Recent Medline Abstracts on Herbal Medicine

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Chen JM, Yang YP, Chen DY, Han J, Jin XY, Huang ZX, Xu CB, Shen YM. [Efficacy

and safety of Fufang Biejia Ruangan tablet in patients with chronic hepatitis B

complicated with hepatic fibrosis] [Article in Chinese] Zhonghua Shi Yan He Lin

Chuang Bing Du Xue Za Zhi. 2007 Dec;21(4):358-60. The No. 302 Hospital of the

Chinese People's Liberation Army, Beijing 100039, China. OBJECTIVE: To study the

clinical therapeutic effects and safety of Fufang Biejia Ruangan tablet (FBRt)

in patients with chronic hepatitis B complicated with hepatic fibrosis. METHODS:

Totally 420 patients were randomly divided into two groups, FBRt group (300

cases) were treated with Fufang Biejia Ruangan tablets and control group (120

cases) were treated with He Luo Shu Gan capsule, the patients in both groups

were treated for 6 months. RESULTS: The cure rate and total effective rate of

FBRt group were significantly higher than those of control group (55.67 percent

and 81.67 percent vs. 15.8 percent and 60.00 percent, P less than 0.01).

CONCLUSION: Fufang Biejia Ruangan tablet could alleviate clinical symptoms and

hepatic fibrosis. Fufang Biejia Ruangan tablet is effective and safe in

treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis B complicated with liver fibrosis.

PMID: 18322602 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

Elsaie ML, Abdelhamid MF, Elsaaiee LT, Emam HM. The efficacy of topical 2% green

tea lotion in mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris. J Drugs Dermatol. 2009

Apr;8(4):358-64. Dept of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, Univ of Miami,

Miller School of Medicine, Miami FL 33140, USA. melsaie

BACKGROUND: Botanical extracts and preparations have been used in different

pathological conditions with success. An important group of phytochemical

phenolic compounds are the catechins found in green tea. Acne is a widely

occurring inflammatory condition that is estimated to affect 40 to 50 million

Americans. Finding an effective, safe, cost-effective and well-tolerated

treatment is the challenge. OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of 2% green tea

lotion in mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris. METHODS: Twenty patients fulfilling

enrolment criteria were included. Green tea was given and applied twice daily

for a period of 6 weeks. The patients were seen every 2 weeks to evaluate the

lesions and any side effects. To determine efficacy on acne severity, the

authors used both total lesion count (TLC) and their devised severity index

(SI). Total lesions count (TLC) was calculated as papules + pustules while SI

was scaled with numbers (1, 2 or 3) correlating to TLC in order of increasing

intensity. TLC < 10 was given an SI of 1, TLC 10-20 was given an SI of 2 and TLC

> 20 was given an SI of 3. RESULTS: The mean total lesion count (TLC) decreased

from 24 before the treatment to 10 after 6 weeks after treatment, a reduction of

58.33%. The difference was statistically significant (P < 0.0001, 95% confidence

interval [CI] of the difference = 8.58 - 19.42). The mean severity index (SI)

decreased from 2.05 before treatment to 1.25 after 6 weeks treatment, a decrease

of 39.02%. The difference was statistically significant (P < 0.0001, confidence

interval [CI] of the difference = 0.54-1.26). Conclusion: Topical 2% green tea

lotion is an effective, cost-effective treatment for mild-to-moderate acne

vulgaris. PMID: 19363854 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

Guo Z. Forty-six cases of acute cerebral infarction treated with the combined

use of acupuncture and drugs. J Tradit Chin Med. 2007 Dec;27(4):243-7. Nanjing

Municipal Hospital of Traditional , Nanjing 210001, China.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical therapeutic effects of treatment for acute

cerebral infarction with the combined use of acupuncture and drugs, and study

the therapeutic mechanism. METHODS: 88 cases of acute cerebral infarction were

divided randomly into two groups, a treatment group of 46 cases treated with

acupuncture, Danshen Zhushe Ye (Saliva Injection) and routine western drugs and

a control group of 42 cases treated simply with drugs. The therapeutic effects

were evaluated based on the evaluation criteria for damage of the nerve

function. Observation was also made on changes in the skull CT images, and in

the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px),

and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in serums, and levels of malondialdehyde (MDA)

and nitric oxide (NO) in serums. RESULTS: After treatment for 15 days, the total

effective rate of the treatment group reached 80.43%, while that of the control

group was 61.90%, showing significant differences. The effective rate shown by

the skull CT images of the treatment group was 51.61%, while that of the control

group was 45.16%, showing no significant differences. But as compared with the

control group, the activities of SOD and GSH-px in serums were significantly

enhanced, and the levels of MDA and NO, and activity of NOS in serums were

significantly decreased in the treatment group. CONCLUSION: The prompt

acupuncture treatment of acute cerebral infarction can markedly raise the

clinical therapeutic effects, improve the activity of SOD and GSH-px in serums,

lower down the level of MDA in serum, and markedly decrease NO level and NOS

activity in serums. PMID: 18246677 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

Gupta A, Upadhyay NK, Sawhney RC, Kumar R. A poly-herbal formulation accelerates

normal and impaired diabetic wound healing. Wound Repair Regen. 2008

Nov-Dec;16(6):784-90. Dept of Biochemical Pharmacology, Defence Institute of

Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS), Delhi, India.

asheesh_gupta2001 In the present study, a poly-herbal formulation

(PHF) was prepared by combining the aqueous lyophilized leaf extracts of

Hippophae rhamnoides L. and Aloe vera L. and the ethanol rhizome extract of

Curcuma longa L., in an optimized ratio (1 : 7 : 1). The efficacy of PHF

treatment was studied in normal and impaired diabetic rats using a

full-thickness cutaneous wound model. Topical PHF treatment increased cellular

proliferation and collagen synthesis at the wound site in normal rats, as

evidenced by the significant increase in DNA, total protein, hydroxyproline, and

hexosamine contents in comparison with a positive control treated with a

povidone-iodine ointment. The histological examinations and matrix

metalloproteinases expression also correlated well with the biochemical

findings, confirming the efficacy of PHF in normal wounds. In the

streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, PHF treatment increased hydroxyproline and

hexosamine content. A faster wound contraction was also observed in PHF-treated

normal and diabetic rats. The PHF also promoted angiogenesis as evidenced by an

in vitro chick chorioallantoic membrane model and in vivo up-regulated vascular

endothelial growth factor expression. The results suggest that PHF possesses

significant wound healing potential in both normal as well as chronic diabetic

wounds. PMID: 19128249 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

Hong MY, Seeram NP, Zhang Y, Heber D. Chinese red yeast rice versus lovastatin

effects on prostate cancer cells with and without androgen receptor

overexpression. J Med Food. 2008 Dec;11(4):657-66. Center for Human Nutrition,

David Geffen School of Medicine, Univ of California, Los Angeles, California

90095, USA. mhong2 Chinese red yeast rice (RYR), a food herb made

by fermenting Monascus purpureus Went yeast on white rice, contains a mixture of

eight different monacolins that inhibit cholesterogenesis and also red pigments

with antioxidant properties. Monacolin K (MK) is identical to lovastatin (LV).

Both LV and RYR contain statins, which could inhibit de novo cholesterogenesis,

which is critical to the growth of tumor cells. Dysregulation of the cholesterol

biosynthetic pathway has been demonstrated during progression to androgen

independence in xenograft models, and it has been proposed that

cholesterogenesis and androgen receptor (AR) up-regulation are essential to

androgen-independent cell survival. This study was designed to examine the

differences between the effects of RYR and LV on androgen-dependent LNCaP cells

and androgen-independent cells overexpressing AR (LNCaP-AR). RYR showed more

potent inhibition effect on prostate cancer cell growth compared to LV. Both the

pigment and monacolin-enriched fractions purified from RYR inhibited

proliferation (P < .001) to a lesser extent than intact RYR. While mevalonate,

an inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR),

restored proliferation in LV-treated cells, it failed to do so in RYR-treated

cells. Expression of the HMGCR gene was up-regulated by LV (P < .001) but not

RYR in both LNCaP and LNCaP-AR cells. These results suggest that the RYR matrix

beyond MK alone may be bioactive in inhibiting androgen-dependent and

-independent prostate cancer growth. In vivo studies are needed to further

establish the potential advantages of RYR over LV in prostate cancer

chemoprevention and in the prevention of the emergence of androgen independence.

PMID: 19053857 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

Jing L, Gao ZY. [Retrospective analysis on Chinese medicinal treatment on 302

chronic heart failure patients of coronary heart disease and diabetes] [Article

in Chinese] Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2008 Oct;33(19):2253-6. Xiyuan Hospital,

China Academy of Chinese Medical Science, Beijing 100091, China. OBJECTIVE: To

explore the characteristics of Chinese medicinal treatment on 302 chronic heart

failure (CHF) patients of coronary heart disease and diabetes. METHOD: Data of

CHF patients of coronary heart disease and diabetes hospitalized in 9 hospitals

of Beijing and Tianjin from Jan. 2003 to Sep. 2006 were collected and their

clinical syndromes, condition of treatment (both western and Chinese medicine)

were investigated and analyzed using the data system of Chinese medicine

clinical research for coronary heart disease. RESULT: In the 302 patients, the

intravenous perfusion were mainly injections of puerarin, Salvia mitrorrhiza,

sanchi total saponin and fleabane. The Chinese medicinal treatment applied was

mainly the methods of supplementing Qi, activating blood circulation, dissolving

phlegm. In the apozem, hoelen is the highest frequency in all drugs and the

frequency in order is hoelen, glycyrrhizae, Salvia mitrorrhiza, astragali,

Rhizoma Pinelliae, etc. CONCLUSION: The patients of these 9 hospitals were

mainly treated by integrative medicine and the Chinese medicinal treatment

applied was mainly the methods of supplementing Qi, activating blood

circulation, dissolving phlegm. PMID: 19166020 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

Ong HT, Cheah JS. Statin alternatives or just placebo: an objective review of

omega-3, red yeast rice and garlic in cardiovascular therapeutics. Chin Med J

(Engl). 2008 Aug 20;121(16):1588-94. HT Ong Heart Clinic, Penang, Malaysia.

htyl OBJECTIVE: The aim of this review is to objectively access the

trial evidence on the role of omega-3, red yeast rice and garlic in preventing

clinical cardiovascular events. Given the large number of clinical trials

favoring statin use in cardiovascular disease, it is important to see if

evidence is available for these supplements and whether they could replace

statin therapy. DATA SOURCE: A PubMed search was conducted using the keywords

'trial, omega-3, red yeast rice, xuezhikang, garlic, cholesterol,

cardiovascular, outcomes'; the resulting trials were reviewed together with the

references quoted in the papers obtained. STUDY SELECTION: The studies selected

are prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled studies with predefined clinical

cardiovascular end-points recruiting at least 2000 patients, with a follow-up

over 2 years. RESULTS: Modest dose omega-3 fatty acid has been shown in GISSI-P

(11 324 patients, follow-up 3.5 years) to produce a reduction in sudden death of

45%, and in cardiac death of 35%, acting probably via an anti-arrhythmic effect.

In JELIS (18 645 patients, follow-up 4.6 years), high dose omega-3 given to

Japanese patients on a high fish diet and already on statin treatment produced

further benefit with a 19% reduction of nonfatal cardiovascular outcomes; fatal

cardiac events are not affected. CCSPS (4870 patients, follow-up 4 years), a

secondary prevention trial using xuezhikang, a commercial red yeast rice

preparation, produced a 46% reduction in nonfatal myocardial infarction and

coronary death. There has been no trial to show that garlic reduces clinical

cardiovascular outcomes. A rigorous trial with constant assessment of chemicals

in the study material in 192 patients found that over a 6-month follow-up, raw

garlic and 2 commercial preparations do not significantly affect lipid levels.

CONCLUSIONS: Omega-3 in modest doses reduces cardiac deaths, and in high doses

reduces nonfatal cardiovascular events. Red yeast rice reduces adverse cardiac

events to a similar degree as the statins. It is unlikely that garlic is useful

in preventing cardiovascular disease. PMID: 18982874 [PubMed - indexed for

MEDLINE]

 

Peng Y, Jin J, Wu CF, Yang JY, Li XB. [Regulation of three Jianpi Buqi recipes

on intestinal microflora of Piqi-deficiency rat] [Article in Chinese] Zhongguo

Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2008 Nov;33(21):2530-4. School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong

Univ, Shanghai 200030, China. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of three Jianpi

Buqi recipes on intestinal microflora of Pi-qi-deficiency rat with molecular

biology methods and attempt to clarify the mechanisms of therapy. METHOD: Rat

model of Pi-qi-deficiency was induced by exercise fatigue simultaneously diet

incontinence and then administrated with the decoctions of Si-jun-zi-tang

(including crude drug) (10.8, 3.6, 1.2 g x kg(-1)), Li-zhong-tang (16.2, 5.4,

1.8 g x kg(-1)) and Buzhong Yiqi-tang (14.4, 4.8, 1.6 g x kg(-1)) recipes which

were in common use of clinic of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). With

application of ERIC-PCR (enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus-PCR)

fingerprint analysis, the efficacy on Pi-qi-deficiency and perturbation of

intestinal mircoflora of these recipes were examined and evaluated. RESULT:

Remarkable differences of ERIC-PCR profile were found between Pi-qi-deficiency

state rats and normal rats. The Shannon's Index (H') was increased when treated

with all doses of three Jianpibuqi recipes decoctions and Sorenson's pairwise

similarity coefficient (Cs) was also increased significantly after treatment.

CONCLUSION: ERIC-PCR fingerprint can be utilized as an initial screening of

changes of the composition of bacterial communities that are associated with the

development of intestinal disease. It can also be used to build a better

understanding of Pi-qi-deficiency and to investigate the pharmacodynamic effect

of TCM on Pi-qi-deficiency. Three Jianpi Buqi recipes are demonstrated to

produce pronounced recovery activities on intestinal microflora of

Pi-qi-deficient rats, which may be considered one of mechanisms of their

performances. PMID: 19149266 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

Siddiqui IA, Saleem M, Adhami VM, Asim M, Mukhtar H. Tea beverage in

chemoprevention and chemotherapy of prostate cancer. Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2007

Sep;28(9):1392-408. Dept of Dermatology, Univ of Wisconsin, Medical Sciences

Center, Room B-25 1300 Univ Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706,USA. Prostate

cancer (PCa) is the most frequently diagnosed malignancy and the second leading

cause of cancer-related deaths in American males with similar trends in many

western countries. The existing treatment approaches and surgical intervention

have not been able to effectively cope with this dreaded disease. For these

reasons, it is necessary to intensify our efforts for a better understanding of

the disease process and for the development of novel approaches for its

prevention and treatment. Based on considerable evidence from in vivo and in

vitro data and epidemiological studies, in recent years the beverage tea has

gained considerable attention for reducing the risk of several cancers. Much of

the cancer preventive effects of tea, especially green tea appear to be mediated

by the polyphenols present therein. Geographical evidence suggests that the

incidence and occurrence of PCa is lower in populations that consume tea

regularly. This evidence suggests that tea polyphenols could be extrapolated to

optimize their chemopreventive properties against PCa. PCa represents an

excellent candidate disease for chemoprevention because it is typically

diagnosed in men over 50 years of age and therefore, even a modest delay in

neoplastic development achieved through pharmacological or nutritional

intervention could result in a substantial reduction in the incidence of

clinically detectable disease. In this review we address the issue of possible

use of tea, especially green tea, for the prevention as well as treatment of

PCa. PMID: 17723173 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

Upaganlawar A, Gandhi C, Balaraman R. Effect of green tea and vitamin E

combination in isoproterenol induced myocardial infarction in rats. Plant Foods

Hum Nutr. 2009 Mar;64(1):75-80. Pharmacy Dept, Faculty of Technology and

Engineering, The M. S. Univ of Baroda, Vadodara, 390 002, Gujarat, India.

amanrx The present study was aimed to investigate the combined effects

of green tea and vitamin E on heart weight, body weight, serum marker enzymes,

lipid peroxidation, endogenous antioxidants and membrane bound ATPases in

isoproterenol (ISO)-induced myocardial infarction in rats. Adult male albino

rats, treated with ISO (200 mg/kg, s.c.) for 2 days at an interval of 24 h

caused a significant (P<0.05) elevation of heart weight, serum marker enzymes,

lipid peroxidation and Ca+2 ATPase level whereas there was a significant

(P<0.05) decrease in body weight, endogenous antioxidants, Na+/ K+ ATPase and

Mg+2 ATPase levels. Administration of green tea (100 mg/kg/day, p.o.) and

vitamin E (100 mg/kg/day, p.o.) together for 30 consecutive days and challenged

with ISO on the day 29th and 30th, showed a significant (P<0.05) decrease in

heart weight, serum marker enzymes, lipid peroxidation, Ca+2 ATPase and a

significant increase in the body weight, endogenous antioxidants, Na+/K+ ATPase

and Mg+2 ATPase when compared with ISO treated group and green tea or vitamin E

alone treated groups. These findings indicate the synergistic protective effect

of green tea and vitamin E during ISO induced myocardial infarction in rats.

PMID: 19058010 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

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