Recent herbal abstracts

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Sayyah, Mohammad; Moaied, Sohrab; Kamalinejad, Mohammad

Anticonvulsant activity of Heracleum persicum seed. Journal of

Ethnopharmacology VOLUME 98 NO 1-2 APR 8 05 PP 209-211

sayyah; Inst Pasteur Iran, Dept Physiol and Pharmacol,

Tehran, Iran. The anticonvulsant activity of acetone extract of the seeds

of Heracleum persicum (Umbelliferae) was examined against

pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) and maximal electroshock (MES)-induced

seizures in mice. The extract showed a dose-dependent protective

effect in both seizure models. However, the sedative dose of the extract,

examined by rotarod test, was close to the anticonvulsant doses.

Preliminary phytochemical analysis showed the presence of alkaloids,

terpenoids, triterpenes and steroids in the extract. The observed

pharmacological effects could be due to alkaloids, terpenoids and

triterpenes present in the plant. © 2005 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights

reserved.

 

Xu, G. L.; Yao, L.; Rao, S. Y; Gong, Z. N.; Zhang, S. Q.; Yu, S. Q.

Attenuation of acute lung injury in mice by oxymatrine is associated with

inhibition of phosphorylated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase.

Journal of Ethnopharmacology VOLUME 98 NO 1-2 APR 8 05 PP 177-

183 yushuqin; Nanjing Normal Univ, Coll Life Sci, Ctr New

Drug Res and Dev, Nanjing 210097, Peoples R China LANGUAGE-

English Oxymatrine is one of the alkaloids extracted from Chinese herb

Sophora japonica (Sophora flavescens Ait.) with activities of anti-

inflammation, inhibiting immune reaction , antivirus, protecting

hepatocytes and antihepatic fibrosis. However, the effect of oxymatrine

on acute lung injury (ALI) has not been known yet. In this study, the

effect of oxymatrine on ALI was investigated using an oleic acid-induced

ALI mouse model. Morphological findings showed that the oleic acid

group demonstrated a marked lung injury represented by prominent

atelectasis, intraalveolar and interstitial patchy hemorrhage, edema,

thickened alveolar septum, formation of hyaline membranes and the

existence of inflammatory cells in alveolar spaces. While in the

oxymatrine/dexamethasone group, these changes were less severe and

in the vicinity of the control group. Furthermore, pretreatment with

oxymatrine significantly alleviated oleic acid-induced lung injury

accompanied by reduction of lung index and wet-to-dry weight ratio,

decreases in serum TNF-alpha level and inhibition of phosphorylated

p38 MAPK. These findings suggest that oxymatrine has a beneficial

effect on acute lung injury induced by oleic acid in mice and may inhibit

the production of proinflammatory cytokine, TNF-alpha, by means of the

inhibition of p38 MAPK. © 2005 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

 

Oliveira, Francisco A.; Chaves, Mariana H.; Almeida, Fernanda R. C.;

Lima, Roberto C. P. Jr; Silva, Regilane M.; Maia, Juliana L.; Brito, Gerly

Anne A. C.; Santos, Flavia A.; Rao, Vietla Satyanarayana Protective

effect of alpha- and beta-amyrin, a triterpene mixture from Protium

heptaphyllum (Aubl.) March. trunk wood resin, against acetaminophen-

induced liver injury in mice. Journal of Ethnopharmacology VOLUME 98

NO 1-2 APR 8 05 PP 103-108. vietrao; Fed Univ Ceara, Dept

Physiol and Pharmacol, Rua Cel Nunes de Melo 1127,Porangabussu

Caixa Pos, BR-60430270 Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil. In the search of

hepatoprotective agents from natural sources, alpha- and P-amyrin, a

triterpene mixture isolated from the trunk wood resin of folk medicinal

plant, Protium heptaphyllum was tested against acetaminophen-induced

liver injury in mice. Liver injury was analysed by quantifying the serum

enzyme activities and by histopathological observations. In mice,

acetaminophen (500 mg/kg, p.o.) caused fulminant liver damage

characterized by centrilobular necrosis with inflammatory cell infiltration,

an increase in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate

aminotransferase (AST) activities, a decrease in hepatic glutathione

(GSH) and 50% mortality Pretreatment with alpha- and beta-amyrin (50

and 100 mg/kg, i.p. at 48, 24, and 2 h before acetaminophen)

attenuated the acetaminophen-induced acute increase in serum ALT

and AST activities, replenished the depleted hepatic GSH, and

considerably reduced the histopathological alterations in a manner

similar to N-acetylcysteine, a sulfhydryls donor. Also, the

acetaminophen-associated mortality was completely suppressed by

terpenoid pretreatment. Further, alpha- and beta-amyrin could

potentiate the pentobarbital (50mg/kg, i.p.) sleeping time, suggesting the

possible suppression of liver cytochrome-P450. These findings indicate

the hepatoprotective potential of alpha- and beta-amyrin against toxic

liver injury and suggest that the diminution in oxidative stress and toxic

metabolite formation as likely mechanisms involved in its

hepatoprotection. In conclusion, this study supports the traditional use of

Protium heptaphyllum, resin as a medicinal agent and suggests the

feasibility of developing herbal drugs for treatment of liver disorders. ©

2005 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

 

Chan, Wen-Hsiung Effect of resveratrol on high glucose-induced stress

in human leukemia K562 cells. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry

VOLUME 94 NO 6 APR 15 05 PP 1267-1279. whchan;

Chung Yuan Christian Univ, Dept Biosci Technol, Chungli 32023,

Taiwan. Hyperglycemia, a symptom of diabetes mellitus, induces

hyperosmotic responses, including apoptosis, in vascular endothelial

cells and leukocytes. Hyperosmotic shock elicits a stress response in

mammalian cells,often leading to apoptotic cell death In a previous

report, we showed that hyperosmotic shock induced apoptosis in

various mammalian cells. Importantly, apoptotic biochemical changes

(i.e., caspase-3 activation and DNA fragmentation) were blocked by

antioxidant pretreatment during hyperosmotic shock-induced cell death

In the present study, we report that resveratrol, a phytoalexin present in

grapes with known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties,

attenuates high glucose-induced apoptotic changes, including c-Jun N-

terminal kinase (JNK) activation and caspase-3 activation in human

leukemia K562 cells. Experiments with the cell permeable dye, 2,7'-

dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCF-DA), an indicator of reactive oxygen

species (ROS) generation, revealed that high glucose treatment directly

increased intracellular oxidative stress, which was attenuated by

resveratrol. In addition, high glucose-treated K562 cells displayed a

lower degree of attachment to collagen, the major component of vessel

wall subendothelium. in contrast, cells pretreated with resveratrol

followed by high glucose exhibited higher affinity for collagen. The

results of this report collectively imply the involvement of oxidative stress

in high glucose-induced apoptosis and alterations in attachment ability.

Moreover, resveratrol blocks these events by virtue of its antioxidant

property. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

 

Daniele, C; Thompson Coon, Joanna; Pittler, Max H.; Ernst, Edzard

Vitex agnnus castus - A systematic review of adverse events. Drug

Safety VOLUME 28 NO 4 05 PP 319-332. edzard.ernst;

Univ Exeter, Peninsula Med Sch, 25 Victoria Pk Rd, Exeter EX2 4NT,

Devon, UK. Vitex agnus castus L. (VAC) Verbenaceae is a deciduous

shrub that is native to Mediterranean Europe and Central Asia.

Traditionally, VAC fruit extract has been used in the treatment of many

female conditions, including menstrual disorders (amenorrhoea,

dysmenorrhoea), premenstrual syndrome (PMS), corpus luteum

insufficiency, hyperprolactinaemia, infertility, acne, menopause and

disrupted lactation. The German Commission E has approved the use

of VAC for irregularities of the menstrual cycle, premenstrual

disturbances and mastodynia. Clinical reviews are available for the

efficacy of VAC in PMS, cycle disorders, hyperprolactinaemia and

mastalgia, but so far no systematic review has been published on

adverse events or drug interactions associated with VAC. Therefore,

this review was conducted to evaluate all the available human safety

data of VAC monopreparations.Literature searches were conducted in

six electronic databases, in references lists of all identified papers and in

departmental files. Data from spontaneous reporting schemes of the

WHO and national drug safety bodies were also included. Twelve

manufacturers of VAC-containing preparations and five herbalist

organisations were contacted for additional information. No language

restrictions were imposed. Combination preparations including VAC or

homeopathic preparations of VAC were excluded. Data extraction of key

data from all articles reporting adverse events or interactions was

performed independently by at least two reviewers, regardless of study

design.Data from clinical trials, postmarketing surveillance studies,

surveys, spontaneous reporting schemes, manufacturers and herbalist

organisations indicate that the adverse events following VAC treatment

are mild and reversible. The most frequent adverse events are nausea,

headache, gastrointestinal disturbances, menstrual disorders, acne,

pruritus and erythematous rash. No drug interactions were reported.

Use of VAC should be avoided during pregnancy or lactation.

Theoretically, VAC might also interfere with dopaminergic

antagonists.Although further rigorous studies are needed to assess the

safety of VAC, the data available seem to indicate that VAC is a safe

herbal medicine.

 

Basini, Giuseppina; Bianco, Federico; Grasselli, Francesca.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate from green tea negatively affects swine

granulosa cell function. Domestic Animal Endocrinology VOLUME 28

NO 3 APR 05 PP 243-256. basini; Univ Parma, Dipartimento

Prod Anim Biotecnol Vet Qual and Sicur, Sez Fisiol Vet, I-43100 Parma,

Italy. The use of herbs as additives in livestock nutrition as an alternative

to antibiotics is becoming a new goal in animal production. It is known

that green tea exerts antimicrobial activity owing to specific flavonoid

compounds named catechins, primarily represented by

epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). Remarkably, despite many potential

benefits of green tea and EGCG consumption, it is also important to get

an insight on the possible reproductive-related consequences of feeding

supplementation. To this purpose, granulosa cells were harvested from

follicles > 5 mm and treated with 5 and 50 mu g/ml of EGCG in order to

evaluate the effects on the main parameters of granulosa cell function:

steroidogenesis, by measuring progesterone and estradiol-17 beta

production, and proliferation, one of the major feature of ovarian

follicular growth. Moreover, as the genesis of new vessels has been

demonstrated to be fundamental for follicle development, we evaluated

the effect of EGCG on the production of the main angiogenetic factor,

VEGF, by swine granulosa cells. Finally, since reactive oxygen species

(ROS) might be involved in the control of female reproductive activity,

we studied the effect of EGCG on superoxide anion (O-2(-)) and

hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production by swine granulosa cells and on

the activity of the scavenging enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD).

EGCG significantly (P < 0.05) inhibited proliferation, steroidogenesis,

VEGF and O-2(-) production by swine granulosa cells-, on the contrary,

H2O2 levels and SOD activity were stimulated (1) < 0.05) by the

catechin. Therefore, since our data demonstrate that EGCG has a

negative effect on reproductive performances in swine, feeding

supplementation should be carefully considered. © 2004 Elsevier Inc.

All rights reserved.

 

Protective effect of Shenfu injection on myocardial mitochondria injured

by ischemia-reperfusion in rabbits Cao Jun; Zheng Chuan-dong; Zhang

Guang-xin; Zhang You-jun; Min Su. Chinese Medical Journal

(English Edition) VOLUME 118 NO 6 MAR 20 05 PP 505-507.

minsu1960; Chongqing Univ Med Sci, Dept Anaesthesiol,

Affiliated Hosp 1, Chongqing 400016, Peoples R China The main

active components of Shenfu injection (SFI), an extract of traditional

Chinese herbs , are ginsenoside and higenamine. Ginsenoside can

improve ischemic myocardium metabolism, scavenge free radicals,

protect myocardial ultrastructure and reduce Ca2+ overload.

Higenamine can enhance heart contractility, improve coronary

circulation and decrease the effect of acute myocardial ischemia. SFI

was found to have had some cardiac protective effect during

cardiopulmonary bypass.(1,2) SFI was added into St. Thomas crystal

cardioplegic solution in this study to investigate the protective effect-of

SFI on ischemic-reperfused rabbit heart and to observe the influence on

mitochondrial oxygen free radical (OFR), Ca2+ and mitochondrial

ultrastructure.

 

Sadava, David; Winesburg, Jennifer Contaminants of PC-SPES are

not responsible for cytotoxicity in human small-cell lung carcinoma cells

Cancer Letters VOLUME 220 NO 2 APR 8 05 PP 171-175.

dsadava; Keck Sci Ctr, 925 N Mills Ave, Claremont,

CA 91711 USA PC-SPES is a mixture of herbs used in the treatment

of prostate cancer. Batches of this product were found to contain traces

of synthetic drugs, and the product was removed from the market. On

the basis of a correlation between contaminant levels and cytotoxicity in

prostate carcinoma cell lines, Sovak et al. M. Sovak, A. Seligson, M.

Konas, M. Hajduch, M. Dolezal, M. Machala, R. Nagourney, Herbal

composition PC-SPES for management of prostate cancer: identification

of active principles, J. Natl Cancer Inst. 94 (2002) 1275-1281 concluded

that the contaminants were responsible for cytotoxicity of this

preparation. Previously, we showed that extracts of PC-SPES are

cytotoxic and pro-apoptotic in both drug-sensitive (H69) and drug

resistant (H69V) human small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) cell lines.

Here, we investigated whether the contaminants might be responsible

for these effects In contrast to the data reported for prostate carcinoma

cells, extracts of batches of PC-SPES from the year 1998 (reportedly

contaminated) and 2001 (much less contaminated) were equally

cytotoxic in both SCLC cell lines. Tests of individual contaminants gave

IC50 values far in excess of the amounts reported to be present in the

IC50 level for the PC-SPES extracts: diethlystilbesterol: actual IC50 in

H69 cells, > 1000 M; concentration present in herbal extract at IC50,

0.05-0.2 mu M; indomethacin: actual IC50 in H69 cells, 800 mu M;

concentration in herbal extract, 1.5-20 mu M; warfarin: actual IC50 in

H69 cells, 950 mu M; concentration in herbal extract, 0.57-0.93 mu M.

Adding the calculated maximum concentration of the contaminants,

singly or in combination, to extracts of the less contaminated batch

(2001) of PC-SPES did not alter the cytotoxicity of the extract in H69 or

H69V cells. At the contaminated concentrations, as well as 5 X those

concentrations, none of the contaminants was pro-apoptotic, as

indicated by a DNA fragmentation kinetics assay. However, extracts of

both early and late batches of PC-SPES were pro-apoptotic in SCLC

cells. We conclude that the traces of pharmaceuticals found in PC-

SPES were not responsible for its cytotoxic and pro-apoptotic activities

of this herbal mixture on SCLC cells. © 2004 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All

rights reserved.

 

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