Guest guest Posted June 4, 2007 Report Share Posted June 4, 2007 Hi All, Abdullah NR, Ismail Z, Ismail Z. Acute toxicity of Orthosiphon stamineus Benth standardized extract in Sprague Dawley rats. Phytomedicine. 2007 May 9; [Epub ahead of print]. Herbal Medicine Research Center, Institute for Medical Research, Jalan Pahang 50588, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The acute toxicity of standardized extract of Orthosiphon stamineus (Java Tea, Kidney Tea; Chinese: Jijiaoshen / Shencha / Maoxucao) was studied in Sprague Dawley rats. The rats were administered a single dose of 5000mg/kg body weight (BW) orally on Day 0 and observed for 14 days. There were no deaths recorded and the animals did not show signs of toxicity during the experimental period. The effect of the extract on general behavior, BW, food and water intake, relative organ weight per 100g BW, hematology and clinical biochemistry were measured. All the parameters measured were unaffected as compared to the control. The acute toxicity LD(50) was estimated to be >5000mg/kg BW. PMID: 17498941 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] Avani G, Rao MV. In vitro cytogenetic effects of Andrographis paniculata (kalmegh) on arsenic. Phytomedicine. 2007 May 3; [Epub ahead of print]. Dept of Zoology, Univ School of Sciences, Gujarat Univ, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad 380 009, Gujarat, India. In vitro effects of arsenic in human peripheral lymphocytes (HPL) at three different doses - 3.6x10(-4), 1.4x10(- 3) and 0.72x10(-3)muM for 24h before harvesting on sister chromatid exchanges (SCE), Cell cycle proliferative index/replicative index (CCPI/RI), %M(1), %M(2) and %M(3), population doubling time (PDT) and average generation time (AGT) were examined. Andrographis paniculata (aka 'kalmegh'; Chinese: Chuanxinlian) has been used for centuries in traditional Indian and Chinese herbal medicine as a safe, natural folk remedy for assorted health concerns. In the present study, kalmegh (0.01mug/7ml culture media) was used along with the highest dose of arsenic; the results showed that arsenic induced increase in these genotoxic endpoints were fairly diminished by kalmegh. In addition, mutagenic in vitro effect of ethyl methanesulphonate (EMS) was used as a positive control in this study. It is thus concluded from this study that Andrographis has a protective role in arsenic toxicity. PMID: 17482447 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] Chrubasik JE, Roufogalis BD, Wagner H, Chrubasik SA. A comprehensive review on nettle effect and efficacy profiles, Part I: Herba urticae. Phytomedicine. 2007 May 8; [Epub ahead of print]. Dept of Forensic Medicine, Univ of Freiburg, Albertstr. 9, 79104 Freiburg, Germany. Nettle herb is recommended for complaints associated with rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and urinary tract infections. We therefore conducted a comprehensive review of the literature to summarize the pharmacological and clinical effects of this plant material. Although clinical and experimental studies suggest that nettle herb has some anti-inflammatory properties, clinical evidence beyond doubt is lacking. Nettle preparations exert a number of promising in vitro and in vivo effects, however, further studies are needed to support these results and to find out if these effects are surrogates for clinical relevant effects in humans. PMID: 17493795 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] Dennehy CE, Tsourounis C, Miller AE. Evaluation of herbal dietary supplements marketed on the internet for recreational use. Ann Pharmacother. 2005 Oct;39(10):1634-9. Epub 2005 Sep 13. School of Pharmacy, Univ of California, San Francisco, CA 94143-0622, USA. dennehyc BACKGROUND: The Internet is a popular tool for marketing and purchasing herbal dietary supplements (DS). Various Web sites sell these products purely for recreational use. OBJECTIVE: To describe the content of Web sites that advertise and market herbal DS for recreational use (ie, for the purpose of altering mood/behavior/or perception, " getting high, " or as a substitute for a drug of abuse). METHODS: Four major search engines and the search terms " buy herbal high " and " buy legal high " were used to identify Web sites selling herbal DS for recreational use. Web sites were evaluated for their country of origin and for compliance with the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA). Products were evaluated for their ingredient lists, effect claims, comparisons with illicit drugs, adverse effects, drug interactions, and contraindications. RESULTS: Twenty-eight unique Web sites with 119 products were evaluated. Most sites were in the US (54%) and were in compliance with DSHEA. Forty-seven percent of the products were likened to illicit drugs, typically marijuana (48%) or 3-,4-methylene dioxyamphetamine (Ecstasy; 23%). The most common product ingredients were ephedra alkaloids (27%), Salvia divinorum (17%), kava (10%), guarana (10%), Acorus calamus (10%), and damiana (10%). Effect claims frequently involved the products' use as a hallucinogen (51%) or stimulant (39%). Sixty-four percent of the sites mentioned adverse effects, and 54% mentioned drug interactions. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that herbal DS are being marketed for use as legal alternatives to illicit drugs of abuse. Healthcare professionals need to be aware of this trend and the products that are involved. PMID: 16159994 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Duan YW, Huang Y, Cai LQ, Duan Q, Zhu YS. Inhibition of tumor growth and tumor metastasis by a Chinese herbal formula - ZYD88, in an animal model with metastatic Lewis lung carcinoma. Oncol Rep. 2007 Jun;17(6):1391-7. Changsha Cihang Research Institute of Materia Medica, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China. Tumor metastasis is the leading cause of cancer death. In the present study, we determined the effectiveness of ZYD88 [an herbal extract of several Chinese herbs (Rx+Rz Rhei, Fr Bruceae, Fr Sophorae, Tuber Corydalidis, Rx Sanguisorba & Rx Glycyrrhizae)] in the inhibition of tumor growth and distant tumor metastases to the lung and liver in an animal model with metastatic Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC). Treatment with ZYD88 in adult C57BL/6 mice with metastatic LLC produced dose-dependent deceases in primary tumor weight, the mitotic tumor cell number, microvessel density, distant tumor metastases and red blood cell immune complexes, while it significantly increased tumor necrosis, thymus cortical thickness, the thymus medullar reticular epithelial cell (REC) number, and the activity of red blood cell C3b receptors. Although cyclophosphamide inhibited tumor growth, it had no significant effects on distant tumor metastases, thymus cortical thickness, the thymus medullar REC number, red blood cell C3b receptor activity and red blood cell immune complexes. These results indicate that ZYD88 possesses significant anti-angiogenic, anti-tumor and anti-metastatic effects in this animal model, and warrants further investigation. PMID: 17487396 [PubMed - in process] [NOTE: For other links to ZYD88 and cancer, see: http://tinyurl.com/2s6u4s ] Gurley BJ, Swain A, Hubbard MA, Hartsfield F, Thaden J, Williams DK, Gentry WB, Tong Y. Supplementation With Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis), but not Kava Kava (Piper methysticum), Inhibits Human CYP3A Activity In Vivo. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2007 May 9; [Epub ahead of print]. 1Dept of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Univ of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA. The effects of goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) and kava kava (Piper methysticum) supplementation on human CYP3A activity were evaluated using midazolam (MDZ) as a phenotypic probe. Sixteen healthy volunteers were randomly assigned to receive either goldenseal or kava kava for 14 days. Each supplementation phase was followed by a 30-day washout period. MDZ (8 mg, per os) was administered before and after each phase, and pharmacokinetic parameters were determined using standard non- compartmental methods. Comparisons of pre- and post-supplementation MDZ pharmacokinetic parameters revealed significant inhibition of CYP3A by goldenseal (AUC((0-infinity)), 107.9+/-43.3 vs 175.3+/-74.8 ng.h/ml; Cl/F/kg, 1.26+/-0.59 vs 0.81+/-0.45 l/h/kg; T(1/2), 2.01+/-0.42 vs 3.15+/-1.12 h; C(max), 50.6+/-26.9 vs 71.2+/-50.5 ng/ml). MDZ disposition was not affected by kava kava supplementation. These findings suggest that significant herb-drug interactions may result from the concomitant ingestion of goldenseal and CYP3A substrates.Clinical Pharmacology & #38; Therapeutics advance online publication 9 May 2007; doi:10.1038/sj.clpt.6100222. PMID: 17495878 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] He CY, Wang WJ, Li B, Xu DS, Chen WH, Ying J, He YM. [Clinical research of Yiqi Sanju Formula in treating central obese men at high risk of metabolic syndrome.][Article in Chinese]. Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Xue Bao. 2007 May;5(3):263-7. Institute of Chinese Integrative Medicine, Fudan Univ, Shanghai 200040, China; E-mail: wj6518 Objective: To observe the therapeutic effects of Yiqi Sanju Formula (YQSJF), a compound Chinese herbal medicine, on central obese men at high risk of metabolic syndrome (MS). Methods: Compared with 30 healthy male volunteers, 45 central obese men were separated randomly into two groups and received the interventions with YQSJF and placebo respectively for 10 weeks. Baseline characteristics, insulin resistance, inflammation cytokines and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) were evaluated before and after treatment. Results: The score of homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and the levels of C reactive protein (CRP), free fatty acid (FFA) and PAI-1 in obese men were higher than those in the control group, while t-PA was lower. After treatment, compared with placebo group, body mass index, waist, and waist-to-hip ratio were decreased significantly in subjects who received YQSJF (P<.01). The score of HOMA-IR and the levels of CRP, FFA and PAI-1 were decreased significantly, and the level of t-PA was increased significantly (P<.01). Conclusion: YQSJF can reduce obesity and insulin resistance in central obese men at high risk of MS and improve inflammation and fibrinolysis, which indicates that it can reduce the risk of atherosclerosis. PMID: 17498484 [PubMed - in process] Hon KL, Leung TF, Ng PC, Lam MC, Kam WY, Wong KY, Lee KC, Sung YT, Cheng KF, Fok TF, Fung KP, Leung PC. Efficacy and tolerability of a Chinese herbal medicine concoction for treatment of atopic dermatitis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Br J Dermatol. 2007 May 14; [Epub ahead of print]. ehon Dept of Paediatrics, Chinese Univ of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China. Background There has been considerable interest in TCHM as a treatment for atopic dermatitis (AD). A twice-daily concoction of an ancestral formula containing five herbs has been found to be beneficial in an open study. Objectives To assess the efficacy and tolerability of the concoction in children with AD. Methods Following a 2-week run-in period, children with long-standing moderate-to-severe AD were randomized to receive a 12-week treatment with twice-daily dosing of three capsules of either TCHM or placebo. The SCORing of Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) score, Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI), allergic rhinitis score, and requirement for topical corticosteroid and oral antihistamine were assessed before and at weeks 4, 8, 12 and 16 after treatment. Adverse events, tolerability, haematological and biochemical parameters were monitored during the study. Results Eighty-five children with AD were recruited. Over 12 weeks, the mean SCORAD score fell from 58.3 to 49.7 in the TCHM group (n=42; P=.003) and from 56.9 to 46.9 in the placebo group (n=43; P=.001). However, there was no significant difference in the scores at the corresponding time points between the two groups. The CDLQI in TCHM-treated patients was significantly improved compared with patients receiving placebo at the end of the 3-month treatment and 4 weeks after stopping therapy (P=.008 and ..059, respectively). The total amount of topical corticosteroid used was also significantly reduced by one-third in the TCHM group (P=.024). No serious adverse effects were observed between the groups. Conclusions The TCHM concoction is efficacious in improving quality of life and reducing topical corticosteroid use in children with moderate-to-severe AD. The formulation was palatable and well tolerated. PMID: 17501956 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] Huang Y, Xie RM, Lu M, Cai YF, Guo JW, Miao XL, Huang PX. [Effect evaluation for comprehensive treatment of acute stage of stroke.][Article in Chinese]. Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Xue Bao. 2007 May;5(3):276-81. Center of Cerebropathy, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of TCM, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 520120, China; E-mail: Huang61 Objective: To explore the clinical evaluation system reflecting the superiority and characteristics of comprehensive TCM therapy for acute stroke. Methods: A randomized controlled trial with single blind in various therapeutic centers was applied on the patients with the acute stage of hemorrhagic stroke due to hypertension, who were allocated to the trial group and the control group. The trial group accepted the general Western medicine therapy and differential treatment of TCM based on stage classification. Patients in the control group were treated with the general Western medicine and the placebo of TCHM. The treatment effect was assessed at the 7th day, 14th day, 21st day, and 28th day of post-treatment and after 3-month follow-up. The clinical evaluation system included the syndromes of TCM (ZH), Glasgow coma standard (GCS), nerve functional failure (NF), activity of daily living (ADL), Barther index (BI), quality of life index (QLI) and functional activities questionnaire (FAQ). Results: Four hundred and four patients with acute stroke were included. There were 178 cases with yang-syndrome and 21 cases with yin-syndrome in the trial group (n=199), and there were 165 cases with yang-syndrome and 40 cases with yin-syndrome in the control group (n=205). The rates of recovery and obvious improvement after 3-month treatment in the trial group and the control group were 86.5% and 73.6% respectively. There was significant difference between the two groups (P<.01). The response sensitivity of the effect items indicated that the sensitivity of GCS began to increase from the 7th day and was high at the 14th day and the 21st day for all patients. The response sensitivity of the NF scale was high for all patients at the 14th day, the 21st day and the 28th day. The BI scale and the QLI scale were sensitive to the patients with light and middle stage of stroke at the 21st day, and were sensitive to the patients with light stage of stroke after 3-month follow-up. The FAQ scale was sensitive to the light stroke at the 21st day and after 3-month follow-up. The ADL scale was sensitive to all patients at the 28th day and the patients with light stage of stroke after 3-month follow- up. The ZH scale was sensitive to all patients from 0 to 7d, the 14th day, and the 28th day. The principle components analysis indicated these 7 items could reflect the condition of stroke from 0-7d, the 21st day and after 3- month follow-up, and could be used to evaluate the therapeutic effect of hemorrhagic stroke. ZH scale and FAQ scale were more sensitive than other effect items at the 28th day. Conclusion: The seven items (GCS, NF, BI, QLI, FAQ, ADL, ZH) have high sensibility to all patients in the acute stage of hemorrhage stroke especially at the 21st day. The ZH score will change in accord with the condition of stroke, and is appropriate to reflect the condition of stroke. It is believed that the seven items can form the system of effect evaluation in different stages of stroke, and the ZH scale is a very important item. PMID: 17498487 [PubMed - in process] Iwai N, Kume Y, Kimura O, Ono S, Aoi S, Tsuda T. Effects of herbal medicine dai-kenchu-to on anorectal function in children with severe constipation. Eur J Pediatr Surg. 2007 Apr;17(2):115-8. Division of Surgery, Children's Research Hospital, Kyoto Prefectural Univ of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan. AIM: We administered the herbal medicine Dai-Kenchu-To (DKT; Chinese: Da Chengqi Tang) to children with severe chronic constipation or with severe constipation after surgery for anorectal malformations. We then objectively assessed the effect of DKT on anorectal function by manometric study in addition to using a clinical scoring system. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ten children with severe chronic constipation and 5 children with severe constipation after surgery for anorectal malformations were assessed. These 15 children received 0.3 g/kg/day of DKT for periods ranging from 3 months to 1 year. We objectively assessed their bowel function, sphincter function and rectal reservoir function by anorectal manometry and clinical scoring. RESULTS: In 10 children with severe chronic constipation, the clinical score after administration of DKT (7.2+/- 0.8) improved significantly compared with that before administration of DKT (4.6+/-2.9) (p<.02). The threshold sensation volume and the maximum tolerable volume after administration of DKT significantly (p<.05; p<.01) decreased (128+/-63 ml vs. 69+/-18 ml; 229+/-99 ml vs. 144+/-47 ml), and rectal compliance after administration of DKT also significantly (p<.05) decreased (12.4+/-10.9 ml/cmH(2)O vs. 4.7+/-3.9 ml/cmH(2)O). CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated that DKT had a favorable clinical effect on severe constipation in children, and anorectal manometry showed an improvement in their rectal reservoir functions. It appears that the results were secondary to DKT-stimulated peristalsis of the intestine, which promoted regular bowel habits. PMID: 17503305 [PubMed - in process] Jo SK, Lee HJ, Kim SR, Kim JC, Bae CS, Jung U, Park HR, Jang JS, Kim SH. Antiinflammatory activity of an herbal preparation (HemoHIM) in rats. Phytother Res. 2007 May 8; [Epub ahead of print]. Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, Jeongeup Campus of Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), Jeongeup 580-185, South Korea. This study evaluated a new herbal preparation, HemoHIM, for its antiinflammatory activity against carrageenan-induced edema, the formation of granulation tissues by cotton pellet and experimental colitis by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS). The HemoHIM was prepared by adding its ethanol-insoluble polysaccharide fraction to the total water extract of Angelica Rx, Cnidii Rz and Paeonia Rx. The preparation (4 mg of solids/mL of drinking water, p.o., 50-100 mg/kg of body weight, i.p.) produced a dose-related inhibition of carrageenan-induced paw edema and cotton pellet-induced granuloma in rats. In addition, HemoHIM also reduced the degree of TNBS-induced colitis and improved the gross and histological changes such as thickening, dilatation, ulceration, and infiltration by polymorphonuclear leukocytes and multiple erosive lesions. These results demonstrate that the HemoHIM has a potent antiinflammatory effect. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. PMID: 17486680 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] Liu JP, Xia Y. [Quality appraisal of systematic reviews or meta-analysis on TCM published in Chinese journals] [Article in Chinese] Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. 2007 Apr;27(4):306-11. Beijing Univ of , Beijing. jianping-l OBJECTIVE: To critically assess the quality of literature about systematic review or meta-analysis on TCM published in Chinese journals. METHODS: Electronic searches in CNKI, VIP and Wanfang data-base were conducted to retrieve the systematic reviews or meta-analysis reports on TCM, including herbal medicine, needling, acupuncture and moxibustion, as well as integrative medicine, they were identified and extracted according to the 18 items of QUOROM (quality of reporting of meta-analyses) Statement and relative information. The appraisal was made taking the indexes mainly including objectives, source of data, methods of data extraction, quality assessment of the included studies, measurement data synthesis, etc. RESULTS: Eighty-two systematic reviews were identified, except 6 reviews were excluded for repeatedly published or didn't comply with the enrolled criterion, 76 reviews concerning 51 kinds of diseases were enrolled for appraisal. Among them, 70 reviews evaluated the efficacy of TCM, mainly on Chinese herbs and 9 on acupuncture and moxibustion. In majority of the reviews, randomised controlled trials were included and the data resources were described, but in 26 reviews only the Chinese databases were searched and the description about data extraction and analysis method were too simple; and 70% of reviews assessed the quality of the included studies; none used flow chart to express the process of selection, inclusion and exclusion of studies. CONCLUSIONS: Few reviews or Meta-analysis reports reached the international standard and there is insufficient description of methodology for conducting systematic reviews, so it is hardly to be repeated. The authors suggested that advanced methodological training is necessary for reviewers. PMID: 17526167 [PubMed - in process] Peng JH, Fang ZH, Cui JW, Feng Q, Xu LL, Gu HT, Hu YY. [Effects of Jianpi Huoxue Decoction on Kupffer cell signal pathway activation in rats with liver injury induced by Lieber-Decarli liquid diet and lipopolysaccharide.][Article in Chinese]. Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Xue Bao. 2007 May;5(3):302-6. Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai Univ of TCM, Shanghai 201203, China; E-mail: yyhuliver Objective: To observe the effects of Jianpi Huoxue Decoction, a compound Chinese herbal medicine, on Kupffer cell signal pathway activation in rats with liver injury induced by Lieber-Decarli liquid diet and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Methods: SD rats were divided into normal, control liquid diet, ethanol liquid diet and ethanol liquid diet plus Jianpi Huoxue Decoction group. Rats were administrated with Jianpi Huoxue Decoction or distilled water via gastrogavage for 4 weeks after administration with ethanol or control liquid diet for 2 weeks respectively. After that, rats in each group were stimulated with LPS via gastrogavage for 3.5 h and harvested. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in serum and triglyceride (TG) in liver were analyzed. Pathological changes in liver tissues were observed in HE staining section. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-alpha) in portal vein plasma was assayed by ELISA. The protein expressions of CD68, Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), phosphorylation-IkappaB (P-IkappaB) and TNF-alpha in liver were evaluated with Western-blotting. Results: After the treatment with Jianpi Huoxue Decoction, the pathologic changes in liver tissue were lightened, levels of ALT in serum, TG in liver and TNF-alpha in portal vein plasma were decreased, and the protein expressions of CD68, TLR4, P-IkappaB and TNF-alpha in liver were reduced. Conclusion: Jianpi Huoxue Decoction can inhibit Kupffer cell signal pathway activation in rats with liver injury induced by Lieber-Decarli liquid diet and LPS. PMID: 17498491 [PubMed - in process] Polyak SJ, Morishima C, Shuhart MC, Wang CC, Liu Y, Lee DY. Inhibition of T-cell inflammatory cytokines, hepatocyte NF-kappaB signaling, and HCV infection by standardized silymarin. Gastroenterology. 2007 May;132(5):1925-36. Epub 2007 Feb 21. Dept of Laboratory Medicine, Univ of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Dept of Microbiology, Univ of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Dept of Pathobiology, Univ of Washington, Seattle, Washington. Background & Aims: Chronic hepatitis C is a serious global medical problem necessitating effective treatment. Because standard of care with pegylated interferon plus ribavirin therapy is costly, has significant side effects, and fails to cure about half of all infections, many patients seek complementary and alternative medicine to improve their health, such as Silymarin, derived from milk thistle (Silybum marianum). Milk thistle's clinical benefits for chronic hepatitis C are unsettled due to variability in standardization of the herbal product. Methods: In the current study, we focused on the anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties of a standardized Silymarin extract (MK-001). Results: MK-001 inhibited expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in anti-CD3 stimulated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and nuclear factor kappa B-dependent transcription in human hepatoma Huh7 cells. Moreover, MK-001 dose dependently inhibited infection of Huh7 and Huh7.5.1 cells by JFH-1 virus. MK-001 displayed both prophylactic and therapeutic effects against HCV infection, and when combined with interferon-alpha, inhibited HCV replication more than interferon-alpha alone. Commercial preparations of Silymarin also displayed antiviral activity, although the effects were not as potent as MK-001. Antiviral effects of the extract were attributable in part to induction of Stat1 phosphorylation, while interferon-independent mechanisms were suggested when the extract was biochemically fractionated by high-performance liquid chromatography. Silybin A, silybin B, and isosilybin A, isosilybin B elicited the strongest anti-NF-kappaB and anti- HCV actions. These effects were independent of MK-001-induced cytotoxicity. Conclusions: The data indicate that Silymarin exerts anti- inflammatory and antiviral effects, and suggest that complementary and alternative medicine-based approaches may assist in the management of patients with chronic hepatitis C. PMID: 17484885 [PubMed - in process] Qiu MX, Xiong GB, Zhou SY, Wang D, Shao JC, Wang JY. [Qingrelishi- category Chinese medicine for chronic prostatitis: a systematic review][Article in Chinese]. Zhonghua Nan Ke Xue. 2007 Apr;13(4):370-7. Dept of Urology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Science/Sichuan Province People's Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, China. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the Qingrelishi-category Chinese medicine (for dispelling heat and resolving dampness) in the treatment of chronic prostatitis. METHODS: Randomized clinical trials or controlled clinical trials comparing Qingrelishi with plant amedica, other herbal medicine and Western medicine in the treatment of chronic prostatitis were identified by electronic and manual retrieval and analysis. The methodological quality of the included trials was assessed and Meta- analysis was performed with Revman 4. 2 software. RESULTS: Forty-four randomized clinical trials or controlled clinical trials (n=5746) were identified. The methodological quality ranked high in three double-blind trials and the others ranked low. Meta-analysis indicated that Qingrelishi was more effective than Nankangpian( RR 1.22, 95% CI 1.10-1.35) and Prostat( RR 1.26, 95% CI 1.13-1.41) in the treatment of chronic prostatitis. Subgroup analysis revealed that Qingrelishi was more effective than Qianliekang (RR 1.32, 95% CI 1.19-1.45) and quinolones antibiotic (RR 1.34, 95% CI 1.15- 1.57). There were no significant differences in efficacy either between Qingrelishi and a-receptor blocker and Puleanpian or between Qingrelishi plus quinolone antibiotics and quinolone antibiotics alone. Eighteen articles reported side effects and no serious adverse events were reported. CONCLUSION: Qingrelishi may be effective in the treatment of chronic prostatitis. However, the evidence is not strong due to the generally low methodological quality and the variations of the herbs. More randomized clinical trials are required. PMID: 17491276 [PubMed - in process] Rathbun SW, Kirkpatrick AC. Treatment of chronic venous insufficiency. Curr Treat Options Cardiovasc Med. 2007 Apr;9(2):115-26. Dept of Medicine, Cardiovascular Section, Univ of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 920 Stanton L. Young Boulevard, WP 3120, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA. suman-rathbun Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) results from venous hypertension secondary to superficial or deep venous valvular reflux. Treatment modalities are aimed at reducing venous valvular reflux, thereby inhibiting the ensuing pathologic inflammatory process. Compression therapy using pumps, bandaging, and/or graded compression stockings is the mainstay of treatment for CVI. Compression therapy has been shown to be effective in reducing venous hypertension retarding the development of inflammation and pathologic skin changes. Pharmacologic agents such as diuretics and topical steroid creams reduce swelling and pain short term but offer no long-term treatment advantage. Herbal supplements may reduce the inflammatory response to venous hypertension, but are not licensed by the US Food and Drug Administration, and vary in their efficacy, quality, and safety. However, several randomized controlled trials using the herbal horse chestnut seed extract containing aescin have shown short-term improvement in signs and symptoms of CVI. Endovascular and surgical techniques aimed at treatment of primary and secondary venous valvular reflux have been shown to improve venous hemodynamics promoting healing of venous ulcers and improving quality of life. The newer endovascular treatments of varicose veins using laser, radiofrequency ablation, and chemical foam sclerotherapy show some promise. PMID: 17484814 [PubMed - in process] Rautio M, Sipponen A, Peltola R, Lohi J, Jokinen JJ, Papp A, Carlson P, Sipponen P. Antibacterial effects of home-made resin salve from Norway spruce (Picea abies). APMIS. 2007 Apr;115(4):335-40. Division of Clinical Microbiology, HUSLAB, Helsinki Univ Hospital, Jorvi Hospital, Espoo, Finland. Resin salve made from Norway spruce (Picea abies) is traditionally used in folk medicine to heal skin ulcers and infected wounds. Its antimicrobial properties were studied against certain human bacteria important in infected skin wounds. The sensitivity of the resin against Gram- positive and Gram-negative bacteria was studied in vitro by methods that are routinely used in microbiology laboratories. The resin salve exhibited a bacteriostatic effect against all tested Gram-positive bacteria but only against Proteus vulgaris of the Gram-negative bacteria. Interestingly, the resin inhibited the growth of bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE), both on agar plates and in culture media. The study demonstrated antimicrobial activity of the resin salve and provided objective evidence of its antimicrobial properties. It gives some explanations why the traditional use of home-made resin salve from Norway spruce is experienced as being effective in the treatment of infected skin ulcers. Publication Types: Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't PMID: 17504300 [PubMed - in process] Richardson WH, Slone CM, Michels JE. Herbal drugs of abuse: an emerging problem. Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2007 May;25(2):435-57. Dept of Emergency Medicine, Palmetto Health Richland, 3 Medical Park, Columbia, SC 29203, USA; Palmetto Poison Center, South Carolina College of Pharmacy, Univ of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA. Some herbal products are emerging as popular drugs for recreational abuse. Plant and herbal supplements used recreationally can have a wide spectrum of clinical effects ranging from euphoric and stimulant effects to hallucinogenic experiences. Despite the potential for abuse, addiction, and serious adverse effects, there may be a false perception that these products are all safe, legal, and organic. These perceptions and the ease of accessibility to herbal products could result in greater potential for recreational abuse and subsequent complications presenting to emergency Depts. Health care professionals must be cognizant of this emerging problem as increased media coverage and marketing have made these products accessible and recognizable to many young adults and teenagers. PMID: 17482027 [PubMed - in process] Roy RK, Thakur M, Dixit VK. Development and evaluation of polyherbal formulation for hair growth-promoting activity. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2007 Jun;6(2):108-12. Dept of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dr. H.S. Gour Univ, Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, India. Background Cuscuta reflexa (Roxb.) [Cuscuta reflexa var. reflexa = Dahua Tusizi; Cuscuta reflexa var. anguina = Duanzhutou Tusizi], Citrullus colocynthis (Schrad.) [Mohanlian], and Eclipta alba (Hassk.) [Kuxigua / Yaoxiguaxianggua] are traditionally acclaimed herbs for their hair growth-promoting potential. Aim In the present study, it was envisaged to prepare herbal formulations containing petroleum ether extracts of the three herbs in varying ratio and evaluating the formulations for the hair growth-promoting activity. Methods The formulations as well as minoxidil (2%) solution (positive control) were applied topically on shaved skin of rats, and the time required for initiation and completion of hair growth cycle was recorded. Results and conclusions Hair growth initiation time was markedly reduced to one third on treatment with the prepared formulation compared with control animals. The time required for complete hair growth was also reduced by 32%. Quantitative analysis of hair growth cycle after treatment with formulations and minoxidil (2%) exhibited greater number of hair follicles in anagenic phase compared with control. The results thus corroborate with the traditionally acclaimed hair growth-promoting capabilities of the plants. The prepared formulation also holds potential for treatment of alopecia. PMID: 17524127 [PubMed - in process] Rustenbeck I. [unconventional antidiabetic agents][Article in German] Med Monatsschr Pharm. 2007 Apr;30(4):131-7. Institut für Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Technische Universität Braunschweig. i.rustenbeck The current pharmacological therapy of type 2 diabetes reduces the risk of diabetic complications, but is not able to achieve a long-lasting normalization of the metabolic disorder. Thus diabetic patients in increasing numbers are taking dietary supplements and herbs from which they expect additional health benefits. These unconventional antidiabetic agents consist mainly in trace metals like chromium, vanadium and zinc and a heterogeneous group of traditionally used antidiabetic herbs (e. g. Momordica charantia, Gymnema sylvestre, Trigonella foenum-graecum) often derived from the ayurvedic medicine. In this overview the current evidence for the antidiabetic effect is presented. The trace elements chromium and vanadium have a number of potentially antidiabetic actions in vitro, however, the results obtained with diabetic patients are not convincing so far. Similarly, the available data on the therapeutic use of herbs suggest that in principle a number of them possess a blood glucose-lowering effect, but at present no firm conclusions as to their efficacy and safety can be made. To set up reliable dose-effect relationships requires the identification of the relevant antidiabetic molecules as was apparently achieved by isolating 4- hydroxyisoleucine from the seeds of T. foenum-graecum. This requirement is also valid in the case of the antidiabetic action of cinnamon. Coffee and a moderate alcohol consumption were found to be surprisingly effective in lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes manifestation, their effect being roughly equal to that of conventional drugs used in diabetes prevention trials. Diabetic patients should inform their physician about the use of unconventional agents and should be warned against uncontrolled starting or stopping their use. PMID: 17484443 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Sakai R, Irie Y, Murata T, Ishige A, Anjiki N, Watanabe K. Toki-to protects dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra from neurotoxicity of MPTP in mice. Phytother Res. 2007 May 8; [Epub ahead of print] Dept of Oriental Medicine, Keio Univ School of Medicine, Japan. Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease of the brain characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). No clinically proven drugs that may halt or retard the progression of PD have been reported. This study examined the anti-PD effect of a Japanese Kampo herbal remedy Toki-to (TKT, Chinese herbal formula: Danggui Tang) using mice treated with a neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6- tetrahydroxypyridine (MPTP). TKT showed improvement of MPTP-induced PD-like symptoms (bradykinesia) in a behavioral test (pole test). Histological studies of SNs from these mice demonstrated that TKT had a protective effect on dopaminergic neurons against MPTP neurotoxicity. Real-time RT- PCR analyses of mRNA from SNs demonstrated that expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and dopamine transporter (DAT) genes were decreased by MPTP treatment and that these decreases were reversed by TKT administration prior to MPTP treatment. DNA microarray analyses indicated that TKT per se suppressed gene expression of serum- and glucocorticoid regulated kinase (SGK) that is believed to be a molecule that drives the pathogenesis of PD. Hence, it is suggested that TKT may inhibit the activation of SGK at the transcriptional level and thusmay participate in halting the progression of MPTP-induced neurotoxicity. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. PMID: 17486689 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] Savvidou S, Goulis J, Giavazis I, Patsiaoura K, Hytiroglou P, Arvanitakis C. Herb-induced hepatitis by Teucrium polium L.: report of two cases and review of the literature. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2007 Jun;19(6):507- 511. Dept of Internal Medicine, Hippocration General Hospital of Thessaloniki, Medical School of Aristotle Univ of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece. Herbal medicinal products are being increasingly used throughout the world. Herbal 'remedies' are, however, not risk free and many cases of hepatotoxicity have been reported. Teucrium polium grows mostly in the Mediterranean basin and is popular, because of hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic properties. We report two cases of T. polium-induced hepatitis in Greek female patients, who used the plant's extract to control the cholesterol levels. Both patients presented with very high aminotransferases after consuming herbal tea for 2 or 3 months. One patient also developed jaundice. Histologic examination of liver biopsies showed hepatitis with moderate or severe necroinflammatory activity. Discontinuation of the herbal remedy resulted in normalization of the liver enzymes in both patients. Our findings, and those of other authors, suggest that T. polium may not be safer than T. chamaedrys and T. capitatum, which have also been reported to occasionally cause hepatotoxicity. PMID: 17489062 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] See also: http://tinyurl.com/2jasw7 [sung-Hae Shin, Do-Soon Kim, Mi-Jung Kim), Sung-Ho Kim, Sung-Kee Jo, Mung-Woo Byun, Sung-Tae Yee] Protective Effects of a Herbal Composition (HemoHIM) Against Apoptosis Induced by Oxidative Stress of Hydrogen Peroxide. In our previous study, a novel herb mixture (HIM-I) of Angelica gigas Rx, Cnidium officinale Rz and Paeonia japonica Rx was developed to protect the intestinal and immune systems and promote its recovery against radiation damage. A new herbal composition (HemoHIM) with the high immune modulating activity was developed from HIM-I. HIM-I was fractionated into ethanol fraction (HIM-I-E) and polysaccharide fraction (HIM-I-P). And HemoHIM was prepared by adding HIM-I-P to HIM-I. HemoHIM showed more effective than HIM-I in immune modulation as well as radioprotection. The present study is designed to investigate the protective effects of HIM-I, HIM-I-P, and HemoHIM on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced apoptosis of human promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60) cells. It was shown that H2O2 treatment reduced the viability of cells, and increased appearance of DNA ladders, hypodiploid (subG1) cells, and phosphatidylserine translocation level. Pretreatment of HemoHIM significantly reduced the cytotoxic effect induced by H2O2, associated with reducing the translocation of phosphatidylserine, hypodiploid cells and DNA ladders. HemoHIM appeared to be more protective than HIM-I against H2O2-induced apoptosis whereas, it exhibited similar activity to HIM-I-P. These results indicated that HemoHIM might be an useful agent for protection against oxidative stress (H2O2)-induced apoptosis as well as immune modulation, especially since it is a relatively nontoxic natural product. Steinkamp-Fenske K, Bollinger L, Völler N, Xu H, Yao Y, Bauer R, Förstermann U, Li H. Ursolic acid from the Chinese herb Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza L.) upregulates eNOS and downregulates Nox4 expression in human endothelial cells. Atherosclerosis. 2007 May 2; [Epub ahead of print]. Dept of Pharmacology, Johannes Gutenberg Univ, Obere Zahlbacher Strasse 67, D-55131 Mainz, Germany. Danshen, the dried root of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Lamiaceae), is one of the most commonly used TCMs for cardiovascular indications. In EA.hy 926 cells, a cell line derived from human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), an aqueous extract of Danshen, and also a methanol extract of the plant, increased eNOS promoter activity, eNOS mRNA and protein expression, as well as endothelial NO production. A dichloromethane extract, in contrast, did not change eNOS gene expression. Thus, the active Danshen constituent(s) responsible for eNOS upregulation is (are) hydrophilic and/or alcohol- soluble. One such compound is ursolic acid that significantly increased eNOS expression in EA.hy 926 cells and native HUVEC, and enhanced bioactive NO production measured in terms of its cGMP increasing activity. Other tested hydrophilic and alcohol-soluble compounds isolated from Danshen had no effect on eNOS expression. Interestingly, ursolic acid also reduced the expression of the NADPH oxidase subunit Nox4 and suppressed the production of reactive oxygen species in human endothelial cells. Upregulation of eNOS and a parallel downregulation of Nox4 lead to an increase in bioactive NO. This in turn could mediate some of the beneficial effects of Danshen. Ursolic acid is a prototypical compound responsible for this effect of the plant. PMID: 17481637 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] Stockert K, Schneider B, Porenta G, Rath R, Nissel H, Eichler I. Laser acupuncture and probiotics in school age children with asthma: a randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study of therapy guided by principles of TCM. Pedriatr Allergy Immunol 2007: 18: 160-166. © 2007 The Authors Journal compilation © 2007 Blackwell Munksgaard. http://www.blackwell- synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1399-3038.2006.00493.x E-mail: Kaiserin Elisabethspital, Huglgasse 1-3, 1150 Vienna, Austria <karin.stockert TCM postulates an interaction between the lung as a Yin-organ and the large intestine as a Yang-organ. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate in asthmatic school age children whether treatment with laser acupuncture and probiotics according to TCM portends a clinical benefit to standard medical treatment performed according to pediatric guidelines. Seventeen children aged 6-12 yr with intermittent or mild persistent asthma were enrolled in this randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind pilot study. Eight patients received laser acupuncture for 10 wk and probiotic treatment in the form of oral drops (living non-pathogenic Enterococcus faecalis) for 7 wk. Nine patients in the control group were treated with a laser pen which did not emit laser light and were given placebo drops. Peak flow variability (PFV) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) were measured and Quality of Life was assessed by a standardized questionnaire. Laser acupuncture and probiotics significantly decreased mean (standard deviation) weekly PFV as a measurement of bronchial hyperreactivity by -17.4% (14.2) in the TCM group vs. 2.2% (22.5) in the control group (p = 0.034). No significant effect was detected for FEV1, Quality of Life criteria and additional medication. As an exploratory result, patients in the TCM group had fewer days of acute febrile infections when compared with the control group [1.14 (1.4) vs. 2.66 (2.5), p = 0.18]. In conclusion, this pilot study generates the hypothesis that the interactive treatment of lung and large intestine according to TCM by laser acupuncture and probiotics has a beneficial clinical effect on bronchial hyperreactivity in school age children with intermittent or mild persistent asthma and might be helpful in the prevention of acute respiratory exacerbations. These results should be confirmed by further studies. Su L, Mao JC, Gu JH. [Effect of intravenous drip infusion of cyclophosphamide with high-dose Astragalus injection in treating lupus nephritis.][Article in Chinese]. Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Xue Bao. 2007 May;5(3):272-5. Dept of Rheumatology, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai Univ of TCM, Shanghai 200032, China; E-mail: suli2002 Objective: To observe the effect of high-dose Astragalus injection and cyclophosphamide (CTX) on infection, urine protein and immune function of the patients with lupus nephritis. Methods: Forty-three patients diagnosed as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) complicated by kidney damage and qi- deficiency syndrome were randomly divided into trial group (n=23) and control group (n=20). Patients in both groups were treated for 3 months. Intravenous drip infusion of 0.8g CTX was administered to all patients once a month, while intravenous drip infusion of 20 ml Astragalus injection was only administered to patients in the trial group every day for 12 days in each month. Results: The decrease of active clinical symptom score after the treatment in the trial group was greater than that in the control group (P<.05). The infection rates of the trial group and the control group were 4.35% and 25% respectively. The decrease of 24-hour urine protein and CD8, and the increase of red blood cell count and serum albumin in the trial group were greater than those in the control group, and there were significant differences between the two groups (P<.05). White blood cell count in the trial group was decreased less than that in the control group after the treatment (P<.05). PMID: 17498486 [PubMed - in process] Tang XY, Zhu YQ, Tao WH, Wei B, Lin XL. Synergistic effect of triptolide combined with 5-fluorouracil on colon carcinoma. Postgrad Med J. 2007 May;83(979):338-43. Dept of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan Univ, Wuhan, Hubei province, China. AIM: To investigate the inhibitive effects of triptolide (TPL) combined with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) on colon carcinoma HT-29 cells in vitro and in vivo and their side effects. METHODS: HT-29 cells were cultured with RPMI 1640 medium. The single or combined effects of TPL and 5-FU on HT-29 cells were examined by MTT assay, flow cytometry. The combined effects were evaluated by the median-effect principle. The model of tumour xenografts was established in nude mice. TPL 0.25 mg/kg/day and 5-FU 12 mg/kg/day, either in combination or on their own, were injected into mice and the inhibitive effects and side effects were observed. RESULTS: TPL and 5-FU either combined or alone inhibited significantly the proliferation of HT-29 cells and induced obvious apoptosis. Mean (SD) growth inhibition rate reached 94.92 (2.76)% and the apoptic rate at 48 h reached 41.71 (1.38)%. The combined effects were synergistic (CI<1) at lower concentrations. TPL or 5-FU alone inhibited significantly the growth of tumour xenografts and the inhibition rates were 78.53% and 84.16%; the drugs combined had more significant effect, the tumour inhibition rate reaching 96.78%. During the course of chemotherapy, no obvious side effect was observed. CONCLUSION: The combined effects of TPL and 5-FU on the growth of colon carcinoma in vitro and in vivo were superior to the effects when the agents were used individually. TPL combined with 5-FU had synergistic effects at lower concentrations and promoted apoptosis, but did not increase the side effects of chemotherapy. PMID: 17488865 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Trakranrungsie N, Chatchawanchonteera A, Khunkitti W. Ethnoveterinary study for antidermatophytic activity of Piper betle, Alpinia galanga and Allium ascalonicum extracts in vitro. Res Vet Sci. 2007 May 3; [Epub ahead of print]. Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol Univ-Salaya, Nakhonpathom 73170, Thailand. Crude ethanolic extracts of Piper betle Fm [Chinese: Louye, aka Weiye / Qingjuye ] (Piperaceae), Alpinia galanga Rz [Chinese: Gaoliangjiang] (Zingiberaceae) and Allium ascalonicum B [Chinese: Dongcong, Hucong, Huihuicong] (Liliaceae) were tested against selected zoonotic dermatophytes (Microsporum canis, Microsporum gypseum and Trichophyton mentagrophyte) and the yeast-like Candida albicans. A broth dilution method was employed to determine the inhibitory effect of the extracts and compared to those of ketoconazole and griseofulvin. All extracts suppressed the growth of the fungi in a concentration-dependent manner. Among the extracts tested, P. betle exhibited more effective antifungal properties with average IC(50) values ranging from 110.44 to 119.00mug/ml. Subsequently, 10% Piper betle (Pb) cream was formulated, subjected to physical and microbial limit test and evaluated for antifungal effect. The disc diffusion assay revealed comparable zones of inhibition between discs of Pb cream containing 80mug P. betle extract and 80mug ketoconazole against tested fungi at 96h after incubation. Thereafter, the inhibitory effect of Pb cream markedly decreased and completely lost effectiveness by day 7. In summary, the results supported the traditional wisdom of herbal remedy use and suggested a potential value-addition to agricultural products. It was suggested that the Pb cream has potential therapeutic value for treatment of dermatophytosis. However, clinical testing as well as improving the Pb cream formulation with greater efficacy and duration of action would be of interest and awaits further investigation. PMID: 17482221 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] Xu H, Shen J, Liu H, Shi Y, Li L, Wei M. Morroniside and loganin extracted from Cornus officinalis have protective effects on rat mesangial cell proliferation exposed to advanced glycation end products by preventing oxidative stress.Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 2006 Dec;84(12):1267-73. Dept of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Nanjing Univ of TCM, 282 HanZhong Road, Nanjing 210029, China. hqxu309 Advanced glycation end products (AGE) are involved in the alterations of renal mesangial cell (MCs) growth, a feature of early stages of diabetic nephropathy (DN). We postulate that morroniside and loganin, 2 components extracted from Cornus officinalis [shanzhuyu], may ameliorate the detrimental effects of AGE-induced MCs proliferation by preventing oxidative stress. Rat MCs cultured in AGE milieu were treated with morroniside and loganin. Results showed that morroniside and loganin inhibited AGE-induced MC proliferation as measured by 3-(4,5- dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method. Fluorescence microscopy revealed that the morroniside and loganin improved the morphological changes of MCs. Flow cytometric analysis showed that morroniside and loganin inhibited the cell cycle of rat MCs. Furthermore, the level of reactive oxygen species was significantly reduced, and the activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase were markedly increased, whereas the level of malondialdehyde was not significantly reduced. These results suggest that morroniside and loganin regulate MC growth by preventing oxidative stress. Thus, this study provides a molecular basis for the use of morroniside and loganin in the early stages of DN. PMID: 17487235 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Yam MF, Basir R, Asmawi MZ, Ismail Z. Antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of Orthosiphon stamineus Benth. standardized extract. Am J Chin Med. 2007;35(1):115-26. School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Pulau Pinang, Malaysia. yammunfei Orthosiphon stamineus (OS), Benth. (Lamiaceae) [(Java Tea, Kidney Tea; Chinese: Jijiaoshen / Shencha / Maoxucao)] is widely used in Malaysia for treatments of various kidney and liver ailments. In the experiment, DPPH* radicals scavenging, Fe(3+)-induced lipid peroxidation inhibiting activities and trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) of methanol/water extract of Orthosiphon stamineus (SEOS) were determined. The results indicated that SEOS exhibited antioxidant, lipid peroxidation inhibition and free radical scavenging activities. The hepatoprotective activity of the SEOS was studied using CCl(4)-induced liver toxicity in rats. The activity was assessed by monitoring liver function tests through the measurement of alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST). Furthermore, hepatic tissues were also subjected to histopathological studies. Pretreatment of SEOS (125, 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg p.o.) dose- dependently reduced the necrotic changes in rat liver and inhibited the increase of serum ALT and AST activities. The results of the present study indicated that the hepatoprotective effect of Orthosiphon stamineus might be ascribable to its antioxidant and free radical scavenging property. PMID: 17265556 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Zakaria ZA, Raden Mohd Nor RN, Hanan Kumar G, Abdul Ghani ZD, Sulaiman MR, Rathna Devi G, Mat Jais AM, Somchit MN, Fatimah CA. Antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic properties of Melastoma malabathricum leaves aqueous extract in experimental animals. Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 2006 Dec;84(12):1291-9. Faculty of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, Universiti Industri Selangor, Jalan Zirkon A 7/A, Seksyen 7, 40000 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia. shaza8174 This study was carried out to establish the antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic properties of the aqueous extract of Melastoma malabathricum leaf [Yindu Yemudan ?????] in experimental animals. The antinociceptive activity was measured using abdominal constriction, hot-plate, and formalin tests, whereas the anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activities were measured using carrageenan-induced paw edema and brewer's yeast- induced pyrexia tests, respectively. The extract, which was obtained after soaking the air-dried leaves in distilled water for 72 h and then preparing in concentrations of 10%, 50%, and 100% (v/v), was administered subcutaneously 30 min prior to subjection to the above mentioned assays. At all concentrations tested, the extract was found to exhibit significant (P<.05) antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic activities in a concentration-independent manner. Our findings that the aqueous extract of M. malabathricum possesses antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic activities supports previous claims on its traditional uses to treat various ailments. PMID: 17487238 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Zhao AG, Yang JK, You SF, Li T, Zhao HL, Gu Y, Tang LD, Qiu JX. [Effects of Chinese herbal recipe Weichang'an in inducing apoptosis and related gene expression in human gastric cancer grafted onto nude mice.][Article in Chinese] Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Xue Bao. 2007 May;5(3):287-97. Dept of Oncology, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai Univ of TCM, Shanghai 200032, China; E-mail: aiguang Objective: To investigate the mechanism of Chinese herbal recipe Weichang'an (WCA) in inducing cell apoptosis of human gastric cancer grafted onto nude mice. Methods: The high performance liquid chromatography was used for monitoring the stability of WCA. A human gastric cancer cell line SGC-7901 grafted in nude mouse was used as the animal model. The mice were divided into untreated group and two experimental groups. Animals in the two experimental groups received either WCA over a 34-day period or 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) over a 6- day period starting at the 8th day after grafting. Animals in the untreated group received normal saline on an identical schedule. Animals were killed 41 days after being grafted. To assess the effect of the treatment on tumor, the tumor weight was determined by the electron balance immediately after the animals were killed. SP immunohistochemical method was used to detect the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in grafts. Apoptotic indices (AI) of the tumor cells were examined by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate fluorescence nick end labeling (TUNEL) method. SP method was also used to detect the expressions of cleaved caspase-3, caspase-8 and caspase-9. SYBR green dye I real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT- PCR) was used to assess the related gene alterations in mRNA level. The expressions of phospho-Stat3 (Tyr705) and bcl-2 proteins were detected by using SP method. Results: Compared with the untreated group, tumor growth was significantly inhibited by treatment of WCA or 5-FU (P<.01, respectively). The tumor inhibition rate in the WCA-treated group was 48.70% and that in the 5-FU-treated group was 60.10%. The average labeling index (LI) for PCNA in the WCA-treated group and 5-FU-treated group was significantly decreased as compared with that in the untreated group, respectively. The AI of human gastric cancer grafted in the nude mice detected by using TUNEL method was significantly increased to (9.72+/- 4.51)% in the WCA-treated group, while it was (2.45+/-1.37)% in the untreated group. 5-FU-treated group was also found a significantly increased AI compared with the untreated group. The expressions of cleaved caspase-3 and caspase-9 in the WCA-treated group and 5-FU- treated group were significantly increased as compared with those in the untreated group. But caspase-8 showed no significant alteration either in the WCA-treated group or in the 5-FU-treated group. The expression levels of Stat3 (2(ídeltadeltaC(T))=0.16) and bcl-2 (2(ídeltadeltaC(T))=0.10) detected by using RT-PCR were lower in the WCA-treated group than those in the untreated group. The expressions of phospho-Stat3 (Tyr705) and bcl-2 in the WCA-treated group were significantly decreased as compared with those in the untreated group. Conclusions: Chinese herbal recipe WCA can inhibit gastric cancer cell SGC-7901 growth in vivo, induce gastric cancer cell apoptosis and suppress the cell proliferation. WCA induces apoptosis through the caspase-9 and caspase-3 pathway in vivo. Its mechanism might be involved in the down-regulation of Stat3 and bcl-2 genes. PMID: 17498489 [PubMed - in process] Best regards, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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