Recent Medline Research Extracts

[herbsandhelpers]

Recent Medline Research Extracts

The efficacy and safety of 
herbal medicines used in the treatment of hyperlipidemia; a 
systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: This review focuses on the efficacy and safety of effective herbal medicines in the management of hyperlipidemia in human. 

METHODS: PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and IranMedex databases were searched up to 11th May 2010. The search terms were "hyperlipidemia" and ("herbal medicine" or "medicine traditional", "extract plant") without narrowing or limiting search elements. All of the human studies on the effects of 
herbs with the key outcome of change in lipid profiles were included. 

RESULTS: Fifty three relevant clinical trials were reviewed for 
efficacy of plants. This study showed significant decrease in total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol after treatment with Daming capsule (DMC), chunghyul-dan, Glycyrrhiza glabra, garlic powder (Allicor), 
black tea, green tea, soy drink enriched with plant sterols, 
licorice, Satureja khuzestanica, Monascus purpureus Went rice, 
Fenugreek, Commiphora mukul (guggul), Achillea wilhelmsii C. Koch, Ningzhi capsule (NZC), cherry, compositie salviae dropping pill (CSDP), shanzha xiaozhi capsule, Ba-wei-wan (hachimijiogan), rhubarb stalk, Silybum marianum, Rheum Ribes and Jingmingdan granule (primrose oil). Conflicting data exist for red yeast rice, garlic and guggul. No significant adverse effect or mortality were observed except in studies with DMC, guggul, and Terminalia belerica, Terminalia chebula, Emblica officinalis, ginger, and garlic powder (Allium sativum).

CONCLUSION: Amongst reviewed studies, 22 natural products were found effective in the treatment of hyperlipidemia that 
deserve further works to isolate and characterization of their 
constituents to reach novel therapeutic and more effective agents. 

Hasani-Ranjbar S, Nayebi N, Moradi L, Mehri A, 
Larijani B, Abdollahi M. Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, and Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

PMID: 20858178 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Systemic inflammation and 
carotid diameter in obese patients: pilot comparative study with flaxseed powder and cassava powder.

BACKGROUND: Botanical omega-3 fatty acid (alphalinolenic acid/ALA) has been shown to alleviate the prothrombotic and proinflammatory profile of metabolic syndrome, however clinical protocols are still scarce. Aiming to focus an obese 
population, a pilot study was designed. 

METHODS: Morbidly obese candidates for bariatric surgery (n = 29, age 46.3 ± 5.2 years), 
82.8% females (24/29), BMI 44.9 ± 5.2 kg/m², with C-reactive 
protein/CRP > 5 mg/L were recruited. Twenty were randomised and after exclusions, 16 were available for analysis. Flaxseed powder (60 g/day, 10 g ALA) and isocaloric roasted cassava powder (60 g/day, fat-
free) were administered in a double-blind routine for 12 weeks. 

RESULTS: During flaxseed consumption neutrophil count decreased and fibrinogen, complement C4, prothrombin time and carotid diameter remained stable, whereas placebo (cassava powder) was associated with 
further elevation of those measurements. 

CONCLUSIONS: Inflammatory 
and coagulatory markers tended to exhibit a better outlook in the flaxseed group. Also large-artery diameter stabilized whereas further increase was noticed in controls. These findings raise the hypothesis 
of a less deleterious cardiovascular course in seriously obese subjects receiving a flaxseed supplement. 

Faintuch J, Bortolotto LA, 
Marques PC, Faintuch JJ, França JI, Cecconello I. Nutrology Residency Program, Hospital das Clinicas, São Paulo, Brazil. 
jfaintuch at hcnet.usp.br

PMID: 21519749 [PubMed - 
indexed for MEDLINE]

Clinical application of Chamomilla recutita in phlebitis: dose response curve study.

This experimental and dose-response curve study aimed to carry out the quality control of the Chamomilla recutita sample, as well as to estimate the ideal dose, for anti-inflammatory effect, of the extract of its capitula, in patients with phlebitis due to peripheral intravenous infusion of antineoplastic chemotherapy and to evaluate the toxicity of this extract in human beings. The therapeutic efficacy, concerning the anti-inflammatory potential, of different doses of Chamomilla recutita extract were analysed and compared in 25 patients. The time of regression of phlebitis was shorter for groups with 2.5% concentration (mean=29.2h, 
standard deviation = 8.98) and 5% concentration (mean = 38.8h, 
standard deviation = 17.47). Local toxicity was almost not observed. 

This research contributes to the innovation of the nursing clinical 
practice, since it suggests an alternative for the treatment of 
phlebitis through the clinical use of phytotherapeutic drugs. 

Reis PE, Carvalho EC, Bueno PC, Bastos JK. Universidade de Brasília, DF, Brazil. pdinizreis at yahoo.com

PMID: 21412623 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]