The American Journal of Chinese Medicine

To clarify the contribution of Chinese herbal medicine to the treatment of male infertility, fluorescence spectra from Chinese herbal drugs at 500-700 nm with 488 nm excitation were investigated. The fluorescence spectra patterns from Hachimi-jio-gan, Gosha-jinki-gan and Hochu-ekki-to were similar to those from semen, seminal plasma and spermatozoa. Our previous report revealed that the concentration of spermatozoa correlated with the intensity of the emission peaks from spermatozoa, while sperm motility correlated with the emission peaks from spermatozoa and semen plasma. Thus, it was suggested that the components of these fluorescence productions in Chinese herbal medicine may contribute to clinical effects for male infertility.

Unkei-to (TJ-106) induced significant increases of plasma follicle stimulating hormone level in the first grade (P < 0.05), second grade amenorrhea without weight loss (P < 0.05), and weight loss related to second grade amenorrhea (P < 0.01) in eight weeks of treatment, respectively. Plasma estradiol level significantly increased 1.8 times in 4 week treatment with Unkei-to in first grade amenorrhea (P < 0.01). In second grade amenorrhea without weight loss and weight loss related second grade amenorrhea, plasma estradiol level significantly increased 2.9 times (P < 0.01) and 1.7 times (P < 0.05) in 8 weeks treatment, respectively. On the other hand, the patterns of pulsatile secretion of follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone remarkably improved by the treatment with Unkei-to. In the patients with second grade amenorrhea, follicles stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone pulses appeared in 3 out of 13 (23.1%) and 6 out of 13 (46.2%) with the treatment of Unkei-to, respectively in 85% of whom no pulses has been observed before the treatment. Ovulation occurred in 62.2% (23/37), 26.6% (4/15), and 21.7% (5/23) of the patients with first grade, second grade amenorrhea without weight loss, and weight loss related second grade amenorrhea by the treatment with Unkei-to, respectively. These results indicate that Unkei-to is effective on improvement of gonadotropin pulsatile secretion in the treatment of anovulatory women. This suggests that Unkei-to may enhance the pituitary response to Gn-RH or improvement of the pulsatile secretion of Gn-RH, inducing normalization of diencephalon-pituitary-ovarian endocrine system in the anovulatory patients.

DNA polymerase α activity in ovaries of mature cycling rats during the normal estrous cycle changed in a cyclic manner with a peak at 1800 h in proestrus. Tokishakuyakusan (TS) in vivo did not affect the changes in DNA polymerase α and β activities during the estrous cycle. LH and FSH at 1000 or 1700 h in proestrus increased DNA polymerase α activity, but the DNA polymerase α activity induced by LH or FSH was not significantly affected by the addition of TS. DNA polymerase β activity did not change with LH, FSH or TS. In PMS-treated or -untreated immature rats, TS enhanced ovarian DNA polymerase α activity but had no significant effect on LH or FSH action. In ovaries, incubated in vitro, in untreated mature or immature rats, TS enhanced ovarian DNA polymerase α activity but had no significant effect on LH or FSH action. These results suggest that TS stimulates ovarian DNA polymerase α activity in relationship to DNA synthesis and does not affect the effect of LH or FSH on the activity by preovulatory follicle before and/or after the LH/FSH surge.

Curcuma xanthorrhiza Roxb. (Zingiberaceae family, commonly known as temu lawak or Javanese turmeric in Indonesia), which is found both wild and cultivated in Indonesia, has been traditionally used for medicinal purposes. C. xanthorrhiza is also used as a tonic in Indonesia. The aim of the present study is to clarify whether C. xanthorrhiza treatment may prevent acute liver damage induced by acetaminophen and carbon tetrachloride in mice. The results clearly indicated that extract of C. xanthorrhiza could reduce significantly the acute elevation of serum transaminases levels induced by the two kinds of hepatotoxins, and alleviated the degree of liver damage at 24 hours after the intraperitoneal administration of two hepatotoxins. It may be concluded that C. xanthorrhiza can protect the liver from various hepatotoxins, hence C. xanthorrhiza could be useful in the treatment of liver injuries and has promise as a kind of broad spectrum hepatoprotective agent.

37 children with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome (SDNS) were administered with Chai-Ling-Tang (Sairei-to) under corticosteroid. After treatment with Chai-Ling-Tang, relapse was markedly improved, time for negative conversion of proteinuria shortened, prednisone dosage significantly reduced, and side effects eased. 32 children with SDNS treated with prednisone and cyclophosphamide served as control. Results showed that short-term and long-term relapse and average prednisone dosage were similar between these two groups. It is considered that Chai-Ling-Tang may be a useful substitute for patients with SDNS who fail to respond to or manifest severe toxic effect from cytotoxic agents.

The traditional Chinese antirheumatic herb Danggui-Nian-Tong-Tang (DGNTT) was studied comparatively with indomethacin and allopurinol to evaluate its anti-inflammatory and antihyperuricemic effects in patients with gout. Results in this study did not show any significant improvement in reducing the total number of painful and swollen joints, articular index and pain score (P > 0.05) by treatment with DGNTT. Unlike allopurinol, DGNTT did not lower the high serum level of uric acid. In vitro study in rats showed that DGNTT significantly inhibits the activity of β-glucuronidase (P < 0.05) and lysozyme release (P < 0.01) from neutrophils. In conclusion, despite the effect of inhibition on enzyme release from neutrophils, DGNTT is not effective in treating acute arthritis or hyperuricemia.

"Ham-Hong-Chho" is a folk medicine in Taiwan, derived from the entire plants of Bidens pilosa L. var. minor (Blume) Sherff (Compositae), B. pilosa L. and B. chilensis DC. The anti-inflammatory effect of aqueous extracts of the three plants against paw edema induced by carrageenan and chronic arthritis induced by complete Freund's adjuvant were determined in rats. The results indicated that paw edema induced by carrageenan was significantly decreased by treatment with aqueous extracts (150 or 300 mg/kg) of all three plants (p < 0.05) and that the effect of Bidens pilosa var. minor was the most potent. However, only extracts (500 mg/kg) of B. pilosa L. var. minor and B.pilosa L. significantly decreased the paw edema induced by complete Freund's adjuvant (p < 0.05).

We studied the actions of purified ginsenosides Rg1 and Rb1 on nitric oxide production from macrophages and a macrophage cell line RAW264-7. Although neither Rg1 nor Rb1 induced nitric oxide from resting macrophages, Rg1 enhanced the production of nitric oxide from IFN-γ activated-macrophages or RAW cells. Rg1 also enhanced the production of nitric oxide from macrophages cocultured with nonadherent spleen cells stimulated by conA, LPS or anti-CD3. Rb1, however, did not significantly enhance nitric oxide production from stimulated macrophages or RAW cells. Rg1 enhanced the tumor cell killing by nitric oxide produced from IFN-γ-activated macrophages.

Effects of Ganoderma lucidum (Gl) and Krestin (PSK) extracts on spleen, thymus and splenocytes in γ-irradiated mice were investigated in this study. ICR strain male mice were divided into five groups. Group A was the normal control. Group B, the experimental control, was treated with Gl. Group C, the radiation treatment control, was treated with whole body exposure to 4 Gy γ-irradiation (RT). Group D was treated with RT and Gl. Group E was treated with RT and PSK. The dosage of Gl was 400 mg/day/kg body weight and PSK was 500 mg/day/kg body weight. Our results indicated that the relative thymus weight in groups D and E were higher than group C on day 28 after γ-irradiation. Group D was the highest in all the experimental groups. CD4 and CD8 splenocytes in group D were higher than group C on days 7 and 28. Gl was better than PSK in repairing the damage of subset T-cells in the spleen of γ-irradiated mice.

Components of a traditional Chinese medicine formula Xiao-Jian-Zhong-Tang were divided into three groups: (1) Radix Paeoniae Lactiflorae, (2) Radix Astragali, and (3) Cinnamon twig, Radix Glycyrrhizae, Fructus jujubae and Saccharum Granorum. Extracts of each group were injected into rats to observe the blood pressure wave spectrum changes at the caudate artery. The whole formula was also extracted and injected into rats to monitor blood pressure wave spectrum changes. Each group has its own effect on the Fourier components of the blood pressure wave. The meridian effects of these herbs are the same as described in the Chinese medical literature, if we consider each meridian in resonance with a specific Fourier component. The whole formula when injected into rats had an effect on the Fourier components of the blood pressure wave similar to the linear combination of individual effect of the three herb groups when used separately. This may be the fundamental idea behind formula construction.

The botanical origins of Cynanchum species (Cynanchum spp.) on the Taiwan market have been established by histological studies in the present paper. The results showed that the Chinese crude drug Pai-wei on the Taiwan market was derived from the dried roots of Cynanchum atratum Bunge; that of Pai-chein was derived from the dried roots of C. stauntonii (Decne.) Hand.-Mazz.; and the Wan-ling-shu used locally in Taiwan was derived from the dried roots of C. taiwanianum Yamazaki.

Effects of press needle technique (PN), electroacupuncture (EA), or in-situ technique (IS) on vibration-induced finger flexion reflex (VFR) were examined in 31 healthy adults. VFR, which is tonic finger flexion evoked by vibration applied to the finger tip, was induced by vibrating the volar side of the middle finger tip before and after acupuncture. Acupuncture was applied to the Hoku point on both sides. The three techniques, each studied on separate days, inhibited VFR and there was no significant difference in VFR inhibition among the three techniques (percentage of pre-acupuncture VFR was 71.5 ± SE 2.2% after PN, 72.6 ± SE 2.4% after EA, and 75.6 ± SE 2.8% after IS). The results suggest that afferent signals from muscles contracting due to electrical stimulation had no significant effect on the reflex arcs of VFR; and that the intradermal stimulation by acupuncture played a significant role in VFR inhibition.

We studied functional MRI in 15 male and 13 female normal volunteers on a clinical MRI system using gradient echo sequence. During the experiments, brain activation was induced by grasping the unilateral hand once or twice a second for motor tasks. A localized increase of MRI signal in the contralateral motor cortex was observed in 17 out of 21 cases (81%) under right hand motor task and 11 out of 21 cases (52%) under left hand motor task. The application of this method may be useful to evaluate brain response to acupuncture.

Rats were treated by moxibustion at the point of hip muscle, and intramuscular temperature was kept at 40°C for 15 minutes. The rats were sacrificed under deep anesthesia and the muscular tissues were excised immediately, three hours and 24 hours after stimulation. Proteins were extracted from the homogenized and centrifuged tissues of the stimulated rats and control rats. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of the proteins was carried out. Heat-shock protein (hsp) with molecular weight of 70,000 (hsp 70), 85,000 (hsp 85) and 100,000 (hsp 100) was detected in rats sacrificed three hours after the stimulation by moxibustion. Protein patterns were analyzed and the ratios of the hsps were obtained.