibitory effect on L515, S180 and EAC; it's also effective on P388 and L1210. 10-hydroxycampothecine had a stronger anti-cancer activity and lower toxicity than camptothecine. Intraperitoneal injection of 10-hydroxycampothecine at the dosage of 1~2mg/kg for 10 consecutive days could obviously prolong the survival time in EAC, HepA, ARS and YAS in rats.

Influence over hematopiesis system

Hydroxycamptothecine at 4mg/kg, once daily for 6 times could lower WBC and increase RBC and Hb.

 Clinical Studies Back to Top
Cancers

Camptothecine Injection 5mg/2ml, for intravenous injection, 5~10mg daily, 140mg as a course of treatment. 951 cases of cancers were treated with this method. Results: Among 435 cases of stomach cancer, 70 were markedly effective, 195 effective and 170 effective; among 47 cases of intestinal cancer, 5 markedly effective, 18 effective and 24 ineffective; among 40 cases of leukemia, 5 markedly effective, 18 effective and 7 ineffective. Hydroxycamptothecine was used to treat 200 cases of tumors of stmach, liver and and neck, and leukemia, the total effective rate was 44%.

Psoriasis

Ethanol extract of xi shu was used to treat psoriasis together with other western drugs. Among treated 52 cases, 42 were clinically cured and 10 improved.

 
 References Back to Top

Except those noted, all references come from Weng Weiliang, et al., Clinical Chinese materia medica, Henan Science & Technology Press, 1998