Application of curcumin and indirubin in treatment of cancer: A tumour stem cell targeting-based molecular and animal experimental study

Our idea or main goal of our present project is to extensively study different combinations of the effective ingredients/extract from selected TCM herbs or medical plants in our cell culture system, based on the principles of both western medicine and TCM, so as to explore new tumour remedy targeting tumour stem cells. Till now, we have chosen the following effective ingredients or medical plant, based on the fact that either the ingredient has been well documented to exert anticancer effect in vitro and in vivo (indirubin), or it is well-known edible herb/ medical plant with definite anticancer roles both proved in tradition and documented in laboratory work. We have already found in our molecular study that indirubin specifically inhibits FGFR, which may provide new modality targeting tumour stem cells since FGF/FGFR signaling is an important issue for tumour stem cells (Zhen et al, Oncogene, Inpress).