DNA microarray technology and Traditional Chinese Medicines

Functional genomics, a new screening strategy and methodology, so called "genomic screening", aims at placing all of the genes in the genome within a functional framework. The advantage of this approach is that it takes a more holistic perspective and uses the information provided by the human genome sequences to measure how what we absorb interacts with our body, or more specifically our genes, proteins and metabolism. DNA microarrays have proven to be a powerful technique to analyze gene expression profiling. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formulas usually contain several major ingredients, each playing a unique role while working together synergistically, to achieve optimum therapeutic results. The DNA microarray technology can be used in combination with other conventional chemical and biological/clinical techniques to screen the target molecules of the action of Traditional Chinese Medicines, to identify the new effective components from Traditional Chinese Medicines, and to explore the mechanisms of the effects of Traditional Chinese Medicines. In this review, the use of DNA microarray technology to study Traditional Chinese Medicine will be introduced; additionally, the application of microarray-based expression profiling in unveiling the molecular modes and synergistic effects of principal ingredients in TCM will be discussed, hoping that this will facilitate the integration of Traditional Chinese Medicine within modern biological and medical sciences.