Medline Abstracts: Herbal Medicine

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Geraldine M, Herman DS, Venkatesh T. Lead poisoning as a result of

infertility treatment using herbal remedies. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2006

Sep 1; [Epub ahead of print] National Referral Centre for Lead

Poisoning in India (NRCLPI), Department of Biochemistry and

Biophysics, St. John's Medical College, St. John's National Academy of

Health Sciences, Koramangala, Bangalore, 560 034, Karnataka, India,

gere1. INTRODUCTION: Lead poisoning remains a

major problem in our society due to the lack of awareness of its ill

effects among the clinical community. The non-availability of blood lead

levels at primary health centers results in many lead-poisoned cases

being treated symptomatically, without the diagnosis being sought.

CASE REPORT: We report a case here, presenting with colicky

abdominal pain receiving symptomatic treatment initially; lead poisoning

was confirmed following the estimation of blood lead levels.

DISCUSSION: The consumption of unbranded herbal medicines as a

causative factor for lead poisoning was confirmed by high lead content

in the medicines. Surely, this demands public health programs to

disseminate strategies to the medical personnel about the clinical

implication of lead poisoning, as well as the general public for

awareness and to prevent lead poisoning. PMID: 16947057 [PubMed -

as supplied by publisher]

 

 

Liu CT, Chuang PT, Wu CY, Weng YM, Chen W, Tseng CY.

Antioxidative and In Vitro hepatoprotective activity of Bupleurum kaoi

leaf infusion. Phytother Res. 2006 Sep 4; [Epub ahead of print]

Institute of Food Science and Technology, National Taiwan University,

No.59, Lane 144, Sec. 4, Keelung Rd., Da-an District, Taipei City 106,

Taiwan (R.O.C.). The roots of Bupleurus spp. have been used in

traditional Chinese herbal medicine for curing liver diseases. Although

bioactive saikosaponins have been detected in the leaves as well as in

the roots, the aerial parts of the plants are discarded as waste. In the

present study, a leaf infusion of B. kaoi Liu, Chao et Chuang, an

indigenous Bupleurus species in Taiwan, was prepared and the

antioxidant properties and in vitro hepatoprotective activity were

demonstrated. The results show that the leaf infusion exerted DPPH

free radical scavenging activity, inhibitory capacity on superoxide anion

formation and superoxide anion scavenging activity. The hepatotoxicity

of acetaminophen (APAP) and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) on the rat

liver cells were also decreased by the leaf infusion. Copyright © 2006

John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. PMID: 16952220 [PubMed - as supplied by

publisher]

 

Nozaki K, Hikiami H, Goto H, Nakagawa T, Shibahara N, Shimada Y.

Keishibukuryogan (gui-zhi-fu-ling-wan), a kampo formula, decreases

disease activity and soluble vascular adhesion molecule-1 in patients

with rheumatoid arthritis. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2006

Sep;3(3):359-64. An increasing death rate due to cardiovascular

disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been reported.

Keishibukuryogan (KBG) is a traditional Chinese/Japanese (Kampo)

formula that has been administered to patients with blood stagnation,

e.g. thrombotic disease and atherosclerosis. The objective of this study

was to evaluate the efficacy of KBG on disease activity and endothelial

dysfunction in RA patients. Sixteen RA patients were enrolled and

administered KBG (12 g per day) for 12 weeks in addition to continuing

other drugs. The disease activity of RA was assessed by modified

disease activity scores for 28 joints (DAS(28)). Plasma levels of

adhesion molecules, soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin), soluble

intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and soluble vascular cell

adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) were evaluated. C-reactive protein

(CRP), inflammatory cytokines (IL-1beta, IL-6 and TNF-alpha) and lipid

peroxide (LPO) were also evaluated. Fourteen patients completed the

study. The disease activity of RA, tender joint count, swollen joint count

and DAS(28) decreased significantly. Among adhesion molecules, only

sVCAM-1 decreased significantly. LPO also decreased significantly,

whereas CRP and inflammatory cytokines remained unchanged. These

results suggest that KBG has insufficient anti-inflammatory or

immunomodulating effect but does have a beneficial effect on articular

symptoms and a protective effect against endothelial dysfunction in RA

patients. PMID: 16951720 [PubMed - in process]

 

Kim JY, Kim DY, Lee YS, Lee BK, Lee KH, Ro JY. DA-9601, Artemisia

Asiatica Herbal Extract, Ameliorates Airway Inflammation of Allergic

Asthma in Mice. Mol Cells. 2006 Aug 31;22(1):104-12. Department of

Pharmacology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon

440-746, Korea. We previously reported that DA-9601, ethanol herbal

extract of Artemisia asiatica, inhibited histamine and leukotriene

releases in guinea pig lung mast cells activated with specific

antigen/antibody reaction. This study aimed to evaluate the inhibitory

effect of DA-9601 on the OVA-induced airway inflammation in allergic

asthma mouse model. BALB/c mice were sensitized and challenged

with OVA. DA-9601 was administered orally 1 h before every local OVA-

challenge. OVA-specific serum IgE was measured by ELISA,

recruitment of inflammatory cells in BAL fluids and lung tissues by Diff-

Quik and H & E staining, respectively, the expressions of CD40, CD40L

and VCAM-1 by immunohistochemistry, goblet cell hyperplasia by PAS

staining, activities of MMPs by gelatin zymography, expressions of

mRNA and proteins of cytokines by RT-PCR and ELISA, activities of

MAP kinases by western blot, and activity of NF-kB by EMSA. DA-9601

reduced IgE level, recruitment of inflammatory cells into the BAL fluid

and lung tissues, expressions of CD40, CD40L and VCAM-1 molecules,

goblet cell hyperplasia, MMPs activity, expressions of mRNA and

productions of various cytokines, activities of MAP kinases and NK-kB

increased from OVA-challenged mice. These data suggest that DA-

9601 may be developed as a clinical therapeutic agent in allergic

diseases due to suppressing the airway allergic inflammation via

regulation of various cellular molecules expressed by MAP kinases/NF-

kB pathway. PMID: 16951557 [PubMed - in process]

 

Walker TB, Robergs RA. Does Rhodiola rosea possess ergogenic

properties? Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2006 Jun;16(3):305-15.

Exercise Physiology Laboratory, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

87131, USA. Rhodiola rosea is an herb purported to possess

adaptogenic and ergogenic properties and has recently been the

subject of increased interest The purpose of this article was to review

and summarize recent investigations of the potential performance-

enhancing properties of Rhodiola rosea. Such studies have generated

equivocal results. Several investigations conducted in Eastern Europe

have indicated that Rhodiola rosea ingestion may produce such positive

effects as improved cognitive function and reduced mental fatigue.

Other research from this region has illustrated enhanced endurance

exercise performance in both humans and rats. Studies conducted in

Western Europe and in North America have indicated that Rhodiola

rosea may possess substantial antioxidant properties but have

produced mixed results when attempting to demonstrate an ergogenic

effect during exercise in humans. PMID: 16948486 [PubMed - in

process]

 

 

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