4 Herbs Formula

4 Herbs Formula is a botanical drug candidate developed by the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) for the palliative treatment of bone metastases, particularly in patients with breast cancer. The formula is a specific combination of four traditional Chinese medicinal herbs: *Fructus Ligustri Lucidi* (Glossy Privet Fruit), *Fructus Psoraleae* (Psoralea Fruit), *Radix Astragali* (Astragalus Root), and *Radix Dipsaci* (Teasel Root). It is designed to be administered orally as an adjuvant to standard-of-care treatments, such as the bisphosphonate zoledronic acid (Zometa). The therapeutic goal is to reduce the frequency of skeletal-related events (SREs)—including pathological fractures, spinal cord compression, and the need for radiation or surgery to bone—and to improve the quality of life and survival of patients. Mechanistically, the formula is thought to inhibit osteoclast-mediated bone resorption and potentially exert direct anti-tumor effects within the bone microenvironment by modulating the RANKL/OPG signaling pathway.

Other names

CUHK 4-herb formulaCUHK4-herb formulaCUHK-4-herb formulaSpecial 4 Herbs FormulaSpecial4 Herbs FormulaSpecial-4 Herbs Formula