review

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.

[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.

Ethnobotanical tattooing of the gingiva: literature review and report of a case.: J Am Dent Assoc. 2007 Aug;138(8):1097-101 Authors: Brooks JK, Reynolds MA

BACKGROUND: Traditional gingival tattooing, practiced in Ethiopia and occasionally in other African and Middle Eastern nations, is performed for esthetic appeal or superstition, and it occasionally may be used as a homeopathic remedy for dental diseases. The authors provide a literature review and case report of this oral custom. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 54-year-old woman from Ethiopia reported that she had undergone tattooing of the maxillary gingiva six years previously for analgesic management of undisclosed oral disease. The gingiva was pierced with a needle, tipped with lantern soot and resin from the plant Datura stramonium (an herb that possesses potent anticholinergic tropane alkaloids and has demonstrated in vitro antimicrobial activity). However, the patient admitted that this procedure had provided no reduction in the pain. Clinical examination was significant for a pronounced blue pigmentation of the maxillary gingiva, generalized mild periodontitis and several carious lesions. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Practitioners should ascertain whether gingival tattooing had been performed when patients manifest unusual oral pigmentation and be aware of its use in folk medicine for various oral conditions.

PMID: 17670877 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Kava in generalized anxiety disorder: three placebo-controlled trials.: Int Clin Psychopharmacol. 2006 Sep;21(5):249-53 Authors: Connor KM, Payne V, Davidson JR

In this study, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of kava kava (Piper methysticum) in generalized anxiety disorder. Data were analyzed from three randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of kava, including one study with an active comparator (venlafaxine), in adult outpatients with DSM-IV generalized anxiety disorder. The pooled sample (n=64) included the following number of participants: kava, n=28; placebo, n=30; and venlafaxine, n=6. Given the comparability of the study designs, the data comparing kava and placebo were then pooled for further efficacy and safety analyses. No significant differences were observed between the treatment groups in any of the trials. In the pooled analyses, no effects were found for kava, while a significant effect in favor of placebo was observed in participants with higher anxiety at baseline. No evidence of hepatotoxicity was found with kava, and all of the treatments were well tolerated. Findings from these three controlled trials do not support the use of kava in DSM-IV generalized anxiety disorder.

PMID: 16877894 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Euphorbia lactea sap keratouveitis: case report and review of the literature.: Cornea. 2007 Jul;26(6):749-52 Authors: Merani R, Sa-Ngiampornpanit T, Kerdraon Y, Billson F, McClellan KA

PURPOSE: To describe a case of Euphorbia lactea sap keratouveitis and to review all reported cases of ocular toxicity caused by Euphorbia species. METHODS: Case report and review of literature. RESULTS: A 79-year-old woman presented 34 hours after she felt some sap of an E. lactea plant spray into her right eye. Visual acuity was counting fingers at 1 m. Examination revealed ciliary injection, 90% corneal epithelial defect, marked stromal edema with Descemet folds, and anterior-chamber flare with a 1-mm hypopyon. There was no vitreitis, and funduscopy was unremarkable. No foreign body was seen on B scan ultrasound or computed tomography scan of the orbits. Corneal scraping excluded bacterial and herpetic keratitis. Intensive topical antibiotic therapy was started with cephalothin 5% and gentamicin 0.9%, and the pupil was dilated with atropine. Topical steroids were started once the epithelial defect had healed. Examination 11 weeks after the injury revealed minimal subepithelial corneal haze and marked improvement in visual acuity. CONCLUSIONS: To the best of our knowledge, this is only the third reported case of E. lactea sap keratouveitis. The clinical course of E. lactea sap keratouveitis is compared with that reported for other Euphorbia species.

PMID: 17592331 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

A journey of twenty-five years through the ecological biochemistry of flavonoids.: Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2007 Jun;71(6):1387-404 Authors: Tahara S

The ecological biochemistry of flavonoids, in which I have been engaged for 25 years, is summarized in this review article. The review covers (1) a survey of rare bio-active flavonoids in higher plants; (2) the fungal metabolism of prenylated flavonoids; (3) flavonoids antidoting against benzimidazole fungicides; (4) dihydroflavonol ampelopsin in Salix sachalinensis as a feeding stimulant towards willow beetles; and (5) flavones as signaling substances in the life-cycle development of the phytopathogenic Peronosporomycete Aphanomyces cochlioides, a cause of spinach root rot and sugar beet damping-off diseases. Finally recent trends in the ecological biochemistry of flavonoids are briefly described.

PMID: 17587669 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

A comprehensive review on nettle effect and efficacy profiles, Part I: herba urticae. Chrubasik JE, Roufogalis BD, Wagner H, Chrubasik SA. Phytomedicine. 2007 Jun;14(6):423-35.

Nettle herb is recommended for complaints associated with rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and urinary tract infections. We therefore conducted a comprehensive review of the literature to summarize the pharmacological and clinical effects of this plant material. Although clinical and experimental studies suggest that nettle herb has some anti-inflammatory properties, clinical evidence beyond doubt is lacking. Nettle preparations exert a number of promising in vitro and in vivo effects, however, further studies are needed to support these results and to find out if these effects are surrogates for clinical relevant effects in humans.

PMID: 17493795 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

A comprehensive review on the stinging nettle effect and efficacy profiles. Part II: urticae radix.: Phytomedicine. 2007 Aug;14(7-8):568-79 Authors: Chrubasik JE, Roufogalis BD, Wagner H, Chrubasik S

Nettle root is recommended for complaints associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). We therefore conducted a comprehensive review of the literature to summarise the pharmacological and clinical effects of this plant material. Only a few components of the active principle have been identified and the mechanism of action is still unclear. It seems likely that sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), aromatase, epidermal growth factor and prostate steroid membrane receptors are involved in the anti-prostatic effect, but less likely that 5alpha-reductase or androgen receptors are involved. Extract and a polysaccharide fraction were shown to exert anti-inflammatory activity. A proprietary methanolic nettle root extract and particular fractions inhibited cell proliferation. Isolated lectins (UDA) were shown to be promising immunomodulatory agents, having also anti-viral and fungistatic effects. However, despite these in vitro studies it is unclear whether the in-vitro or animal data are a surrogate for clinical effects. The clinical evidence of effectiveness for nettle root in the treatment of BPH is based on many open studies. A small number of randomised controlled studies indicate that a proprietary methanolic extract is effective in improving BPH complaints. However, the significance and magnitude of the effect remains to be established in further confirmatory studies before nettle root treatment may be accepted in the guidelines for BPH treatment. The risk for adverse events during nettle root treatment is very low, as is its toxicity. Pre-clinical safety data remain to be completed.

PMID: 17509841 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Some commonly fed herbs and other functional foods in equine nutrition: A review.:
Vet J. 2007 Aug 7; Williams CA, Lamprecht ED

Most herbs and functional foods have not been scientifically tested; this is especially true for the horse. This paper reviews some of the literature pertinent to herbal supplementation in horses and other species. Common supplements like Echinacea, garlic, ginger, ginseng, and yucca are not regulated, and few studies have investigated safe, efficacious doses. Ginseng has been found to exert an inhibitory effect on pro-inflammatory cytokines and cyclooxygenase-2 expression. Equine studies have tested the anti-inflammatory effects of a single dose of ginger, post-exercise. Echinacea has been reported to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Yucca contains steroid-like saponins, which produce anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-spasmodic effects. However, some herbs have drug-like actions that interact with dietary components and may contain prohibited substances like salicylates, digitalis, heroin, cocaine and marijuana. Horses fed garlic at >0.2g/kg per day developed Heinz body anaemia. Drug-herb interactions are common and caution needs to be taken when implementing 'natural product' usage.

A review of the efficacy and safety of devil's claw for pain associated with degenerative musculoskeletal diseases, rheumatoid, and osteoarthritis.: Holist Nurs Pract. 2007 Jul-Aug;21(4):203-7 Authors: Denner SS

Harpagophytum procumbens, known as devil's claw, has been used traditionally for the treatment of pain, fevers, and dyspepsia. Recently, it has become popular for the treatment of rheumatoid and osteoarthritis. Studies have yet to establish a clear mechanism of action; however, current research is focusing on pro-inflammatory mediators as well as on potential antioxidant characteristics.

PMID: 17627199 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]