Recent Medline Research Extracts

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Recent Medline Research Extracts

Postby herbsandhelpers » Wed Nov 27, 2013 7:03 pm

A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled study of the effects of Qili Qiangxin Capsules in patients with chronic heart failure.
Li X, Zhang J, Huang J, Ma A, Yang J, Li W, Wu Z, Yao C, Zhang Y, Yao W, Zhang B, Gao R; J Am Coll Cardiol. 2013 Sep 17;62(12):1065-72. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2013.05.035. Epub 2013 Jun 7. Efficacy and Safety of Qili Qiangxin Capsules for Chronic Heart Failure Study Group. First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical Univ, Nanjing, PRC. Electronic address: xinli3267@yeah.net. Comment in J Am Coll Cardiol. 2013 Sep 17;62(12):1073-4.
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of Qili Qiangxin Capsules in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).
BACKGROUND: Qili Qiangxin Capsules are a TCM that has been approved in China for the treatment of CHF, but the evidence supporting its efficacy remains unclear. METHODS: A total of 512 patients with CHF were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive the placebo or Qili Qiangxin Capsules in addition to their standard medications for the treatment of CHF. The primary endpoint was the reduction or percent change in the plasma N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) level during 12 weeks of treatment.
RESULTS: At the 12-week follow-up, a significant reduction in the NT-proBNP level from baseline was observed in both groups, but the Qili Qiangxin Capsule group demonstrated a significantly greater reduction than the placebo group (p=.002); 47.95% of patients in the Qili Qiangxin Capsule group demonstrated reductions in NT-proBNP levels of at least 30% compared with 31.98% of patients in the placebo group (p<.001). Treatment with Qili Qiangxin Capsules also demonstrated superior performance in comparison to the placebo with respect to New York Heart Association functional classification, left ventricular ejection fraction, 6-min walking distance, and QOL.
CONCLUSIONS: On a background of standard treatment, Qili Qiangxin Capsules further reduced the levels of NT-proBNP. Together, our data suggest that Qili Qiangxin Capsules could be used in combination therapy for CHF. Copyright © 2013 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. PMID: 23747768 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Activity of chitosan-encapsulated Eucalyptus staigeriana essential oil on Haemonchus contortus.
Ribeiro WL, Macedo IT, dos Santos JM, de Oliveira EF, Camurça-Vasconcelos AL, de Paula HC, Bevilaqua CM. Exp Parasitol. 2013 Sep;135(1):24-9. doi: 10.1016/j.exppara.2013.05.014. Epub 2013 Jun 6. Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Univ Estadual do Ceará, Brazil. Phytotherapy has been described as an alternative method for the control of gastrointestinal nematodes in small ruminants. Goal of the encapsulation of essential oils in biopolymer matrices is to optimize the biological effects of these oils. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo anthelmintic activity of encapsulated Eucalyptus staigeriana essential oil (EncEs) on the eggs and larvae of Haemonchus contortus. Therefore, the egg hatching test (EHT), larval development test (LDT) and worm load evaluation were performed to evaluate Meriones unguiculatus experimentally infected with H. contortus. The chemical constituents of E. staigeriana essential oil (EsEO) and the in vitro oil release profile from the chitosan matrix at a pH of 1.2 and 7.0 were also characterized. EncEs and EsEO inhibited larval hatching by 97.19% and 99.96% at doses of 1.5 and 1.0mg ml(-1), respectively. In the LDT, EncEs and EsEO induced a larvicidal effect greater than 95% at concentrations of 5.8 and 8mg ml(-1), respectively. EncEs and EsEO decreased H. contortus load in M. unguiculatus by 40.51% and 46.44%, respectively. The major chemical constituents of EsEO were (+)-Limonene (72.9%), 1,8-Cineole (9.5%) and o-Cimene (4.6%). The release profile of EsEO was 30% in acid and 25% at neutral pH. The similar efficacy of EncEs and EsEO demonstrates that there was no optimization of anthelmintic action following the encapsulation process. Therefore, the use of new encapsulation matrices with controlled release in the pH of the abomasum should be investigated. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. PMID: 23748159 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Amelioration of influenza virus-induced reactive oxygen species formation by epigallocatechin gallate derived from green tea. Ling JX, Wei F, Li N, Li JL, Chen LJ, Liu YY, Luo F, Xiong HR, Hou W, Yang ZQ. Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2012 Dec;33(12):1533-41. doi: 10.1038/aps.2012.80. Epub 2012 Sep 3. State Key Lab of Virology/Institute of Medical Virology/Research Center of Food and Drug Evaluation/State Lab of Antiviral and Tumor of TCM, School of Medicine, Wuhan Univ, Wuhan 430071, PRC. AIM: To study whether epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a green tea-derived polyphenol, exerted anti-influenza A virus activity in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells were tested. The antiviral activity of EGCG in the cells was determined using hemagglutination assay and qPCR. Time of addition assay was performed to determine the kinetics of inhibition of influenza A by EGCG. The level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were determined with confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. BALB/c mice were treated with EGCG (10, 20 or 40mg·kg(-1)·d(-1), po) for 5 d. On the 3rd d of the treatment, the mice were infected with influenza A virus. Histopathological changes, lung index and virus titers in the lungs were determined. RESULTS: Treatment of influenza A-infected MDCK cells with EGCG (1.25-100 nmol/L) inhibited influenza A replication in a concentration-dependent manner (the ED(50) value was 8.71±1.11 nmol/L). Treatment with EGCG (20 nmol/L) significantly suppressed the increased ROS level in MDCK cells following influenza A infection. In BALB/c mice infected with influenza virus, oral administration of EGCG (40mg·kg(-1)·d(-1)) dramatically improved the survival rate, decreased the mean virus yields and mitigated viral pneumonia in the lungs, which was equivalent to oral administration of oseltamivir (40mg·kg(-1)·d(-1)), a positive control drug. CONCLUSION: The results provide a molecular basis for development of EGCG as a novel and safe chemopreventive agent for influenza A infection. PMID: 22941291 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Ameliorative effect of Noni fruit extract on streptozotocin-induced memory impairment in mice.
Pachauri SD, Verma PR, Dwivedi AK, Tota S, Khandelwal K, Saxena JK, Nath C. Behav Pharmacol. 2013 Aug;24(4):307-19. doi: 10.1097/FBP.0b013e3283637a51. Division of Pharmaceutics, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. This study evaluated the effects of a standardized ethyl acetate extract of Morinda citrifolia L. (Noni) fruit on impairment of memory, brain energy metabolism, and cholinergic function in intracerebral streptozotocin (STZ)-treated mice. STZ (0.5mg/kg) was administered twice at an interval of 48 h. Noni (50 and 100mg/kg, postoperatively) was administered for 21 days following STZ administration. Memory function was evaluated using Morris Water Maze and passive avoidance tests, and brain levels of cholinergic function, oxidative stress, energy metabolism, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were estimated. STZ caused memory impairment in Morris Water Maze and passive avoidance tests along with reduced brain levels of ATP, BDNF, and acetylcholine and increased acetylcholinesterase activity and oxidative stress. Treatment with Noni extract (100mg/kg) prevented the STZ-induced memory impairment in both behavioral tests along with reduced oxidative stress and acetylcholinesterase activity, and increased brain levels of BDNF, acetylcholine, and ATP level. The study shows the beneficial effects of Noni fruit against STZ-induced memory impairment, which may be attributed to improved brain energy metabolism, cholinergic neurotransmission, BDNF, and antioxidative action. PMID: 23838966 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Analysis and in vitro anti-Candida antifungal activity of Cuminum cyminum and Salvadora persica herbs extracts against pathogenic Candida strains.
Naeini A, Jalayer Naderi N, Shokri H. J Mycol Med. 2013 Nov 7. pii: S1156-5233(13)00163-7. doi: 10.1016/j.mycmed.2013.09.006. [Epub ahead of print] Traditional Medicine Clinical Trail Research Center, Shahed Univ, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: aemamh@yahoo.com.
OBJECTIVE: The in vitro antifungal activities of essential oil from Cuminum cyminum (C. cyminum) and alcoholic extract from Salvadora persica (S. persica) were investigated in order to evaluate their efficacy against C. albicans ATCC 14053, C. dubliniensis ATCC CD60, C. glabrata ATCC 90030, C. krusei ATCC 6258 and C. parapsilosis ATCC 22019.
METHODS: The essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation in a Clevenger apparatus and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS). The disc diffusion and broth macrodilution methods were used as antifungal susceptibility tests.
RESULTS: The GC/MS analysis allowed 17 components to be determined; the main constituents of C. cyminum essential oil were α-pinene (30%), limonene (21%) and 1,8-cineole (18.5%). C. cyminum oil had a broad-spectrum antifungal activity against different pathogenic Candida species. Inhibition zone values ranged from 7 to 50mm for C. cyminum and 0 to 10mm for S. persica against the organisms tested. The best minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of C. cyminum oil was associated with C. albicans and C. dubliniensis (289mg/L) and the MICs of S. persica extract were 4.9mg/mL and 20mg/mL against C. albicans and C. dubliniensis, respectively.
CONCLUSION: The results suggested the potential substitution of the antifungal chemicals by C. cyminum essential oil and S. persica alcoholic extract as natural inhibitors to control the growth of the most important pathogenic Candida species and alternative therapies for candidiasis. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier SAS. PMID: 24210587 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Antibacterial activity of Phyllantus emblica, Coriandrum sativum, Culinaris medic, Lawsonia alba and Cucumis sativus. Khan DA, Hassan F, Ullah H, Karim S, Baseer A, Abid MA, Ubaidi M, Khan SA, Murtaza G. Acta Pol Pharm. 2013 Sep-Oct;70(5):855-9. Dept of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Univ of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan. khanalidawood@gmail.com Present study deals with the demonstration of the antibacterial activity of very common medicinal plants of Pakistani origin viz, Phyllantus emblica, Coriandrum sativum, Culinaris medic, Lawsonia alba and Cucumis sativus. The extracts were prepared in crude form by the use of hydro-alcoholic solution and were screened for antibacterial activity against various bacterial species by disk diffusion method. Assay was performed using clinical isolates of B. cereus, S. aureus, P. aeruginosa and E. coli. Crude extract of Phyllantus emblica fruit exhibited strong activity against standard cultures of all studied bacteria. Lawsonia alba showed good activity against standard cultures of all the used microorganisms. Coriandrum sativum was effective only against Bacillus cereus, while Cucumis sativus and Culinaris medic showed poor activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa only. Hence, Phyllantus emblica exhibited strong antibacterial activity against a wide range of bacteria it means that Phyllantus emblica extract contains some compounds which have broad spectrum of bactericidal activity. PMID: 24147363 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Antifatigue effects of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
Kim HG, Cho JH, Yoo SR, Lee JS, Han JM, Lee NH, Ahn YC, Son CG. PLoS One. 2013 Apr 17;8(4):e61271. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0061271. Print 2013. Liver and Immunology Research Center, Daejeon Oriental Hospital of Daejeon Univ, Jung-gu, Daejeon, South Korea. The present study investigated the antifatigue effects of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer in 90 subjects (21 men and 69 women) with idiopathic chronic fatigue (ICF) in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled and parallel designed trial. A bespoke 20% ethanol extract of P. ginseng (1g or 2g day(-1)) or a placebo was administered to each group for 4 weeks, and then fatigue severity was monitored using a self-rating numeric scale (NRS) and a visual analogue scale (VAS) as a primary endpoint. Serum levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), total glutathione (GSH) contents and glutathione reductase (GSH-Rd) activity were determined. After 4-week, P. ginseng administration decreased the total NRS score, but they were not statistically significant compared with placebo (p>.05). Mental NRS score was significantly improved by P. ginseng administrations as 20.4±5.0 to 15.1±6.5 [95% CI 2.3 ~ 8.2] for 1g and 20.7±6.3 to 13.8±6.2 [95% CI -0.1 ~ 4.2] for 2g compared with placebo 20.9±4.5 to 18.8±2.9 [95% CI 4.1 ~ 9.9, p<.01]. Only 2g P. ginseng significantly reduced the VAS score from 7.3±1.3 to 4.4±1.8 [95% CI 0.7∼ 1.8] compared with the placebo 7.1±1.0 to 5.8±1.3 [95% CI 2.2 ~ 3.7, p<.01]. ROS and MDA levels were lowered by P. ginseng compared to placebo. P. ginseng 1g increased GSH concentration and GSH-Rd activity. CONCLUSION: We provide the first evidence of the antifatigue effects of P. ginseng in patients with ICF, and we submit that these changes in antioxidant properties contribute in part to its mechanism.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Research Information Service (CRIS) KCT0000048. PMCID: PMC3629193 PMID: 23613825 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Anti-fibrosis and anti-cirrhosis effects of Rhizoma Paridis saponins on diethylnitrosamine induced rats.
Man S, Fan W, Gao W, Li Y, Wang Y, Liu Z, Li H. J Ethnopharmacol. 2013 Nov 7. pii: S0378-8741(13)00776-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2013.10.051. [Epub ahead of print] Key Lab of Industrial Microbiology, Ministry of Education, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin Univ of Science & Technology, Tianjin 300457, China; Tianjin Key Lab of Industry Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin Univ of Science & Technology, Tianjin 300457, PRC.
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis as a TCM has been used in the treatment of liver disease for thousands of years. Rhizoma Paridis saponins (RPS), as the main active components of Paris polyphylla, have been used to treat liver injury. Anti-cirrhosis effect of Rhizoma Paridis saponins (RPS) has not been known.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced metabonomic changes in multiple biological matrices (plasma and urine) of rats by using (1)H-NMR spectroscopy together with clinical biochemistry assessments, oxidative stress test and DNA fragmentation assay.
RESULTS: Mechanisms of RPS that participated in the inhibition of the fibrotic process included anti-oxidant, anti-apoptosis, and metabolic disturbance such as decreasing lipid oxidation, regulation of TCA cycle, carbohydrate, and amino acid metabolisms in DEN-induced liver tissues.
CONCLUSIONS: Integrated NMR analysis of serum and urine samples, together with traditional clinical biochemical assays provided a holistic method for elucidating mechanisms of potential anti-fibrotic agent, RPS. © 2013 Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. PMID: 24212073 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Antihyperglycemic effect of Ginkgo biloba extract in streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats.
Cheng D, Liang B, Li Y. Biomed Res Int. 2013;2013:162724. doi: 10.1155/2013/162724. Epub 2012 Dec 20. Dept of Transfusion, The First Hospital of China Medical Univ, North Nanjing Street No. 155, Shenyang 110001, PRC. dayecheng_cmu@yahoo.cn The Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) has been reported to have a wide range of health benefits in TCM. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antihyperglycemic effects of GBE on streptozotocin- (STZ-) induced diabetes in rats. Diabetes was induced in male Wistar rats by the administration of STZ (60  mg/kg BW) intraperitoneally. GBE (100, 200, and 300  mg/kg BW) was administered orally once a day for a period of 30 days. Body weight and blood glucose levels were determined in different experimental days. Serum lipid profile and antioxidant enzymes in hepatic and pancreatic tissue were measured at the end of the experimental period. Significant decreases in BW and antioxidant ability and increases in blood glucose, lipid profile, and lipid peroxidation were observed in STZ-induced diabetic rats. The administration of GBE and glibenclamide daily for 30 days in STZ-induced diabetic rats reversed the above parameters significantly.
CONCLUSION: GBE has antihyperglycemic, antioxidant, and antihyperlipidemia activities in STZ-induced chronic diabetic rats, which promisingly support the use of GBE as a food supplement or an adjunct treatment for diabetics. PMCID: PMC3591163 PMID: 23509685 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and analgesic potential of Cocos nucifera linn.: a review.
Dua K, Sheshala R, Ling TY, Hui Ling S, Gorajana A. Antiinflamm Antiallergy Agents Med Chem. 2013 Aug 1;12(2):158-64. Dept. of Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmacy, International Medical Univ, Bukit Jalil, 57000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. kamalpharmacist@gmail.com Approximately 25%of drugs in modern pharmacopoeia are derived from plant sources (phytomedicines) that can be developed for the treatment of diseases and disorders. Many other drugs are synthetic analogues built on the prototype compounds isolated from plants. Coconut (Cocos nucifera Linn., Arecaceae), is a plant with much potential as an ingredient in traditional medicines for the treatment of metabolic disorders and particularly as an anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and analgesic agent. This review emphasizes on the recent literature and research findings that highlight the significant biological activities of C. nucifera Linn. such as its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and analgesic properties. This review can help researchers keen on exploiting the therapeutic potential of C. nucifera Linn. which may motivate them to further explore their commercial viability. PMID: 23286236 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Antitumour evaluation of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) isolated from Calotropis gigantea
L. flower. Habib MR, Karim MR. Acta Pharm. 2012 Dec;62(4):607-15. doi: 10.2478/v10007-012-0035-9. Dept of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science Rajshahi Univ, Rajshahi-6205 Bangladesh. The objective of the study is to explore the anticancer activity of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) isolated from Calotropis gigantea flower against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells (EAC) in Swiss albino mice. The activity of DEHP was evaluated at doses of 10, 20 and 40mg kg-1 body mass applied intraperitoneally. DEHP showed a significant decrease in viable cell count (p<.05), mass gain (due to tumour burden) and elevated the life span of EAC cell bearing mice. Altered hematological profiles such as RBC, hemoglobin, WBC and differential count were reverted to normal levels in DEHP-treated mice. DEHP also brought back altered biochemical parameters (glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, blood urea, SALP and SGOT) to normal level.
CONCLUSION: DEHP had potent dose dependent antitumour activity against EAC in vivo. PMID: 23333892 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Antrodia salmonea inhibits TNF-α-induced angiogenesis and atherogenesis in human endothelial cells through the down-regulation of NF-κB and up-regulation of Nrf2 signaling pathways.
Yang HL, Chang HC, Lin SW, Senthil Kumar KJ, Liao CH, Wang HM, Lin KY, Hseu YC. J Ethnopharmacol. 2013 Nov 6. pii: S0378-8741(13)00777-0. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2013.10.052. [Epub ahead of print] Institute of Nutrition, College of Health Care, China Medical Univ, Taichung 40402, ROC.
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Antrodia salmonea (AS) is known as a TCM, but very few biological activities have been reported.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study was aimed to investigate the anti-angiogenic and anti-atherosclerotic potential of the fermented culture broth of AS against tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-stimulated human endothelial (EA.hy 926) cells. RESULTS: The non-cytotoxic concentrations of AS significantly inhibited TNF-α-induced migration/invasion and capillary-like tube formation in EA.hy 926 cells. Fur thermore, AS suppressed TNF-α-induced activity and expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), and cell-surface expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), which was associated with abridged adhesion of U937 leukocytes to endothelial cells. Moreover, AS significantly down-regulated TNF-α-induced nuclear translocation and transcriptional activation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) followed by suppression of I-κB degradation and phosphorylation of I-κB kinase-α (IKKα). Notably, the protective effect of AS was directly correlated with the increased expression of hemeoxygenase-1 (HO-1) and γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase (γ-GCLC), which was reasoned by nuclear translocation and transactivation of NF-E2 related factor-2 (Nrf2)/antioxidant response element (ARE). Furthermore, HO-1 knockdown by HO-1-specific shRNA diminished the protective effects of AS on TNF-α-stimulated invasion, tube formation, and U937 adhesion in EA.hy 926 cells. CONCLUSIONS: Antrodia salmonea may be useful for the prevention of angiogenesis and atherosclerosis. © 2013 Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. PMID: 24211395 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Ashvagandharishta prepared using yeast consortium from Woodfordia fruticosa flowers exhibit hepatoprotective effect on CCl4 induced liver damage in Wistar rats.
Bhondave PD, Devarshi PP, Mahadik KR, Harsulkar AM. J Ethnopharmacol. 2013 Nov 6. pii: S0378-8741(13)00732-0. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2013.10.025. [Epub ahead of print] Dept of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Poona College of Pharmacy, Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed Univ, Erandwane, Pune 411038, Maharashtra, India. Electronic address: prashantbhondave@gmail.com. ETHANOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Consortium of yeasts sourced from traditionally used Woodfordia fruticosa flowers proved to be beneficial for fermenting Ashvagandharishta. It resulted in faster fermentation, acceptable organoleptic properties and demonstrable hepatoprotective potential in CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity. To formulate Ashvagandharishta using consortium of yeasts and to investigate its physiochemical parameters. Standardize the formulation with the help of standard withaferin-A and withanolide-A and to evaluate its hepatoprotective potential in CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity in the rat model. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ashvagandharishta was prepared using a 5% consortium of yeasts and ascertained its quality through physiochemical and phytochemical investigation. Withaferin-A and withanolide-A was simultaneously estimated by HPLC for standardization. Hepatoprotective potential was evaluated by administering 2.31 and 1.15ml/kg doses while considering biochemical parameters like serum AST, ALT, ALP and lipid profile. Gene expression study was carried out for the expression of antioxidant and inflammatory genes such as CAT, GPx and proinflammatory gene IL-6. Histopathology of liver was also studied with the help of H&E staining. RESULTS: Ashvagandharishta was found organolepticaly acceptable with optimized physiochemical parameters. Withaferin-A and withanolide-A in Ashvagandharishta estimated as 0.3711, 0.7426 (%w/v), respectively. In the CCl4 induced hepato-toxicity model, Ashvagandharishta-2.31ml/kg dose showed significant decrease in elevated hepatic level of AST(p<.001), ALT(p<.01) and ALP(p<.001). Both doses of Ashvagandharishta showed significant reduction of TG, Cholesterol, VLDL and LDL in serum, with corresponding reduction of (p<.001) serum-HDL. Ashvagandharishta also showed increased serum protein (p<.05) and albumin (p<.01) with decrease in bilirubin (p<.01). Additionally, Ashvagandharishta administration revealed up-regulation in antioxidant genes such as CAT and GPx in liver with concomitant down-regulation in proinflammatory IL-6gene (p<.01). Histopathological parameters revealed restoration of normal tissue architecture by both doses of Ashvagandharishta.
CONCLUSIONS: Consortium of yeasts from Woodfordia fruticosa flowers showed better fermentation pattern for Ashvagandharishta produced with acceptable organoleptic properties. Hepatoprotection shown by Ashvagandharishta was mainly through prevention of oxidative damage. Up-regulation of CAT and GPx genes and corresponding down regulation of proinflammatory IL6 gene was revealed as possible mechanism of its action. © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. PMID: 24211394 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Association of coffee intake with liver cancer incidence and chronic liver disease mortality in male smokers.
Lai GY, Weinstein SJ, Albanes D, Taylor PR, McGlynn KA, Virtamo J, Sinha R, Freedman ND. Br J Cancer. 2013 Sep 3;109(5):1344-51. doi: 10.1038/bjc.2013.405. Epub 2013 Jul 23. Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program, Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, 9609 Medical Center Drive, Room 2W136 MSC 9712, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. laigy@mail.nih.gov
BACKGROUND: Coffee intake is associated with reduced risk of liver cancer and chronic liver disease as reported in previous studies, including prospective ones conducted in Asian populations where hepatitis B viruses (HBVs) and hepatitis C viruses (HCVs) are the dominant risk factors. Yet, prospective studies in Western populations with lower HBV and HCV prevalence are sparse. Also, although preparation methods affect coffee constituents, it is unknown whether different methods affect disease associations.
METHODS: We evaluated the association of coffee intake with incident liver cancer and chronic liver disease mortality in 27,037 Finnish male smokers, aged 50-69, in the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study, who recorded their coffee consumption and were followed up to 24 years for incident liver cancer or chronic liver disease mortality. Multivariate relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by Cox proportional hazard models.
RESULTS: Coffee intake was inversely associated with incident liver cancer (RR/cup/d=.82, 95% CI: 0.73-0.93; p across categories=.0007) and mortality from chronic liver disease (RR=.55, 95% CI: 0.48-0.63; p<.0001). Inverse associations persisted in those without diabetes, HBV- and HCV-negative cases, and in analyses stratified by age, body mass index, alcohol and smoking dose. We observed similar associations for those drinking boiled or filtered coffee.
CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that drinking coffee may have benefits for the liver, irrespective of whether coffee was boiled or filtered. PMCID: PMC3778279 [Available on 2014/9/3] PMID: 23880821 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Bilberry ingestion improves disease activity in mild to moderate ulcerative colitis - an open pilot study.
Biedermann L, Mwinyi J, Scharl M, Frei P, Zeitz J, Kullak-Ublick GA, Vavricka SR, Fried M, Weber A, Humpf HU, Peschke S, Jetter A, Krammer G, Rogler G. J Crohns Colitis. 2013 May;7(4):271-9. doi: 10.1016/j.crohns.2012.07.010. Epub 2012 Aug 9. Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Univ Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: A significant fraction of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) is not sufficiently controlled with conventional therapy or suffers from therapy related side effects. Anthocyanins, highly abundant in bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus), were shown to have antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. We aimed to explore the therapeutic potential of bilberries in active UC.
METHODS: In an open pilot trial with a total follow-up of 9 weeks the effect of a daily standardized anthocyanin-rich bilberry preparation was tested in 13 patients with mild to moderate UC. Clinical, biochemical, endoscopic and histologic parameters were assessed.
RESULTS: At the end of the 6 week treatment interval 63.4% of patients achieved remission, the primary endpoint, while 90.9% of patients showed a response. In all patients a decrease in total Mayo score was detected (mean: 6.5 and 3.6 at screening and week 7, respectively; p<.001). Fecal calprotectin levels significantly decreased during the treatment phase (baseline: mean 778 μg/g, range 192-1790 μg/g; end of treatment: mean 305 μg/g, range <30-1586 μg/g; p=.049), including 4 patients achieving undetectable levels at end of treatment. A decrease in endoscopic Mayo score and histologic Riley index confirmed the beneficial effect. However, an increase of calprotectin levels and disease activity was observed after cessation of bilberry intake. No serious adverse events were observed.
CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report on the promising therapeutic potential of a standardized anthocyanin-rich bilberry preparation in UC in humans. These results clearly indicate a therapeutic potential of bilberries in UC. Further studies on mechanisms and randomized clinical trials are warranted. Copyright © 2012 European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. PMID: 22883440 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Biological effects of four frequently used medicinal plants of Lamiaceae.
Srancikova A, Horvathova E, Kozics K. Neoplasma. 2013;60(6):585-97. doi: 10.4149/neo_2013_076. Cancer is one of the leading causes of death characterized by uncontrolled growth and spread of cancer cells. There are several hundred thousands of new cases of cancer worldwide. Clinical oncology is still challenged by toxicity and side effects of multimodal therapy strategies in which it is associated with poor prognosis for patients. There is an urgent necessity to develop novel therapy strategies and to utilize preventive potential of natural compounds. As the majority of anticancer drugs are of natural origin, natural products represent a valuable source for the identification and development of novel treatment options and chemopreventive mechanisms for cancer. This review is focused on the summary of published knowledges on the antioxidant and potential chemopreventive effects of biologically active substances present in the extracts of four plants of the family Lamiaceae (Sage, Thyme, Rosemary and Lavander) in different animal and in vitro systems. It is assumed that the chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic potential of natural compounds is the result of a combined action of several mechanisms. PMID: 23906292 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Cardiovascular toxicity of Citrus aurantium in exercised rats.
Hansen DK, George NI, White GE, Abdel-Rahman A, Pellicore LS, Fabricant D. Cardiovasc Toxicol. 2013 Sep;13(3):208-19. doi: 10.1007/s12012-013-9199-x. Division of Systems Biology, FDA/NCTR, 3900 NCTR Rd., Jefferson, AR, 72079, USA, deborah.hansen@fda.hhs.gov When safety concerns forced the removal of ephedra from the market, other botanicals, including Citrus aurantium or bitter orange (BO) were used as replacements. A major component of the BO extract is synephrine, a chemical that is structurally similar to ephedrine. Because ephedrine has cardiovascular effects that may be exacerbated during physical exercise, the purpose of this study was to determine whether extracts containing synephrine produced adverse effects on the cardiovascular system in exercising rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were dosed daily by gavage for 28 days with 10 or 50mg of synephrine/kg BW from one of two different extracts; caffeine was added to some doses. The rats ran on a treadmill for 30 min/d, 3 days/week. Heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and QT interval were monitored. Both doses of both extracts significantly increased systolic and diastolic blood pressure for up to 8h after dosing. Effects on heart rate and body temperature appeared to be due primarily to the effects of caffeine. These data suggest that the combination of synephrine, caffeine, and exercise can have significant effects on blood pressure and do not appear to be effective in decreasing food consumption or body weight. PMID: 23397375 [PubMed - in process]

CHM for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss: a systematic review of randomised clinical trials.
Su CX, Yan LJ, Lewith G, Liu JP. Clin Otolaryngol. 2013 Nov 8. doi: 10.1111/coa.12198. [Epub ahead of print] Center for Evidence-Based Chinese Medicine, Beijing Univ of Chinese Medicine, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China; School of Nursing, Beijing Univ of Chinese Medicine, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100102, PRC.
BACKGROUND: Idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss has great impact on QOL. Many clinical trials using CHM for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss have been conducted and reported beneficial results. However, there is no critical appraised evidence on efficacy and safety of CHM for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss to inform clinical use. OBJECTIVE OF REVIEW: To assess the beneficial effect and safety of CHM for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss. TYPE OF REVIEW: Systematic review of randomised clinical trials.
SEARCH STRATEGY: Seven electronic databases and two trial registries were searched for all eligible trials from inception to January 2013.
EVALUATION METHOD: Two authors independently selected trials and extracted data. Cochrane risk of bias tool was utilized to assess the methodological quality of the included trials. RevMan 5.2 software was applied for data analysis with effect estimate presented as risk ratio and mean difference with its 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: Forty-one randomised clinical trials involving 3560 participants were identified. Five kinds of CHM were trialed. All trials compared conventional therapies of steroids, vasodilaltors, nutritional supplements or hyperbaric oxygen with or without herbal medicine. No trial was identified that compared herbal medicine alone with placebo. No trial was identified that blinded the participants or the observers to their herbal medication. No trial adequately reported its method of randomization. No trial reported the sample size calculated to show an effect. All trials had material other defects giving a high likelihood of bias. Because of the overall poor quality of all forty-one trials, it was concluded that there was no level one evidence to support the use of CHM, alone or in addition to conventional therapies, to improve the hearing in adults with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss ., Two trials reported adverse effects and none were found in the CHM groups.
CONCLUSIONS: The existing evidence for the beneficial effect and safety of CHM for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss comes from methodologically poor studies and, therefore, cannot be reliably used to support their clinical use. We identify a justification to further investigate the effect and safety of CHM for people with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss in rigorously designed randomised trials. PMID: 24209508 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Cytotoxic effect of Potentilla reptans L. rhizome and aerial part extracts.
Radovanovic AM, Cupara SM, Popovic SLj, Tomovic MT, Slavkovska VN, Jankovic SE. Acta Pol Pharm. 2013 Sep-Oct;70(5):851-4. Pharmacy Dept, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Univ of Kragujevac, Serbia. Potentilla reptans L. belongs to the least studied of the plants from Rosaceae family, Potentilla genus. There are no data on cytotoxicity of P. reptans extracts, though traditionaly it was used as antiinflammatory and antiinfective. The aim of these studies was to investigate potential antitumor activity of aqueous extracts (rhizome and aerial parts) of P. reptans on 4T1 mouse breast cancer cell line. Aqueous extracts of rhizome and aerial parts of P. reptans were tested for cytotoxicity by the MTT colorimetric assay on 4T1 cancer cell line in concentration range 100-800 microg/mL. Aqueous extracts of P. reptans rhizome and aerial parts show concentration dependent cytotoxic effect in the range of tested concentrations. ICE50 value of P. reptans rhizome extract was 280.51±1.16 microg/mL. IC50 value of P. reptans aerial parts extract was 310.79±1.22 microg/mL. The significant difference in cytotoxicity among tested concentrations was observed. Aqueous extracts of P. reptans rhizome and aerial parts demonstrated weak cytotoxic activity on 4T1 mouse breast cancer cell line, which is in correlation with current cytotoxicity data for aqueous herbal extracts. Rhizome extract of P. reptans has slightly higher antitumor activity than aerial parts extract. The results represent the first report on cytotoxicity for this plant and further research on human cell lines is indicated. PMID: 24147362 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Diallyl trisulfide and diallyl disulfide ameliorate cardiac dysfunction by suppressing apoptotic and enhancing survival pathways in experimental diabetic rats.
Huang YT, Yao CH, Way CL, Lee KW, Tsai CY, Ou HC, Kuo WW. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2013 Feb;114(3):402-10. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00672.2012. Epub 2012 Nov 8. Dept of Biological Science and Technology, China Medical Univ, Taichung, ROC. Cardiovascular disease is one of the major causes of mortality in diabetic patients. Mounting studies have shown that Garlic exhibits, possibly through its antioxidant potential, diverse biological activities. In this study, we investigated the alleviating effects of Garlic oil (GO) and its two major components, diallyl disulfide (DADS) and diallyl trisulfide (DATS), on diabetic cardiomyopathy in rats. Physiological cardiac parameters were obtained using echocardiography. Apoptotic cells were evaluated using TUNEL and DAPI staining. Protein expression levels were determined using Western blotting analysis. Our findings indicated that in diabetic rat hearts significantly decreased fractional shortening percentage, increased levels of nitrotyrosine, an elevated number of TUNEL-positive cells, enhanced levels of caspase 3 expression, and decreased PI3K-Akt signaling pathway activities were observed. Furthermore, all of these alterations were reversed following both GO and DATS (or DADS) administrations through increasing PI3K-Akt signaling pathway activities and inhibiting both the death receptor-dependent and the mitochondria-dependent apoptotic pathways.
CONCLUSION: DATS and DADS, with the efficacy order DATS > DADS, have the therapeutic potential to ameliorate diabetic cardiomyopathy. Furthermore, the therapeutic effects of GO on diabetic cardiomyopathy should be mainly from DATS and DADS. PMID: 23139364 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Dietary intake of naturally occurring plant sterols is related to a lower risk of a first myocardial infarction in men but not in women in northern Sweden.
Klingberg S, Ellegård L, Johansson I, Jansson JH, Hallmans G, Winkvist A. J Nutr. 2013 Oct;143(10):1630-5. doi: 10.3945/jn.113.178707. Epub 2013 Aug 7. Dept of Internal Medicine and Clinical Nutrition, Sahlgrenska Academy, Univ of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. Dietary intake of naturally occurring plant sterols is inversely related to serum cholesterol concentrations. Elevated serum cholesterol increases the risk of myocardial infarction (MI), but it is unknown if this can be reduced by dietary intake of naturally occurring plant sterols. Our aim was to investigate if a high intake of naturally occurring plant sterols is related to a lower risk of contracting a first MI. The analysis included 1005 prospective cases (219 women, 786 men) and 3148 matched referents (723 women, 2425 men), aged 29-73 y at baseline, from the population-based Northern Sweden Health and Disease Study. A food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was completed at baseline. Absolute plant sterol intake was inversely related to the risk of a first MI in men (OR highest vs. lowest quartile=.70; 95% CI: 0.53, 0.85; P-trend=.006) but not in women. After adjustment for confounders, the estimated risk was somewhat attenuated (OR highest vs. lowest quartile=.71; 95% CI: 0.55, 0.92; P-trend=.067), suggesting that increasing sterol intake from 150 to 340mg/d reduces the risk of a first MI by 29%. Energy-adjusted plant sterol intake was not related to the risk of a first MI in either men or women.
CONCLUSION: Our data show that a high absolute intake of naturally occurring plant sterols is significantly related to a lower risk of a first MI in men in northern Sweden, whereas no significant relation was seen for energy-adjusted plant sterol intake. In women, no significant associations were found. The results from this study show that intake of plant sterols may be important in prevention of MI. PMID: 23925940 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Does Oral Ingestion of Piper sarmentosum Cause Toxicity in Experimental Animals?
Mohd Zainudin M, Zakaria Z, Megat Mohd Nordin NA, Othman F. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:705950. doi: 10.1155/2013/705950. Epub 2013 Oct 8. Dept of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Univ Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia ; Dept of Basic Medical Sciences, Kulliyyah of Medicine, International Islamic Univ Malaysia, Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, Bandar Indera Mahkota, 25200 Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia. The prevalence of diabetes mellitus has reached epidemic proportion in Malaysia and worldwide. Scientific studies have shown that herbal plant Piper sarmentosum has an antidiabetic property. Despite the extensive usage and studies of this herb as alternative medicine, there is paucity of the literature on the safety information of this plant. Thus, the present study aimed to observe the subacute toxic effects of Piper sarmentosum aqueous extract (PSAE) on the haematological profile, liver, and kidney in rats. The extract was administered by oral gavage to 6 male and female Sprague Dawley rats in daily dose of 50  mg/kg, 300  mg/kg, and 2000  mg/kg for 28 consecutive days. The control group received normal saline. General behavior of the rats, adverse effects, and mortality were observed for 28 days. The haematological and biochemical parameters were determined at baseline and after the treatment. PSAE did not show abnormality on the BW and gross observation of internal organs. The haematological, biochemical and histopathological profiles showed minimal changes and variation within normal clinical range except for significant increase in serum potassium level that suggests the need of regular monitoring. Nevertheless, these findings suggested that PSAE up to 2000  mg/kg/d did not show subacute toxicity in Sprague Dawley rats. PMCID: PMC3817794 PMID: 24228062 [PubMed]

Drug-induced liver injury in hospitalized patients with notably elevated alanine aminotransferase.
Xu HM, Chen Y, Xu J, Zhou Q. World J Gastroenterol. 2012 Nov 7;18(41):5972-8. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v18.i41.5972. Dept of Pharmacy, the 2nd Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang Univ, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang Province, PRC. AIM: To identify the proportion, causes and the nature of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) in patients with notably elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT).
METHODS: All the inpatients with ALT levels above 10 times upper limit of normal range (ULN) were retrospectively identified from a computerized clinical Lab database at our hospital covering a 12-mo period. Relevant clinical information was obtained from medical records. Alternative causes of ALT elevations were examined for each patient, including biliary abnormality, viral hepatitis, hemodynamic injury, malignancy, DILI or undetermined and other causes. All suspected DILI cases were causality assessed using the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences scale, and only the cases classified as highly probable, probable, or possible were diagnosed as DILI. Comments related to the diagnosis of DILI in the medical record and in the discharge letter for each case were also examined to evaluate DILI detection by the treating doctors.
RESULTS: A total of 129 cases with ALT > 10 ULN were identified. Hemodynamic injury (n=46, 35.7%), DILI (n=25, 19.4%) and malignancy (n=21, 16.3%) were the top three causes of liver injury. Peak ALT values were lower in DILI patients than in patients with hemodynamic injury (14.5±5.6 ULN vs 32.5±30.7 ULN, p=.001). Among DILI patients, one (4%) case was classified as definite, 19 (76%) cases were classified as probable and 5 (20%) as possible according to the CIOMS scale. A hepatocellular pattern was observed in 23 (92%) cases and mixed in 2 (8%). The extent of severity of liver injury was mild in 21 (84%) patients and moderate in 4 (16%). Before discharge, 10 (40%) patients were recovered and the other 15 (60%) were improved. The improved patients tended to have a higher peak ALT (808±348 U/L vs 623±118 U/L, p=.016) and shorter treatment duration before discharge (8±6 d vs 28±12 d, p=.008) compared with the recovered patients. Twenty-two drugs and 6 herbs were found associated with DILI. Antibacterials were the most common agents causing DILI in 8 (32%) cases, followed by glucocorticoids in 6 (24%) cases. Twenty-four (96%) cases received treatment of DILI with at least one adjunctive drug. Agents for treatment of DILI included anti-inflammatory drugs (viz, glycyrrhizinate), antioxidants (viz, glutathione, ademetionine 1,4-butanedisulfonate and tiopronin), polyene phosphatidyl choline and herbal extracts (viz, protoporphyrin disodium and silymarin). Diagnosis of DILI was not mentioned in the discharge letter in 60% of the cases. Relative to prevalent cases and cases from wards of internal medicine, incident cases and cases from surgical wards had a higher risk of missed diagnosis in discharge letter [odds ratio (OR) 32.7, 95%CI (2.8-374.1), and OR 58.5, 95%CI (4.6-746.6), respectively].
CONCLUSION: DILI is mostly caused by use of antibacterials and glucocorticoids, and constitutes about one fifth of hospitalized patients with ALT > 10 ULN. DILI is underdiagnosed frequently. PMCID: PMC3491606 PMID: 23139615 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Early udder inflammation in dairy cows treated by a homeopathic medicine (Dolisovet): a prospective observational pilot study.
Aubry E, Issautier MN, Champomier D, Terzan L. Homeopathy. 2013 Apr;102(2):139-44. doi: 10.1016/j.homp.2013.02.003. Lab Boiron, 20 rue de la Libération, F-69110 Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon, France. eleonore.aubry@boiron.fr
BACKGROUND: Mastitis in dairy cows is a widespread problem in dairy farming resulting in significant economic and welfare concerns. Dolisovet (Belladonna 1dH, Calendula MT, Echinacea 1dH, Dulcamara 1cH) a homeopathic medicine, licensed in France and indicated for the restoration of mammary function in cows is presented as a 10g tube of ointment for intramammary use.
METHOD: A prospective, uncontrolled, observational pilot study involving the collection and analysis of data from 31 udder quarters identified as being inflamed by an automated milking system (AMS) was conducted to evaluate the effect of Dolisovet on selected parameters of mammary inflammation. Inflamed quarters were identified when milk quality started to deteriorate, via an alert generated by the AMS, on the basis of electrical conductivity (EC). Milk yield and EC were retrieved 5-7 days prior to the AMS alert, on the day of and for the following seven days. Dolisovet was administered twice daily for two consecutive days, commencing on the day of the AMS alert.
RESULTS: A significant reduction in EC was observed 4-7 days following the first treatment. Milk yield also increased after the first treatment.
CONCLUSION: Dolisovet may have a beneficial therapeutic effect in the early stages of udder inflammation and for restoring udder health and function. This medicine may be an effective first line treatment for sub-clinical bovine mastitis, reducing the need for antibiotics. Randomised, controlled studies should be undertaken to further investigate this possibility. Copyright © 2013 The Faculty of Homeopathy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. PMID: 23622264 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Effect of Rikkunshito, a Japanese herbal medicine, on gastrointestinal symptoms and ghrelin levels in gastric cancer patients after gastrectomy.
Takiguchi S, Hiura Y, Takahashi T, Kurokawa Y, Yamasaki M, Nakajima K, Miyata H, Mori M, Hosoda H, Kangawa K, Doki Y. Gastric Cancer. 2013 Apr;16(2):167-74. doi: 10.1007/s10120-012-0164-3. Epub 2012 Aug 16. Division of Gastroenterological Surgery, Dept of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka Univ, 2-2, E2, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan. stakiguchi@gesurg.med.osaka-u.ac.jp
BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer patients who undergo gastrectomy suffer from a post-gastrectomy syndrome that includes weight loss, dumping syndrome, reflux esophagitis, alkaline gastritis, and finally malnutrition. It is important to ameliorate the post-gastrectomy symptoms to restore postoperative QOL (QoL). The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Rikkunshito, a Japanese herbal medicine [Liu Junzi Tang in Chinese), on postoperative symptoms and ghrelin levels in gastric cancer patients after gastrectomy.
METHODS: Twenty-five patients who had undergone gastrectomy received 2.5g of Rikkunshito before every meal for 4 weeks, and a drug withdrawal period was established for the next 4 weeks. Changes in gastrointestinal hormones, including ghrelin, and appetite visual analog scale scores were measured, and QoL was estimated by using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer core questionnaire QLQ-C30. The Dysfunction After Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery for Cancer (DAUGS) scoring system was used to evaluate gastrointestinal symptoms after gastrectomy.
RESULTS: Sixteen men and nine women (mean age 61.9 years) were enrolled in the study. All patients had either stage I (n=24) or II (n=1) disease and had undergone either distal gastrectomy (n=17) or total gastrectomy (n=8) by a laparoscopy-assisted approach. The mean ratio of the acyl-/total ghrelin concentration increased significantly after Rikkunshito administration (Pre: 7.8±2.1, 4 weeks: 10.5±1.7 %, p=.0026). The total DAUGS score, as well as the scores reflecting limited activity due to decreased food consumption, reflux symptoms, dumping symptoms, and nausea and vomiting significantly improved after Rikkunshito administration.
CONCLUSIONS: Rikkunshito significantly attenuated gastrointestinal symptoms after gastrectomy. Rikkunshito is potentially useful to minimize gastrointestinal symptoms after gastrectomy. PMID: 22895614 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Effect of Salvia miltiorrhiza on retinopathy.
Zhang L, Dai SZ, Nie XD, Zhu L, Xing F, Wang LY. Asian Pac J Trop Med. 2013 Feb;6(2):145-9. doi: 10.1016/S1995-7645(13)60011-5. Henan Eye Institute, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, PRC.
OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of Salvia miltiorrhiza on diabetic retinopathy (DR).
METHODS: Diabetic mice of natural incidence type with monogenic inheritance were selected. Alloxan was injected into the caudal vein of mice once to induce DR. The structural changes of retina tissue in normal mice, DR mice and mice with high, medium and low dose of Salvia miltiorrhiza injection were observed under microscope. Then the blood glucose concentration and malonaldehyde (MDA) content were detected.
RESULTS: There were some microaneurysms in retina of DR group, number of gangliocyte was decreased significantly, and cells were sparse and in disorder. After modeling, the blood glucose level of high-dose Salvia miltiorrhiza group (SM III group) was significantly different from DR group (p<.01). Till the tenth week, the blood glucose level of all SM groups was decreased significantly compared with DR group (p<.01). The effective rates of three SM groups were 93.8%, 76.4% and 50.3%, respectively. After ten weeks, MDA content of DR group was significantly higher than those of the normal control group and SM group (p<.01), and medium and low dose SM groups had significantly higher MDA than that of normal control group (p<.01). CONCLUSIONS: Salvia miltiorrhiza had certain protective effect on DR mice through the blood-ocular barrier. Copyright © 2013 Hainan Medical College. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. PMID: 23339918 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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