Outgoing feeds

Some phytochemical, pharmacological and toxicological properties of ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe): A review of recent research.: Food Chem Toxicol. 2007 Sep 18; Ali BH, Blunden G, Tanira MO, Nemmar A

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe, Zingiberacae) is a medicinal plant that has been widely used in Chinese, Ayurvedic and Tibb-Unani herbal medicines all over the world, since antiquity, for a wide array of unrelated ailments that include arthritis, rheumatism, sprains, muscular aches, pains, sore throats, cramps, constipation, indigestion, vomiting, hypertension, dementia, fever, infectious diseases and helminthiasis. Currently, there is a renewed interest in ginger, and several scientific investigations aimed at isolation and identification of active constituents of ginger, scientific verification of its pharmacological actions and of its constituents, and verification of the basis of the use of ginger in some of several diseases and conditions. This article aims at reviewing the most salient recent reports on these investigations. The main pharmacological actions of ginger and compounds isolated therefrom include immuno-modulatory, anti-tumorigenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, anti-hyperglycemic, anti-lipidemic and anti-emetic actions. Ginger is a strong anti-oxidant substance and may either mitigate or prevent generation of free radicals. It is considered a safe herbal medicine with only few and insignificant adverse/side effects. More studies are required in animals and humans on the kinetics of ginger and its constituents and on the effects of their consumption over a long period of time.

Medicinal plants used by the villagers of a Sundanese community in West Java, Indonesia.: J Ethnopharmacol. 2007 Sep 19; Roosita K, Kusharto CM, Sekiyama M, Fachrurozi Y, Ohtsuka R

AIM OF THE STUDY: Based on the authors' fieldwork in a Sundanese village, Indonesia, this paper aimed to elucidate the roles of herbal medicine in treatment of illnesses and to report medicinal plants and their uses, comparing with those mentioned in the encyclopedic book series of Plant Resources of South-East Asia (PROSEA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Interview survey was conducted for all of the 19 herbalist healers about their therapies for the past 1-month period, and the medicinal plants used were botanically identified. For 70 non-healer households, treatments for all members' illness episodes in the past 1-month period were asked. RESULTS: Medicinal plants were used in two-thirds of illness cases, either through the villagers' self-treatment (60.9%) or by the healers (6.5%). The healers made 96 therapies for illnesses (classified into 23 categories), using 117 plant species. There were 257 types of illness-plant pairs, and only 114 of them (44.4%) were judged conformed to those mentioned in the PROSEA. CONCLUSION: Sundanese villagers have depended heavily on herbal medicine, and high proportion of non-conformed illness-plant pairs suggests necessity of further studies about Sundanese medicinal plants, particularly their pharmacological effects.

Administration of Ratanhia-based herbal oral care products for the prophylaxis of oral mucositis in cancer chemotherapy patients: a clinical trial.: Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2007 Sep; 4(3): 361-6 Tiemann P, Toelg M, Ramos F MH

Oral complications are a common side effect of cancer chemotherapy, as antineoplastic agents affect both the immune system and the oral mucosa. This study demonstrates preventive and therapeutic effects of dental treatment and regular use of Weleda Ratanhia-Mundwasser((R)) (herbal mouthwash) and Weleda Pflanzen-Zahngel((R)) (herbal toothgel) on oral mucositis during chemotherapy. Thirty-two female patients with breast cancer starting on chemotherapy were evaluated in this study. Plaque index, gingival index, degree of mucositis and 10 single symptoms were monitored once weekly for four consecutive weeks. After four weeks, plaque and gingival indexes were slightly decreased compared to baseline values. The degree of mucositis was increased by one grade in 15.6 % of the patients and over 70 % remained without symptoms. On the whole, single symptoms decreased from day 7 since beginning of chemotherapy to day 28. Mucositis symptoms were moderate in severity, and the results indicate a positive influence of using Weleda Ratanhia-Mundwasser and Weleda Pflanzen-Zahngel. Further studies might be promising.

Direct NMR analysis of cannabis water extracts and tinctures and semi-quantitative data on Delta(9)-THC and Delta(9)-THC-acid.: Phytochemistry. 2007 Oct 25; Politi M, Peschel W, Wilson N, Zloh M, Prieto JM, Heinrich M

Cannabis sativa L. is the source for a whole series of chemically diverse bioactive compounds that are currently under intensive pharmaceutical investigation. In this work, hot and cold water extracts as well as ethanol/water mixtures (tinctures) of cannabis were compared in order to better understand how these extracts differ in their overall composition. NMR analysis and in vitro cell assays of crude extracts and fractions were performed. Manufacturing procedures to produce natural remedies can strongly affect the final composition of the herbal medicines. Temperature and polarity of the solvents used for the extraction resulted to be two factors that affect the total amount of Delta(9)-THC in the extracts and its relative quantity with respect to Delta(9)-THC-acid and other metabolites. Diffusion-edited (1)H NMR (1D DOSY) and (1)H NMR with suppression of the ethanol and water signals were used. With this method it was possible, without any evaporation or separation step, to distinguish between tinctures from different cannabis cultivars. This approach is proposed as a direct analysis of plant tinctures.

[Oral anticoagulants: a literature review of herb-drug interactions or food-drug interactions]: J Pharm Belg. 2007; 62(3): 69-75 Bourget S, Baudrant M, Allenet B, Calop J

OBJECTIVE: To identify herbal medicines and food products which can interact with anticoagulant therapy. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Literature review using key words: "anticoagulants", "herb-drug interaction", "food-drug interaction", "drug chinese herbal", "medicine herbal", "plant preparation", "dietary supplements". Data sources: Medline (january 1966 to june 2006) and Pascal (1987 to 2006). Case reports, systematic reviews, in vitro studies, clinical studies published in french or in english (or with an english extract) have been undertaken. RESULTS: Eighty articles were selected (two both including a case report and a study): 14 systemic review, 43 case reports, 25 studies (17 studies in humans: nine randomized and controlled, three controlled), six controlled studies in animals and two in vitro studies. DISCUSSION: A wide range of herbal medicines and food products can interact with anticoagulants. Clinical relevance of these effects is difficult to characterise (nature of existing reports, contradiction between studies, difficult extrapolation to human). CONCLUSION: It is difficult to predict the incidence or severity of such interactions. However, awareness of these potential interactions is necessary to achieve optimal anticoagulation therapy: pharmacist can play a crucial role identifying such interactions in case of disturbed INR; clinicians should be informed to monitor closely the therapy, particularly when such products are started or discontinued.

Comparison of glucosamine sulfate and a polyherbal supplement for the relief of osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized controlled trial [ISRCTN25438351].:
BMC Complement Altern Med. 2007 Oct 31;7(1):34 Authors: Mehta K, Gala J, Bhasale S, Naik S, Modak M, Thakur H, Deo N, Miller MJ

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The efficacy and safety of a dietary supplement derived from South American botanicals was compared to glucosamine sulfate in osteoarthritis subjects in a Mumbai-based multi-center, randomized, double-blind study. METHODS: Subjects (n=95) were screened and randomized to receive glucosamine sulfate (n= 47, 1500 mg/day) or reparagen (n=48, 1800 mg/day), a polyherbal consisting of 300 mg of vincaria (Uncaria guianensis) and 1500 mg of RNI 249 (Lepidium meyenii) administered orally, twice daily. Primary efficacy variable was response rate based on a 20% improvement in WOMAC pain scores. Additional outcomes were WOMAC scores for pain, stiffness and function, visual analog score (VAS) for pain, with assessments at 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks. Tolerability, investigator and subject global assessments and rescue medication consumption (paracetamol) were measured together with safety assessments including vital signs and laboratory based assays. RESULTS: Subject randomization was effective: age, gender and disease status distribution was similar in both groups. The response rates (20% reduction in WOMAC pain) were substantial for both glucosamine (89%) and reparagen (94%) and supported by investigator and subject assessments. Using related criteria response rates to reparagen were favorable when compared to glucosamine. Compared to baseline both treatments showed significant benefits in WOMAC and VAS outcomes within one week (P<0.05), with a similar, progressive improvement over the course of the 8 week treatment protocol (45-62% reduction in WOMAC or VAS scores). Tolerability was excellent, no serious adverse events were noted and safety parameters were unchanged. Rescue medication use was significantly lower in the reparagen group (p <0.01) at each assessment period. Serum IGF-1 levels were unaltered by treatments. CONCLUSION: Both reparagen and glucosamine sulfate produced substantial improvements in pain, stiffness and function in subjects with osteoarthritis. Response rates were high and the safety profile was excellent, with significantly less rescue medication use with reparagen. Reparagen represents a new natural productive alternative in the management of joint health. Trial registration: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN25438351.

PMID: 17974032 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

[Analysis on clinical treatment in hypertension by traditional Chinese medicine for 10 years in Beijing]: Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2007 Aug;32(15):1569-72 Authors: Zou ZD, Liu N, Guo P, Guo LY, Sun Y, Shi J, Wang L

To make a retrospective study of clinical treatment in hypertension by traditional Chinese medicine for 10 years in Beijing, and to mainly analyze in three facets: the study on total regularity of using Chinese herbal medicine, the study on regularity of application, and the study on differentiation of symptoms and signs. RESULT: (1) Total regularity of using Chinese herbal medicine: They are tonic herbs, expelling phlegm and stopping winding herbs, heat-clearing herbs, blood-activating and stasis-resolving herbs, damp-clearing herbs in turn. The frequently used herbs were gouteng, niuxi, tianma, fuling, baishao, zexie, chuanxiong, and so on. (2) The study on regularity of application: The 6 kinds of herbs above were abide by the total regularity and the frequently used herbs were gouteng, niuxi, fuling, tianma, chuanxiong, baishao, zexie, and so on. (3) It was showed that the common syndromes of hypertension and herbs were: The herbs such as gouteng, niuxi, baishao, tianma, chuanxiong, juhua were frequently used in liver yang ascending syndrome. Herbs such as gouqizi, niuxi, shanyao, shudihuang, fuling, mudanpi, were frequently used in symptoms of yin deficiency of liver and kidney. Herbs such as huangqin, xiakucao, gouteng, zhizi, longdancao, juhua were frequently used in syndrome of flarming liver-fire. Herbs such as fuling, banxia, jupi, baizhu, tianma, gancao were frequently used in the stagnation of phlegm. Herbs such as tianma, gouteng, baishao, shijiuming, banxia were frequently used in up-stirring of liver. Herbs such as chuanxiong, chishao, honghua, danshen, sanqi were frequently used in syndrome of blood stasis in the collateral of the brain. Herbs such as shanzhuyu, shudi, fuling, rougui, fuzi, niuxi were frequently used in both-yini-and-yang-deficiency.

PMID: 17972592 [PubMed - in process]

[Advances in studies on pharmacokinetics of aristolochic acid I]: Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2006 Oct;31(19):1573-5 Authors: Wang G, Wang ZM, Sun QS

Aristolochic acid I (AA-I) was absorbed and distributed quickly in vivo, the plasma concentration-time curve were fit with the open two-compartment model and one-compartment model, respectively. The elimination of AA-I has relationship with the dosage, the low dose group eliminates more quickly than the high dose group. The characters of pharmacokinetics of AA-I induce the cumulation of AA-I in vivo and the nephrotoxin to the kidney and other viscera.

PMID: 17165576 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[Weighing the efficacy and safety of herbal medicine: the case of Kava-Kava]: Harefuah. 2004 Aug;143(8):592-7, 621 Authors: Ben-Arye E, Reshef A, Berry E

Kava-Kava is an indigenous plant in the Pacific islands and has been traditionally used for centuries for both ceremonial and social purposes. The efficacy of the plant for treatment of anxiety states was recently acknowledged in randomized controlled trials. Although these trials support the safety of Kava for short term usage, a major concern was raised in accordance with emerging reports that relate Kava use to major hepatic damage, including a few cases of fulminant hepatitis that required liver transplantation or ended in death. As a result, most medical authorities in the West restricted or banned Kava use. This review discusses evidence of efficacy and safety in the use of Kava for treating patients with anxiety, as well as its meaning in the therapeutic context and patient-doctor dialogue.

PMID: 15523813 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Biotransformation of Green Tea Polyphenols and the Biological Activities of Those Metabolites.: Mol Pharm. 2007 Oct 27; Authors: Lambert JD, Sang S, Yang CS

Green tea ( Camellia sinensis, Theaceae) and its major polyphenol constituents, the catechins, have been reported to have many health benefits including the prevention of cancer and heart disease. Many mechanisms of action have been proposed based on in vitro models; however, the importance of most of these mechanisms remains to be determined in vivo. The bioavailability and biotransformation of tea catechins play a key role in determining the importance of various mechanisms in vivo. Likewise, the biological activity and bioavailability of tea catechin metabolites, an understudied area, are important in understanding the potential beneficial effects of tea. In this article, we review the data available on the biotransformation of the tea catechins and the limited data set available on the biological activities of the catechin metabolites. Careful interpretation of available data, carefully designed animal experiments, and integration of bioavailability and biological activity data are needed if the disease preventive activity of tea is to be understood. We hope this article will spark research efforts on some of the important questions regarding tea polyphenol bioavailability, biotransformation, and the biological activities of tea catechin metabolites.

PMID: 17963356 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]