Medline Abstracts on herbs

[Guest guest]

1: Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2004;1:CD002286. Feverfew for preventing

migraine. Pittler M, Ernst E. Department of Complementary Medicine,

Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter and Plymouth, 25 Victoria

Park Road, Exeter, Devon, UK, EX2 4NT. BACKGROUND: Feverfew

(Tanacetum parthenium L.) extract is a herbal remedy used for preventing

attacks of migraine. OBJECTIVES: To systematically review the evidence from

double-blind randomised controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the clinical efficacy

and safety of feverfew versus placebo for preventing migraine. SEARCH

STRATEGY: Publications describing (or which might describe) double-blind

RCTs of feverfew extract for migraine were sought through the Cochrane Central

Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library, Issue 2, 2003);

PREMEDLINE/MEDLINE (1966 to July 2003); EMBASE (1974 to July 2003);

the trials register of the Cochrane Pain, Palliative and Supportive care group

(July 2003); and AMED (1985 to July 2003). Manufacturers of feverfew were

contacted and the bibliographies of identified articles checked for further

trials.

SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind trials

assessing the efficacy of feverfew for preventing migraine were included. Trials

using clinical outcome measures were included. Trials focusing exclusively on

physiological parameters were excluded. There were no restrictions regarding

the language of publication. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Data on

patients, interventions, methods, outcome measures, results and adverse

events were extracted systematically. Methodological quality was evaluated

using the scoring system developed by Jadad and colleagues. Two reviewers

independently selected studies, assessed methodological quality and extracted

data. Disagreements concerning evaluation of individual trials were resolved

through discussion. MAIN RESULTS: Five trials (343 patients) met the

inclusion criteria. Results from these trials were mixed and did not

convincingly

establish that feverfew is efficacious for preventing migraine. Only mild and

transient adverse events were reported in the included trials. REVIEWER'S

CONCLUSIONS: There is insufficient evidence from randomised, double-blind

trials to suggest an effect of feverfew over and above placebo for preventing

migraine. It appears from the data reviewed that feverfew presents no major

safety problems. PMID: 14973986 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

 

2: Phytomedicine. 2004 Jan;11(1):5-10. The effects of a herbal medicine

(Mao-to) in patients with chronic hepatitis C after injection of IFN-beta.

Kainuma M, Sakai S, Sekiya N, Mantani N, Ogata N, Shimada Y, Terasawa K.

Department of Japanese Oriental Medicine, Toyama Medical and

Pharmaceutical University, Sugitani, Japan. Kainuma

We found that a herbal medicine (Mao-to) relieves the side effects of interferon

(IFN)-beta and the combination therapy improves the biochemical response

rate. However, the exact mechanism by which Mao-to is effective remains to be

established. We conducted a controlled trial to clarify the effects of Mao-to.

The

study was carried out in 18 patients with chronic hepatitis C, and we examined

subjective symptoms, body temperature and cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-

beta, IL-1receptor antagonist (ra), IL-6 and TNF-alpha. Each patient received 6

million units of IFN-beta intravenously. Mao-to was given orally just before,

just

after, and 1 hour after IFN administration. The control study was carried out 6

months after the combination therapy of Mao-to and IFN-beta. The scores for

general malaise, arthralgia and discomfort were significantly lower in the

combination group than in control group. Body temperature did not significantly

differ between the two groups. Plasma IL-6 level and IL-1ra were significantly

elevated in the combination group compared to control (P = 0.0057 and 0.0003,

respectively). Mao-to did not affect plasma concentrations of IL-1beta and TNF-

alpha. We considered the increment of IL-1ra caused by Mao-to is to be one of

the key factors involved in reducing the flu-like symptoms accompanying IFN-

beta and improving the biochemical response rate. PMID: 14971716 [PubMed -

in process]

 

3: Psychol Med. 2004 Jan;34(1):51-61. Randomized controlled trial of

Siberian ginseng for chronic fatigue. Hartz AJ, Bentler S, Noyes R, Hoehns J,

Logemann C, Sinift S, Butani Y, Wang W, Brake K, Ernst M, Kautzman H.

University of Iowa, College of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine, Iowa

City 52242-1097, USA. BACKGROUND: Chronic fatigue greatly affects quality

of life and is a common reason for consulting a physician. Since conventional

therapy is often of limited help, fatigued patients may use herbal treatments.

This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of Siberian

ginseng.

METHOD: Subjects were recruited from advertisements in Iowa (82%) and

members of chronic fatigue syndrome support groups (18%). Potential subjects

were required to have substantial fatigue > or = 6 months with no identifiable

cause. The mean change in a fatigue measure was compared for placebo and

Siberian ginseng at 1 and 2 months. Comparisons were for all subjects and for

subjects with characteristics previously identified in the literature as

important

for categorizing chronic fatigue. RESULTS: Ninety-six subjects were

randomized to treatment groups, and 76 provided information at 2 months of

follow-up. Fatigue among subjects assigned to either placebo or Siberian

ginseng was substantially reduced during the study, but differences between

treatment groups were not statistically significant in the full sample. Fatigue

severity and duration had a statistically significant interaction with response

to

Siberian ginseng at the P < 0.05 level. Treatment was effective at 2 months for

45 subjects with less severe fatigue (P = 0.04 unadjusted for multiple

comparisons) and for 41 subjects with fatigue for > or = 5 years (P = 0.09

unadjusted for multiple comparisons). CONCLUSION: Overall efficacy was not

demonstrated. However, the findings of possible efficacy for patients with

moderate fatigue suggests that further research may be of value. PMID:

14971626 [PubMed - in process]

 

4: Hepatobiliary Pancreat Dis Int. 2004 Feb;3(1):99-101. Dynamical influence

of Cordyceps sinensis on the activity of hepatic insulinase of experimental

liver

cirrhosis. Zhang X, Liu YK, Shen W, Shen DM. Department of

Gastroenterology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing University of Medical

Sciences, Chongqing 400010, China. sunnyzhangx

BACKGROUND: Cordeceps sinensis (CS) is a herb which can inhibit the liver

fibrosis. Hyperinsulinemia is common in liver cirrhosis patients. The activity

of

insulin degrading enzyme could reflect the metabolism of insulin. This study

was to detect the dynamical effects and mechanisms of CS on the activity of

hepatic insulinase in CCl4 induced liver cirrhosis in rats. METHODS: Rats were

randomly allocated into three groups: normal group, model group and CS group.

The rats in the normal group were sacrificed at the beginning of experiment, and

the other two groups were sacrificed randomly at the end of the third, sixth and

ninth weeks. Blood and tissue specimens were taken. Biochemical assays

were used to determine the changes of alanine transaminase (ALT), albumin

levels in serum. And radioimmunological assays were used to determine the

changes of hyaluronic acid (HA), insulin levels in serum and the activity of

hepatic insulinase. RESULTS: No significant differences were seen in the

serum levels of ALT, albumin, HA between the CS group and the model group

at the third and sixth weeks (P>0.05). The serum levels of ALT, HA in the CS

group were lower than those in the model group at the ninth week (P<0.05), but

the serum level of albumin in the CS group was higher than that in the model

group at the ninth week (P<0.05). No significant differences were observed in

the serum levels of insulin and the activity of hepatic insulinase between the

CS

and model groups at the third week and the normal group (P>0.05). The serum

levels of insulin in the CS and model groups at the sixth and ninth weeks were

higher than those in the normal group (P<0.05). But the activity of hepatic

insulinase was lower than that in the normal group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). No

significant differences were found in the serum levels of insulin and the

activity

of hepatic insulinase between the CS and model groups at the third, sixth and

ninth weeks (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: CS may decrease the damage to

hepatocyte by CCl4, and inhibit hepatic fibrogenesis. Six weeks after CCl4

administration, the activity of hepatic insulinase began decreasing. CS could

not inhibit the decrease of the activity of hepatic insulinase. PMID: 14969848

[PubMed - in process]

 

5: Hepatobiliary Pancreat Dis Int. 2004 Feb;3(1):69-72. Efficacy of

intramuscular matrine in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B. Long Y, Lin XT,

Zeng KL, Zhang L. Department of Infectious Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of

Guangdong Medical College, Zhanjiang 524001, China. zjlongyao

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, a global public health

problem, is the leading cause of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)

worldwide. There are more than 350 million HBV carriers in the world and up to

one million die annually due to hepatitis B associated liver disease. So far no

optimal treatment is available for patients with chronic hepatitis B. In the

paper

we investigated the efficacy of intramuscular matrine in the treatment of

chronic

hepatitis B. METHODS: One hundred and twenty patients with chronic hepatitis

B were randomly divided into matrine treatment group (n=60) and control group

(n=60). The patients of the matrine group were given intramuscularly with

matrine (an alkaloid extracted from a traditional Chinese herb Radix Sophorae

Flavescentis by Guangzhou Ming Xing Pharmaceutical Factory, Guangzhou,

China) of 100 mg daily for 90 days in addition to conventional liver-protective

drugs including glucurone, inosine, compound vitamin B and caryophyllin. The

control group received conventional liver-protective drugs alone. Clinical

manifestations and laboratory parameters including liver biochemistry and

serum hepatitis B virus markers were monitored before and after treatment in

the two groups. RESULTS: Significant differences were seen between the two

groups in terms of improvement of clinical symptoms and signs, recovery of

liver functions, and serum conversion from hepatitis Be antigen to HBe antibody

and from positive to negative serum HBV DNA (P<0.05-0.01). The result of the

matrine group was more marked than that of the control group. Serious side-

effects were not observed except mild pain at the site of injection of matrine

in a

few patients. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that intramuscular matrine

may be an economical, efficacious, safe drug for the treatment of chronic

hepatitis B. PMID: 14969841 [PubMed - in process]

 

6: Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol. 2004 Feb 13 [Epub ahead of

print] Extracts from Rhois aromatica and Solidaginis virgaurea inhibit rat and

human bladder contraction. Borchert VE, Czyborra P, Fetscher C, Goepel M,

Michel MC. Medizinische Klinik, Universitatsklinikum Essen, Essen,

Germany. Since extracts from the plants Rhois aromatica and Solidaginis

virgaurea are being used in the phytotherapy of bladder dysfunction including

the overactive bladder syndrome, and since muscarinic receptors are the main

pharmacological target in the treatment of bladder dysfunction, we have

investigated whether these extracts can inhibit carbachol-induced, muscarinic

receptor-mediated contraction of rat and human bladder. In vitro contraction

experiments were performed with rat and human bladder strips. Radioligand

binding and inositol phosphate accumulation studies were done with cells

transfected with human M(2) or M(3) muscarinic receptors. Both extracts

concentration-dependently (final concentrations 0.01-0.1%) inhibited carbachol-

induced contraction of rat and human bladder with insurmountable antagonism.

Radioligand binding experiments and inositol phosphate accumulation studies

with cloned receptors demonstrated direct but non-competitive effects on

muscarinic receptors. Reductions of KCl-induced bladder contraction

demonstrated that inhibition by the higher extract concentrations also involved

receptor-independent effects. We conclude that extracts from Rhois aromatica

and Solidaginis virgaurea inhibit muscarinic receptor-mediated contraction of

rat

and human bladder. While this could contribute to the beneficial effects of

these

extracts in patients with bladder dysfunction, such therapeutic effects remain

to

be demonstrated in controlled clinical studies. PMID: 14963639 [PubMed - as

supplied by publisher]

 

Best regards,

 

Email: <

 

WORK : Teagasc Research Management, Sandymount Ave., Dublin 4, Ireland

Mobile: 353-; [in the Republic: 0]

 

HOME : 1 Esker Lawns, Lucan, Dublin, Ireland

Tel : 353-; [in the Republic: 0]

WWW : http://homepage.eircom.net/~progers/searchap.htm