Chinese Herbal Medicine for Treating Epilepsy.

Chia-Hui Lin,Ching-Liang Hsieh

doi:10.3389/fnins.2021.682821

Chia-Hui Lin, Ching-Liang Hsieh

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2021.682821

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Abstract

Chinese herbal medicine has a long history of use for treating epilepsy. Because of the side effects of Western antiepileptic therapy and the quest for more accessible treatment, complementary and alternative medicines have become popular. Traditional Chinese medical diet therapy appears to be safe and effective. We searched PubMed and the Cochrane Library through November 2020 for the use of traditional Chinese medicine in clinical settings, including plants, fungi, and animals. Combinations of keywords included “epilepsy,” “seizure,” “antiepileptic,” “anticonvulsive,” “Chinese herbal medicine,” “Chinese herb,” and each of the Latin names, English names, and scientific names of herbs. We also summarized the sources and functions of these herbs in Chinese medicine. Different herbs can be combined to increase antiepileptic effects through various mechanisms, including anti-inflammation, antioxidation, GABAergic effect enhancement, modulation of NMDA channels and sodium channel, and neuroprotection. Despite reports of their anticonvulsive effects, adequate experimental evidence and randomized controlled clinical trials are required to confirm their antiepileptic effects.

Highlights

Epilepsy is a common and chronic neurological disease
Neurotransmitters, synapses, receptors, ion channels, inflammatory cytokines, immune systems, glial cells, oxidative stress, apoptosis, mitochondrial dysfunction, gene mutations, glycogen and glucocorticoids metabolisms are involved in the pathogenesis of epilepsy (He et al, 2021)
The aim of this review is to summarize the clinical use and mechanisms of antiepileptic Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) and provide evidence for the efficacy of medical diet therapy, which warrants further exploration

Summary

Introduction

Epilepsy is a common and chronic neurological disease. The etiologies of epilepsy are defined as structural, genetic, infectious, metabolic, immune, and unknown, which are proposed from International League Against Epilepsy classification system in 2017 (Scheffer et al, 2017). The disease burden could be reduced by improving access to effective treatment (Beghi, 2020). Neurotransmitters, synapses, receptors, ion channels, inflammatory cytokines, immune systems, glial cells, oxidative stress, apoptosis, mitochondrial dysfunction, gene mutations, glycogen and glucocorticoids metabolisms are involved in the pathogenesis of epilepsy (He et al, 2021). Among three types of GABA receptors, GABAA receptors control chloride ion influx, and GABAB receptors increase potassium outflow currents and reduce calcium entry

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