Chinese drugs

The Ancient Chinese Classical Formulas, released by the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, selects the classic prescriptions from more than 100,000 prescriptions contained in more than 100 representative ancient medical books. Experts said that the classic prescription derived from ancient books, with thousands of years of human experience, is widely used in common diseases, frequented diseases, chronic diseases and other fields, and its development and utilization can fill the gap in medical drugs for some diseases in China, and effectively alleviate the increasingly severe medical needs brought by a series of social problems such as aging and chronic diseases in China. MCE has collected and sorted out these monomer compounds from the sources of ancient Chinese classical formulas, including licorice, ginseng, pinellia and other traditional Chinese medicine sources, which help to provide new ideas and new strategies for modern drug development.

MCE ancient Chinese classical formulas traditional Chinese medicine active compound library has 1,978 traditional Chinese medicine monomer compound, which can be used in the research fields of new drug development and drug target identification.

Traditional Chinese medicine provides abundant natural resources for medicinal compounds, which are often considered effective and safe for drug discovery. Traditional Chinese medicine is based on the principle of "multiple components, multiple targets, and multiple pathways", and naturally has multiple pharmacological effects. As herbal medicine, the secondary plant metabolites in Chinese herbal medicine play an important role in alleviating many diseases in Traditional medicine and folk use. Therefore, the identification of traditional Chinese medicine derived compounds is also an important process in drug development and a necessary factor in dissecting the overall mechanism of action of traditional Chinese medicine. FDA listed compounds have completed extensive preclinical and clinical studies, exhibiting good biological activity, safety, and bioavailability.

MCE designs a unique collection of 308 FDA/EMA/NMPA/PMDA etc-approved traditional Chinese medicine active compounds, including flavonoids, polyphenols, alkaloids, terpenoids, and other structural types. It is a good tool for drug reuse and screening drugs from traditional Chinese medicine sources.

Chinese herbal therapy is an important part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It has been used for centuries in China, where herbs are considered fundamental therapy for many acute and chronic conditions. Many studies indicated TCM exerted an overall regulatory effect via multi-component and multi-target network. Active components from Traditional Chinese Medicine possess many medicinal properties such as antioxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-bacterial effects, which makes it an important source of new drugs. Nearly 200 modern medicines have been developed either directly or indirectly from the plants used as medicines in China. For example, artemisinin, used in multidrug resistant malaria, was first isolated from the Chinese herb Artemisia annua L. Today, scientists continue to identify compounds in Chinese herbal remedies that may be useful in the development of new therapeutic agents applicable in Western medicine.

MCE designs a unique collection of 3,248 active compounds of Chinese Herbal Medicines. MCE Traditional Chinese Medicine Active Compound Library is a useful tool for discovery new drugs from TCM.

Increasing research have shown that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) possess antiviral activities against various viral strains, such as herpes simplex virus, influenza virus, hepatitis B and C viruses, and SARS-CoV. To date, dozens of Chinese herbs and hundreds of natural TCM ingredients have been reported to exhibit good antiviral activities. Active components from TCM are one of the important sources for antiviral drugs discovery.

MCE designs a unique collection of 235 active compounds of antiviral Chinese Herbal Medicines. MCE Antiviral Traditional Chinese Medicine Active Compound Library is a useful tool for discovery antiviral drugs from TCM.

Antitussive and antiasthmatic method is a type of treatment strategy in traditional Chinese medicine, mainly used to alleviate symptoms such as coughing and asthma. These symptoms may be caused by various factors, such as: Bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthmatic bronchitis, cough-induced asthma, and others. Based on existing research in traditional Chinese medicine, many types of Chinese medicinal herbs showed antitussive and antiasthmatic effects. For example: Ardisiae Japonicae Herba, Ginkgo Semen, Amygdalus Communis Vas, Farfarae Flos, Viticis Cannabifoliae Fructus, Eriobotryae Folium etc. Therefore, the active ingredients derived from these traditional Chinese medicine have high medicinal value and have the potential to be developed into drugs for related diseases.

MCE can provide 861 active ingredients that can be obtained from traditional Chinese medicine with antitussive and antiasthmatic functions, which can be applied to drug development and research on disease mechanisms.

Inflammation promotes physiological and pathological processes by the activation of the immune system, local vascular system, and various cells within the damaged tissue. Accumulating epidemiological and clinical evidence shows that chronic inflammation is causally linked to various human diseases, including cerebrovascular, cardiovascular, joint, cutaneous, pulmonary, blood, liver, and intestinal diseases as well as diabetes.

Various natural products from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) have been shown to safely suppress proinflammatory pathways and control inflammation-associated disease. MCE designs a unique collection of 1,535 Traditional Chinese Medicine active compounds with anti-inflammatory activity, which are derived from Coptis chinensis, Radix isatidis, Flos Lonicerae, Forsythia suspensa, etc. MCE Anti-inflammatory Traditional Chinese Medicine Active Compound Library is a useful tool for discovery anti-inflammatory drugs from TCM.

From target identification to clinical research, traditional drug discovery and development is a time-consuming and costly process, which also bears high risk. Compared with traditional drug discovery, drug repositioning or repurposing, also known as old drugs for new uses can greatly shorten the development cycle and reduce development cost, which has become a new trend of drug development. After undergoing clinical trials, approved drugs have identified bioactivities, good pharmacokinetic characteristics and safety, which can greatly improve the success rate of drug discovery. A number of successes have been achieved, such as metformin for type 2 diabetes and thalidomide for leprosy and multiple myeloma, etc.

MCE provides a unique collection of 1,499 China NMPA (National Medical Products Administration) approved compounds, which have undergone extensive preclinical and clinical studies and have well-characterized bioactivities, safety and bioavailability properties. MCE NMPA-Approved Drug Library is a good tool for drug repurposing which could dramatically accelerate drug development.

From the discovery of traditional Chinese medicine to modern antibiotics, natural products have played an important role in the drug development process. A review of all FDA-approved drugs shows that natural products and natural product-like compounds account for more than one-third of all approved drugs. Nearly half of that came from mammals, a quarter from microbes, and a quarter from plants. Over time, the proportion of microbial natural products and natural product derivatives in approved drugs has increased. Natural products have natural advantages in drug development and can be used as lead compounds in drug discovery for drug identification and mechanism research.

MCE provides a unique collection of 5,019 natural compounds and natural product-like compounds that contain saccharides and glycosides, phenylpropanoids, quinones, flavonoids, terpenoids and glycosides, steroids, alkaloid, phenols, acids and aldehydes. Natural product and natural product-like compounds library is a useful tool for drug discovery that can be used for high-throughput screening (HTS) and high-content screening (HCS).

Tonifying traditional Chinese medicines occupy a central position in the traditional medical system, with their core value lying in the regulation of the body's functional state. Modern pharmacological studies have confirmed that these medicinal materials and their monomeric components possess multiple biological activities, including bidirectional immune regulation, anti-aging and lifespan extension, neuroprotection and cognitive enhancement, as well as hematopoietic and metabolic regulation. According to the traditional Chinese medicine theory of “strengthening the body’s resistance and consolidating the foundation”, tonifying medicines are mainly classified into four major categories: Qi-tonifying, Blood-tonifying, Yin-tonifying, and Yang-tonifying. This compound library strictly follows this classification system for compound collection.

Monomeric compounds derived from traditional Chinese medicines demonstrate excellent drug-like properties. They naturally possess structural diversity and clearly defined pharmacological activities, which help improve screening success rates and make them ideal tools for studying multi-target synergistic effects. This library contains 1,036 compounds, providing a material basis for investigating synergistic interactions among compounds (network pharmacology) and facilitating the development of multi-target therapeutic strategies for complex diseases such as cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, and metabolic syndrome.

Heat-clearing and detoxification is a specific treatment method in the research of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which is clinically used to treat infectious diseases with remarkable effect. Over the past decades, the research of heat-clearing and detoxification treatment has been one of the most active fields of combining traditional Chinese and western medicines, and has made remarkable achievements. Nowadays, the application field of heat-clearing and detoxification traditional Chinese medicine is not only limited to antibacterial and antiviral, but also has made progress in the research fields of anti-inflammatory reaction, anti-endotoxin, anti-peroxidative damage, anti-inflammatory cytokines, enhancement of immune function, protection of cellular organelles, and maintenance of calcium homeostasis. In addition to this, clearing heat and removing toxins has also made significant research progress in non-infectious diseases, for example, in tumors, cardiovascular diseases, renal diseases, blood diseases, geriatrics, and diabetes, all of which have shown good curative effect.

MCE can supply 1,274 monomer component from more than a hundred sources of heat-clearing and detoxification TCM, which can be used in TCM studies, drug development and mechanism-based studies.

Diarrhea is a disease symptom, and the pathophysiologic basis of diarrhea is a disturbance in intestinal water and electrolyte balance, which may be due to increased secretion of osmotically active electrolytes (secretory diarrhea) or increased intake of osmotically active substances (osmotic diarrhea). Food poisoning, pathogenic bacterial infections, and intestinal-related diseases can all contribute to the development of diarrhea. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) considers diarrhea to be a symptom of an imbalance in the body's systems, particularly related to the functions of the spleen and stomach. Spleen qi deficiency, dampness-heat, liver and spleen disharmony are closely related to diarrhea. Many types of Chinese herbs regulate the function of diarrhea, such as: Dysosmae Verspiellis Rhixoma Et Radix, Ginkgo Semen, Forsythiae Fructus, and Campsis Flos.

MCE can provide 2,459 active monomers that can be obtained from TCM herbs with diarrhea-regulating functions, which can be applied to drug development and disease mechanism research.

Chinese Baijiu is one of the oldest alcoholic beverages in the world, with a history of over 2,000 years. It can be classified into 12 aroma types based on its fragrance and flavor characteristics. The specific flavor profile of Baijiu is determined by the composition and concentration of certain compounds. These trace compounds, present in low concentrations yet rich in esters, alcohols, acids, lactones, aldehydes, ketones, acetals, alkenes, and others, significantly influence the flavor of Baijiu. Additionally, some active components in Baijiu possess antioxidant properties, and moderate consumption may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, dementia, and insulin resistance. Therefore, studying the chemical composition of Baijiu is crucial for promoting its fermentation process and enhancing its flavor and quality.

MCE has compiled included 671 Chinese Baijiu components, which can be used for drug development, Baijiu fermentation, and research related to Baijiu flavor and aroma.

Mongolian medicine refers to drugs used for disease prevention and treatment under the guidance of Mongolian medical theory. Originating from the vast grasslands and desert regions of northern China, Mongolian medicine developed under specific natural conditions and a nomadic lifestyle, forming a unique theoretical system and treatment methods. It emphasizes the balance between the human body and the natural environment and has demonstrated distinct efficacy in treating digestive system diseases, rheumatism, skin diseases, and various chronic conditions. For example, Mongolian medicine often uses Chinese red date for palpitations and angina pectoris, sea buckthorn to relieve coughs, reduce phlegm, promote blood circulation, and remove blood stasis, and scabious to clear lung heat and treat liver heat diseases. The application of these characteristic Mongolian medicines embodies the profound wisdom of Mongolian medical practice.

With the advancement of modern technology, research on Mongolian medicine continues to deepen. Systematic studies on the chemical composition and pharmacological effects of Mongolian medicines can provide new ideas and methods for modern drug development.

MCE has collected 2,380 characteristic natural products derived from Mongolian medicines, with 400+ plant sources of Mongolian medicine.

Quinone compounds are a significant class of natural products featuring a conjugated quinone structure, widely distributed in plants, fungi, and microorganisms. Based on their core structures, they can be primarily categorized into benzoquinones, naphthoquinones, phenanthrenequinones, and anthraquinones, among others. This structural diversity endows quinone compounds with a broad spectrum of pharmacological activities, making them key components in traditional Chinese medicine (such as rhubarb, Lithospermum erythrorhizon, and Salvia miltiorrhiza). Modern research has confirmed that their activities encompass anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antiplatelet aggregation, and neuroprotective effects, among others, establishing them as an important source for drug development.

MCE designs a unique collection of 92 quinones that all come from natural products. MCE Quinones Library is a useful tool for drug discovery that can be used for high throughput screening (HTS) and high content screening (HCS).

Medicine Food Homology (MFH) means that some food themselves are medicines and there is no absolute boundary between them. MFH theory combines the function of food and medicine together scientifically and MFH materials can be used both for food and medicine. Besides nutritional value, MFH materials also have the functions in the prevention and treatment of disease and many other healthcare effects. Food as medicines has many benefits because of their safety while taking drugs will bring inevitable side effect to people. In order to ensure the safe use of functional food, National Health Commission of People's Republic of China made specific provisions on MFH items. More than 100 kinds of widely used MFH materials have been released.

Based on MFH items released by National Health Commission, PRC, MCE carefully designs a unique collection of 1,798 Medicine Food Homology Compounds with high safety that can be used for high throughput and high content screening for drug discovery.

On May 15, 2024, "Dimerization and antidepressant recognition at noradrenaline transporter" was published online by Nature. The research findings were an effort from Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences. This study unraveled the important neural system target - the noradrenaline transporter (NET), obtaining the binding modes of human NET homodimers with the natural substrate norepinephrine (NE) and six selective antidepressants. It laid an important theoretical foundation for understanding the physiological regulation mechanisms of NET and other monoamine transporters.

The Norepinephrine Transporter (NET) Compound Library is obtained by computer-aided virtual screening based on the HY-L901 compound library . The specific screening process includes molecular docking screening, key pharmacophore screening, and CNS-MPO screening, which can be used for new drug discovery targeting the noradrenaline transporter.

Since ancient times, promoting blood circulation for removing blood stasis (PBCRBS) has been one of the most popular research contents in the area of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and integrated medicine. Rhizoma, Persicae Semen, Carthami Flos, Curcumae Longae Rhizoma and so on are common TCM with PBCRBS characteristic. Studies have shown that the mechanism of action of PBCRBS TCM is to promote blood circulation (improving cardiovascular and cerebrovascular functions, physical and chemical properties of blood, platelet and coagulation system and other physiological functions) and remove blood stasis (anti-myocardial ischemia, cerebral ischemia, inhibition of platelet aggregation, anti-coagulation, anti-thrombosis, etc.). Not only that, PBCRBS TCM has anti-infection, inhibit inflammation, regulate immune function, inhibit immune response, inhibit abnormal tissue proliferation and other functions. Therefore, PBCRBS TCM has high research value in all- field disease research fields.

MCE can supply 996 monomer component from more than a hundred sources of PBCRBS TCM, which can be used in TCM studies, drug development and mechanism-based studies.