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Breast cancer remains difficult to treat due to tumour diversity, the development of drug resistance, and the significant side effects associated with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery. Traditional Chinese medicine has attracted growing interest as a potential complementary approach, given its wide range of bioactive compounds and ability to act on multiple biological targets simultaneously.
Researchers conducted a systematic review following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, searching major databases including PubMed, Web of Science, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure for studies published between 2012 and 2025. They examined laboratory, preclinical, and clinical evidence for how traditional Chinese medicine compounds work against breast cancer and how they interact with standard treatments.
The review found that specific bioactive compounds — including Wogonin, Resveratrol, and Cryptotanshinone — can simultaneously interfere with several cancer-promoting signalling pathways, slowing tumour growth, promoting cancer cell death, and reducing the spread of cancer cells. Importantly, some compounds also appeared to reverse drug resistance by blocking proteins that cancer cells use to expel chemotherapy drugs. In clinical settings, traditional Chinese medicine formulations were reported to reduce treatment-related side effects such as bone marrow suppression, digestive problems, and heart toxicity, while improving patients’ overall wellbeing and tolerance of anticancer regimens. The concept of food-compatible herbs for long-term supportive care was also highlighted.
Conclusion: This systematic review suggests that traditional Chinese medicine offers a promising multi-target complement to conventional breast cancer therapies, though further rigorous clinical trials are needed to confirm these benefits in practice.
Source: Wang Y, Liu H, Dai S et al. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology (2026). View on PubMed (PMID 41905096) · doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2026.158090