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Traditional Chinese Medicine (traditional + chinese_medicine)
Selected AbstractsA Pilot Study of Banxia Houpu Tang, a Traditional Chinese Medicine, for Reducing Pneumonia Risk in Older Adults with DementiaJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 12 2007Koh Iwasaki MD OBJECTIVES: To evaluate whether the traditional Chinese herbal medicine Banxia Houpu Tang (BHT, formula magnolia et pinelliae) prevents aspiration pneumonia and pneumonia-related mortality in elderly people. DESIGN: A prospective, observer-blinded, randomized, controlled trial. SETTING: Two long-term care hospitals for handicapped elderly patients in Japan from March 2005 to February 2006. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred four elderly patients (31 men and 73 women; mean age±standard deviation 83.5±7.8) with dementia and cerebrovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease, or Parkinson's disease. INTERVENTION: Ninety-five participants (mean age 84.0, M:F=28:67) were randomly assigned to the BHT treatment group (n=47) or the control group (n=48) and took BHT or placebo for 12 months. MEASUREMENTS: The occurrence of pneumonia, mortality due to pneumonia, and the daily amount of self-feeding. RESULTS: Complete data were available for analysis on 92 of the 95 subjects randomized. Four patients in the BHT group developed pneumonia, and one of them died as a result. Fourteen patients in the control group developed pneumonia, and six of them died as a result. There was a significant difference between the two groups in pneumonia onset (P=.008), and a tendency toward significance in pneumonia-related mortality (P=.05). The relative risk of pneumonia in the BHT group compared with the control group was 0.51 (95% confidence interval (CI)=0.27,0.84, P=.008) and that of death from pneumonia was 0.41 (95% CI=0.10,1.03, P=.06) according to the Cox proportional hazards model. No adverse events were observed from treatment with BHT. The BHT group was able to maintain self-feeding better than the control group (P=.006). CONCLUSION: Treatment with BHT reduced the risk of pneumonia and pneumonia-related mortality in elderly patients with dementia. [source] Pharmacovigilance in traditional chinese medicine safety surveillance,PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY AND DRUG SAFETY, Issue 5 2009Hainan Wang MD Abstract Purpose To give an overview of the current status including problems and efforts about pharmacovigilance in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) safety surveillance. Methods It is based on literature review and publicly available data in China. Results TCM led to several adverse drug reactions (ADRs) during the past few years and pharmacovigilance about TCM remained as a problem though great effort had been made to improve it. Conclusions Pharmacovigilance in TCM is still facing many challenges in playing critical roles in China. More attention should be paid to pharmacovigilance in TCM safety surveillance. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A New 4.0-Generation Dendrimer Phosphorescence Labeling Reagent and Its Application to Determination of Trace Alkaline Phosphatase by Affinity Adsorption Solid Substrate-room Temperature PhosphorimetryCHINESE JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY, Issue 10 2007Zhi-Ming LI Abstract A Triton X-100-4.0G-D (4.0G-D refers to a 4.0-generation dendrimer) was brought forward as a new phosphorescence labeling reagent. Two types of specific affinity adsorption (AA) reactions (direct method and sandwich method) were carried out between the labeling product of Triton X-100-4.0G-D-Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), the product of AA reaction preserved the good characteristics of room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) of 4.0G-D and ,IP of the product was proportional to the content of ALP. According to the fact stated above, a new method for the determination of trace ALP by affinity adsorption solid substrate-room temperature phosphorimetry (AA-SS-RTP) was established on the basis of WGA labeled with the Triton X-100-4.0G-D. The detection limits were 0.20 ag·spot,1 (corresponding concentration: 5.0×10,16 g·mL,1, namely 5.0×10,18 mol·L,1) for a direct method and 0.14 ag·spot,1 (corresponding concentration: 3.5×10,16 g·mL,1, namely 3.5×10,18 mol·L,1) for a sandwich method, respectively. For their high sensitivity, good repeatability and high accuracy, the direct method and sandwich method have been successfully applied to determine the content of ALP in human serum, and the results were coincided with the clinical detection results of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method by the Zhangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Meanwhile, the mechanism for the determination of trace ALP by AA-SS-RTP was discussed. [source] Traditional Chinese medicine in cancer care: perspectives and experiences of patients and professionals in ChinaEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CANCER CARE, Issue 4 2006W. XU md, msc Although traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is widely used in Chinese cancer centres, it is a brand new area for formal scientific evaluation. As the first step of developing a research programme on clinical evaluation of TCM for cancer patients, we conducted a qualitative study to explore the perspectives and experiences of Chinese cancer patients and TCM professionals. Twenty-eight persons participated in two cancer patient focus groups and one professional focus group. Semi-structured interviews were audiotaped, transcribed and translated. Textual transcripts and field notes underwent inductive thematic analysis. We found that patients' decision to use TCM for cancer is a self-help process with a deep cultural grounding, which is related to the traditional Chinese philosophy of life. Participants perceived TCM to be an effective and harmless therapy. They highly valued the fact that TCM is tailored to patients, and believed it was the basis of an optimal and safe treatment. Participants also highlighted the long-term positive effects, the benefit of group interventions and the low cost as important features of TCM. Subjects believed that conducting clinical research would be crucial for the recognition and dissemination of TCM in Western countries. The findings of this study are expected to contribute to the knowledge base on the current TCM use for cancer in China, and to provide useful information for developing future clinical research in this area in Western countries. [source] Treatment of chronic liver diseases with traditional Chinese medicineJOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY, Issue 2000Bao-En Wang Traditional Chinese medicine is still being extensively used for treatment of liver disease in China. The anti-viral herbs, Phyllanthus amarus, P. niruri and P. urninaria, and Oxymatrine extracted from Sophora flavecientis and S. subprostratae, have been shown to have a remarkable HBV suppressing effect with a serum conversion rate for HBeAg and HBV DNA around 45%, similar to that of IFN-,. The anti-inflammatory compound, Stronger NeoMinophagen C (SNMC), is a Japanese preparation of glycerrhizin, extracted from Glyceriza glabra, which has shown an effective rate of ALT and AST normalization and reduction to < 60 U/L in 65.6% and 73.5% of patients. Compound 861, made of 10 herbs with Salvia miltiorrhiza as its chief component, has been shown experimentally to be effective in suppressing fibrogenesis, enhancing collagen degradation, and inhibiting TIMP expression. Clinically, an open trial of 2000 patients showed improvement of symptoms in 83% and normalization of serum ALT in 82%. In a controlled study of 107 patients with HBV-related diseases, double liver biopsies showed that the fibrosis reversal rate after 6 months treatment with Cpd 861 was 78% in S2, 82% in S3 (precirrhotic stage) and 75% in S4 (early cirrhosis), as assessed by Scheuer's and Chevallier's criterion. In conclusion, traditional Chinese medicine has great potential in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B. [source] Traditional Chinese medicine on four patients with Huntington's disease,MOVEMENT DISORDERS, Issue 3 2009Takashi Satoh MD Abstract Four Huntington's disease (HD) patients were treated with traditional Chinese medicines Yi-Gan San (YGS) and Chaihu-Jia-Longgu-Muli Tan (CLMT) in a cross-over manner. Two patients took YGS for 8 weeks first, and after 4 weeks of washing out, they took CLMT for 8 weeks. Two other patients took these medicines in reverse order. All patients showed a decrease in the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale,motor assessment (from 106.3 ± 4.7 to 89.6 ± 5.8 as mean ± SD, P = 0.0004) by YGS treatment with no extrapiramidal symptoms or changes of cognition or ADL. Our study suggests a possibility of a new treatment for involuntary movements. © 2009 Movement Disorder Society [source] Successful Treatment of Pediatric Psoriasis with Indigo naturalis Composite OintmentPEDIATRIC DERMATOLOGY, Issue 5 2006Yin-Ku Lin M.D. Many modes of therapy are currently in use but the disease is often resistant to treatment owing to the unacceptable toxicity that leads to poor compliance. Therefore, to develop an alternative treatment is indispensable. Traditional Chinese medicine has been documented for over 1000 years to provide various effective treatments for inflammatory skin diseases. Herein, we report an 8-year-old boy with recalcitrant pediatric psoriasis who, after multiple treatment failures with conventional antipsoriatic medications, showed remarkable clinical improvement with 8 weeks of topical treatment with Indigo naturalis composite ointment. Remission has lasted for over 2 years until now. Our patient's response suggests that topical Indigo naturalis composite ointment may provide a safe and effective alternative treatment for pediatric psoriasis. [source] Analysis of the adverse reactions induced by natural product-derived drugsBRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 7 2010Zhi-Ping Zeng Compared with the therapeutic effects of established medicinal drugs, it is often considered that natural product-derived drugs are of a more benign nature in side-effects, which has made natural medicines become a popular form of therapy. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is generally considered as being natural and harmless. TCM has been paid much more attention than before and widely used for the treatment nowadays. However, with the increasing cases of adverse drug reactions (ADRs), the ADRs induced by TCM are becoming more widely recognized. Some ADRs are sometimes even life-threatening. This article reviews literatures on ADRs induced by TCM which was published in the past 10 years. A total of 3122 cases including complete data are selected for the present analysis. From the data of the 3122 cases, statistics is carried out to the distribution of administration routes and time of the occurrence of ADRs, the prognosis of ADRs, sex and age factors, types and clinical symptoms of ADRs, and drugs involved in ADRs. In addition, occurrence and influencing factors of TCM-induced diseases are also analysed, which includes spices confusion, processing drugs improperly, toxic components, long-term medication, improper concerted application, interaction of TCM and Western medicine. It is concluded that the efficacy and toxicity of TCM, often using the compound prescription involving various plants and animals, resulted from a variety of chemical constituents, which lead to a comprehensive response in the human body. The ,toxicity' of TCM should be correctly recognized and reasonably utilized. [source] Carbon nanotube/poly(methyl methacrylate) composite electrode for capillary electrophoretic measurement of honokiol and magnolol in Cortex Magnoliae OfficinalisELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 16 2006Xiao Yao Abstract This paper describes the development and the application of a novel carbon nanotube/poly(methyl methacrylate) (CNT/PMMA) composite electrode as a sensitive amperometric detector of CE. The composite electrode was fabricated on the basis of the in,situ polymerization of a mixture of CNT and prepolymerized methylmethacrylate in the microchannel of a piece of fused-silica capillary under heat. The performance of this unique system has been demonstrated by separating and detecting honokiol and magnolol in traditional Chinese medicine, Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis. Factors influencing their separation and detection processes were examined and optimized. Honokiol and magnolol were well separated within 7,min in a 40 cm long capillary at a separation voltage of 15,kV using a 50 mM borate buffer (pH,9.2). The new CNT-based CE detector offered significantly lower operating potentials, yielded substantially enhanced S/N characteristics, and exhibited resistance to surface fouling and hence enhanced stability. It demonstrated long-term stability and reproducibility with RSDs of less than 5% for the peak current (n = 9) and should also find a wide range of applications in microchip CE, flowing injection analysis, and other microfluidic analysis systems. [source] Traditional Chinese medicine in cancer care: perspectives and experiences of patients and professionals in ChinaEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CANCER CARE, Issue 4 2006W. XU md, msc Although traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is widely used in Chinese cancer centres, it is a brand new area for formal scientific evaluation. As the first step of developing a research programme on clinical evaluation of TCM for cancer patients, we conducted a qualitative study to explore the perspectives and experiences of Chinese cancer patients and TCM professionals. Twenty-eight persons participated in two cancer patient focus groups and one professional focus group. Semi-structured interviews were audiotaped, transcribed and translated. Textual transcripts and field notes underwent inductive thematic analysis. We found that patients' decision to use TCM for cancer is a self-help process with a deep cultural grounding, which is related to the traditional Chinese philosophy of life. Participants perceived TCM to be an effective and harmless therapy. They highly valued the fact that TCM is tailored to patients, and believed it was the basis of an optimal and safe treatment. Participants also highlighted the long-term positive effects, the benefit of group interventions and the low cost as important features of TCM. Subjects believed that conducting clinical research would be crucial for the recognition and dissemination of TCM in Western countries. The findings of this study are expected to contribute to the knowledge base on the current TCM use for cancer in China, and to provide useful information for developing future clinical research in this area in Western countries. [source] An overview of 45 published database resources for complementary and alternative medicineHEALTH INFORMATION & LIBRARIES JOURNAL, Issue 2 2010Katja Boehm Background:, Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has succeeded to implement itself in the academic context of universities. In order to get information on CAM, clinicians, researchers and healthcare professionals as well as the lay public are increasingly turning to online portals and databases, which disseminate relevant resources. One specific type of online information retrieval systems, namely the database, is being reviewed in this article. Question:, This overview aims at systematically retrieving and describing all databases covering the field of CAM. One of the requirements for inclusion was that the database would also have to be published in a medical journal. Data sources:, The databases amed, CAMbase, embase, and medline/PubMed were searched between December 2008 and December 2009 for publications relevant to CAM databases. The authors' specialist library was also searched for grey literature to be included. Study selection:, All included databases were then visited online and information on the context, structure and volume of the database was extracted. Main results:, Forty-five databases were included in this overview. Databases covered herbal therapies (n = 11), traditional Chinese medicine (n = 9) and some dealt with a vast number of CAM modalities (n = 9), amongst others. The amount of time the databases had been in existence ranged from 4 to 53 years. Countries of origin included the USA (n = 14), UK (n = 7) and Germany (n = 6), amongst others. The main language in 42 of 45 databases was English. Conclusions:, Although this overview is quite comprehensive with respect to the field of CAM, certain CAM practices such as chiropractic, massage, reflexology, meditation or yoga may not have been covered adequately. A more detailed assessment of the quality of the included databases might give additional insights into the listed resources. The creation of a personalised meta-search engine is suggested, towards which this overview could be seen as a first step. [source] Chinese values, health and nursingJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 2 2001Yu-chih Chen PhD RN Chinese values, health and nursing Purpose.,To describe the roots of Chinese values, beliefs and the concept of health, and to illustrate how these ways have influenced the development of health care and nursing among Chinese in the Republic of China (ROC) and the People's Republic of China (PRC). Scope.,Based on the literature and direct observation in the PRC and ROC, this is an introduction to Chinese philosophies, religion, basic beliefs, and values with a special meaning for health and nursing. Chinese philosophies and religion include Confucian principles, Taoism, theory of ,Yin' and ,Yang', and Buddhism. Beliefs and values include the way of education, practice of acupuncture, herbal treatments and diet therapy. How people value traditional Chinese medicine in combination with western science, and the future direction of nursing and nursing inquiry are also briefly addressed. Conclusion.,Chinese philosophies and religions strongly influence the Chinese way of living and thinking about health and health care. Nurses must combine information about culture with clinical assessment of the patient to provide cultural sensitive care. A better way may be to combine both western and Chinese values into the Chinese health care system by negotiating between the traditional values while at the same time, respecting an individual's choice. The foundation of China's philosophical and aesthetic tradition, in combination with western science is important to the future advancement of nursing research that will be beneficial to the Republics, Asia, and the world. [source] Paeoniae Radix, a traditional Chinese medicine, and CYP2C9 activityJOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 3 2002Han-Jing Xie Paeoniae Radix (PR) is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine. A slight effect of PR on the pharmacokinetics of phenytoin that is mainly metabolised by CYP2C9 has been reported. The aim of this pilot study was to clarify if PR has an effect on losartan oxidation used as a measure of CYP2C9 activity. Three healthy volunteers received a single oral dose of losartan before and after PR treatment. Losartan and E-3174, an active metabolite of losartan, were analysed in 8 hour urine. PR did not seem to have an effect on CYP2C9 activity when the losartan/E-3174 ratios were compared before and after PR treatment (P = 0·56) although a larger study would need to be undertaken to confirm this finding. [source] Treatment of chronic liver diseases with traditional Chinese medicineJOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY, Issue 2000Bao-En Wang Traditional Chinese medicine is still being extensively used for treatment of liver disease in China. The anti-viral herbs, Phyllanthus amarus, P. niruri and P. urninaria, and Oxymatrine extracted from Sophora flavecientis and S. subprostratae, have been shown to have a remarkable HBV suppressing effect with a serum conversion rate for HBeAg and HBV DNA around 45%, similar to that of IFN-,. The anti-inflammatory compound, Stronger NeoMinophagen C (SNMC), is a Japanese preparation of glycerrhizin, extracted from Glyceriza glabra, which has shown an effective rate of ALT and AST normalization and reduction to < 60 U/L in 65.6% and 73.5% of patients. Compound 861, made of 10 herbs with Salvia miltiorrhiza as its chief component, has been shown experimentally to be effective in suppressing fibrogenesis, enhancing collagen degradation, and inhibiting TIMP expression. Clinically, an open trial of 2000 patients showed improvement of symptoms in 83% and normalization of serum ALT in 82%. In a controlled study of 107 patients with HBV-related diseases, double liver biopsies showed that the fibrosis reversal rate after 6 months treatment with Cpd 861 was 78% in S2, 82% in S3 (precirrhotic stage) and 75% in S4 (early cirrhosis), as assessed by Scheuer's and Chevallier's criterion. In conclusion, traditional Chinese medicine has great potential in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B. [source] Population Genetic Structure of the Medicinal Plant Vitex rotundifolia in China: Implications for its Use and ConservationJOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY, Issue 9 2008Yuan Hu Abstract Vitex rotundifolia L. is an important plant species used in traditional Chinese medicine. For its efficient use and conservation, genetic diversity and clonal variation of V. rotundifolia populations in China were investigated using inter-simple sequence repeat markers. Fourteen natural populations were included to estimate genetic diversity, and a large population with 135 individuals was used to analyze clonal variation and fine-scale spatial genetic structure. The overall genetic diversity (GD) of V. rotundifolia populations in China was moderate (GD = 0.190), with about 40% within-population variation. Across all populations surveyed, the average within-population diversity was moderate (P = 22.6%; GD = 0.086). A relatively high genetic differentiation (Gst = 0.587) among populations was detected based on the analysis of molecular variance data. Such characteristics of V. rotundifolia are likely attributed to its sexual/asexual reproduction and limited gene flow. The genotypic diversity (D = 0.992) was greater than the average values of a clonal plant, indicating its significant reproduction through seedlings. Spatial autocorrelation analysis showed a clear within-population structure with gene clusters of approximately 20 m. Genetic diversity patterns of V. rotundifolia in China provide a useful guide for its efficient use and conservation by selecting particular populations displaying greater variation that may contain required medicinal compounds, and by sampling individuals in a population at >20 m spatial intervals to avoid collecting individuals with identical or similar genotypes. [source] Protective effect of total flavonoids from Bidens bipinnata L. against carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury in miceJOURNAL OF PHARMACY AND PHARMACOLOGY: AN INTERNATI ONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCE, Issue 7 2007Ming-mei Zhong Bidens bipinnata L. is well known in China as a traditional Chinese medicine. This study was designed to evaluate the hepatoprotective activity of the total flavonoids of B. bipinnata L. (TFB) against carbon tetrachloride (CCI4)-induced acute liver injury in mice and to determine its mechanism of action. Oral administration of TFB at doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg kg,1 for 7 days significantly reduced the elevated relative values of liver weight, serum transaminases (alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase) and the hepatic morphologic changes induced by CCl4 in mice. In addition, TFB markedly inhibited CCl4 -induced lipid peroxidation and enhanced the activity of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase. Moreover, pretreatment with TFB suppressed nitric oxide production and nuclear factor- kB activation in CCl4 -treated mice. The results suggest that TFB has significant hepatoprotective activity and its mechanism is related, at least in part, to its antioxidant properties. Further research is required to investigate the detailed mechanism of the protective effect of TFB on acute liver injury. [source] Relevant activities of extracts and constituents of animals used in traditional Chinese medicine for central nervous system effects associated with Alzheimer's diseaseJOURNAL OF PHARMACY AND PHARMACOLOGY: AN INTERNATI ONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCE, Issue 7 2006Yuhao Ren The centipede Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans L. Koch (,Wugong'), the beetle Mylabris phalerata Pallas (,Ban mao') and the earthworm Pheretima aspergillum Chen (,DiLong') have a reputation in traditional Chinese medicine for reducing symptoms of central nervous system decline, including memory loss. A series of extracts of all three organisms was tested for acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition and copper ion binding effects, the latter likely to reduce oxidative damage caused by excess copper. The beetle and centipede chloroform extracts showed the strongest AChE inhibitory effects (30.6% inhibition at 105 ,g mL,1 and 32.3% inhibition at 167 ,g mL,1, respectively) and, in the case of the centipede, this was traced to the unsaturated fatty acids present using bioassay-guided fractionation. Cantharidin from the beetle was shown to have AChE activity (31% inhibition at 1 ,M, 0.196,g mL,1), making it a major contributor to the activity of the beetle extract. The earthworm showed no AChE inhibitory activity. Since unsaturated fatty acids have not been previously reported to have AChE inhibitory activity, a series of related compounds was tested to determine structure-activity relationships. It was found that activity existed where there was a chain length of more than 16 C atoms with at least one unsaturated bond in the chain. The carboxylic acid group was also necessary for activity. The fatty acids present in the centipede also showed the ability to bind copper ions when tested using a novel thin layer chromatography method designed to detect copper-binding compounds. The activities reported give some support to the use of the beetle and centipede in traditional Chinese medicine for improving cognitive function. [source] Inhibitory effects of urinary metabolites on platelet aggregation after orally administering Shimotsu-To, a traditional Chinese medicine, to ratsJOURNAL OF PHARMACY AND PHARMACOLOGY: AN INTERNATI ONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCE, Issue 2 2003Takaaki Yasuda ABSTRACT Shimotsu-To, which consists of four herbal extracts, has been used clinically for improving abnormal blood coagulation, fibrinolysis, atherosclerosis and chronic inflammation in Japan and China. We have investigated the pharmacological relationship between the effects and chemical components of Shimotsu-To after oral administration to rats. The urinary constituents were separated and identified by three dimensional (3D-) HPLC equipped with a photodiode array detector as a new tool and the chemical structures were determined by spectroscopic methods to be trans -ferulic acid-3- O -sulfate (1), vanillic acid (2), m -hydroxyphenylpropionic acid (3), trans -ferulic acid (4) and cis -ferulic acid (5). Of these compounds, 2,5 strongly inhibited platelet aggregation induced by ADP and arachidonic acid. Compound 1, the sulfate conjugate of 4, did not show any inhibitory effect, which suggested that the inhibitory effect on platelet aggregation was inactivated by sulfate conjugation. These results indicated that compounds 2,5 partly contributed to the anti-Oketsu effect of Shimotsu-To through the inhibition of platelet aggregation. [source] Suppression of Heavy Drinking and Alcohol Seeking by a Selective ALDH-2 InhibitorALCOHOLISM, Issue 11 2009Maria P. Arolfo Background:, Inherited human aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH-2) deficiency reduces the risk for alcoholism. Kudzu plants and extracts have been used for 1,000 years in traditional Chinese medicine to treat alcoholism. Kudzu contains daidzin, which inhibits ALDH-2 and suppresses heavy drinking in rodents. Decreased drinking due to ALDH-2 inhibition is attributed to aversive properties of acetaldehyde accumulated during alcohol consumption. However, daidzin can reduce drinking in some rodents without necessarily increasing acetaldehyde. Therefore, a selective ALDH-2 inhibitor might affect other metabolic factors involved in regulating drinking. Methods:, Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 inhibitors were synthesized based on the co-crystal structure of ALDH-2 and daidzin. We tested the efficacy of a highly selective reversible ALDH-2 inhibitor, CVT-10216, in models of moderate and high alcohol drinking rats. We studied 2-bottle choice and deprivation-induced drinking paradigms in Fawn Hooded (FH) rats, operant self-administration in Long Evans (LE), FH, and inbred P (iP) rats and in cue-induced reinstatement in iP rats. We also assayed blood acetaldehyde levels as well as dopamine (DA) release in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and tested possible rewarding/aversive effects of the inhibitor in a conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm. Results:, CVT-10216 increases acetaldehyde after alcohol gavage and inhibits 2-bottle choice alcohol intake in heavy drinking rodents, including deprivation-induced drinking. Moreover, CVT-10216 also prevents operant self-administration and eliminates cue-induced reinstatement of alcohol seeking even when alcohol is not available (i.e., no acetaldehyde). Alcohol stimulates DA release in the NAc, which is thought to contribute to increased drinking and relapse in alcoholism. CVT-10216 prevents alcohol-induced increases in NAc DA without changing basal levels. CVT-10216 does not show rewarding or aversive properties in the CPP paradigm at therapeutic doses. Conclusion:, Our findings suggest that selective reversible ALDH-2 inhibitors may have therapeutic potential to reduce excessive drinking and to suppress relapse in abstinent alcoholics. [source] Preparative isolation and purification of three flavonoid glycosides from Taraxacum mongolicum by high-speed counter-current chromatographyJOURNAL OF SEPARATION SCIENCE, JSS, Issue 4 2008Shuyun Shi Abstract A preparative high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) was successively applied to purify three flavonoid glycosides from the aerial part of Taraxacum mongolicum, a traditional Chinese medicine. Subsequent UV, MS, and NMR analyses have led to the characterization of three flavonoid glycosides including two new compounds isoetin-7- O -,- D -glucopyranosyl-2,- O -,- L -arabinopyranoside and isoetin-7- O -,- D -glucopyranosyl-2,- O -,- D -glucopyranoside, and a known compound, isoetin-7- O -,- D -glucopyranosyl-2,- O -,- D -xyloypyranoside, which were first isolated from T. mongolicum. The two-phase solvent system composed of ethyl acetate/n -butanol/water (2:1:3, v/v/v) was performed in HSCCC. Consequently, a total of 25.7 mg isoetin-7- O -,- D -glucopyranosyl-2,- O -,- L -arabinopyranoside, 19.1 mg isoetin-7- O -,- D -glucopyranosyl-2,- O -,- D -glucopyranoside, and 10.6 mg isoetin-7- O -,- D -glucopyranosyl-2,- O -,- D -xyloypyranoside were obtained with purity of 98.7, 98.3, and 99.1%, respectively, as determined by HPLC from 500 mg enriched extract after cleaning-up by polyamide resin. [source] Simultaneous determination of 11 saponins in Panax notoginseng using HPLC-ELSD and pressurized liquid extractionJOURNAL OF SEPARATION SCIENCE, JSS, Issue 14 2006Jian-Bo Wan Abstract A new HPLC coupled with evaporative light scattering detection (ELSD) method was developed for simultaneous determination of 11 major triterpene saponins, namely notoginsenoside R1 (1), ginsenosides Rg1 (2), Re (3), Rf (4), Rb1 (5), Rg2 (6), Rc (7), Rb2 (8), Rb3 (9), Rd (10), and Rg3 (11) in Panax notoginseng, a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) was employed for sample preparation, and the analysis was achieved using a Zorbax ODS C18 column eluted with gradient water-ACN in 60 min. The drift tube temperature of ELSD was set at 60°C, and nitrogen flowrate was at 1.4 L/min. The method provided good repeatability and sensitivity for quantification of 11 saponins with overall precision (including intra- and interday) and LOD of less than 2.9% (RSD) and 98 ng, respectively. The validated method was successfully applied to quantify 11 saponins in 28 samples of P. notoginseng collected in different places, which is helpful to control the quality of P. notoginseng and its related products. [source] Autecology and conservation status of Magnolia sargentiana Rehder & Wilson (Magnoliaceae) in the Dafengding region, southern Sichuan Province, ChinaJOURNAL OF SYSTEMATICS EVOLUTION, Issue 6 2009Jing WANG Abstract, This paper reports the first population ecology study of the endangered Magnolia sargentiana Rehder & Wilson (Magnoliaceae). Magnolia sargentiana is a protected species in China, but little is known about its present status in the field. In 2007 and 2008, we surveyed the population and conservation status of M. sargentiana in the Provincial Mamize Nature Reserve and the National Meigu Dafengding Nature Reserve, Sichuan Province, southwestern China. Natural regeneration is poor because of unfavorable environmental conditions and anthropogenic disturbances. Flower buds and bark of M. sargentiana are used in traditional Chinese medicine and their collection by local people over the period 1983,1994 has led to marked population declines. The collection of flower buds and bark is now banned, but hewing branches for firewood and grazing continues to have a negative impact on the recovery of M. sargentiana populations. To protect the species, we require a ban on hewing branches, closure of primary forests to reduce the impact of humans and ungulates, better education of local people, and increased awareness of wildlife conservation. [source] Encapsulation and Controlled Release of a Hydrophobic Drug Using a Novel Nanoparticle-Forming Hyperbranched Polyester,MACROMOLECULAR BIOSCIENCE, Issue 7 2005Jianhua Zou Abstract Summary: An amphiphilic, hyperbranched polymer suitable for use in controlled drug delivery is reported. This polymer was obtained by modification of the hyperbranched aliphatic polyester BoltornÔ H20 (H20) with succinic anhydride and then glycidyl methacrylate, and formed nanoparticles in aqueous solution. The critical association concentration was 7.4,×,10,3 g,·,L,1, as determined by fluorescence spectroscopy using pyrene as a molecular probe. A static/dynamic laser light scattering (LLS) study revealed that the average particle size was 39.4 nm with a low particle size distribution (PDI = 0.04), and that each particle was composed of about 350 amphiphilic molecules. Daidzein, a hydrophobic traditional Chinese medicine, was encapsulated during particle formation and the release properties were determined. The optimal feeding concentration of daidzein to hyperbranched polyester was 4.9,×,10,5 g,·,mL,1 to 5.0,×,10,3 g,·,mL,1 with a loading efficiency of 76.1%. In the presence of the enzyme Lipase PS, the drug loaded nanoparticles degraded in a random one-by-one manner and released the drug over a few days. This system is therefore a novel controlled drug release system based on nanoparticles formed of hyperbranched polyester. Encapsulation of daidzein by hyperbranched polyester particles. [source] Anti-cancer properties of anthraquinones from rhubarbMEDICINAL RESEARCH REVIEWS, Issue 5 2007Qing Huang Abstract Rhubarb has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine since ancient times and today it is still present in various herbal preparations. In this review the toxicological and anti-neoplastic potentials of the main anthraquinones from Rhubarb, Rheum palmatum, will be highlighted. It is interesting to note that although the chemical structures of various anthraquinones in this plant are similar, their bioactivities are rather different. The most abundant anthraquinone of rhubarb, emodin, was capable of inhibiting cellular proliferation, induction of apoptosis, and prevention of metastasis. These capabilities are reported to act through tyrosine kinases, phosphoinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), protein kinase C (PKC), NF-kappa B (NF-,B), and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascades. Aloe-emodin is another major component in rhubarb found to have anti-tumor properties. Its anti-proliferative property has been demonstrated to be through the p53 and its downstream p21 pathway. Our recent proteomic study also suggests that the molecular targets of these two anthraquinones are different. However, both components were found to be able to potentiate the anti-proliferation of various chemotherapeutic agents. Rhein is the other major rhubarb anthraquinone, although less well studied. This compound could effectively inhibit the uptake of glucose in tumor cells, caused changes in membrane-associated functions and led to cell death. Interestingly, all three major rhubarb anthraquinones were reported to have in vitro phototoxic. This re-evaluation of an old remedy suggests that several bioactive anthraquinones of rhubarb possess promising anti-cancer properties and could have a broad therapeutic potential. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Med Res Rev, 27, No. 5, 609,630, 2007 [source] Anaphylactic shock induced by Codonopsis lanceolata, traditional Chinese medicine in a patient with allergic rhinitisALLERGY, Issue 10 2008G.-Y. Hur No abstract is available for this article. [source] Antioxidant and angiotension-converting enzyme inhibition capacities of various parts of Benincasa hispida (wax gourd)MOLECULAR NUTRITION & FOOD RESEARCH (FORMERLY NAHRUNG/FOOD), Issue 3 2004Hui-Yu Huang Abstract Vegetables and fruits have been shown to be good sources of antioxidants. Benincasa hispida (wax gourd) has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat hypertension and inflammation. The aims of this study were to investigate the abilities of antioxidation and inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity of wax gourd pulp, core, seed, and peel prepared by different extraction methods. The fresh weights required to reach 50% inhibition of linoleic acid oxidation were higher in fresh extracts, compared to other extraction methods. Fresh weights required to reach 50% inhibition were the lowest in seed. The seed had the lowest Cu2+ -induced low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation percentage and inhibition level of ACE activity among all parts. The higher antioxidant capacity of the seed may result from the higher total phenolics contents and superoxide dismutase activity. The abilities of antioxidation and ACE activity inhibition may provide protective effects against cardiovascular diseases and cancers. [source] Analysis of sesquiterpene lactones in Eupatorium lindleyanum by HPLC-PDA-ESI-MS/MSPHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS, Issue 2 2010Nian Yun Yang Abstract Introduction , The aerial part Eupatorium lindleyanum is commonly used as an antipyretic and detoxicant clinically in traditional Chinese medicine. Our previous research showed that germacrane sesquiterpene lactones were its main active constituents, so the development of rapid and accurate methods for the identification of the sesquiterpene lactones is of great significance. Objective , To develop an HPLC-PDA-ESI-MS/MS method capable for simple and rapid analysis of germacrane sesquiterpene lactones in the aerial part E. lindleyanum. Methodology , High-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array detection-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry was used to analyze germacrane sesquiterpene lactones of Eupatorium lindleyanum. The fragmentation behavior of germacrane sesquiterpene lactones in a Micromass Q/TOF Mass Spectrometer was discussed, and 9 germacrane sesquiterpene lactones were identified by comparison of their characteristic data of HPLC and MS analyses with those obtained from reference compounds. Results , The investigated germacrane sesquiterpene lactones were identified as eupalinolides C (1), 3,-acetoxy-8,-(4,-hydroxy-tigloyloxy)-14-hydroxy-costunolide (2), eupalinolides A (3), eupalinolides B (4), eupalinolides E (5), 3,-acetoxy-8,-(4,-oxo-tigloyloxy)-14-hydroxy-heliangolide (6), 3,-acetoxy-8,-(4,-oxo- tigloyloxy)-14-hydroxy-costunolide (7), hiyodorilactone B (8), and 3,-acetoxy-8,-(4,-hydroxy-tigloyloxy)- costunolide (9). Compounds 6, 7 and 9 were reported for the first time. Conclusion , HPLC-PDA-ESI-MS/MS provides a new powerful approach to identify germacrane sesquiterpene lactones in E. lindleyanum rapidly and accurately. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Analysis of pharmaceutical samples of Resina Draconis by HPLC-PADPHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS, Issue 6 2008Wenjun Gong Abstract Introduction: The quality evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) represents a particular challenge owing to the complexity of the matrix, which renders separation and identification of the individual components extremely difficult. In recent years, fingerprinting of TCMs has played a dominant role in quality control. Resina Draconis was authorised as a new TCM in 1991, but a satisfactory HPLC fingerprint method for this preparation has not yet been published. Objective: To develop a simple and reliable protocol for the quality control of Resina Draconis using an HPLC-PAD method. Methodology: The TCM was extracted with methanol at room temperature. Chromatography was carried out using a Lichrospher C18 column eluted with a linear gradient of acetonitrile (A) and water containing 0.1% phosphoric acid (B), initially at 30:70 (A:B) and changing to 60:40 in 90 min. UV (PAD) spectra were acquired in the range 210,400 nm. Results: Four chromatograms of samples of Resina Draconis obtained from different pharmaceutical factories showed 20 peaks in common. The average chromatogram was taken as a template from which the correlation coefficients and cosine ratios of the samples were determined. Whereas the contents of individual components in each sample were different, overall the samples were extremely similar one to another, and the products from different pharmaceutical factories were consistent. Conclusion: A reliable and validated HPLC method has been developed for the fingerprint analysis of Resina Draconis that can be applied for the quality control of this TCM. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A comparative study of multilayer perceptron neural networks for the identification of rhubarb samplesPHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS, Issue 2 2007Zhuoyong Zhang Abstract Artificial neural networks have gained much attention in recent years as fast and flexible methods for quality control in traditional medicine. Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy has become an accepted method for the qualitative and quantitative analyses of traditional Chinese medicine since it is simple, rapid, and non-destructive. The present paper describes a method by which to discriminate official and unofficial rhubarb samples using three layer perceptron neural networks applied to NIR data. Multilayer perceptron neural networks were trained with back propagation, delta-bar-delta and quick propagation algorithms. Results obtained using these methods were all satisfactory, but the best outcomes were obtained with the delta-bar-delta algorithm. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Pharmacology and immunological actions of a herbal medicine ASHMITM on allergic asthmaPHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH, Issue 7 2010Tengfei Zhang Abstract Allergic asthma is a chronic and progressive inflammatory disease for which there is no satisfactory treatment. Studies reported tolerability and efficacy of an anti-asthma herbal medicine intervention (ASHMI) for asthma patients, developed from traditional Chinese medicine. To investigate the pharmacological actions of ASHMI on early- and late-phase airway responses (EAR and LAR), Ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized mice received 6 weeks of ASHMI treatment beginning 24,h following the first intratracheal OVA challenge. EAR were determined 30,min following the fourth challenge and LAR 48,h following the last challenge. ASHMI effects on cytokine secretion, murine tracheal ring contraction and human bronchial smooth muscle cell prostaglandin (PG) production were also determined. ASHMI abolished EAR, which was associated with significantly reduced histamine, leukotriene C4, and OVA-specific IgE levels, as well as LAR, which was associated with significantly reduced bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) eosinophils, decreased airway remodeling, and lower Th2 cytokine levels in BALF and splenocyte cultures. Furthermore, ASHMI inhibited contraction of murine tracheal rings and increased production of the potent smooth muscle relaxer PGI2. ASHMI abrogation of allergic airway responses is associated with broad effects on asthma pathological mechanisms. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||