Use of Chinese herbal medicine among menopausal women in Taiwan.

Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2009 Dec 5;

Authors: Chen LC, Wang BR, Chen IC, Shao CH

OBJECTIVE: To assess the patterns of use of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) used by women in Taiwan to treat menopausal symptoms. METHODS: A retrospective review of the records of women who received CHM therapies for menopausal symptoms at the Traditional Medicine Center, Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, between January 2003 and December 2006. The average number of therapies per prescription, dosage, and duration of the prescription were recorded. The most commonly prescribed herbs and formulae were also recorded. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: The records of 3432 women who were administered a total of 19370 CHMs to treat symptoms of the menopause were reviewed. The average number of drugs per prescription was 5.64. Most of the prescriptions (97.1%) were prescribed to be taken 3times a day. The most commonly prescribed Chinese herb was Leonurus heterophyllus. Jia-Wey-Shiau-Yau-San was the most commonly prescribed Chinese herbal formula. CONCLUSION: CHM is commonly used in Taiwan for the treatment of menopausal symptoms. The efficacy and safety of CHM drugs used for the management of menopausal symptoms require further study.

Dr.Steve’s BOTTOM LINE: While this study does not really prove anything, it certainly tells us that herbal treatment of menopausal hot flashes and other symptoms is alive and well and extremely popular  in Taiwan.  Both of these are one of the 50 fundamental herbs in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and there is  published evidence that they can relieve vasomotor or “flushing” symptoms.  The question is, exactly how well do they work….. and this remains an unanswered question.

IS CHIOS MASTIC GUM EFFECTIVE IN THE TREATMENT OF FUNCTIONAL DYSPEPSIA? A PROSPECTIVE RANDOMISED DOUBLE-BLIND PLACEBO CONTROLLED TRIAL.

J Ethnopharmacol. 2009 Dec 1;

Authors: Dabos KJ, Sfika E, Vlatta LJ, Frantzi D, Amygdalos GI, Giannikopoulos G

BACKGROUND: Herbal remedies are increasingly popular for the treatment of functional dyspepsia. Chios mastic gum is a resinous exudate from the stem of Pistacia lentiscus var.chia. It is a traditional natural remedy used throughout the eastern Mediterranean. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of Chios mastic gum in patients with functional dyspepsia. METHODS: One hundred and forty eight patients fulfilling Rome II criteria for functional dyspepsia were randomly assigned to receive either Chios mastic gum 350mg three times daily or placebo. After three weeks of treatment the change from baseline in the severity of symptoms of functional dyspepsia was assessed using the Hong Kong index of dyspepsia. Patients’ global assessment of efficacy was also evaluated. RESULTS: The symptom score after treatment was significantly lower in the Chios mastic gum than in the placebo group ((14,78+/-1,78) vs (19,96+/-1,83)) (p<0,05). There was a marked improvement of symptoms in 40% of patients receiving placebo and in 77% of patients receiving Chios mastic gum (p<0.02). Individual symptoms that showed significant improvement with Chios mastic gum were: Stomach pain in general, stomach pain when anxious, dull ache in the upper abdomen and heartburn (<0.05 for all four symptoms). CONCLUSION: Chios mastic gum significantly improves symptoms in patients with functional dyspepsia compared to placebo.

Dr.Steve’s BOTTOM LINE: In case you’re wondering, functional dyspepsia is the medical term for indigestion.  While it is technically not heartburn, the two conditions overlap and this herbal gum helps most or all of indigestion symptoms, including heartburn.  It has been widely used in Mediterranean and Mideast countries for at least 3,000 years.  Other studies show that it has antimicrobial, antacid and protective effects on the stomach lining or mucosa.  So, since it has some significant scientific proof, consider it.  However, make sure you check with your doctor to make sure you don’t have something more serious going on, like ulcers and precancerous changes in your esophagus.

Ganoderma lucidum Extracts Inhibited Leukemia WEHI-3 Cells in BALB/c Mice and Promoted an Immune Response in Vivo.

Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2009 Dec 7;

Authors: Chang YH, Yang JS, Yang JL, Wu CL, Chang SJ, Lu KW, Lin JJ, Hsia TC, Lin YT, Ho CC, Wood WG, Chung JG

Ganoderma lucidum (G. lucidum) is a medicinal mushroom having biological effects such as immunomodulation and anti-tumor actions. In China and many other Asian countries, G. lucidum is used as a folk remedy to promote health and longevity. Although many studies have shown that G. lucidum modulates the immune system, including, for example, antigen-presenting cells, natural killer (NK) cells, and the T and B lymphocytes, the effects of G. lucidum on the WEHI-3 leukemic BALB/c mice are unclear. We attempted to determine whether G. lucidum would promote immune responses in BALB/c mice injected with WEHI-3 leukemia cells. The effects of G. lucidum on the survival rate of WEHI-3 leukemia cells injected into BALB/c mice were examined. It increased the percentages of CD3 and CD19, but decreased the percentages of Mac-3 and CD11b markers, suggesting that differentiation of the precursor of T and B cells was promoted but macrophages were inhibited. It decreased the weight of spleens as compared with control mice. It also promoted phagocytosis by macrophage from peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) and it also promoted natural killer cell activity. It decreased the percentage of leukemia cells in the spleens of mice before they were injected with WEHI-3 cells. Apparently, G. lucidum affects murine leukemia WEHI-3 cells in vivo.

Dr.Steve’s BOTTOM LINE: Otherwise known as Reishi mushroom or Ling Zhi, this is a fungus that has been used in oriental medicine for thousands of years as a “fix it all” kind of approach.  This laboratory animal study shows that the anticancer effect that has been suggested for eons really has some scientific plausibility to it.  This is likely not the magic bullet but joins a long list of herbal and natural anti-cancer substances that need more investigation. In the end, we want  to know what works better than the next substance.  This goes for drugs and natural substances since one does not want to waste time with less effective treatments when they have an aggressive cancer growing insider of them.

Polysaccharide-containing Macromolecules in a Kampo (Traditional Japanese Herbal) Medicine, Hochuekkito: Dual Active Ingredients for Modulation of Immune Functions on Intestinal Peyer’s Patches and Epithelial cells.

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2009 Dec 4;

Authors: Kiyohara H, Nonaka K, Sekiya M, Matsumoto T, Nagai T, Tabuchi Y, Yamada H

A traditional Japanese herbal (Kampo) medicine, Hochuekkito (Bu-Zhong-Yi-Qi-Tang in Chinese, TJ-41) is a well-known Kampo formula, and has been found to enhance antigen-specific antibody response in not only local mucosal immune system in upper respiratory tract, but also systemic immune system through upper respiratory mucosal immune system. Although this immunopharmacological effect has been proposed to express by modulation of intestinal immune system including Peyer’s patches and intestinal epithelial cells, active ingredients are not known. TJ-41 directly affected the production of bone marrow cell-proliferative growth factors from murine Peyer’s patch immunocompetent cells in vitro. Among low molecular, intermediate size and macromolecular weight fractions prepared from TJ-41, only fraction containing macromolecular weight ingredients showed Peyer’s patch-mediated bone marrow cell-proliferation enhancing activity. Anion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration gave 17 subfractions comprising polysaccharides and lignins from the macromolecular weight fraction of TJ-41, and some of the subfractions showed significant enhancing activities having different degrees. Some of the subfractions also expressed stimulating activity on G-CSF-production from colonic epithelial cells, and statistically significant positive correlation was observed among enhancing activities of the subfractions against Peyer’s patch immunocompetent cells and epithelial cells. Among the fractions from TJ-41 oral administration of macromolecular weight ingredient fraction to mice succeeded to enhance antigen-specific antibody response in systemic immune system through upper respiratory mucosal immune system, but all the separated fractions failed to enhance the in vivo antibody response in upper respiratory tract.

BOTTOM LINE: Peyer’s patches are part of your immune system. Since you take in potentially disease producing organisms and other antigens, these patches are part of the immune surveillance mechanism to guard your body from what you eat.  They contain macrophages, dendritic cells, B-lymphocytes, and T-lymphocytes.  This highly technical laboratory study shows that some fractions of Hochuekkito ( a mixture of raw Japanese herbs)  are capable of enhancing this immune response and boosting your protection.  Studies of this kind are necessary to figure out what parts of what actually work vs. being just fluff or potentially dangerous fractions.  As noted before, philosophically this is anti-naturopathic because it is likely that various parts of plants/herbs act together to creates a synergy or enhanced effect.  The problem is that this is not always the case and some fractions may actually decrease the overall effectiveness of a plant/herb extract.  So, what we do with the information can be argued, but getting information such as this is potentially very helpful.

Efficacy of Traditional Chinese Medicine for the Management of Constipation: A Systematic Review.

J Altern Complement Med. 2009 Dec 3;

Authors: Lin LW, Fu YT, Dunning T, Zhang AL, Ho TH, Duke M, Lo SK

Abstract Objectives: The aim of this systematic review was to critically appraise published clinical trials designed to assess the effect of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) on the management of constipation. Methods: Databases searched included both English and non-English articles published in the Cochrane library, MEDLINE,((R)) CINAHL, AMED, EMBASE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and the Chinese Electronic Periodical Services (CEPS). Studies reviewed included randomized controlled trials and controlled clinical trials. Methodological quality was assessed using the modified Jadad scale. Results: One hundred and thirty-seven (137) studies met the inclusion criteria, of which 21 were high-quality trials (n = 2449). Eighteen (18) were Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) and 3 were acupuncture trials. The primary outcome measure was total effective rate. CHM was more effective than conventional medicines in eight trials. Of the 10 remaining CHM trials, 9 compared the study CHM with another CHM and the results were significant in 4 trials. The effective rate was significantly higher in the intervention group than in the placebo group in the last CHM study. One (1) of the three acupuncture trials compared acupuncture with a conventional medicine, one trial with Sennae folium, and one trial with deeper acupuncture on Tianshu (ST 25). The therapeutic effect in the treatment group was more effective than that in the control group in all three studies. Conclusions: TCM interventions appear to be useful to manage constipation. Significant positive results were found in 15 high-quality studies. However, only 21 of the 137 publications identified attained high Jadad scores. There was heterogeneity in diagnostic procedures and interventions among the studies. Outcome indicators were also different. Hence, the results should be interpreted cautiously.

BOTTOM LINE: There are two important points about this article, in addition to the finding that TCM methods may be highly effective for constipation.  The first is that this is called a systematic review or “meta-analysis” of many published studies.  The more high quality published studies there are that say the same thing, or close to the same result, the better the chances that something actually works as advertised.  The second important point is regarding the Jadad scoring system, otherwise known as the Oxford quality scoring system.  This is a widely used tool used by scientists WORLD-WIDE to determine the actual  quality of published clinical trials.  In other words, it is important to ask two questions.  1/ Is there more than one piece of research or evidence that something works? 2/Exactly how good was the research study or studies?

Chinese “herbal” cigarettes are as carcinogenic and addictive as regular cigarettes.

Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2009 Dec;18(12):3497-501

Authors: Gan Q, Yang J, Yang G, Goniewicz M, Benowitz NL, Glantz SA

OBJECTIVE: To examine the Chinese tobacco industry’s claim that herbal cigarettes are less harmful than regular cigarettes. METHODS: The study design was a cross-sectional survey. One hundred thirty-five herbal cigarette smokers and 143 regular smokers from one city in China completed a questionnaire on smoking behavior and provided a urine sample. The main outcome measures were cotinine and trans-3′-hydroxycotinine in all samples, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolites (PAH; 1-hydroxypyrene, naphthols, hydroxyfluorenes, and hydroxyphnanthrenes) and the tobacco specific nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-butanol (NNAL) and NNAL-glucuronide in randomly selected 98 samples (47 from the herbal smokers’ group and 51 from the regular smokers’ group). Values were normalized by creatinine to correct for possible variability introduced by dilution or concentration of the urine. RESULTS: Health concern was among the main reasons that smokers switched to herbal cigarettes from regular cigarettes. Smokers reported increased consumption after switching to herbal cigarettes from regular cigarettes. For all the four markers analyzed (cotinine, trans-3′-hydroxycotinine, total NNAL, and total PAHs), we observed no significant difference in the levels (P = 0.169, P = 0.146, P = 0.171, and P = 0.554, respectively) between smokers of herbal cigarettes and smokers of regular cigarettes. Both total NNAL and total PAHs were significantly correlated with cotinine and trans-3′-hydroxycotinine (P < 0.001 for all four correlations). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings showed that herbal cigarettes did not deliver less carcinogens than regular cigarettes. The public needs to be aware of this fact, and the Chinese tobacco industry should avoid misleading the public when promoting herbal cigarettes as safer products. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2009;18(12):3497-501].

BOTTOM LINE: If you light something up and then inhale it, it isn’t good for you! Basically when you burn ANYTHING, carcinogens are released.  Some tobaccos or herbs may have more or less concentration  of a carcinogen or carcinogens, but they ALL contain them.   If you want to optimize your health don’t smoke ANYTHING!