Methods and compositions for treating non-small cell lung cancer

Abstract

The present invention is directed to therapeutic methods and compositions for treating non-small cell lung cancer in a subject comprising administering an effective amount of an extract or powder of a herbal mixture, optionally with an anti-cancer agent to said subject. The herbal mixture comprises a component of at least one species from each of the genus Astragalus, Cimicifuga foetida rhizoma, Ophiopogon radix, Atractylodes lancea rhizoma, Panax ginseng-Red, Atractylodes rhizoma-White, Massa medicata fermentata, Citrus reticulata-Viride, Citrus reticulata, Glycyrrhiza radix, Schisandra fructus, Angelica sinensis radix, Phellodendron cortex, Alisma rhizoma, Pueraria radix, Ziziphus fructus-Red, and Zingiber officinale radix.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for treating non-small cell lung cancer in a subject, comprising the step of administering to the subject a herbal mixture, said herbal mixture comprises at least 15 ingredients selected from the group consisting of  Astragalus radix, Cimicifuga foetida rhizoma, Ophiopogon radix, Atractylodes lancea rhizoma, Panax ginseng -Red,  Atractylodes rhizoma -White,  Massa medicata fermentata, Citrus reticulata - Viride, Citrus reticulata, Glycyrrhiza radix, Schisandra fructus, Angelica sinensis radix, Phellodendron cortex, Alisma rhizoma, Pueraria radix, Ziziphus fructus -Red, and  Zingiber officinale radix.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising an anti-cancer agent. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the anti-cancer agent is cytotoxic agent, targeted therapy or immunotherapy. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the cytotoxic agent is a microtubule stabilizer or a platinum-based chemotherapy. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the platinum-based chemotherapy is selected from the group consisting of cisplatin, carboplatinnedaplatin, oxaliplatin, heptaplatin, lobaplatin, satraplatin, cis-aminedichloro(2-methyl-pyridine)platinum or (trans, trans, trans)-bis-mu-(hexane-1,6-diamine)-mu-[diamine-platinum(II)]bis[diamine-(chloro)platinum(II)]-tetrachloride. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the microtubule stabilizer is docetaxel paclitaxel, taxotere or combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the targeted therapy is an agent that interfere with receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the agent that interfere with RTKs is selected from the group consisting of afatinib, erlotinib, osimertinib, AZD3759 (4-(3-chloro-2-fluoroanilino)-7-methoxyquinazolin-6-yl] (2R)-2,4-dimethylpiperazine-1-carboxylate), gefitinib, canertinib, lapatinib, cetuximab, matuzumab, zalutumumab, panitumumab and sorafenib. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the anti-cancer agent is selected from the group consisting of tirapazimine, sertenef, cachectin, ifosfamide, tasonermin, lonidamine, carboplatin, altretamine, prednimustine, dibromodulcitol, ranimustine, fotemustine, nedaplatin, oxaliplatin, temozolomide, heptaplatin, estramustine, improsulfan tosilate, trofosfamide, nimustine, dibrospidium chloride, pumitepa, lobaplatin, satraplatin, profiromycin, cisplatin, irofulven, dexifosfamide, cis-aminedichloro(2-methyl-pyridine)platinum, benzylguanine, glufosfamide, GPX100, (trans, trans, trans)-bis-mu-(hexane-1,6-diamine)-mu-[diamine-platinum(II)]bis[diamine-(chloro)platinum(II)]-tetrachloride, diarizidinylspermine, arsenic trioxide, 1-(11-dodecylamino-10-hydroxyundecyl)-3,7-dimethylxanthine, zorubicin, idarubicin, daunorubicin, bisantrene, mitoxantrone, pirarubicin, pinafide, valrubicin, amrubicin, antineoplaston, 3′-deamino-3′-morpholino-13-deoxo-10-hydroxycaminomycin, annamycin, galarubicin, elinafide, MEN10755, 4-demethoxy-3-deamino-3-aziridinyl-4-methylsulphonyl-daunorubicin, monoclonal antibody targeted therapeutic agent, cancer vaccine and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the anti-cancer agent is cisplatin, docetaxel or gefitinib. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said non-small cell lung cancer is adenocarcinomas, squamous cell carcinomas or large cell carcinomas 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said method decreases non-small cell lung cancer tumor growth rate, tumor size or tumor volume. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the herbal mixture comprises the following ingredients:  Astragalus radix, Cimicifuga foetida rhizoma, Ophiopogon radix, Atractylodes lancea rhizoma, Panax ginseng -Red,  Atractylodes rhizoma -White,  Massa medicata fermentata, Citrus Reticulata - Viride, Citrus reticulata, Glycyrrhiza radix, Schisandra fructus, Angelica sinensis radix, Phellodendron cortex, Alisma rhizoma, Pueraria radix, Ziziphus fructus -Red, and  Zingiber officinale radix.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the herbal mixture and the anti-cancer agent are administered separately, simultaneously or sequentially. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the herbal mixture is to be administered orally or parenterally.