Narrow Results

While the use of health food and over-the-counter drugs for health promotion and adjuvant therapy is becoming increasingly popular, the concern about adverse effects is mounting. The possible adverse effects that may arise from drug interactions between these herbal preparations and standard modern therapy are equally worrying. Herbal toxicity and adverse effects are well documented in classical Chinese medicinal volumes. Interactions between herbal preparations and standard modern therapy are unknown. Extensive work needs to be done before useful guidelines can be established. However, based on available reports and clinical observations, some commonly used herbs and Chinese medicines have already demonstrated the need for special attention when used together with modern therapy. This paper analyzes the important material already available, and would serve as a preliminary checklist for patients who are taking herbal preparations, while at the same time receiving treatment from modern medicine.

The study was to investigate the ameliorating effects of three Chinese herbs — Achyranthes bidentata (AB), Ophiopogon japonicus (OJ) and Cnidium monnieri (CM) on scopolamine (SCOP)- and MK-801-induced amnesia by using a passive avoidance task in rats. AB, OJ and CM at 0.1 and 0.3 g/kg prolonged the step-through latency (STL) of the retention trial. In addition, AB, OJ and CM reversed the STL shortened by MK-801, but only AB reversed the STL shortened by SCOP. In conclusion, these Chinese herbs possess cognition-enhancing activities and anti-amnestic effects, but the mechanism of the effect of AB was different from those of OJ and CM.

Recently, modern scientific research has been required to understand pharmacological basis of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory based on the ancient clinical experience, and to investigate the molecular mechanisms of action of Chinese herbs. Here, 20 Chinese herbs, classified into 4 properties (hot, warm, cold and cool) of TCM, were analyzed for their ability to exhibit antioxidant action, to enhance glucose uptake by murine microglia N9 cells, and to influence neurotransmitter norepinephrine (NE) release from rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells. We found a generally protective effect of both hot/warm-natured and cold/cool-natured herbs against H₂O₂-induced N9 cell death, partially by elevating superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Glucose uptake was elevated after treatment with some hot/warm-natured herbs. In addition, most herbs with hot/warm nature tended to stimulate NE release, while such stimulatory effect was not observed in the herbs with cold/cool nature. Two cold/cool-natured herbs, Rhizoma coptidis and Radix scutellariae, even significantly suppressed the release. These results suggest that the distinct abilities of Chinese herbs to regulate neural cell functions appear to be correlated with their natures identified in traditional TCM theory, and may be a useful guide for their utility in neural degenerative diseases.

Trilinolein has been identified as one of the active constituents isolated from Panax notoginseng used widely in traditional Chinese medicine. Protective actions of Panax notoginseng against cerebral ischemia, beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system, and hemostatic, antioxidant, hypolipidemic, hepatoprotective, renoprotective and estrogen-like activities have been illustrated. In the present study, the effects of trilinolein on the growth of non-small cell lung carcinoma A549 were investigated. It was found that the exposure of A549 cells to trilinolein resulted in the growth inhibition and the induction of apoptosis in a dose- and time- dependent manner. Trilinolein treatment induced the upregulation of pro-apoptotic Bax, downregulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 expression, which was associated with the proteolytic activation of caspases and the concomitant degradation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) protein. Intracellular reactive oxygen species seem to play a role in the trilinolein-induced apoptosis, since ROS were produced early in the trilinolein treatment. Moreover, the activity of PI3K/Akt was downregulated in trilinolein-treated cells. Our results demonstrated that the most important regulators of trilinolein-induced apoptosis are Bcl-2 family and caspase-3, which are associated with cytochrome c release and dephosphorylation on the Akt signaling pathway.

Chinese Herb Effective in Controlling Liver Cancer.

Chengdu to Hold Conference on TCM Modernization.

Scientific Testing of Chinese Herbs for Cancer Care.

Infinitus Establishes Three Additional Scientific Research Platforms to Facilitate Its Product Innovation.

BGI Partners with NRGene to Provide Broadest Genomic Analysis Available.

CHINA AID - A Platform for Chinese Senior Care Industry.

Modern Biotechnological Tools Contribute to Biodiversity Conservation.

Older Adults Use Brain Regions Involved in Speaking to Compensate for Bad Hearing.

Chinese Scientists Discover Molecules to Repair Organs.

CAS Sits Atop of Nature Index 2016 Rising Star List.

Chinese Researchers to Develop 3D Skin Printing Technology.

Varian Chosen to Equip First Government Owned Proton Centre in China.

HONG KONG NEWS – Amgen Launches Commercial Office in Hong Kong.

An increasing proportion of patients suffering from cancer use complementary and alternative medicines (CAM). This use is frequently undertaken in addition to their prescribed treatments, often without their physician's knowledge. For many types of CAM, this concomitant use of treatments is without risk. However, for systemically administered CAM, such as herbal medicines, there are significant risks of adverse drug interactions between herbal medicines and anti-cancer agents, which may result in either increased drug toxicity or therapeutic failure. This review demonstrates the paucity of high quality randomized controlled data that are available to guide cancer clinicians in regard to potential adverse interactions between standard treatments and commonly used herbal medicines. It shows that certain combinations of herbal medicines and chemotherapy carry significant risks and are contraindicated. For instance, in vivo studies have shown that concomitant use of St John's Wort with cancer chemotherapy agents that are CYP3A4 substrates has the potential to cause therapeutic failure. In vitro and in vivo studies show that caution is warranted when considering concomitant Asian ginseng or fenugreek with CYP3A4 substrates and guarana with CYP1A2 substrates. A potential for pharmacodynamic interactions between herbal medicines and anti-cancer agents also exists. Patients with oestrogen receptor positive breast cancers should be advised to avoid administration of phyto-oestrogen containing herbal preparations. Currently there is a lack of conclusive information regarding interactions between feverfew, ginger, garlic, gingko, chamomile, milk thistle, grape seed, black cohosh, celery, devil's claw or cranberry when concomitantly taken with anti-cancer agents. Physicians should be proactive in ascertaining herbal medicine use in all their patients receiving cancer chemotherapy, in order to advise them appropriately.

An increasing proportion of the population use complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) including herbal medicines. This use is frequently undertaken in addition to their prescribed treatments, often without their physician's knowledge. For man types of CAM, this concomitant use of treatments is without risk. However, for systemically administered CAM such as herbal medicines, there are significant risks of adverse drug interactions between herbal medicines and conventional treatments, which may result in either increased drug toxicity or therapeutic failure. This review highlights the mechanisms through which CAM may interact with conventional medicines and emphasises the paucity of high-quality randomised controlled data that are available to guide clinicians in regard to potential adverse interactions between standard treatments and commonly used herbal medicines. It is clear that certain combinations of herbal medicines and conventional medicines carry significant risks of reduced efficacy or adverse effects and the combinations are contraindicated. For instance, in-vivo studies have shown that concomitant use of St. John's wort with therapeutic agents that are CYP3A4 substrates has the potential to cause therapeutic failure. In-vitro and in-vivo studies show that caution is warranted when considering concomitant Asian ginseng or fenugreek with CYP3A4 substrates and guarana with CYP1A2 substrates. In cancer treatments there is also potential for pharmacodynamic interactions between herbal medicines and anticancer agents. For example, patients with oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancers should be advised to avoid administration of phyto-oestrogen-containing herbal preparations. Physicians should be proactive in obtaining a complete medication history including herbal medicine use in all of their patients receiving cancer chemotherapy in order to advise them appropriately.

People in different societies have known tremendous of indigenous medicinal plants since prehistoric time. Among these societies, Chinese people have discovered thousands plants of medicinal properties since thousands of years. They have used them in their food and prescriptions to invigorate their body functions and to treat different ailments, respectively. Since the middle of last century, great attention has been paid globally to medicinal plants trying to use their active ingredients as an alternative medicine. During this period, many molecular ingredients have been identified and isolated from these plants by the aid of modern analytical tools. More recently, some of these molecular substances have been shown to exert neuroprotective effects against a number of neurodegenerative disorders by modulating certain CNS targets. This chapter will address and discuss the effect of the most popular Chinese herbs and their active ingredients against age-related neurodegenerative diseases with special references to Alzheimer's and Parkinson diseases.