Narrow Results

We evaluated the immunological effects of a Kampo (Chinese) prescription Hochu-ekki-to (TJ-41) for 32 weeks and 1 week prophylactically in mice. The splenic natural killer cells (NK) of C57BL/6N mice prophylactically treated with TJ-41 for 32 weeks showed little enhanced cytotoxicity against NK-sensitive YAC-1 targets, but mice treated for 1 week showed significantly enhanced cytotoxicity. TJ-41 administration for 32 weeks increased the splenic NK cell population and CD4/CD8 significantly, but TJ-41 for 1 week was not affected. Further, there were no adverse effects of TJ-41 administration for 32 weeks. Whether or not that duration of administration can have the same beneficial effects on humans await further studies.

Nitric oxide (NO) is synthesized from L-arginine by nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Alternation of NOS expression is implicated in the pathogenesis of numerous secondary complications of diabetes. Aqueous extract of Ginseng radix has traditionally been used for the various disorders including diabetes. In this study, the effect of Ginseng radix on the NOS expression in the hippocampus of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats was investigated via nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase (NADPH-d) histochemistry. Enhanced NOS expression was detected in the hippocampus of diabetic rats and administration of Ginseng radix suppressed NOS expression. Ginseng radix may aid the treatment of central nervous system complications in diabetes.

BNG-1, a novel mixture of traditional Chinese medicines with a long history in the treatment of stroke, exhibited acute neuroprotection effect on rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Anti-ischemic effects were seen in both animals receiving BNG-1 before the ischemic insult as well as in animals receiving the drug formulation after surgical occlusion of the artery. Anti-thrombic activity was seen in vitro to inhibit arachidonic acid-induced platelet aggregation and in vivo to prolong bleeding time in mice. BNG-1 was also found to inhibit several phosphodiesterase (PDE) isoforms with potency order of the following rank: PDE 1>PDE 3>PDE 6>PDE 2>PDE 4>PDE 5. Other pre-clinical results and emerging clinical data coupled with the present findings suggest that BNG-1 may be a safe and effective therapy for both the prevention and treatment of cerebral stroke. Moreover, the fundamental cellular mechanism underlying its therapeutic effects may result from phosphodiesterase inhibition.

The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of the Chinese herbal medicines Bupleuri radix, Ginseng radix and Zingiberis rhizoma on spontaneous lymphatic vessel activity. The effect of each herbal medicine on in vivo lymphatic flow was examined by injection of dye into the femoral regions of rats after feeding with the herbal medicines. In an in vitro study, spontaneous changes in diameter of the rat thoracic duct were monitored, and each segment was exposed to each herbal medicine. In the in vivo study, 100% of the right iliac lymphatic node were positively stained in the herbal medicine group, whereas only 40% of the node were positively stained in the control group. In the in vitro study, Bupleuri radix and Ginseng radix increased the amplitude of spontaneous activity of lymphatic vessels in a concentration-dependent manner with or without L-NAME, an NO synthase inhibitor. The results indicated that the herbal medicines Bupleuri radix and Ginseng radix activated spontaneous lymphatic vasomotion and lymph flow, and the mechanisms of this effect seem to be independent of endothelial cells.