What are the traditional Chinese medicines for anti-tumor purposes?
Jun 30, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Qi Zhirong
Introduction
Under normal circumstances, anti-tumor traditional Chinese medicines refer to plant-based drugs or their extracts that possess certain pharmacological effects and can be used for the prevention and treatment of tumors. Commonly used anti-tumor herbs include Hedyotis diffusa (White-flowered snake tongue grass), Scutellaria barbata (Half-branch lotus), Coptis chinensis (Chinese goldthread), and Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi mushroom). If discomfort symptoms occur, it is recommended to seek timely medical consultation at a hospital and follow standardized treatment under the guidance of a physician.
Generally speaking, anti-tumor Chinese herbs refer to plant-based medicines or their extracts that possess certain pharmacological effects and can be used for the prevention and treatment of tumors. Common anti-tumor Chinese herbs include Hedyotis diffusa (Bai Hua She She Cao), Scutellaria barbata (Ban Zhi Lian), Coptis chinensis (Huang Lian), Astragalus membranaceus (Huang Qi), and Ganoderma lucidum (Ling Zhi). If discomfort occurs, it is recommended to seek timely medical attention at a hospital and undergo standardized treatment under the guidance of a physician. Detailed explanations are as follows:
1. Hedyotis diffusa (Bai Hua She She Cao)
Hedyotis diffusa has functions of clearing heat, detoxifying, reducing inflammation, dispersing nodules, promoting diuresis, and removing dampness. It is especially effective for treating various types of inflammation and possesses anti-tumor properties while enhancing immunity.
2. Scutellaria barbata (Ban Zhi Lian)
Scutellaria barbata has multiple effects, including clearing heat, detoxifying, resolving blood stasis, and promoting diuresis. It can be used to treat conditions such as abscesses, sore throat, and traumatic injuries, and has certain anti-tumor effects.
3. Coptis chinensis (Huang Lian)
Coptis chinensis clears heat, dries dampness, purges fire, and detoxifies. Its main active component is berberine, which can inhibit tumor cell proliferation signaling pathways, induce apoptosis of gastric cancer cells, and regulate intestinal flora to improve the tumor microenvironment.
4. Astragalus membranaceus (Huang Qi)
Astragalus membranaceus contains active ingredients such as astragalus polysaccharides and saponins, which can enhance immune function—for example, by promoting the activity of T lymphocytes and natural killer cells—thereby indirectly inhibiting tumor growth. It also helps alleviate side effects caused by radiotherapy and chemotherapy, such as myelosuppression and fatigue.
5. Ganoderma lucidum (Ling Zhi)
Ganoderma lucidum replenishes vital energy, calms the mind, relieves coughing, and alleviates asthma. Its active components, ganoderic triterpenes and ganoderma polysaccharides, can regulate immune surveillance function, inhibit tumor angiogenesis, and exert anti-tumor effects by inducing tumor cell cycle arrest.
Before taking any Chinese herbal medicine, please consult a qualified professional TCM practitioner or oncologist to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the treatment. Additionally, Chinese herbs mainly play roles in prevention and adjunctive therapy in cancer treatment. Once a diagnosis is confirmed, Western medical treatment should remain the primary approach.
