The American Journal of Chinese Medicine

Hawthorn (Crataegus) may play a role in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and in particular, congestive heart failure. Evidence is accumulating that hawthorn may induce anti-ischemia/reperfusion-injury, anti-arrhythmic, hypolipidemic and hypotensive effects. These beneficial effects may in part be due to the presence of antioxidant flavonoid components. While a number of studies have been performed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of hawthorn, an international, multi-center, prospective clinical study including a large number of New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II/III heart failure patients is ongoing to test hawthorn's long-term therapeutic effects. Further clinical trials as well as pharmacokinetic and mechanistic studies are needed to explore and confirm its effectiveness, safety and pharmacological mechanism.

Astragalosides were the main active components from a native Chinese herb Astragalus membranaceus. Recent studies have shown that Astragalosides have a protective effect on myocardial injury in rats. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of Astragalosides on intracellular calcium overload and sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium load (SR Ca²⁺ load) in cultured cardiac myocytes from neonatal rats. Astragalosides (100 μg/ml) were incubated in the presence of isoproterenol (ISO) (10^-5 M) for 72 hours in cardiomyocytes. Metoprorol (10^-6 M), a β₁-selective antagonist, was cultured in the same condition as Astragalosides. The result showed that intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca²⁺]_i) and SR Ca²⁺ load increased in ISO-treated cardiac myocytes as compared to control (P<0.01). Astragalosides prevented ISO-induced increase in [Ca²⁺]_i and SR Ca²⁺ load. Metoprolol also inhibited those increase. The mRNA expression and activity of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺ ATPase (SERCA) were enhanced following ISO treatment in cardiac myocytes, and these increases were inhibited by Astragalosides or metoprolol (P<0.05). The decrease of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and the elevation of intracellular maleic dialdehyde (MDA) were observed after ISO treatment in cardiac myocytes. Both Astragalosides and metoprolol restored the SOD activity and reduced the level of MDA. We conclude that Astragalosides have the effects on reducing [Ca²⁺]_i and SR Ca²⁺ load, enhancing free radical removal and decreasing lipid peroxidation in ISO-treated cardiomyocytes, which might account for their protective effect on myocardial injury.

Chingwaysan, a Chinese herbal formula, contains Cimicfugae Rhizoma, Rehmanniae Radixet Rhizoma, Moutan Radicis Cortex, Coptidis Rhizoma and Angelicae Sinensis Radix. This medicine is well-known for its curing power for ulcerated gums, toothaches, cheek boils and bleeding gingiva. However, no reports can be found on its application in the treatment of oral cancers. We are therefore interested in whether Chingwaysan is capable of causing abnormal apoptosis processes, and whether this condition can be rectified through Chingwaysan herb treatment. We used aqueous extract to treat OC2 and TSCCa cells (both are human oral cancer cell lines) with different Chingwaysan concentrations (0, 10, 25, 50, 75 and 100 μl/ml). The MTT (3, (4, 5-dimethyl-thiazol) 2, 5-diphenyl-tetraxolium bromide) reduction assay was employed to quantify the differences in cell activity and viability. DNA ladder formation on agarose electrophoresis was also performed. The bax expression level was monitored using immunoblotting techniques. The patterns of the changes in expression were scanned and analyzed by NIH image 1.56 software. Taken together, drastic morphological changes, reduced cell viability and the presence of inter-nucleosomal DNA fragmentation all indicated that Chingwaysan is capable of inducing apoptosis in OC2 and TSCCa cell lines. Furthermore, the accumulation of wild type bax protein significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner upon treatment with Chingwaysan. In conclusion, Chingwaysan can induce apoptosis via a bax-dependent pathway in cells from these two particular oral cancer cell lines.

CML-1 is a purified extract from a mixture of 13 Oriental herbs (Achyranthis Radix, Angelicae Gigantis Radix, Cinnamomi Cortex Spissus, Eucommiae Cortex, Glycyrrhizae Radix, Hoelen, Lycii Fructus, Paeoniae Radix, Rehmanniae Radix Preparata and Atractylodis Rhizoma, Zingiberis Rhizoma, Zizyphi Semen, Acori Graminei Rhizoma) that have been widely used for the treatment of inflammatory diseases in Asia. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory and analgesic potential of CML-1. The animals used in this study were administered either vehicle or CML-1 (30, 100, 300 and 600 mg/kg) orally. The vascular permeability induced by acetic acid was significantly reduced by CML-1 in all doses. The swelling of the rat's hind paw induced by carrageenan was significantly inhibited by CML-1 in doses of 100, 300 and 600 mg/kg. In the case of rheumatoid arthritis induced by complete Freund's adjuvant in rats, the treatment with CML-1 at a dose level of 300 mg/kg inhibited edema. CML-1 at a dose level of 600 mg/kg inhibited acetic acid-induced writhing syndrome, however it did not have any anti-nociceptive action in the Randall-Selitto assay or the hot plate test. Our findings suggest that CML-1 has a potent anti-inflammatory activity.

In order to examine the effects of Kami-kihi-to (KKT or Jia-Wei-Gui-Pi-Tang) on osteopenia, we measured bone mineral density using computed X-ray absorptometry and monitored metabolism and bone tissue in an ovariectomized (OVX) rat model.

Bone mineral density was significantly lower in the OVX group than in normal group 3 months after ovariectomy. However, the bone mineral density of the OVX group administered KKT was clearly higher than that of the untreated OVX group.

Locomotor activity was regular in the normal group and in the OVX groups before administration of KKT. After 6-month administration of KKT, in OVX groups, the pattern of locomotor activity became diphasic with clear active and resting phases, as was also observed in the normal group. The locomotor activity did not decrease in the OVX groups after administration of KKT. At 6 months, the continuity of the trabecular bone was higher in the OVX group administered KKT than in the untreated OVX group. These results indicate that KKT improved the menopausal symptoms and increased the locomotor activity of the OVX group, thereby increasing bone mineral density.

This study sought to establish a pharmacological profile for N-095, a crude drug containing red ginseng, polygala root, saffron, antelope horn and aloe wood. Our studies on rats and mice revealed a number of pharmacological properties of this novel drug. N-095 increased the forced swimming time in mice and prevented gastric ulcers in rats under restraint and water immersion stress conditions at 100 mg/kg or higher. It also prevented footpad swelling in rats treated with λ-carrageenin and histamine-induced gastric ulcers in rats at 300 mg/kg or higher. Furthermore, N-095 augmented the sedative effect in mice induced by hexobarbital, which is characterized by a decreased spontaneous motor activity and a prolongation of sleeping time. N-095 also stimulated spontaneous contractility of the uterus in rats at 1000 mg/kg and 2000 mg/kg and prevented hemolysis of erythrocytes by heating. In contrast, N-095 had no effect on the respiratory or cardiovascular system or on water and electrolyte regulation in rats or mice. These results show that N-095 is a relatively safe drug for use as a nutrient or tonic.

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.

Our previous study revealed that the coefficient of variation of harmonic magnitude (HCV) of radial arterial pulse was significantly raised before the death of cancer patients. In this study, we recorded the caudate arterial pulse of 24 Sprague-Dawley rats that had a fatal dose of urethane injected into their abdomens. Twenty rats were dead within 3 hours after the injection and four survived. We defined the last 100 minutes of each rat's life as the dying process. During the dying process, we found that both the systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure dropped steeply during the last 5 minutes. However, all HCVs, except HCV1, climbed steeply before the last 5 minutes. The HCV1 of the dying rats was significantly higher than that of rats that survived, starting from the first minute (P<0.01). The HCV2 of the dying rats was significantly higher than that of the survived rats starting from the 52nd minute (P<0.05). The HCV3 and HCV4 of the dying rats were significantly higher than those of the survived rats until the 70th minute and the 80th minute, respectively (P<0.05). Furthermore, HCV2–HCV4 proceeded with the dying process and increased gradually. We concluded that HCVs, which failed first in the high-frequency components and then in the low-frequency components, could provide physicians with earlier information to prevent the coming failure of circulatory system, and could reflect quantitatively pathological severity and predict patient outcome. The specific Fourier components in the pulse provide more physiological information than systolic and diastolic blood pressures.

We investigated the effects of water and ethyl acetate extracts of Citrus unshiu peel (Aurantii Nobilis pericarpium) on hepatitis C virus (HCV) absorption in MOLT-4 cells (a human lymphoblastoid leukemia cell line). By reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), we showed that both the ethyl acetate layer of Citrus unshiu peel extract and fraction 7 decreased HCV absorption in MOLT-4 cells. Furthermore, we demonstrated that 3′,4′,5,6,7,8-hexamethoxyflavone (nobiletin) is the active ingredient that markedly inhibited HCV infection in MOLT-4 cells.

The aim of this study is to demonstrate the effects of Ananas comosus L. leaves on diabetic-dyslipidemic rats. Hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activities of the ethanolic extract of Ananas comosus L. leaves (EEACL) were evaluated in normal and alloxan-induced diabetic rats by oral glucose tolerance test and an olive oil load test. Anti-diabetic, anti-hyperlipidemic and anti-oxidative activities of EEACL were also investigated in diabetic-dyslipidemic rats induced by alloxan and a high-fat/high-cholesterol diet. EEACL at the dose of 0.40 g/kg significantly inhibited the increase in blood glucose in diabetic rats in oral glucose tolerance test, but did not cause any hypoglycerimic activity in normal rats. It also significantly inhibited the increase in postprandial triglycerides (TG) levels in both normal and diabetic rats in olive oil load test. After 15 days of treatment of diabetic dyslipidemic rats, EEACL significantly decreased blood glucose (-51.0%, P<0.01), TG (-50.1%, P<0.01), TC (-23.3%, P<0.01), LDL-c (-47.9%, P<0.01) and glycated albumin (-25.4%, P<0.01) levels, significantly increased serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (66.2%, P<0.01) and prevented lower body weight of diabetes (11.8%, P<0.05), significantly lowered lipid peroxidation productions of blood (-27.8%, P<0.01), brain (-31.6%, P<0.05), liver (-44.5%, P<0.01) and kidneys (-72.2%, P<0.05) compared with those in untreated diabetic dyslipidemic rats. These data suggest that EEACL has anti-diabetic, anti-dyslipidemic and anti-oxidative activities, which may be developed into a new plant medicine for treatment of diabetes and its complications.

Yukmijihwang-tang (YMJ), also known as Luweidihuang-tang in China, has been widely used as a general herbal tonic for hundreds of years in many Asian countries. This study examines whether YMJ derivatives (YMJd) enhance cognitive ability in normal human subjects and discusses its potential as treatment for dementia patients with deficient cognitive ability. Subjects were divided into two groups, the placebo-treated group (n=15) and the YMJd-treated group (n=20). K-WAIS tests, a Korean version of an individual intelligence quotient (IQ) test, and a P300 latency assessment of event-related potential (ERP) were conducted in order to measure changes in cognitive ability before and after 6 weeks of YMJd treatment. The K-WAIS mean scores of the group treated with YMJd were significantly higher than those of the placebo group (p<0.05), and their mean P300 latency was substantially shorter (p<0.005). These results suggest that YMJd treatment accelerates the speed of information processing and enhances cognitive ability. YMJd treatment may help dementia patients or the elderly recover from cognition deficiencies or degeneration in clinic.

This study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of Xiong-gui-tiao-xue-yin (Kyuki-chouketsu-in), a Japanese traditional herbal medicine, in stabilizing postpartum psychological state. We enrolled 268 women who had a normal delivery in Osaka Medical College Hospital or its affiliated clinics and randomly assigned them to the following two groups: a group of 134 women who received Xiong-gui-tiao-xue-yin (Kyuki-chouketsu-in) at a dose of 6.0 g/day and another group of 134 women without Xiong-gui-tiao-xue-yin (Kyuki-chouketsu-in) (control group). We observed 2.06-fold and 1.67-fold higher incidences of depressive mood and nervousness, respectively, after delivery in the control group than in the Xiong-gui-tiao-xue-yin (Kyuki-chouketsu-in) group. Within 3 weeks of postpartum, there was a significant difference in the incidences of maternity blues between the Xiong-gui-tiao-xue-yin (Kyuki-chouketsu-in) group (15.7%; 21/134) and the control group (32.1%; 43/134) (p=0.0195). No adverse effects were observed in this study. The results of this study demonstrate the beneficial clinical effects of Xiong-gui-tiao-xue-yin (Kyuki-chouketsu-in) in stabilizing psychological state in the postpartum period.

Xiong-gui-tiao-xue-yin (Kyuki-chouketsu-in) can be expected to improve the mental health of women in the postpartum period and prevent maternity blues.

Medicinal herbs (21 species) were screened for the antioxidant activity and nicotine degradation activity (NDA) in vitro. Eleven of them with higher antioxidant activity and NDA were selected for preparation of the medicinal herb tea (MHT) and the effects of MHT on smoking cessation and reducing smoking withdrawal symptoms were evaluated in 100 male human smokers.

Among these medicinal herbs, Eugenia aromaticum and Astragalus membranaceus Bunge showed the highest antioxidant activity (IC₅₀ of 30.0 μg/mL) and NDA (1.81), respectively. MHT showed relatively high antioxidant activity (IC₅₀ of 50.6 μg/mL) and NDA (1.23). The urinary cotinine level, a metabolite of nicotine, increased in the first 2 weeks and greatly decreased from the 2nd to 4th week in the MHT taking group, which indicates that MHT accelerates the conversion of nicotine into cotinine. Human groups taking MHT for 4 weeks underwent reduced smoking withdrawal symptoms compared to the non-MHT taking subjects, and 38% of subjects taking MHT succeeded in smoking cessation, while only 12% of non-MHT taking subjects succeeded in quitting smoking.

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of Qi therapy (QT) on the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), including fatigue and complications. QT affected the experience of mental and emotional relaxation in the subjects of these case studies, who also gained strength to overcome their pain and fatigue. Although the results of these two case studies may not constitute conclusive evidence, they provide a foundation for the exploration of QT as a complementary therapy in the reduction of negative symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Acupuncture and acupressure points correlate well with sites on the body that have low transcutaneous electrical resistance (TER). Using lightly sedated, adult Sprague-Dawley rats, we identified an acupoint (i.e. site with low TER) located on the hind limb of the rat and compared the effects of acupressure at this site on the nociceptive threshold to an adjacent, non-acupoint site (i.e. site with high TER). Focal pressure (55.42±2.2 g) was applied to the site for 10 minutes and the tail flick response (TFR) was determined by draping the distal portion of the tail over a heated wire (75±5°C). Three trials were performed during each of three randomized conditions (i.e. acupoint, placebo and control) and the trials were averaged. All rats tested (5/5) showed a statistically significant increase in TFR following 10 minutes of acupressure at the acupoint compared to placebo or control trials (p=0.007). Acupressure at the placebo point resulted in a TFR that was not statistically different from the control. Systemic administration of naloxone completely abolished the tail-flick inhibition induced by acupressure at the acupoint. These data suggest that acupressure elicits an antinociceptive effect in rats that is mediated by the endogenous release of opioids.

Cystic fibrosis is the most commonly occurring genetic disorder among Caucasians. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of acupuncture for pain management in patients with cystic fibrosis; clinical data was obtained regarding the integration of acupuncture into the management of pain in patients with cystic fibrosis. Visual analog scales were used for pain measurement. Acupuncture was found to be effective in decreasing pain complaints in patients with cystic fibrosis. No side effects or complications were reported in relation to the acupuncture treatment. Acupuncture is effective for managing symptoms and illnesses associated with cystic fibrosis. Further randomized controlled trials will be necessary to evaluate additional efficacy in pain management and the improvement of the quality of life of patients with cystic fibrosis.

Acupuncture at the Neiguan (P6) point has been shown to lessen nausea and vomiting which are related to vagal modulation. This study investigated whether acupuncture at the P6 point could improve vagal modulation by using heart rate variability analysis. We compared the heart rate variability measures of 39 subjects receiving acupuncture at the P6 point, 38 subjects receiving sham acupuncture, and 34 subjects receiving no treatment at all. The normalized high-frequency power was used as the index of vagal modulation, and the low-/high-frequency power ratio was used as the index of sympathovagal balance. The normalized high-frequency power after acupuncture increased significantly from 28.1±12.6 nu (mean±SD) to 30.7±14.1 nu in the P6 acupuncture group, but not in the sham acupuncture (30.6±13.7 nu versus 31.8±13.8 nu) or no-treatment group (30.1±15.0 nu versus 30.1±15.7 nu). In both the P6 and sham acupuncture groups, the mean RR interval (the intervals between consecutive R waves in the electrocardiogram) increased significantly after acupuncture. In the no-treatment group, there was no statistical difference in all heart rate variability measures in the initial and later sessions. In conclusion, acupuncture at the P6 point can increase vagal modulation of the subjects. This result may be helpful in the understanding of the mechanism underlying the effect of acupuncture or acupressure at P6 on the lessening of nausea and vomiting in clinic.