Effect of Nourishing “Yin”-Removing “Fire” Chinese herbal mixture on hypothalamic kisspeptin expression in female precocious rats.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2009 Nov 17;
Authors: Sun Y, Perry GN, Yu J, Chen B, Tian Z
AIM: The present study aims to investigate the effect of Nourishing “Yin”-Removing “Fire” herbal mixture, a Chinese herb-based formulation, on hypothalamic kisspeptin expression in danazol-induced female precocious model rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into intact normal (N), central precocious puberty (CPP) model (M), vehicle without CPP (V), CPP model exposed to herbal mixture (HM) and CPP model exposed to saline (S) groups. At postnatal day 5, a single subcutaneous injection of 300mug of danazol was administered to induce CPP model rats. From P15, rats in the HM group were continuously gavaged with the 1ml/50g body weight mixture, until 2 consecutive regular estrous cycles were established. The hypothalamic Kiss-1 expression was detected by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The day of vaginal opening and establishment of two regular estrous cycles were delayed in the HM group compared with M and S groups (P<0.05, respectively). The level of hypothalamic Kiss-1 mRNA and the number of kisspeptin-immunoreactive (kisspeptin-ir) cells in the arcuate nucleus (ARC), preoptic area (POA) and periventricular nucleus (PeN), were decreased significantly in the HM group compared with the M and S groups (P<0.01, respectively) on the day of onset-puberty. These results indicate that the kisspeptin signaling pathway might be involved in the effect of herbal mixture treatment on CPP.
BOTTOM LINE: This is yet another example of highly refined bio-pathway therapy research going on in the complementary and alternative ethnopharmacology world. Taking an herb and seeing a result is not a simple process folks. It does not just go A ==> B. You need a PhD to understand the details here, so don’t worry if it seems like gibberish to you. The point is that the kisspeptin/KISS1R system has a crucial role in the initiation of sexual maturation across mammalian species and maintenance of the normal reproductive function. Chinese TCM components may help unlock the problems surrounding “precocious” or early puberty. In addition, understanding kisspeptin and KISS1R physiology may aid the development of new reproductive therapies, both promoting fertility and contraception.
Analgesic and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of the Methanol Extract from Pogostemon cablin.
Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2009 Nov 20;
Authors: Lu TC, Liao JC, Huang TH, Lin YC, Liu CY, Chiu YJ, Peng WH
Pogostemon cablin (PC) is a herbal medicine traditionally applied to treat not only common cold, nausea and diarrhea but also headache and fever. The aim of this study was to investigate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties of standardized PC methanol extract (PCMeOH) in vivo. Investigations were performed in mice with two analgesic models. One was acetic acid-induced writhing response and the other formalin-induced paw licking. The anti-inflammatory effect was tested by lambda-carrageenan (Carr)-induced mice paw edema. These analgesic experimental results indicated that PCMeOH (1.0 g/kg) decreased the acetic acid-induced writhing responses and PCMeOH (0.5 and 1.0 g/kg) decreased the licking time in the second phase of the formalin test. Moreover, Carr-induced paw edema inflammation was significantly reduced in a dose-dependent manner when PCMeOH (0.5 and 1.0 g/kg) was administered 3 and 4 h after the Carr injection. Mechanistic studies showed that PCMeOH decreased the levels of malondialdehyde in the edema paw by increasing the activities of anti-oxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase, in the liver and decreasing the cyclooxygenase 2 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha activities in the edema paw. This study has demonstrated the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of PCMeOH, thus verifying its popular use in traditional medicine.
BOTTOM LINE: Pogostemon cablin is other wise known as patchouli (patchouly or pachouli) oil, an essential oil. Yes, the same one that has been used as a heavy perfume. It has been used as a snakebite venom antidote, aromatherapy relaxation, and treatment of headaches, colds, nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. While this does not prove that it works to treat all of these problems, it lends some scientific research credibility and plausibility towards such anti-inflammatory and pain relief uses.
Effects of alpha-Asarone on the Glutamate Transporter EAAC1 in Xenopus Oocytes.
Planta Med. 2009 Nov 20;
Authors: Gu Q, Du H, Ma C, Fotis H, Wu B, Huang C, Schwarz W
The major excitatory neurotransmitter transporter EAAC1 in the mammalian central nervous system is considered a possible target for Chinese herbal medicine. Extracts of ACORUS TATARINOWII (Schott) were tested for their effects on EAAC1 activity. XENOPUS oocytes with heterologously expressed EAAC1 were used as the model system. Rate of glutamate uptake was determined by means of the isotopic tracer technique. Glutamate-induced current was recorded under a two-electrode voltage clamp. As a highly effective component, alpha-asarone was identified. The rate of glutamate uptake was stimulated by 200 microM of alpha-asarone by about 15 %. In contrast, the same concentration reduced the EAAC1-mediated current by about 35 % at a holding potential of – 60 mV; half maximum inhibition was obtained at about 60 microM. Our experimental data suggest that both stimulation of glutamate uptake and inhibition of EAAC1-mediated current by alpha-asarone could contribute to reduced excitatory activity.
BOTTOM LINE: In brain, EAAC1 is the primary neuronal glutamate transporter. Glutamate is an important neurotransmitter, or the chemical part of how electrical activity works in the brain to make things work. Overactivity of glutamate transporters is a possible mechanism in seizures, schizophrenia and other mental illnesses. Chinese TCM herbal function in this area of treatment may be at least partly explained by this mechannsm. Pretty intricate and detailed research, but it points to the level we need to drill down to in order to explore what is real and plausible vs. what is hype and useless.
Ionic liquid surfactant-mediated ultrasonic-assisted extraction coupled to HPLC: Application to analysis of tanshinones in Salvia miltiorrhiza bunge.
J Sep Sci. 2009 Nov 24;
Authors: Wu K, Zhang Q, Liu Q, Tang F, Long Y, Yao S
Ionic liquid surfactants are a class of ionic liquids (ILs), which can form micelles in the aqueous solution. In this paper, we demonstrate a novel extracting system based on the use of IL surfactants in ultrasonic-assisted extraction followed by HPLC analysis. No organic solvents were used in the extraction, making this method environmentally friendly and more attractive than the conventional organic solvent-based extraction methods. As an example, this method was applied to determine tanshinones in Chinese herbal medicine Salvia miltiorrhiza bunge. The effect of the carbon chain length of the IL cation, as well as other influencing factors on ultrasonic-assisted extraction, was investigated in detail. Under the optimized conditions, satisfactory extraction efficiency was achieved with the recoveries ranging from 87.5 to 107.6%, and the RSDs were lower than 6%. This work shows a promising prospect of the IL surfactants in the extraction of active ingredients from herbs.
BOTTOM LINE: HPLC or high-performance liquid chromatography is an extremely refined way to separate, identify, and quantify compounds. In this case another highly sophisticated technique was added to improve the way components of herbs can be analyzed. As mentioned before, naturopathic purists would certainly say that separating out components of healing herbs is wrong and interferes with the ability of components to interact and amplify the effect. However, we also know that there are plenty of herbs which can be dangerous. Wouldn’t it me nice to separate the good parts and leave the dangerous components behind? This is a set of techniques to do just that and to prove that individual components have a scientifically plausible basis for their alleged healing actions.
Regulation on energy metabolism and protection on mitochondria of panax ginseng polysaccharide.
Am J Chin Med. 2009;37(6):1139-52
Authors: Li XT, Chen R, Jin LM, Chen HY
Panax ginseng C A Meyer (PG) is one of the most popular qi-invigorating herbal medicine and has been used to promote health, vitality, and longevity in China. Although PG has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for millennia, its qi-invigorating activities still lack convincing evidence. We investigated the effects of Panax ginseng polysaccharide (PGP) on energy metabolism and mitochondrial protection. The chronic hypoxia model was set up. Lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde (MDA) was assayed by thiobarbituric acid (TBA) colorimetry. Mice liver mitochondria were isolated by differential centrifugation. The spectrophotometric method was used to measure the swelling of mitochondria. The levels of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and adenosine monophosphate (AMP) in liver cells were determined by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), adenylate energy charge (AEC), total adenylate pool (TAP), ATP/ADP and ATP/AMP ratio were calculated. The creatine kinase (CK) activities in mice skeletal muscle were determined by a commercial monitoring kit. The result showed that PGP could inhibit mitochondrial injury and swelling induced by Fe(2+)-L-Cys in a concentration-dependent manner. PGP which was administered by oral gavage daily for 10 days could inhibit the formation of MDA in mice brain, increase levels of ATP, ADP, TAP and AEC, ratio of ATP/ADP and ATP/AMP in liver cells, increase CK activities in mice skeletal muscle under chronic hypoxia condition. These results indicate that PGP protect mitochondria by inhibiting mitochondrial swelling, and improving energy metabolism. PGP functions as a preventive antioxidant by increasing CK activities. Therefore, PGP had the pharmaceutical activities of antihypoxia, antioxidation and improving energy status.
BOTTOM LINE: The study conclusion speaks for itself in this case. This represents basic science evidence that panax ginseng has strong anti-oxidant and anti-hypoxic healing properties. Human studies are still needed, but studies like this elevate the healing claims to a scientifically plausible status.
A Dutch View of the “Science” of CAM 1986-2003.
Eval Health Prof. 2009 Nov 18;
Authors: Renckens CN
Between 1986 and 2003, research efforts on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) were subsidized by the Dutch government. This led to 12 academic theses and a considerable number of papers in medical journals. In our review, we have summarized the results of this research, grouped by therapeutic category (that is, acupuncture, paranormal therapies, naturopathy, manual therapies, homeopathy and anthroposophical medicine.) Of the 12 theses, four were written in Dutch, three of which were not subsequently published in peer-reviewed journals, while the fourth, on enzyme therapy, led to a number of papers in Dutch medical journals. In three instances, mildly positive findings were reported: on the efficacy of manual therapies, the use of acupuncture analgesia in surgery, and an elimination diet against migraine and tension headaches. These positive conclusions can easily be explained by methodological shortcomings (e.g., not using credible placebo-control groups); in the other nine theses, the researchers themselves had drawn negative conclusions. The Dutch government ended its financial support for CAM research in 2006.
BOTTOM LINE: Unfortunate and parallel conclusion to that found in the USA. However, as pointed out in my previous editorial on the same topic, the “science” of studing CAM is quite a bit more complex than meets the eye. The truth is that natural substances are very complex and numerous components in any natural substance are active and synergistic. Similarly, some of the physical studies on manipulation and/or pain control have somewhat subjective endpoints. Hard to measure. This all goes against the grain of how drug research is carried out in terms of one cause, one effect. It is simply very difficult if not impossible to statistically power studies on such substances high enough, without literally studying the effect on hundreds of thousands or millions of people. This is just not practical. So, a better way to evaluate efficacy and plausibility remains elusive. On the other hand, other articles on this site discuss how basic science studies and epigenetics may lead to the “right answer”, in due time.
PMID: 19926606 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
