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Herbal Drugs (herbal + drug)
Selected AbstractsThe Anxiolytic Effect of Two Oriental Herbal Drugs in Japan Attributed to Honokiol from Magnolia BarkJOURNAL OF PHARMACY AND PHARMACOLOGY: AN INTERNATI ONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCE, Issue 11 2000HISASHI KURIBARA An improved elevated plus-maze test in mice revealed that seven daily treatments with two differnt traditional Chinese medicines, known as Kampo medicines in Japan, Hange-koboku-to (composed of extracts of 5 plants) and Saiboku-to (composed of extracts of 10 plants), produced an anxiolytic effect, and the effect was mainly due to the presence of honokiol derived from magnolia. This study was carried out to evaluate the anxiolytic potential of honokiol, Hange-koboku-to and Saiboku-to, which were prescribed with two different magnolia samples: Kara-koboku (Magnoliae officinalis) (KA) or Wa-koboku (Magnoliae obovata) (WA). The doses of test samples were adjusted to ensure a constant dose of honokiol at 0.2 mg kg,1. Although the doses of magnolol (an isomer of honokiol), as well as those of undetermined chemicals, varied among samples, the seven daily treatments with 9 out of 10 test samples produced an anxiolytic effect almost equivalent to that produced by 0.2 mg kg,1 honokiol. The only exception was the sample containing the lowest amount of honokiol. Magnolia-free preparations of Hange-koboku-to or Saiboku-to did not have any anxiolytic effect. These results confirm that honokiol derived from magnolia is the causal chemical of the anxiolytic effect of Hange-koboku-to and Saiboku-to. [source] Effect of Cogent db, a herbal drug, on serum and tissue lipid metabolism in experimental hyperglycaemic ratsDIABETES OBESITY & METABOLISM, Issue 3 2003G. Saravanan Aims:, We have previously reported the antidiabetic effect of Cogent db. The present study with alloxan-induced hyperglycaemic rats is focused on the mechanism of action, specifically on the activity of hepatic lipogenic enzymes, serum and tissue lipids. Methods:, Male Wistar rats body weight of 180,200 g (six normal and 18 diabetic rats) were used in this study. The rats were divided into four groups after the induction of alloxan diabetes: normal rats; diabetic control; diabetic rats given Cogent db (0.45 g/kg body weight); diabetic rats given glibenclamide (600 µg/kg body weight). After 40 days treatment, fasting blood glucose, plasma insulin, activities of hepatic lipogenic enzymes, serum and tissue lipids were determined in normal and experimental animals. Results:, Oral administration of Cogent db for 40 days resulted in significant reduction in blood glucose, serum and tissue (liver and kidney) lipids, whereas the level of plasma insulin and the activity of hepatic lipogenic enzymes were significantly increased in alloxan diabetic rats. Similar studies using glibenclamide have been conducted to compare the mode of action of these two drugs. Conclusions:, Thus our study shows that Cogent db exhibits a strong antihyperlipidaemic effect, which could exert a beneficial action against macrovascular complications (cardiovascular disease) associated with diabetes mellitus. [source] Analysis of Rhizoma Polygoni Cuspidati by HPLC and HPLC-ESI/MSPHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS, Issue 5 2007Tao Yi Abstract An HPLC method with photodiode array detection (PAD) and ESI/MS detection was developed for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the major chemical constituents of the dried rhizome of Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb. et Zucc. (Rhizoma Polygoni Cuspidati; Chinese name Hu-Zhang). Based on the chromatographic separation on an Altima C18 column using 0.5% aqueous acetic acid and acetonitrile as the mobile phase, nine compounds, including stilbenes, stilbene glucosides, anthraquinones and anthraquinone glucosides, were identified by online ESI/MS analysis and seven were quantified by HPLC-PAD. A full validation of the method including sensitivity, linearity, repeatability and recovery was conducted. Linear calibration was achieved over the concentration range 1,200 mg/L with R2 > 0.999, whilst the limits of detection ranged from 0.51 to 1.57 ng. Repeatability was evaluated by intra- and inter-day assays and the RSD value was within 1.79%. Recoveries of the quantified compounds were within the range 96.0,100.1% with RSD values of less than 2.2%. Five samples of Rhizoma Polygoni Cuspidati from different regions were analysed using the developed method. The major constituents piceid, resveratrol, emodin-8- O - , - d -glucoside and emodin were selected to provide an index for the quality assessment of the herbal drug. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Treating intermittent allergic rhinitis: a prospective, randomized, placebo and antihistamine-controlled study of Butterbur extract Ze 339PHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH, Issue 6 2005Article first published online: 22 AUG 200 Abstract Background: Intermittent allergic rhinitis (IAR) causes patients distress and impairs their work performance and quality of life. A variety of medicines are used by sufferers whose anguish frequently leads to trying new treatments, increasingly from herbal sources. Methods: Prospective, randomized, double-blind, parallel group comparison study of Butterbur extract (Ze 339; 8 mg total petasine; one tablet thrice-daily), fexofenadine (Telfast 180®, one tablet once-daily) and placebo in 330 patients. Protocol and analysis were according to the latest guidelines on new treatments for allergic rhinitis. The primary efficacy variable was a change in symptoms from baseline to endpoint during daytime. The secondary efficacy variables were: (a) as per primary variable (evening/night); (b) Physician's global assessment; (c) Responder rates. Safety was closely monitored. Findings: Both active treatments were individually significantly superior to placebo (p < 0.001) in improving symptoms of IAR, while there were no differences between the two active treatments (p = 0.37). Superiority to placebo was similarly shown during the evening/night (p < 0.001), by physicians' own assessment and by responder rates. Both treatments were well tolerated. Interpretation: Butterbur Ze 339 and Fexofenadine are comparably efficacious relative to placebo. Despite being a herbal drug, Butterbur Ze 339 has now been subject to a series of well controlled trials and should be considered as an alternative treatment for IAR. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Extensive erythema multiforme-like eruption due to traditional Chinese herbal drug ,Dong Ling Hou Tong Pian'CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL DERMATOLOGY, Issue 2 2006W. P. Tan No abstract is available for this article. [source] Adrenal Insufficiency in Critically Ill Emergency Department Patients: A Taiwan Preliminary StudyACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 7 2001Shy-Shin Chang MD Objective: Unrecognized adrenal insufficiency can have serious consequences in critically ill emergency department (ED) patients. This prospective pilot study of adrenal function in patients with severe illness was undertaken to determine the prevalence of adrenal dysfunction and any relation to prior herbal drug use. Methods: In a high-volume urban tertiary care ED, adult patients with sepsis or acute myocardial infarction (AMI) were eligible for the study. Over a two-month period, a convenience sample was enrolled by the authors on arrival to the ED. Inclusion criteria were systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) criteria plus evidence of at least one organ dysfunction or cardiac marker plus electrocardiogram-proven AMI. Exclusion criteria included known corticosteroid use. Serum cortisol was measured on arrival and for those patients with a level of <15 ,g/dL (<414 nmol/L), an adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation test was performed. Results: Of the 30 enrolled patients, 23 (77%) were suffering from severe sepsis and the other seven (23%) had an AMI. Thirteen of the 30 patients (43%; 95% CI = 25% to 65%) had serum cortisol levels of <15 ,g/dL, consistent with adrenal insufficiency, nine with severe sepsis and four with an AMI. Eight (62%; 95% CI = 32% to 86%) of the 13 patients with low cortisol levels reported using herbal medications, while only two (12%; 95% CI = 1% to 36%) of the 17 with normal cortisol levels reported taking herb drugs (p = 0.01). Only two (15%; 95% CI = 2% to 45%) of the patients with low cortisol levels failed their corticotropin stimulation test, suggestive of true adrenocortical insufficiency. Both reported using herbal preparations. Conclusions: These results indicate that adrenal dysfunction is common among a group of critically ill patients seen in this Taiwanese ED. Moreover, the use of herbal drugs was high in the patients with low serum cortisols. Further studies are required to both confirm these findings and clarify whether a number of herbal medications contain corticosteroids. [source] Rapid analysis of constituents of Radix Cyathulae using hydrophilic interaction-reverse phase LC-MSJOURNAL OF SEPARATION SCIENCE, JSS, Issue 22 2009Mei-Ting Ren Abstract A hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) and reverse-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) coupled with electrospray TOF MS method was developed for the analysis and characterization of constituents in the radix of Cyathula officinalis Kuan. Separation parameters of HILIC such as buffer pH, mobile phase strength, and organic modifier were evaluated. Fructose, glucose, and sucrose were identified by HILIC-ESI/TOF MS. Reverse-phase liquid chromatography-ESI/TOF MS were applied for quick and sensitive identification of major saponins in Cyathula officinalis. In-source collision-induced dissociation has been performed to elucidate the fragmentation pathways of oleanane-, hederagenin-, and gypsogmin-type saponins. Twelve saponins were characterized in this plant for the first time, and four of them were presumed to be new compounds. In addition, one phytoecdysteroid (cyasterone) and one coumarin (6,7-dimethoxycoumarin) were detected at the same time. The present method was capable of rapid characterizing and providing structure information of constituents from herbal drugs. [source] Analysis of protoberberine alkaloids in several herbal drugs and related medicinal preparations by non-aqueous capillary electrophoresisJOURNAL OF SEPARATION SCIENCE, JSS, Issue 1 2005Wen Hua Gao Abstract A simple, rapid, reproducible, and universal non-aqueous capillary electrophoresis method has been developed for the separation and determination of three major active protoberberine alkaloids including berberine, palmatine, and jatrorrhizine within 7 min. The effects of the concentrations of acetic acid and electrolyte, the ratio of organic solvent, and the applied voltage on the separation were investigated. The optimum running buffer was composed of 50 mM ammonium acetate, 0.5% (v/v) acetic acid, and 10% (v/v) acetonitrile in methanol. The applied voltage was 18 kV. The analytes were detected by UV at 214 nm. The linearities between peak areas and the concentrations of the analytes were also investigated, and they exhibit excellent linear behavior over the concentration ranges (correlation coefficients: 0.9975,0.9986). The method was successfully applied to determine the three alkaloids in several families of herbal drugs (Rhizoma Coptidis, Cortex Berberidis, Cortex Phellodendri, Herba Chelidonii,Caulis Mahoniae) and their relevant medicinal preparations for the first time, and the recoveries of the three constituents ranged between 95.6,103.2% for berberine, 97.5,103.3% for palmatine, and 96.1,103.6% for jatrorrhizine. [source] Medicinal plant species with potential antidiabetic propertiesJOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, Issue 5 2007Srinivasa Rao Mentreddy Abstract Diabetes mellitus is one of the world's major diseases. It currently affects an estimated 143 million people worldwide and the number is growing rapidly. In the USA alone, about 20.8 million or 7% of the population suffer from diabetes or related complications. The estimated direct and indirect costs of diabetes exceed US$ 132 billion annually. Plant-based medicinal products have been known since ancient times, and several medicinal plants and their products (active natural principles and crude extracts) have been used to control diabetes in the traditional medicinal systems of many cultures worldwide, including those of the Asian Indians, Chinese and South Americans. A limited number of these plant species have been studied and validated for their hypoglycaemic properties using diabetic animal models and in clinical studies using human subjects. Several oral hypoglycaemic agents are the primary forms of treatment for diabetes. However, prominent side-effects of such drugs are the main reason for an increasing number of people seeking alternative therapies that may have less severe or no side-effects. Thus plant-based herbal drugs or botanicals are emerging as the primary components of holistic approaches to diabetes management. In this review, selected species that have been validated for their hypoglycaemic or antihyperglycaemic properties using laboratory diabetic animal models and in clinical trials using human subjects, and reported in refereed journals are presented. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Clinical Use and Molecular Mechanisms of Action of Extract of Ginkgo biloba Leaves in Cardiovascular DiseasesCARDIOVASCULAR THERAPEUTICS, Issue 4 2004Wei Zhou ABSTRACT Ginkgo biloba is one of the oldest living tree species that has been referred to as a living fossil. Extract from Ginkgo biloba leaves (GBE) is among the most commonly used herbal drugs and is popularized for its alleged tonic effect and possible curative and restorative properties. There is an increasing evidence of the potential role of GBE in treating cardiovascular diseases. We examined the history of GBE usage and reviewed the literature on its effects on the cardiovascular system. In the extensive studies involving cell cultures and animal models, GBE has been shown to exert its action through diverse mechanisms. GBE has been reported to have antioxidatant properties, to modify vasomotor function, to reduce adhesion of blood cells to endothelium, to inhibit activation of platelets and smooth muscle cells, to affect ion channels, and to alter signal transduction. In addition, relevant clinical trials with CBE are being carried out, particularly in the treatment of arterial and venous insufficiency and in the prevention of thrombosis. Finally, the controversial clinical findings and the possible adverse interactions between GBE and other drugs are discussed. This review underscores the potential benefits of Ginkgo biloba in cardiovascular diseases, highlights the gaps in our current research, and suggests the necessity for more rigorous systematic investigation of cardiovascular properties of CBE. [source] | |||||||||||||