Medline Herbal Abstracts

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Cheah YH, Azimahtol HL, Abdullah NR. Xanthorrhizol exhibits

antiproliferative activity on MCF-7 breast cancer cells via apoptosis

induction. Anticancer Res. 2006 Nov-Dec;26(6B):4527-34. Bioassay Unit,

Herbal Medicine Research Center, Institute for Medical Research, 50588

Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. yhcheah Xanthorrhizol

is a natural sesquiterpenoid compound isolated from Curcumae

xanthorrhizae Rz (Yinni Ezhu (Indonesian / Javanese Turmeric).

Xanthorrhizol was tested for a variety of important pharmacological activities

including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. An antiproliferation

assay using the MTT method indicated that xanthorrhizol inhibited the

proliferation of the human breast cancer cell line, MCF-7, with an EC50

value of 1.71 microg/ml. Three parameters including annexin-V binding

assay, Hoechst 33258 staining and accumulation of sub-G1 population in

DNA histogram confirmed the apoptosis induction in response to

xanthorrhizol treatment. Western-blotting revealed down-regulation of the

anti-apoptotic bcl-2 protein expression. However, xanthorrhizol did not affect

the expression of the pro-apoptotic protein, bax, at a concentration of 1

microg/ml, 2.5 microg/ml and 5 microg/ml. The level of p53 was greatly

increased, whilst PARP-1 was cleaved to 85 kDa subunits, following the

treatment with xanthorrhizol at a dose-dependent manner. These results,

thereby, suggest that xanthorrhizol has antiproliferative effects on MCF-7

cells by inducing apoptosis through the modulation of bcl-2, p53 and PARP-

1 protein levels. PMID: 17201174 [PubMed - in process]

 

Gagnier JJ, van Tulder MW, Berman B, Bombardier C. Herbal medicine for

low back pain: a Cochrane review. Spine. 2007 Jan 1;32(1):82-92. Institute

of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, U of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario,

Canada. j.gagnier STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review of

randomized controlled trials. OBJECTIVES: To determine the effectiveness

of herbal medicine compared with placebo, no intervention, or

" standard/accepted/conventional treatments " for nonspecific low back pain.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Low back pain is a common

condition and a substantial economic burden in industrialized societies. A

large proportion of patients with chronic low back pain use complementary

and alternative medicine (CAM) and/or visit CAM practitioners. Several

herbal medicines have been purported for use in low back pain. METHODS:

The following databases were searched: Medline (1966 to April 2003),

Embase (1980 to April 2003), Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (Issue 1,

2003), and Cochrane Complementary Medicine (CM) field Trials Register.

Additionally, reference lists in review articles, guidelines, and in the

retrieved

trials were checked. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), using adults (>18

years of age) suffering from acute, subacute, or chronic nonspecific low

back pain. Types of interventions included herbal medicines defined as a

plant that is used for medicinal purposes in any form. Primary outcome

measures were pain and function. Two reviewers (J.J.G. and M.W.T.)

conducted electronic searches in all databases. One reviewer (J.J.G.)

contacted content experts and acquired relevant citations. Authors, title,

subject headings, publication type, and abstract of the isolated studies were

downloaded or a hard copy was retrieved. Methodologic quality and clinical

relevance were assessed separately by two individuals (J.J.G. and M.W.T.).

Disagreements were resolved by consensus. RESULTS: Ten trials were

included in this review. Two high-quality trials utilizing Harpagophytum

procumbens (Devil's claw) found strong evidence for short-term

improvements in pain and rescue medication for daily doses standardized to

50 mg or 100 mg harpagoside with another high-quality trial demonstrating

relative equivalence to 12.5 mg per day of rofecoxib. Two moderate-quality

trials utilizing Salix alba (White willow bark) found moderate evidence for

short-term improvements in pain and rescue medication for daily doses

standardized to 120 mg or 240 mg salicin with an additional trial

demonstrating relative equivalence to 12.5 mg per day of rofecoxib. Three

low-quality trials using Capsicum frutescens (Cayenne) using various topical

preparations found moderate evidence for favorable results against placebo

and one trial found equivalence to a homeopathic ointment.

CONCLUSIONS: Harpagophytum procumbens, Salix alba, and Capsicum

frutescens seem to reduce pain more than placebo. Additional trials testing

these herbal medicines against standard treatments will clarify their

equivalence in terms of efficacy. The quality of reporting in these trials was

generally poor; thus, trialists should refer to the CONSORT statement in

reporting clinical trials of herbal medicines. PMID: 17202897 [PubMed - in

process]

 

Hong XZ, Li LD, Wu LM. Effects of fenofibrate and xuezhikang on high-fat

diet-induced non-alcoholic Fatty liver disease. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol.

2007 Jan-Feb;34(1-2):27-35. Institute of Chinese Herb Medicine, College of

Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang U, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, PR China. 1.

Fenofibrate and Xuezhikang (a cholestin extract from fermented red yeast

rice (Monascus purpureus)) are two types of drugs widely used in the

treatment of dyslipidaemia in China. The main purpose of present study was

to test the efficacies and explore the potential mechanisms of action of the

two lipid-lowering agents on high-fat diet-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver

disease (NAFLD). 2. Rats were randomly divided into four groups, with eight

rats per group. One group was given normal diet, whereas the other three

groups were fed a high-fat diet. Forty-two days later, two of the high-fat diet-

fed groups were administered fenofibrate (100 mg/kg, p.o.) and xuezhikang

(300 mg/kg, p.o.) for another 42 consecutive days. The other two groups

were administered placebo (saline) by gavage. 3. Typical pathological

symptoms of NAFLD occurred in the high-fat diet groups. Fenofibrate and

xuezhikang treatment markedly improved NAFLD, ameliorating

dyslipidaemia and fat accumulation in the liver, improving insulin resistance

and ameliorating oxidative stress. Hepatic steatosis, necro-inflammation

and collagen deposition were lessened in the drug-treated groups.

However, both xuezhikang and fenofibrate failed to reverse hepatomegaly

and fenofibrate even aggravated it. Xuezhikang reversed aminotransferase

abnormalities, but fenofibrate had less of an effect. 4. The common

therapeutic mechanism of action of fenofibate and xuezhikang likely

involves inhibition of the hepatic expression of tumour necrosis factor-alpha.

Fenofibrate upregulated mRNA levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated

receptor (PPAR) alpha in the liver, whereas xuezhikang had no effect on the

hepatic expression of PPARalpha and this may explain, in part, their

different effects on the NAFLD rats. 5. The results suggest that fenofibrate

and xuezhikang may have potential clinical application in the treatment of

NAFLD. However, the side-effects of fenofibrate and the underlying

constituents of xuezhikang need to be determined and investigated further.

PMID: 17201732 [PubMed - in process]

 

Hsu YC, Chiu YT, Cheng CC, Wu CF, Lin YL, Huang YT.Antifibrotic effects

of tetrandrine on hepatic stellate cells and rats with liver fibrosis J

Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2007 Jan;22(1):99-111. Institute of Traditional

Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming U, Taipei, Taiwan.

Background: Anti-inflammation strategies are one of the proposed

therapeutic approaches to liver fibrosis. Tetrandrine (C(38)H(42)O(8)N(2),

molecular weight: 622; Tet), an alkaloid isolated from the Chinese medicinal

herb Stephania tetrandra (Hanfangji, Fenfangji, Fangji), has been shown to

exert anti-inflammatory activity in pulmonary diseases. The purpose of the

present study was to investigate the in vitro and in vivo effects of Tet on

hepatic fibrosis. Methods: A cell line of rat hepatic stellate cells (HSC-T6)

was stimulated with transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) or tumor

necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). The inhibitory effects of Tet on the

nuclear factor kappaB (NFkappaB) signaling cascade and molecular

markers including intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and alpha-

smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) secretion were assessed. Fibrosis was

induced by dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) administration in rats for 4 weeks.

Fibrotic rats were randomly assigned to one of the four groups: vehicle

(0.7% carboxyl methyl cellulose, CMC), Tet (1 mg/kg), Tet (5 mg/kg), or

silymarin (50 mg/kg), each given by gavage twice daily for 3 weeks starting

after 1 week of DMN administration. At the end of the study, liver tissues

were scored for fibrosis and analyzed for molecular markers of fibrosis.

Results: Tetrandrine (0.5-5.0 micromol/L) concentration-dependently

inhibited NFkappaB transcriptional activity induced by TNF-alpha, including

IkappaBalpha phosphorylation and mRNA expressions of ICAM-1 in HSC-

T6 cells. In addition, Tet also inhibited TGF-beta1-induced alpha-SMA

secretion and collagen deposition in HSC-T6 cells. Fibrosis scores of livers

from DMN-treated rats with high-dose Tet (1.3 +/- 0.3) were significantly

reduced in comparison with DMN-treated rats receiving saline (2.0 +/- 0.2).

Hepatic collagen content of DMN rats was significantly reduced by either

Tet or silymarin treatment. Double-staining results showed that alpha-SMA-

and NFkappaB-positive cells were decreased in the fibrotic livers by Tet and

silymarin treatment. In addition, mRNA expression of ICAM-1, alpha-SMA,

and TGF-beta1 was attenuated by Tet treatment. Moreover, levels of

plasma aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase activities

were reduced by Tet and silymarin treatment. Conclusion: Tetrandrine

exerts antifibrotic effects in both HSC-T6 cells and in rats with DMN-induced

fibrosis. PMID: 17201889 [PubMed - in process]

 

Hur YG, Suh CH, Kim S, Won J. Rosmarinic Acid Induces Apoptosis of

Activated T Cells from Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients via Mitochondrial

Pathway. J Clin Immunol. 2006 Dec 29; [Epub ahead of print] Division of

Immune Regulation, Mogam Biotechnology Research Institute, Yongin City,

Gyounggi-do, South Korea. T cells play an important role in the initiation and

the progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and depletion of potentially

pathogenic T cells was suggested as an important therapeutic protocol. We

determined if rosmarinic acid (RosA), known as a secondary metabolite

from herbal plants, had apoptotic activity toward T cells from RA patients

and further verified target T-cell subsets. CD3(+)CD25(+) activated T-cell

subsets from most of the RA patients displayed significantly higher

apoptosis rates than did the PBMCs and total CD3(+) T cells. Furthermore,

activated and effector CD4(+) T cells, including CD4(+)CD25(+) and

CD4(+)CD45RO(+) T cells, had a tendency of being more susceptible to

RosA-induced apoptosis than that of resting and naive T-cell subsets. RosA

induced the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria and the blockage of

mitochondrial depolarization inhibited apoptosis. Taken together, these

results suggest that RosA induces apoptosis of activated T-cell subsets

from RA patients via a mitochondrial pathway. PMID: 17195044 [PubMed -

as supplied by publisher]

 

Kumi-Diaka JK, Hassanhi M, Merchant K, Horman V. Influence of genistein

isoflavone on matrix metalloproteinase-2 expression in prostate cancer

cells. J Med Food. 2006 Winter;9(4):491-7. Dept of Biological Sciences,

Schmidt College of Science, Florida Atlantic U at Davie, Davie, Florida. We

investigated the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 in human

LNCaP and PC3 prostate cancer cell lines in response to genistein

exposure. Initially we studied the phytosensitivity of the cells to genistein

(found in Dandouchi-Soybean and Gegen-Pueraria) using the 3-(4,5-

dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay to determine

percentage cell viability/inhibition and the terminal deoxynucleotidyl

transferase-mediated fluorescein-dUTP nick end-labeling apoptosis assay

to assess the type of cell death. The results revealed that genistein inhibited

growth and proliferation in both PC3 (hormone-dependent) and LNCaP

(hormone-independent) prostate cancer cell lines, that there was no

significant difference in sensitivity to genistein between PC3 and LNCaP

cells, and that the effect of genistein on the cells was dose- and time-

dependent. The results also revealed that inhibition of cell growth in both

PC3 and LNCaP cells was predominantly due to apoptotic cell death. These

results were consistent with data in previous studies. This was followed by

determination of the MMP-2 profile in response to genistein treatment. The

results indicated a significant dose- and time-dependent inhibition of MMP-2

expression levels in both cells, with a highly significant negative correlation

between MMP-2 levels and concentration of genistein. This is of

phytotherapeutic significance in view of the pivotal role of MMP-2

expression in the pathogenesis of prostate cancer. Increasing expression of

MMPs has been identified in many human cancers, including prostate

cancer. Our findings indicate that genistein could be a potent therapeutic

inhibitor of MMP-2 in line with current concepts of targeted treatment. PMID:

17201635 [PubMed - in process]

 

Lee SO, Kim SY, Han SM, Kim HM, Ham SS, Kang IJ. Corni fructus

scavenges hydroxy radicals and decreases oxidative stress in endothelial

cells. J Med Food. 2006 Winter;9(4):594-8. Hotel Cuisine, Korea Tourism

College, Icheon. Corni fructus (Shanzhuyu) is used as a tonic, analgesic,

and diuretic in Korean herbal medicine. The present investigation was

undertaken to evaluate the antioxidative effect of corni fructus and its

capacity to protect cells against oxidative damage. The radical scavenging

activity of corni fructus extracts was measured using 1,1-diphenyl-2-

picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and the antioxidant activity was determined by

measuring the peroxide value in a linoleic acid emulsion system. In addition,

human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were treated with corni

fructus extracts and incubated with H(2)O(2) to investigate protection

against apoptosis induction. Both ethanol and water extracts of corni fructus

produced higher DPPH radical scavenging activity than hexane, chloroform,

and ethyl acetate extracts. Strong antioxidative activities of both water and

ethanol extracts were observed in an emulsion system containing linoleic

acid and phosphate buffer. The incubation of HUVECs with the addition of

ethanol extract significantly decreased H(2)O(2)-initiated damage of

endothelial cells, but the water extract did not. The pretreatment with

ethanol extract, but not with water extract, significantly decreased apoptotic

damage of the H(2)O(2)-treated HUVECs and kept the morphological

normality. This study demonstrates that corni fructus is a potent antioxidant

substance, and suggests that further investigation is needed to characterize

the difference between extract types and to identify its antioxidant

compounds. PMID: 17201652 [PubMed - in process]

 

Li WY, Chiu LC, Lam WS, Wong WY, Chan YT, Ho YP, Wong EY, Wong

YS, Ooi VE. Ethyl acetate extract of Chinese medicinal herb Sarcandra

glabra induces growth inhibition on human leukemic HL-60 cells, associated

with cell cycle arrest and up-regulation of pro-apoptotic Bax/Bcl-2 ratio.

Oncol Rep. 2007 Feb;17(2):425-31. Dept of Biology, The Chinese U of

Hong Kong, Hong Kong, P.R. China. Sarcandra glabra (Caoshanhu) is a

Chinese medicinal herb with reported anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, anti-

viral and non-specific immunoenhancing properties. Although the plant has

been clinically used for treating a variety of diseases, its bioactive

ingredients are largely unknown and its mode of action has never been

investigated. In this study, the anti-tumor property of ethyl acetate (EA)

extract of S. glabra was investigated by determining its in vitro growth-

inhibitory effects on a panel of human cancer cell lines of different

histotypes. Growth inhibition of the EA extract on the cancer cells seemed

to be selective, and the leukemic HL-60 was found to be the most

responsive after 48 h of treatment (IC50=58 microg/ml). Flow cytometric

studies further illustrated that the extract might interfere with DNA

replication and thus arrested the cell cycle at S phase in the leukemic cells,

followed by DNA fragmentation and loss of phospholipid asymmetry in the

plasma membrane after 72 h of treatment. Concurrently, the pro-apoptotic

Bax/Bcl-2 ratio was also up-regulated by more than 178% of the control

level. All these findings suggested that the extract had initiated apoptosis to

kill the leukemic cells. Results from this pioneer study help to establish a

scientific foundation for future research and development of the bioactive

ingredients in EA extract of S. glabra as efficacious anti-cancer agents.

PMID: 17203183 [PubMed - in process]

 

Li YY, Sibaev A, Zhou MZ, Zhu GY, Yuce B, Storr M. The Chinese herbal

preparation Qing Yi Tang (QYT) improves intestinal myoelectrical activity

and Increases intestinal transit during acute pancreatitis in Rodents.

Phytother Res. 2007 Jan 2; [Epub ahead of print] Dept of Pathophysiology,

School of Medicine, Tongji U, 200092 Shanghai, China. The aim was to

investigate alterations of intestinal motility in models of acute pancreatitis

and to investigate the effects of the Chinese herbal preparation Qing Yi

Tang (QYT) on these alterations. Upper gastrointestinal transit was

evaluated in mice following induction of mild acute pancreatitis (MAP) using

caerulein. Myoelectrical activity was recorded in rats after induction of

severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) using sodium deoxycholate (SDOC). The

contractility of jejunum segments was evaluated in the presence of SDOC,

lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and trypsin.QYT accelerated the transit in MAP

mice in a concentration dependent manner. Slow wave activity of smooth

muscle in rat stomach and jejunum remained unchanged following SAP, but

the spiking activity was significantly decreased, with bursts of 7.2 +/- 2.6/10

min compared with 47.9 +/- 13.2/10 min without SAP (p < 0.01). QYT

reversed this decrease. Additionally, the amplitudes of slow waves and

spikes were enhanced by QYT in SAP rats. The tension and amplitude of

spontaneous contractile activity was reduced by SDOC and LPS and

increased by trypsin.Gastrointestinal (GI) transit is altered by SAP but not by

MAP. The Chinese herbal preparation QYT improves disturbed motility in

AP by stimulating myoelectrical activity and accelerating GI transit.

Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. PMID: 17199239 [PubMed - as

supplied by publisher]

 

Mallick C, Mandal S, Barik B, Bhattacharya A, Ghosh D. Protection of

Testicular Dysfunctions by MTEC, a Formulated Herbal Drug, in

Streptozotocin Induced Diabetic Rat. Biol Pharm Bull. 2007 Jan;30(1):84-90.

Reproductive Endocrinology and Family Welfare Research Unit, Dept of

Human Physiology with Community Health, Vidyasagar U. Single injection

of streptozotocin (STZ) resulted diabetes mellitus which was reflected here

by the levels of fasting blood glucose and serum insulin. Moreover, this

experimental diabetes also resulted testicular dysfunctions evaluated by

count, viability and motility of sperm as well as by the activities of key

enzymes for androgen synthesis. Diabetes induced testicular oxidative

stress has been indicated here by the monitoring of testicular peroxidase

and catalase activities as well as by quantification of TBARS and CD of

testis. Testicular glucose was increased and leydig cell nuclear area was

decreased in STZ induced diabetes. Treatment of herbal formulated drug

named as MTEC consist of aqueous-methanol extract of Musa paradisiaca,

Tamarindus indica, Eugenia jambolana and Coccinia indica to

streptozotocin induced diabetic rat at the ratio of 2 : 2 : 1 : 1 at the dose of

60 mg/d for two times a day for 14 d resulted a significant protection in

fasting blood glucose and serum insulin levels (p<0.05) along with

correction of testicular above parameters towards the control level (p<0.05).

This herbal formulated drug has no general toxic effects on the body weight,

as well as on the activities of serum glutamate and pyruvate transaminases

in serum. The results support the validity of this herbal drug for the

management of testicular disorders noted in diabetic state. PMID:

17202665 [PubMed - in process]

 

Oh JK, Hyun SY, Oh HR, Jung JW, Park C, Lee SY, Park JH, Kim SY, Kim

KH, Kim YK, Ryu JH. Effects of Anemarrhena asphodeloides on Focal

Ischemic Brain Injury Induced by Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion in Rats.

Biol Pharm Bull. 2007 Jan;30(1):38-43.Dept of Oriental Pharmaceutical

Science, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee U. The preventive effect of

Anemarrhena asphodeloides (Zhimu), a traditional Chinese medicine, on

ischemia-reperfusion-induced brain injury was evaluated in the rat brain.

Ischemia was induced by intraluminal occlusion of the right middle cerebral

artery for 2 h and reperfusion was continued for 22 h. Water extract of

Anemarrhena asphodeloides (WEAA) was orally administered promptly

prior to and 2 h after reperfusion. Total infarct volume and edema in the

ipsilateral hemispheres of ischemia-reperfusion rats were significantly

reduced by treatment with WEAA in a dose-dependent manner (p<0.05).

The therapeutic time window of WEAA was 3 h in this ischemia-reperfusion

rat model. WEAA also significantly inhibited increased neutrophil infiltration

of ischemic brain tissue as estimated by myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity

and immunohistochemical analysis. MPO-positive cells were markedly

reduced by WEAA administration in striatal and cortical areas. These

findings suggest that WEAA plays a crucial protective role in ischemia-

induced brain injury, and suggest that WEAA could serve as a lead

medicinal herb for the development of neuroprotective agents following

transient focal ischemic brain injury. PMID: 17202656 [PubMed - in process]

 

Pushparaj PN, Low HK, Manikandan J, Tan BK, Tan CH. Anti-diabetic

effects of Cichorium intybus in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. J

Ethnopharmacol. 2006 Dec 1; [Epub ahead of print] Dept of Physiology,

Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National U of Singapore, Singapore

119260, Singapore. The present study was designed to investigate the

hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic properties of an ethanolic extract of

Cichorium intybus (CIE; Juju in Pinyin) which is widely used in India as a

traditional treatment for diabetes mellitus. Male Sprague-Dawley rats aged 9

weeks (160-200g) were administered with streptozotocin (STZ, 50mg/kg)

intraperitoneally to induce experimental diabetes. The Cichorium intybus

whole plant was exhaustively extracted with 80% ethanol, concentrated at

40 degrees C using a rotavapor and freeze dried to get powder.

Hypoglycemic effects of CIE were observed in an oral glucose tolerance

test (OGTT) in which, a dose of 125mg of plant extract/kg body weight

exhibited the most potent hypoglycemic effect. Moreover, daily

administration of CIE (125mg/kg) for 14 days to diabetic rats attenuated

serum glucose by 20%, triglycerides by 91% and total cholesterol by 16%.

However, there was no change in serum insulin levels, which ruled out the

possibility that CIE induces insulin secretion from pancreatic beta-cells. In

addition, hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase activity (Glc-6-Pase) was markedly

reduced by CIE when compared to the control group. The reduction in the

hepatic Glc-6-Pase activity could decrease hepatic glucose production,

which in turn results in lower concentration of blood glucose in CIE-treated

diabetic rats. In conclusion, our results support the traditional belief that

Cichorium intybus could ameliorate diabetic state. PMID: 17197141

[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

 

Resmi CR, Venukumar MR, Latha MS. Antioxidant activity of Albizzia

lebbeck (Linn.) Benth. in alloxan diabetic rats. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol.

2006 Jul-Sep;50(3):297-302. Links Pharmacognosy Research Lab, School

of Biosciences, Mahatma Gandhi U, P.D. Hills P.O., Kottayam 686 560.

There is an increasing demand for natural anti-diabetic drugs, as

continuous oral administration of insulin can culminate in many side effects

and toxicity. In our endeavour to formulate some cost-effective herbal

medicines for diabetes, we undertook this study to evaluate the antioxidant

potential of aqueous extract of Albizzia lebbeck (ALL) in diabetic rats. The

oxidative stress in alloxan-induced diabetic rats was determined by

estimating the levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS),

conjugated dienes (CD) and reduced glutathione (GSH) in liver and kidneys.

Activities of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD),

catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and glutathione S

transferase (GST) were assessed in diabetic as well as rats co-

administered with ALL. Oxidative damage in the liver and kidneys of diabetic

rats as evidenced by a marked increment in the levels of TBARS and CD,

and also a distinct diminution in GSH content was nullified by ALL, as these

parameters showed a tendency to retrieve towards normalcy on co-

administration of the herbal drug. The antioxidant enzymes registered a

decline in activity in diabetic rats thus revealing the damaging effects of free

radicals generated due to alloxan exposure. The activities of these enzymes

returned to normalcy in ALL-administered rats indicating the antioxidant

efficacy of the drug in resisting oxidative insult. The findings provide a

rationale for further studies on isolation of active principles and

pharmacological evaluation. PMID: 17193903 [PubMed - in process]

 

Tan TW, Tsai HR, Lu HF, Lin HL, Tsou MF, Lin YT, Tsai HY, Chen YF,

Chung JG. Curcumin-induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human

acute promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells via MMP changes and caspase-3

activation. Anticancer Res. 2006 Nov-Dec;26(6B):4361-71. Dept of

Pharmacology, China Medical U, Taichung 404, ROC. Curcumin

(diferuloylmethane), is a natural product derived from Curcumae longae Rz

(Jianghuang; Turmeric Root Tuber). For centuries, it has been used as a

spice and as a Chinese herbal medicine. Curcumin has been shown to

inhibit cell proliferation, cell cycle arrest, cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and -2

expression and apoptosis in several human cancer cell lines. The aim of

this investigation was to clarify the mechanisms by which curcumin induced

cytotoxicity and apoptosis in human leukemia HL-60 cells. The effects of

curcumin on the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), Ca+2 production,

cyclin E, cdc25c, wee1, Bcl-2, Bax, the changes of mitochondrial membrane

potential (MMP), cytochrome c release and the activation of caspase-3 were

also investigated in the HL-60 cells. Results of flow cytometry and DAPI

staining assays indicated that curcumin induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis

in the examined cells. The results from flow cytometry assay indicated that

curcumin induced ROS and Ca+2 productions, decreased the levels of

MMP and increased the activity of caspase-3, leading to cell apoptosis.

Western blot assay also revealed that curcumin increased the levels of Bax

and the release of cytochrome c, and decreased the levels of Bcl-2 in the

examined cells. The inhibition of caspase-3 activation by z-VAD-fmk (broad-

spectrum caspase inhibitor) completely blocked curcumin-induced

apoptosis in HL-60 cells. PMID: 17201156 [PubMed - in process]

 

Wang G, Li TQ, Wang L, Xia Q, Chang J, Zhang Y, Wan MH, Guo J, Cheng

Y, Huang X, Zhang RM. Tong-xie-ning, a Chinese herbal formula, in

treatment of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome: a prospective,

randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Chin Med J (Engl). 2006

Dec 20;119(24):2114-9. No abstract available, but Tongxiening ʹкÄþ =

Painful Diarrhoea Sedative; see http://tinyurl.com/yyonhz PMID: 17199964

[PubMed - in process]

 

Ye B, Aponte M, Dai Y, Li L, Ho MC, Vitonis A, Edwards D, Huang TN,

Cramer DW. Ginkgo biloba and ovarian cancer prevention: Epidemiological

and biological evidence. Cancer Lett. 2006 Dec 26; [Epub ahead of print]

Lab of Gynecologic Oncology and Epidemiology, Dept of Obstetrics and

Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Brigham and Women's Hospital,

Harvard Medical School, Dana-Farber Cancer Center, USA. There is

considerable interest in herbal therapies for cancer prevention but often with

little scientific evidence to support their use. In this study, we examined

epidemiological data regarding effects of commonly used herbal

supplements on risk for ovarian cancer and sought supporting biological

evidence. 4.2% of 721 controls compared to 1.6% of 668 cases regularly

used Ginkgo biloba for an estimated relative risk (and 95% confidence

interval) of 0.41 (0.20,0.84) (p=0.01); and the effect was most apparent in

women with non-mucinous types of ovarian cancer, RR=0.33 (0.15,0.74)

(p=0.007). In vitro experiments with normal and ovarian cancer cells

showed that Ginkgo extract and its components, quercetin and ginkgolide A

and B, have significant anti-proliferative effects ( approximately 40%) in

serous ovarian cancer cells, but little effect in mucinous (RMUG-L) cells.

For the ginkgolides, the inhibitory effect appeared to be cell cycle blockage

at G0/G1 to S phase. This combined epidemiological and biological data

provide supportive evidence for further studies of the chemopreventive or

therapeutic effects of Ginkgo and ginkgolides on ovarian cancer. PMID:

17194528 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

 

Best regards,