THE molecular secrets of a traditional Chinese herbal treatment for
leukaemia have been unlocked by researchers in Europe.
Laurent Meijer of the Roscoff Biological Station in northwest France and his
colleagues examined Danggui Longhui Wan, a mixture of herbal medicines used to
treat chronic myelocytic leukaemia. The team found that the active compound in
the treatment鈥攁 red pigment called indirubin鈥攊nhibits enzymes needed
for cell proliferation (Nature Cell Biology, vol 1, p 60).
鈥淭here are many diseases that involve proliferation of cells,鈥� says Meijer.
Similar inhibitors might be developed to thwart the spread of unicellular
parasites without disrupting the molecular machinery of their hosts, he
suggests.
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