An experimental drug based on Chinese herbal medicine can ease diarrhea, fatigue and nausea caused by chemo or radiation therapy Patients experienced fewer side effects when taking YIV-906 YIV-906 is based on an 1,800-year-old treatment TUESDAY, Aug. 12, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- An experimental drug based on ancient Chinese herbal medicine can help ease the toxic side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy in cancer patients, the results of a small new trial results suggest. A small group of 24 patients experienced fewer GI side effects from their treatment for rectal cancer after they took YIV-906, researchers reported recently in the Journal of Gastrointestinal Oncology .
YIV-906 is based on an 1,800-year-old treatment for stomach ailments that combined licorice, dates, peonies and skullcap, researchers said. “This study is the first demonstration of YIV-906’s effectiveness in reducing GI toxicity caused by chemotherapy and radiation, showing the medicine’s potential of improving the patient’s quality of life while increasing treatment effectiveness,” said co-researcher Yung-Chi Cheng , a professor of pharmacology at Yale School of Medicine who helped develop the drug. For the four-year, phase 2 study, the patients were given capsules of YIV-906 along with chemo and radiation prior to surgery.
At the time of surgery, about 17% of patients had a complete or near-complete response to their cancer treatment, while the overall survival rate at five years was 82.