Narrow Results

Medicinal herbs have a long history of use in the practice of traditional Chinese medicine and a substantial body of evidence has, over recent decades, demonstrated a range of important pharmacological properties. Western biomedical researchers are examining not only the efficacy of the traditional herbal products but, through the use of a range of bioassays and analytical techniques, are developing improved methods to isolate and characterize active components. This review briefly describes the different extraction methodologies used in the preparation of herbal extracts and reviews the utility of chromatography-mass spectrometry for the analysis of their active components. In particular, applications of gas or liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry for the isolation and characterization of active components of ginseng are critically assessed. The analysis of toxic substances from herb extracts with mass spectrometric techniques is also discussed along with the potential for mass spectrometric methods to investigate the proteomics of herbal extracts.

Medicinal herbs have been effectively used for their anti-inflammatory activity, but their exact role has not yet been documented in scientific literature for the management of Osteoarthritis (OA). Since Sida cordifolia L., Piper longum L., Zingiber officinale Rosc., Ricinus communis L., Vitex negundo L. and Tribulus terrestris L. have been widely used in traditional medicine for their anti-inflammatory activity, to evaluate anti-osteoarthritic activity of these herbs, we used a collagenase type II-induced osteoarthritis (CIOA) rat model. Arthritis was induced in wistar rats by intra-articular injection of collagenase type II. Powders of herbs were given orally for 20 days as a suspension in water (270 mg/kg b. wt.). The effects of the treatment in the rats were monitored by physiological parameters like body weight, knee diameter, paw retraction, paw volume, glycosaminoglycan (GAG) release, radiography and histopathology of knee joint. Selected herbs have significantly prevented body weight loss and knee swelling compared to arthritic control (CIOA). All test groups, including indomethacin (standard drug, 3 mg/kg), significantly reduced paw volume compared to CIOA. GAG release in the serum was significantly lowered in herb treated groups compared to indomethacin. The anterior posterior radiographs of S. cordifolia and P. longum treated groups showed a protective effect against OA. Histopathology revealed protection in the structure of the articular cartilage and in chondrocyte pathology as well as reduced clefting. Treatment with herbs has shown chondroid matrix within normal limits. From the results, we observed that S. cordifolia and P. longum possess potent anti-osteoarthritic activity.

Osteoporosis is a common disease with wide prevalence, especially in the elderly population. Osteoporosis induced fractures not only decrease the patient's life quality, but also cause heavy financial burden to the society. Although current medications for osteoporosis are effective, numerous adverse effects have been observed accompanying their clinical applications. Effective prevention and therapy strategies with high safety are critical, which benefit both individual patients and the whole society. Traditional Chinese medicines have been used for thousands of years to treat bone related diseases in China and a number of modern preparations have been developed that are currently commercially available. In addition, several medicinal herbs demonstrated therapeutic effects against osteoporosis in animal models. This paper reviewed the anti-osteoporotic effects of traditional Chinese formulas, medicinal herbs and bioactive constituents based on clinical trials and in vivo animal studies. Due to the lack of rigorous studies to compare the effectiveness with conventional interventions, traditional formulas are recommended as alternative medications or supplements to treat osteoporosis at the current stage. Although there are abundant natural resources with anti-osteoporotic effects, either in the form of medicinal herbs or bioactive components, much work need to be accomplished before they are developed into potential drugs.

Osteoporosis is a common metabolic bone disease, and treatment is required for the prevention of low bone mass, deterioration of microstructural bone tissue, and fragility fractures. Osteoporosis therapy includes calcium, vitamin D, and drugs with antiresorptive or anabolic action on the bone. Therapy for osteoporosis does not include taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), but pain associated with osteoporotic fractures can be treated by taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID). Recently, polysaccharides extracted from medicinal herbs and edible substances (PsMHES) have attracted attention on account of their safety and promising anti-osteoporosis effects, whereas a systematic review about their potential in anti-osteoporosis is vacant to date. Herein, we reviewed the recent progress of PsMHES with anti-osteoporosis activities, looking to introduce the advances in the various pharmacological mechanisms and targets involved in the anti-osteoporosis effects, extraction methods, main mechanism involved in Wnt/$\beta$-catenin pathways and RANKL (Receptor Activator for NF$\kappa$B ligand or TNFSF25) pathways, and Structure-Activity Relationships (SAR) analysis of PsMHES. Typical herbs likeAchyranthes bidentate and Morinda officinalis used for the treatment of osteoporosis are introduced; their traditional uses in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) are discussed in this paper as well. This review will help to the recognition of the value of PsMHES in anti-osteoporosis and provide guidance for the research and development of new anti-osteoporosis agents in clinic.

Utility of DNA Profiling in Quality Control of Medicinal Herbs.

Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) guidelines have been developed internationally to ensure consistency of practice and Australian National Standard for Organic and Bio-dynamic Produce has broader implications. Both of them have been applied to the production of herbal medicines including Chinese herbal medicines. This paper compares the similarities and differences of these two set of standards and illustrated the application of these standards in a Chinese herbal medicine farming project funded by the Australian Government and RMIT University, Australia through an effective collaboration of academic institution with local government, farmers' association as well as the industry. This collaboration will contribute to the development of herbal medicine as a responsible industry and provide means to ensure quality of herbal medicines for safe use.