Recent Medline Research Extracts

[herbsandhelpers]

Antioxidants May Protect Cancer Cells from Apoptosis Signals and Enhance Cell Viability. Akan Z, Garip AI. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2013;14(8):4611-4614. Dept of Biophysics, School of Medicine, Yuzuncu Yil Univ, Van, Turkey E-mail : zafer_akan@hotmail.com. Quercetin is one of the most abundant dietary flavonoids widely present in many fruits and vegetables. Previous in vitro studies has shown that quercetin acts as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent and it has potent anticarcinogenic properties as an apoptosis inducer. In this study we examined apoptotic effects of quercetin on the K562 erythroleukemia cell line. K562 cells were induced to undergo apoptosis by hydrogen peroxide. Cell viability and apoptosis level were assessed by annexin V and PI staining methods using flow cytometry. Viability of K562 cells was increased by low dose of quercetin (5-100 μM) for 3 hours. High doses of quercetin proved toxic (100-500 μM, 24 hours) and resulted in decrease of K562 cell viability as expected (p<.01). As to results, 100 μM quercetin was defined as a protective dose. Also, K562 cell apoptosis due to hydrogen peroxide was decreased in a dose dependent manner.
CONCLUSION: As indicated in previous studies, reduction of superoxides by free radical scavengers like quercetin could be beneficial for prevention of cancer but consumption of such flavonoids during cancer treatment may weaken effects of chemotherapeutics and radiotherapy. Especially cancer patients should be carefully considered for traditional phytotherapy during cancer treatment, which can lead to controversial results. PMID: 24083712 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Anti-secretory and cyto-protective effects of chebulinic acid isolated from the fruits of Terminalia chebula on gastric ulcers. Mishra V, Agrawal M, Onasanwo SA, Madhur G, Rastogi P, Pandey HP, Palit G, Narender T. Phytomedicine. 2013 Apr 15;20(6):506-11. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2013.01.002. Epub 2013 Feb 23. Division of Pharmacology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, UP, India. In continuation of our drug discovery program on Indian medicinal plants, the gastro protective mechanism of chebulinic acid isolated from Terminalia chebula fruit was investigated. Chebulinic acid was evaluated against cold restraint (CRU), aspirin (AS), alcohol (AL) and pyloric ligation (PL) induced gastric ulcer models in rats. Potential anti-ulcer activity of chebulinic acid was observed against CRU (62.9%), AS (55.3%), AL (80.67%) and PL (66.63%) induced ulcer models. The reference drug omeprazole (10mg/kg, p.o.) showed 77.7% protection against CRU, 58.3% against AS and 70.8% against PL model. Sucralfate, another reference drug (500mg/kg, p.o.) showed 65.7% protection in AL induced ulcer model. Chebulinic acid significantly reduced free acidity (48.8%), total acidity (38.3%) and upregulated mucin secretion by 59.8% respectively. Further, chebulinic acid significantly inhibited H(+) K(+)-ATPase activity in vitro with IC50 of 65μg/ml as compared to the IC50 value of omeprazole (30.2μg/ml) confirming its anti-secretory activity. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier GmbH. PMID: 23462212 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Areca nut-induced buccal mucosa fibroblast contraction and its signaling: a potential role in oral submucous fibrosis--a precancer condition. Chang MC, Lin LD, Wu HL, Ho YS, Hsien HC, Wang TM, Jeng PY, Cheng RH, Hahn LJ, Jeng JH. Carcinogenesis. 2013 May;34(5):1096-104. doi: 10.1093/carcin/bgt012. Epub 2013 Jan 24. Biomedical Science Team, Chang Gung Univ of Science and Technology, Kwei-Shan, Taoyuan, Taiwan. Betel quid (BQ) chewing is an oral habit that increases the risk of oral cancer and oral submucous fibrosis (OSF), a precancerous condition showing epithelial atrophy and tissue fibrosis. Persistent fibroblast contraction may induce the fibrotic contracture of tissue. In this study, we found that areca nut extract (ANE) (200-1200µg/ml) stimulated buccal mucosa fibroblast (OMF)-populated collagen gel contraction. Arecoline but not arecaidine-two areca alkaloids, slightly induced the OMF contraction. Exogenous addition of carboxylesterase (2U/ml) prevented the arecoline- but not ANE-induced OMF contraction. OMF expressed inositol triphosphate (IP3) receptors. ANE-induced OMF (800µg/ml) contraction was inhibited by U73122 [phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor] and 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate (IP3 receptor antagonist), respectively. Ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid and verapamil, two calcium mobilization modulators, also suppressed the ANE-induced OMF contraction. ANE induced calcium/calmodulin kinase II and myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation in OMF. Moreover, W7 (a Ca(2+)/calmodulin inhibitor), HA1077 (Rho kinase inhibitor), ML-7 (MLC kinase inhibitor) and cytochalasin B (actin filament polymerization inhibitor) inhibited the ANE-induced OMF contraction. Although ANE elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) level in OMF, catalase, superoxide dismutase and N-acetyl-L-cysteine showed no obvious effect on ANE-elicited OMF contraction. CONCLUSION: BQ chewing may affect the wound healing and fibrotic processes in OSF via inducing OMF contraction by ANE and areca alkaloids. AN components-induced OMF contraction was related to PLC/IP3/Ca(2+)/calmodulin and Rho signaling pathway as well as actin filament polymerization, but not solely due to ROS production. PMID: 23349021 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Astragaloside IV-loaded nanoparticle-enriched hydrogel induces wound healing and anti-scar activity through topical delivery. Chen X, Peng LH, Shan YH, Li N, Wei W, Yu L, Li QM, Liang WQ, Gao JQ. Int J Pharm. 2013 Apr 15;447(1-2):171-81. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2013.02.054. Epub 2013 Mar 14. Institute of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Univ, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, PR China. This study aims to investigate the novel preparation of solid lipid nanoparticle-enriched hydrogel (SLN-gel) for the topical delivery of astragaloside IV and to determine the effects of astragaloside IV-based SLN-gel on wound healing and anti-scar formation. Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) were prepared through the solvent evaporation method. The particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential (ZP), encapsulation efficiency (EE), drug release, and morphological properties of the SLNs were characterized. The optimized SLNs were incorporated in carbomer hydrogel to form an SLN-enriched gel (SLN-gel) carrier. The effects of astragaloside IV-enriched SLNs on wound healing were determined using the wound scratch test, and their uptake by skin cells was tested in vitro. With the rat full-skin excision model, the in vivo regulation of astragaloside IV-based SLN-gel in the wound stages of re-epithelization, angiogenesis, and extracellular matrix remodeling was investigated. The best formulation of astragaloside IV-based SLNs had high EE (93%±5%) and ZP (-23.6 mV±1.5 mV), with a PDI of 0.18±0.03 and a drug loading percentage of 9%. Astragaloside IV-based SLNs and SLN-gel could release drug sustainably. Astragaloside IV-based SLNs enhanced the migration and proliferation of keratinocytes and increased drug uptake on fibroblasts in vitro (p<.01) through the caveolae endocytosis pathway, which was inhibited by methyl-β-cyclodextrin. Astragaloside IV-based SLN-gel strengthened wound healing and inhibited scar formation in vivo by increasing wound closure rate (p<.05) and by contributing to angiogenesis and collagen regular organization. SLN-enriched gel is a promising topical drug delivery system.
CONCLUSION: Astragaloside IV-loaded SLN-enriched gel was an excellent topical preparation with wound healing and anti-scar effects. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. PMID: 23500766 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Ayurvedic medicine offers a good alternative to glucosamine and celecoxib in the treatment of symptomatic knee osteoarthritis: a randomized, double-blind, controlled equivalence drug trial. Chopra A, Saluja M, Tillu G, Sarmukkaddam S, Venugopalan A, Narsimulu G, Handa R, Sumantran V, Raut A, Bichile L, Joshi K, Patwardhan B. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2013 Aug;52(8):1408-17. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/kes414. Epub 2013 Jan 30. Center for Rheumatic Diseases, 1988 Convent Street, Camp, Pune, India. crdp@vsnl.net Comment in Rheumatology (Oxford). 2013 Aug;52(8):1345-6.
OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate clinical equivalence between two standardized Ayurveda (India) formulations (SGCG and SGC), glucosamine and celecoxib (NSAID).
METHODS: Ayurvedic formulations (extracts of Tinospora cordifolia, Zingiber officinale, Emblica officinalis, Boswellia serrata), glucosamine sulphate (2 g daily) and celecoxib (200mg daily) were evaluated in a randomized, double-blind, parallel-efficacy, four-arm, multicentre equivalence drug trial of 24 weeks duration. A total of 440 eligible patients suffering from symptomatic knee OA were enrolled and monitored as per protocol. Primary efficacy variables were active body weight-bearing pain (visual analogue scale) and modified WOMAC pain and functional difficulty Likert score (for knee and hip); the corresponding a priori equivalence ranges were ±1.5 cm, ±2.5 and ±8.5.
RESULTS: Differences between the intervention arms for mean changes in primary efficacy variables were within the equivalence range by intent-to-treat and per protocol analysis. Twenty-six patients showed asymptomatic increased serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) with otherwise normal liver function; seven patients (Ayurvedic intervention) were withdrawn and SGPT normalized after stopping the drug. Other adverse events were mild and did not differ by intervention. Overall, 28% of patients withdrew from the study.
CONCLUSION: In this 6-month controlled study of knee OA, Ayurvedic formulations (especially SGCG) significantly reduced knee pain and improved knee function and were equivalent to glucosamine and celecoxib. The unexpected SGPT rise requires further safety assessment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Drug Trial Registry-India, www.ctri.nic.in, CTRI/2008/091/000063. PMID: 23365148 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Cannabis and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) for weight loss? Le Foll B, Trigo JM, Sharkey KA, Le Strat Y. Med Hypotheses. 2013 May;80(5):564-7. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2013.01.019. Epub 2013 Feb 11. Translational Addiction Research Laboratory, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Ontario, Canada. bernard.lefoll@camh.ca Obesity is one of the highest preventable causes of morbidity and mortality in the developed world [1]. It has been well known for a long time that exposure to cannabis produces an increase of appetite (a phenomenon referred to as the 'munchies'). This phenomenon led to an exploration of the role of the endocannabinoid system in the regulation of obesity and associated metabolic syndrome. This effort subsequently led to the development of a successful therapeutic approach for obesity that consisted of blocking the cannabinoid CB1 receptors using ligands such as Rimonabant in order to produce weight loss and improve metabolic profile [2]. Despite being efficacious, Rimonabant was associated with increased rates of depression and anxiety and therefore removed from the market. We recently discovered that the prevalence of obesity is paradoxically much lower in cannabis users as compared to non-users and that this difference is not accounted for by tobacco smoking status and is still present after adjusting for variables such as sex and age. Here, we propose that this effect is directly related to exposure to the Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) present in cannabis smoke. We therefore propose the seemingly paradoxical hypothesis that THC or a THC/cannabidiol combination drug may produce weight loss and may be a useful therapeutic for the treatment of obesity and its complications. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. PMID: 23410498 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Chinese herbal medicine for atopic dermatitis: a systematic review. Tan HY, Zhang AL, Chen D, Xue CC, Lenon GB. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2013 Aug;69(2):295-304. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2013.01.019. Epub 2013 Jun 4. Traditional and Complementary Medicine Research Program, Health Innovations Research Institute, School of Health Sciences, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology Univ, Bundoora Campus, Victoria, Australia.
BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, itching skin disease, and conventional therapies offer inadequate symptom management. Patients with AD are increasingly turning to CM.
OBJECTIVE: We systematically evaluated the clinical evidence of the efficacy and safety of oral CHM for AD. METHODS: Searches were conducted on major electronic databases using the following key words: "randomized controlled trials," "atopic dermatitis," "TCM," "traditional East Asian medicine," "herbal medicine," "Chinese herbal drugs," "medicinal plants," "phytotherapy," "Kampo medicine," and "Korean traditional medicine." The results were screened to include English/Chinese randomized controlled trials. A metaanalysis was conducted on suitable outcome measures.
RESULTS: Seven randomized controlled trials were included (1 comparing CHM and Western medicine with Western medicine alone; 6 comparing CHM with placebo). Combined CHM with Western medicine was superior to Western medicine alone. Three placebo controlled trials showed significant treatment efficacy and 2 showed significantly reduced concurrent therapy with CHM. No abnormalities in safety profile or severe adverse events were reported. LIMITATIONS: A metaanalysis of all included studies could not be conducted because of study heterogeneity.
CONCLUSIONS: CHM significantly improved symptom severity of AD and was well tolerated. However, the poor quality of studies did not allow for valid conclusions to support its tolerability and routine use. Additional studies addressing the methodologic issues are warranted to determine the therapeutic benefit of CHM for AD. Copyright © 2013 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved. PMID: 23759835 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Chinese Herb-Resistant clinical isolates of Escherichia coli. Tong Y, Jia S, Han B. J Altern Complement Med. 2013 Apr;19(4):387-8. doi: 10.1089/acm.2011.0955. Epub 2012 Oct 10. Dept of Nephrology, First Affiliated Hospital to Changchun Univ of CM, Changchun City, Jilin Province, PRC. tyq1229@yahoo.com.cn
BACKGROUND: Many CHM formulations are used to treat UTI. Clinical isolates of Escherichia coli (E. coli) resistant to Chinese herbs have been identified rarely. Report here is a case in which Chinese herbs-resistant E. coli isolate was identified.
CASE: The strain of E. coli C16 was isolated from urine of a 72-year-old woman with a diagnosis of pyelonephritis. Standard disc diffusion methodology was used to test the Chinese herbal decoction against E. coli C16. The minimum inhibitory concentration value was 0.1 g/mL. The minimum bactericidal concentration value was 0.2 g/mL. The decoction was orally administered for 4 weeks.
RESULTS: The therapeutic regimen was well tolerated initially. At the end of 4 weeks, the disease relapsed. E. coli C16 was isolated again, which was resistant to herbal solution.
CONCLUSIONS: This case illustrates that excessive exposure to Chinese herbs used in unchanging standard formulations can also lead to bacterial resistance. Appropriate clinical use of Chinese herbs is imperative. PMID: 23050957 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Combination therapy: A new strategy to manage diabetes and its complications. Prabhakar PK, Kumar A, Doble M. Phytomedicine. 2013 Sep 25. pii: S0944-7113(13)00323-1. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2013.08.020. [Epub ahead of print] Lovely Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, LPU, Phagwara, Punjab, India. Diabetes mellitus is the most common metabolic disorder. The major cause of mortality and morbidity here is due to the complications caused by increased glucose concentrations. All the available commercial antidiabetic drugs are associated with side effects. The combination therapy could be a new and highly effective therapeutic strategy to manage hyperglycemia. Combination of commercial drugs with phytochemicals may reduce the side effects caused by these synthetic drugs. Herbal products have been thought to be inherently safe, because of their natural origin and traditional use rather than based on systemic studies. New formulation and cocrystallisation strategies need to be adopted to match the bioavailability of the drug and the phytochemical. This review describes in detail, the observed synergy and mechanism of action between phytochemicals and synthetic drugs in effectively combating hyperglycemia.
CONCLUSION: The mode of action of combination differs significantly than that of the drugs alone; hence isolating a single component may lose its importance thereby simplifying the task of pharma industries. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved. PMID: 24074610 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Comfrey root: from tradition to modern clinical trials. Staiger C. Wien Med Wochenschr. 2013 Feb;163(3-4):58-64. doi: 10.1007/s10354-012-0162-4. Epub 2012 Dec 7. Merck Selbstmedikation GmbH, Rößlerstr. 96, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany. christiane.staiger@merckgroup.com Comfrey (Symphytum officinale L.) has been used over many centuries as a medicinal plant. In particular, the use of the root has a longstanding tradition. Today, several randomised controlled trials have demonstrated the efficacy and safety. Comfrey root extract has been used for the topical treatment of painful muscle and joint complaints. It is clinically proven to relieve pain, inflammation and swelling of muscles and joints in the case of degenerative arthritis, acute myalgia in the back, sprains, contusions and strains after sports injuries and accidents, also in children aged 3 years and older. This paper provides information on clinical trials, non-interventional studies and further literature published on comfrey root to date. PMCID: PMC3580139 PMID: 23224633 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Cytoprotective effect of methanolic extract of Nardostachys jatamansi against hydrogen peroxide induced oxidative damage in C6 glioma cells. Dhuna K, Dhuna V, Bhatia G, Singh J, Kamboj SS. Acta Biochim Pol. 2013;60(1):21-31. Epub 2013 Mar 20. Dept of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Guru Nanak Dev Univ, Amritsar- Punjab, India. Oxidative stress has been implicated as an important factor in the process of neurodegeneration and hydrogen peroxide (Hâ‚‚Oâ‚‚) is one of the most important precursors of reactive oxygen species (ROS), responsible for many neurodegenerative diseases. This study used extracts from Nardostachys jatamansi rhizomes, known for nerve relaxing properties in Ayurvedic medicine, to ascertain their protective role in Hâ‚‚Oâ‚‚-induced oxidative stress in C6 glioma cells. The protective effect of methanolic, ethanolic and water extracts of N. jatamansi (NJ-MEx, NJ-EEx and NJ-WEx respectively) was determined by MTT assay. NJ-MEx significantly protected against Hâ‚‚Oâ‚‚ cytotoxicity when cells were pretreated for 24 h. The level of antioxidant enzymes, catalase, superoxide dismutase (Cu-ZnSOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and a direct scavenger of free radicals, glutathione (GSH), significantly increased following pre-treatment with NJ-MEx. Lipid peroxidation (LPx) significantly decreased in NJ-MEx-pretreated cultures. The expression of a C6 differentiation marker, GFAP (glial fibrillary acidic protein), stress markers HSP70 (heat shock protein) and mortalin (also called glucose regulated protein 75, Grp75) significantly decreased when cells were pre-treated with NJ-MEx before being subjected to Hâ‚‚Oâ‚‚ treatment as shown by immunofluorescence, western blotting and RT-PCR results.
CONCLUSION: NJ-MEx could serve as a potential treatment and/or preventive measure against neurodegenerative diseases. PMID: 23513188 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Cytotoxic effect of clerosterol isolated from Codium fragile on A2058 human melanoma cells. Kim AD, Lee Y, Kang SH, Kim GY, Kim HS, Hyun JW. Mar Drugs. 2013 Feb 6;11(2):418-30. doi: 10.3390/md11020418. School of Medicine, Jeju National Univ, Jeju 690-756, Korea. The cytotoxic effects and mechanism of action of clerosterol, isolated from the marine alga Codium fragile, were investigated in A2058 human melanoma cells. Clerosterol inhibited the growth of A2058 cells with an IC(50) of 150µM and induced apoptotic cell death, as evidenced by DNA fragmentation, an increase in the number of sub-G(1) hypodiploid cells and the presence of apoptotic bodies. Clerosterol treatment caused the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. Alterations in the expression of apoptosis-associated proteins in response to clerosterol treatment included upregulation of Bax, downregulation of Bcl-2 and activation of caspases 3 and 9. The pan-caspase inhibitor treatment attenuated the expression of the active form of caspases and cell death induced by clerosterol. The present results show that clerosterol exerts its cytotoxic effect in A2058 human melanoma cells by caspases-dependent apoptosis. PMCID: PMC3640389 PMID: 23389088 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Determination of aflatoxin B1 levels in organic spices and herbs. Tosun H, Arslan R. ScientificWorldJournal. 2013 May 26;2013:874093. doi: 10.1155/2013/874093. Print 2013. Dept of Food Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Celal Bayar Univ, Manisa 45140, Turkey. haliltosun@hotmail.com Organically produced spices and herbs were analyzed for determination of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) by ELISA using immunoaffinity column. For this purpose 93 organic spices and 37 organic herbs were randomly selected from organic markets and organic shops in Turkey. AFB1 was detected in 58 organic spice and 32 organic herb samples. Among organic spice samples, the maximum value was detected in cinnamon sample (53 μg/kg). AFB1 was not detected in thyme samples. AFB1 levels of 41 organic spice samples were above the EU regulatory limit (5 μg/kg). Among organic herb samples the highest concentration of AFB1 (52.5 μg/kg) was detected in a rosehip sample. AFB1 levels of 21 organic herb samples were above the regulatory limits of the European Union. These results showed that more stringent measures must be taken for the prevention of mold contamination in the production of organic spices and herbs. PMCID: PMC3677655 PMID: 23766719 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Effect of fermented bilberry extracts on visual outcomes in eyes with myopia: a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Kamiya K, Kobashi H, Fujiwara K, Ando W, Shimizu K. J Ocul Pharmacol Ther. 2013 Apr;29(3):356-9. doi: 10.1089/jop.2012.0098. Epub 2012 Oct 31. Dept of Ophthalmology, Kitasato Univ School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan. kamiyak-tky@umin.ac.jp PURPOSE: To investigate clinically the effects of yeast-fermented bilberry extract on visual outcomes in myopic eyes. METHODS: In a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over study, we examined 30 eyes of 30 middle-aged healthy volunteers (mean age±standard deviation, 39.5±7.2 years) with myopia [manifest spherical equivalent, -2.40±1.88 diopters (D)], who were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 oral regimens: fermented bilberry extract (400mg/day) or placebo. We quantitatively assessed visual acuity, refraction, pupil constriction rate, accommodation, and mesopic contrast sensitivity (CS), before and 1 month after treatment. Only the right eyes were tested. The amplitude of accommodation and CS were measured with an accommodometer (D'ACOMO; WOC) and a CS unit (VCTS-6500; Vistech), respectively. From the CS, the area under the log contrast sensitivity function (AULCSF) was calculated. Results: The mean amplitude of accommodation increased significantly, from 4.62±1.88 D before treatment, to 5.33±2.03 D after treatment in the study group (Wilcoxon signed-rank test, p=.002). Moreover, the mesopic AULCSF was significantly increased, from 1.04±0.16 before, to 1.13±0.17 after, treatment (p=.009). However, we found no significant changes in accommodation or AULCSF in the control group (p>.05), or any significant changes in any other parameters in either group (p>.05).
CONCLUSIONS: Fermented bilberry extract is effective in causing increases in subjective accommodation and in mesopic CS in myopic eyes. PMID: 23113643 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Effect of injection of brucea javanica oil emulsion plus chemoradiotherapy for lung cancer: a review of clinical evidence. Nie YL, Liu KX, Mao XY, Li YL, Li J, Zhang MM. J Evid Based Med. 2012 Nov;5(4):216-25. doi: 10.1111/jebm.12001. Chinese Evidence-Based Medicine Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan Univ, Chengdu, 610041, PRC. OBJECTIVE: Injection of brucea javanica oil emulsion (IBJOE), a Chinese patent drug, has been widely used for lung cancer (LC) in China, and provides some favorable outcomes, especially when combined with conventional treatment. However, little available best evidence is known about its effect and safety. This paper aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of IBJOE plus chemoradiotherapy to alleviate symptoms of LC patients. METHODS: A complete literature searching was conducted in databases including Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, PRC Academic Journals Full-text Database, Chinese Scientific Journals Database, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, and EMBASE to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of IBJOE with chemoradiotherapy versus chemoradiotherapy alone for LC patients regardless of blinding, duration of treatment or duration of follow-up. All searching dates were from the beginning to December 2011. Quality of the included studies was assessed using the method by Cochrane Reviewer Handbook, and data analysis was performed using RevMan 5.10 software developed by The Cochrane Collaboration. RESULTS: The searching yielded over 1371 relevant citations, most of which did not meet the inclusion criteria. Finally, only 21 RCTs involving 1619 patients were included, and all the studies were of poor quality. Pooled analyses were performed to reveal that compared with chemoradiotherapy alone, IBJOE plus chemoradiotherapy had a better complete response rate (relative risk (RR)=1.42; 95% CI 1.05 to 1.92; p=.02) and improved QoL (RR=1.83; 95% CI 1.63 to 2.07; p<.00001) measured by Karnofsky Performance Status scale. In addition, there was a significant difference on the outcome of long-term survival rate, level of immune function, and some incidences of adverse effects. CONCLUSIONS: IBJOE plus chemoradiotherapy may have positive effects on LC patients in response rate, improvement of QoL, and reducing incidences of some adverse effects compared with chemoradiotherapy alone. However, the results need to be viewed with caution because of low quality of the included studies. © 2012 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd and Chinese Cochrane Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan Univ. PMID: 23557502 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Effectiveness of traditional Japanese herbal (Kampo) medicine, daiobotanpito, in combination with antibiotic therapy in the treatment of acute diverticulitis: a preliminary study. Ogawa K, Nishijima K, Futagami F, Nakamura T, Nishimura G. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:305414. doi: 10.1155/2013/305414. Epub 2013 Sep 3. Clinic of Japanese-Oriental (Kampo) Medicine, Dept of Otorhinolaryngology & Head and Neck Surgery, Kanazawa Univ Hospital, 13-1 Takaramachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8641, Japan. In traditional Japanese herbal (Kampo) medicine, daiobotanpito (DBT) or Da Huang Mu Dan Tang in Chinese has been used in medical treatment of acute diverticulitis for many years based on the experience. Our aim was to investigate whether the treatment of acute diverticulitis can be treated with intravenous antibiotics plus orally administrated DBT than intravenous antibiotics alone. A retrospective nonrandomized open-label trial was established to compare patients with acute diverticulitis who received oral DBT associated with intravenous antibiotics with those who received intravenous antibiotic alone. We included 34 patients, eleven patients in group 1 with DBT and 23 patients in group 2 without DBT. Both groups were comparable in patient demographics and clinical characteristics. There was a significantly better outcome in the group treated with DBT than in the group without DBT when comparing duration of fever, abdominal pain, and antibiotics administration. A trend toward a day shorter mean hospital stay and fasting was seen in group 1, although this did not reach statistical significance.
CONCLUSION: Most patients with acute diverticulitis can be managed safely with oral DBT. Although randomized, double-blind study must be done, we could show the possibility to use daiobotanpito as an additional option in treating acute diverticulitis. PMCID: PMC3775446 PMID: 24078823 [PubMed]

Effects of CMs for tonifying the kidney on DNMT1 protein expression in endometrium of infertile women during implantation period. Fang L, Rui-Xia W, Feng-Mei M, Zhen-Gao S, Li-Hong W, Lei S. J Altern Complement Med. 2013 Apr;19(4):353-9. doi: 10.1089/acm.2011.0410. Epub 2012 Oct 17. Integrative Medicine Research Centre of Reproduction and Heredity, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong Univ of TCM, Jinan, PRC. f_lian@163.com
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of Erzhi Tiangui Granule (ETG) on DNA methyltransferases (DNMT) 1 protein expression in endometrium of infertile women with Kidney Yin Deficiency syndrome.
METHODS: A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted. Sixty-six (66) infertile patients who had Kidney Yin Deficiency syndrome and who were to undergo in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) were randomly assigned to either a treatment group or a control group according to a random table. Besides gonadotropin (Gn) therapy in both groups, the treatment group received ETG for 3 menstrual cycles before IVF, and the control group received placebo granules. The ETG and the placebo granules were made with similar color and shape, as well as in the same packaging. The scores of the Kidney Yin Deficiency syndrome were assessed. Other outcome measures included the dosage and duration of Gn, the number of retrieved oocytes, the rate of high-quality oocytes, the rate of high-quality embryos, the fertilization rate, and the clinical pregnancy rate. DNMT1 protein expression in the endometrium was measured in the midluteal phase.
RESULTS: The difference in the syndrome score change before and after treatment between the two groups was statistically significant (p<.05). The dosage and duration of Gn were significantly lower in the treatment group than those in the control group (p<.05). The high-quality oocyte and embryo rates, and clinical pregnancy rate were all higher in the treatment group than those in the control group (p<.05). The fertilization rate was not significant when compared to the placebo group. No difference was found in the number of retrieved oocytes between the two groups. The DNMT1 protein expression in the endometrium was much more abundant in the treatment group than that in the control group (p<.05).
CONCLUSIONS: For infertile patients undergoing IVF, the Chinese recipe for tonifying the Kidney as an adjunct treatment could reduce Gn dosage and treatment duration, alleviate clinical symptoms, and improve the clinical pregnancy rate. The increased level of DNMT1 protein expression after treatment may lead to enhanced endometrial receptivity. This finding may explain the improvement in clinical pregnancy rate. PMCID: PMC3627412 [Available on 2014/4/1] PMID: 23075413 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Effects of soy isoflavone and endogenous oestrogen on breast cancer in MMTV-erbB2 transgenic mice. Zhang GP, Han D, Liu G, Gao SG, Cai XQ, Duan RH, Feng XS. J Int Med Res. 2012;40(6):2073-82. Dept of Oncology, Cancer Institute, First Affiliated Hospital of Henan Univ of Science and Technology, Luoyang, PRC. OBJECTIVE: Soy isoflavone is associated with modification of breast cancer risk. Effects of dietary isoflavone on breast tissue carcinogenesis under varying endogenous oestrogen contexts were investigated.
METHODS: Five-week-old mouse mammary tumour virus (MMTV)-erbB2 female transgenic mice (n=180) were divided into three equal groups: low-, normal- and high-oestrogen groups. Each group was then subdivided into an experimental group (given soybean feed) and a control group (given control feed). RESULTS: In the high-oestrogen environment, breast cancer incidence was significantly lower in the experimental versus the control group, whereas in the low-oestrogen environment, breast cancer incidence was significantly higher in the experimental versus the control group. There were no between-group differences in mean breast tumour latency, mean largest tumour diameter and breast tumour tissue vascular endothelial growth factor levels.
CONCLUSIONS: Dietary soy isoflavones promote breast cancer at low oestrogen levels but inhibit breast cancer at high oestrogen levels. This effect may only occur during the initiation stage of breast cancer. PMID: 23321163 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Efficacy and safety of a polyherbal sedative-hypnotic formulation NSF-3 in primary insomnia in comparison to zolpidem: a randomized controlled trial. Maroo N, Hazra A, Das T. Indian J Pharmacol. 2013 Jan-Feb;45(1):34-9. doi: 10.4103/0253-7613.106432. Dept of Pharmacology, Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, 244B Acharya J C Bose Road, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
OBJECTIVES: To assess the efficacy and safety of NSF-3, a polyherbal sedative-hypnotic (containing standardized extracts of Valeriana officinalis, Passiflora incarnate and Humulus lupulus), in comparison to zolpidem in primary insomnia.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study was designed as a parallel group, double- blind, randomized, controlled trial and registered with Clinical Trials Registry-India (CTRI/2011/12/002197). Patients diagnosed with primary insomnia with a perceived total sleep time of <6 hours per night and insomnia severity index >7 were included. They were treated with either NSF-3 (one tablet) or zolpidem (one 10mg tablet) at bedtime for two weeks. Total sleep time, sleep latency and number of awakenings per night were assessed using a sleep diary. QoL and daytime sleepiness were evaluated by insomnia severity index and Epworth sleepiness score respectively. Vital signs, routine blood counts, liver and renal function tests, and treatment emergent adverse events were recorded for safety assessment.
RESULTS: A total of 91 subjects were recruited, of which 39 in each group completed the study. There was significant improvement in total sleep time, sleep latency, number of nightly awakenings and insomnia severity index scores in both groups. However, no statistically significant difference was observed between the groups. Epworth sleepiness scores did not change significantly over the study period. Although 12 treatment emergent adverse events were reported with NSF-3 and 16 with zolpidem (commonest was drowsiness in both), most were mild and no serious adverse events were encountered.
CONCLUSIONS: NSF-3 is a safe and effective short-term alternative to zolpidem for primary insomnia. It remains to be explored whether the benefits are sustained and whether there is dependence liability with this formulation upon long term use. PMCID: PMC3608291 PMID: 23543804 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Efficacy and safety of Echinaforce® in respiratory tract infections. Schapowal A. Wien Med Wochenschr. 2013 Feb;163(3-4):102-5. doi: 10.1007/s10354-012-0166-0. Epub 2012 Dec 20. Allergy Clinic, Hochwangstr. 3, 7302 Landquart, Switzerland. andreas@schapowal.ch Echinaforce® is the standardised extract of Echinacea purpurea from Bioforce, Switzerland. Recent studies show immunomodulation and broad antiviral effects against respiratory tract viruses. Haemagglutinin and Neuraminidase are blocked. In contrast to Oseltamivir no resistance is caused by Echinaforce®. A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study over four months confirms that Echinaforce® supports the immune resistance and acts directly against a series of viruses. Echinaforce® is efficacious and safe in respiratory tract infections for long-term and short-term prevention as well as for acute treatment. PMID: 23263637 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Enzymatic, antimicrobial and toxicity studies of the aqueous extract of Ananas comosus (pineapple) crown leaf. Dutta S, Bhattacharyya D. J Ethnopharmacol. 2013 Sep 26. pii: S0378-8741(13)00578-3. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2013.08.024. [Epub ahead of print] Division of Structural Biology and Bioinformatics, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4, Raja S.C. Mallick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata-700032, India.
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Various parts of the plant pineapple (Ananas comosus) are used in traditional medicine worldwide for treatment of a number of diseases and disorders. In folk medicine, pineapple leaf extract was used as an antimicrobial, vermicide, purgative, emmenagoogue, abortifacient, anti-oedema and anti-inflammatory agent. Compared to the fruit and stem extracts of pineapple, information about its leaf extract is limited.
AIM OF THE STUDY: To evaluate the potential of pineapple crown leaf extract as an ethno-medicine in terms of its enzymatic activities related to wound healing, antimicrobial property and toxicity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Major protein components of the extract were revealed by 2-D gel electrophoresis followed by MS/MS analysis. Zymography, DQ-gelatin assay were performed to demonstrate proteolytic, fibrinolytic, gelatinase and collagenase activities. DNase and RNase activities were revealed from agarose gel electrophoresis. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated spectrophotometrically from growth inhibition. Sprague-Dawley rat model was used to measure acute and sub-acute toxicity of the extract by analyzing blood marker.
RESULT: The extract contains several proteins that were clustered under native condition. Proteomic studies indicated presence of fruit bromelain as major protein constituent of the extract. It showed nonspecific protease activity, gelatinolytic, collagenase, fibrinolytic, acid and alkaline phosphatase, peroxidase, DNase and RNase activities along with considerable anti-microbial activity/property. The leaf extract did not induce any toxicity in rats after oral administration of acute and sub-acute doses.
CONCLUSION: Pineapple leaf extract is nontoxic, contains enzymes related to damage tissue repair, wound healing and possibly prevents secondary infections from microbial organisms. © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. PMID: 24076462 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Eupafolin and Ethyl Acetate Fraction of Kalanchoe gracilis Stem Extract Show Potent Antiviral Activities against Enterovirus 71 and Coxsackievirus A16. Wang CY, Huang SC, Lai ZR, Ho YL, Jou YJ, Kung SH, Zhang Y, Chang YS, Lin CW. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:591354. doi: 10.1155/2013/591354. Epub 2013 Sep 2. School of Chinese Pharmaceutical Sciences and CM Resources, PRC Medical Univ, Taichung 404, Taiwan ; Dept of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, PRC Medical Univ, Taichung 404, Taiwan. Enterovirus 71 (EV71) and coxsackievirus A16 (CoxA16) are main pathogens of hand-foot-and-mouth disease, occasionally causing aseptic meningitis and encephalitis in tropical and subtropical regions. Kalanchoe gracilis, Da-Huan-Hun, is a Chinese folk medicine for treating pain and inflammation, exhibiting antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Our prior report (2012) cited K. gracilis leaf extract as moderately active against EV71 and CoxA16. This study further rates antienteroviral potential of K. gracilis stem (KGS) extract to identify potent antiviral fractions and components. The extract moderately inhibits viral cytopathicity and virus yield, as well as in vitro replication of EV71 (IC50=75.18  μ g/mL) and CoxA16 (IC50=81.41  μ g/mL). Ethyl acetate (EA) fraction of KGS extract showed greater antiviral activity than that of n-butanol or aqueous fraction: IC50 values of 4.21  μ g/mL against EV71 and 9.08  μ g/mL against CoxA16. HPLC analysis, UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, and plaque reduction assay indicate that eupafolin is a vital component of EA fraction showing potent activity against EV71 (IC50=1.39  μ M) and CoxA16 (IC50=5.24  μ M). Eupafolin specifically lessened virus-induced upregulation of IL-6 and RANTES by inhibiting virus-induced ERK1/2, AP-1, and STAT3 signals. Anti-enteroviral potency of KGS EA fraction and eupafolin shows the clinical potential against EV71 and CoxA16 infection. PMCID: PMC3775429 PMID: 24078828 [PubMed]

Evaluation of combination effects of ethanolic extract of Ziziphus mucronata Willd. subsp. mucronata Willd. and antibiotics against clinically important bacteria. Olajuyigbe OO, Afolayan AJ. ScientificWorldJournal. 2013 Apr 24;2013:769594. doi: 10.1155/2013/769594. Print 2013. Dept of Botany, Phytomedicine Research Centre, Univ of Fort Hare, Alice 5700, South Africa. A pragmatic approach to the treatment of infectious diseases with multicausal agents and prevention of the development of resistant isolates is the combination of herbal remedies with the first-line antimicrobial agents to which most of them have become resistant. This study evaluated the interactions between the ethanolic bark extract of Ziziphus mucronata with known antimicrobial agents in vitro. In this study, the results showed that varied zones of inhibitions (ZME-chloramphenicol (17-42 mm), ZME-amoxicillin (17-35 mm), ZME-tetracycline (17-36 mm), ZME-ciprofloxacin (20-41 mm), ZME-nalidixic acid (17-34 mm), and ZME-kanamycin (17-38 mm)) were produced by the antibacterial combinations. At the highest combined concentrations, 12 isolates (ZME-ciprofloxacin) > 10 isolates (ZME-chloramphenicol)=(ZME-kanamycin) > 6 isolates (ZME-amoxicillin)=(ZME-nalidixic acid) and 5 isolates (ZME-tetracycline) were inhibited with zones of inhibition greater than 20±1.0 mm. Although the agar diffusion assay suggested that the interactions between the ethanolic extract of Z. mucronata and the antibiotics were both synergistic and additive in nature, the fractional inhibitory concentration indices (FICI) showed that the interactions were synergistic (54.2%), additive (27.8%), not significantly different (16.7%), and antagonistic (1.4%). While the fractional inhibitory concentration indices (FICIs) for synergism ranged between 0.00391 and 0.5, that of additivity ranged between 0.516 and 1.0, non-significances ranged between 1.062 and 3.0 and antagonistic interaction was 5.0.
CONCLUSIONS: The synergistic effects implied that the antibacterial combinations would be more effective and useful to treat multicausal and multidrug-resistant bacteria than a single monotherapy of either antibacterial agent. PMCID: PMC3655675 PMID: 23737727 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Herbacetin, A Constituent of Ephedrae herba, Suppresses the HGF-Induced Motility of Human Breast Cancer MDA-MB-231 Cells by Inhibiting c-Met and Akt Phosphorylation. Hyuga S, Hyuga M, Yoshimura M, Amakura Y, Goda Y, Hanawa T. Planta Med. 2013 Sep 30. [Epub ahead of print] Dept of Clinical Research, Oriental Medicine Research Center of Kitasato Univ, Tokyo, Japan. Ephedrae herba suppresses hepatocyte growth factor-induced cancer cell motility by inhibiting tyrosine phosphorylation of the hepatocyte growth factor receptor, c-Met, and the PI3K/Akt pathway. Moreover, Ephedrae herba directly inhibits the tyrosine-kinase activity of c-Met. Ephedrine-type alkaloids, which are the active component of Ephedrae herba, do not affect hepatocyte growth factor-c-Met-Akt signalling, prompting us to study other active molecules in the herb. We recently discovered herbacetin glycosides and found that their aglycon, herbacetin, inhibits hepatocyte growth factor-c-Met-Akt signalling. This study revealed a novel biological activity of herbacetin. Herbacetin suppressed hepatocyte growth factor-induced motility in human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells by inhibiting c-Met and Akt phosphorylation and directly inhibiting c-Met tyrosine kinase activity. The effects of herbacetin were compared to those of kaempferol, apigenin, and isoscutellarein, all of which have similar structures. Herbacetin inhibition of hepatocyte growth factor-induced motility was the strongest of those for the tested flavonols, and only herbacetin inhibited the hepatocyte growth factor-induced phosphorylation of c-Met.
CONCLUSION: Herbacetin is a novel Met inhibitor with a potential utility in cancer therapeutics. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York. PMID: 24081687 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Herbal triplet in treatment of nervous agitation in children. Trompetter I, Krick B, Weiss G. Wien Med Wochenschr. 2013 Feb;163(3-4):52-7. doi: 10.1007/s10354-012-0165-1. Epub 2012 Nov 22. PASCOE pharmazeutische Präparate GmbH, Schiffenberger Weg 55, 35394 Giessen, Germany. Emotional and behavioral problems in children and adolescents are common. A multicenter, prospective observational study (2008) with 115 children aged 6-12 years investigated to what extent a fixed plant extract combination can support children suffering from nervous agitation due to agitated depression etc for circa 2 years. The herbal triplet was a combination of extracts from St. John's Wort herb, valerian root, and passionflower herb. Assessments of the parents showed a distinct improvement in children who had attention problems, showed social withdrawal, and/or were anxious/depressive. Based on the physicians' assessment, 82-94% of the affected children had no or just mild symptoms at the end of observation as regards 9 / 13 evaluated symptoms [depression, school / examination anxieties, further anxieties, sleeping problems, and different physical problems].
CONCLUSION: The treatment was effective and well tolerated. Additional medication or therapies did not influence therapeutic success. PMCID: PMC3580146 PMID: 23179673 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

How to standardize the pulse-taking method of TCM pulse diagnosis. Chung YF, Hu CS, Yeh CC, Luo CH. Comput Biol Med. 2013 May 1;43(4):342-9. doi: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2012.12.010. Epub 2013 Feb 4. Dept of Electrical Engineering, National Cheng Kung Univ, Tainan 70101, Taiwan, ROC. chungyufeng@gmail.com The aim of this report is to propose standard pulse taking procedure of TCM Pulse Diagnosis. In order to acquire full information from taking a wrist pulse, this proposal adopts a tactile sensor with 12 sensing points at one sensing position, such as Cun, Guan, or Chi. Simultaneously Palpation (SP) and Pressing with One Finger (PWOF) are adopted to explore their differences of the detected pulse signals. According to vertical dynamic characteristics, the results of a Pearson product moment reveal that the correlation coefficients of PWOF and SP are highly correlated from Fu (Superficial) to Chen (Deep). In addition, according to unique characteristics of body state, the results of a paired samples t-Test reveal that the SP and PWOF are not significantly different at a specific pulse taking depth. Hence, if using the pulse-taking instrument with tactile sensors, it is concluded that pulse signals taken by familiar SP and PWOF methods are shown in statistical non-significances among seven parameters (Vppmean,Vppmax, HR, LENGTH, WIDTH, AS, and DS). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. PMID: 23384544 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]