Herbal Decoction Research Articles

Development of enzyme linked immunosorbent assay of aflatoxin of Chinese herbal medicines

The enzyme linked immunosorbent assay of aflatoxin has been adopted in Chinese Pharmacopoeia(2020 edition). Based on high-throughput screening of monoclonal antibodies technology, monoclonal antibodies that can specifically recognize the aflatoxin B_1 and the total amount of aflatoxin B_1, B_2, G_1, and G_2 in Chinese herbal medicines were prepared. By optimizing the concentration of coating antibody, enzyme-labeled antigen, and the reaction system of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) were developed for detection of aflatoxins in Chinese herbal medicines, decoction pieces, and preparation of Chinese medicine. In this method, the recovery test of actual samples is 60%-120%, and the relative standard deviation is less than 15%. In addition, in view of the complicated and expensive pretreatment methods for the determination of aflatoxin in Chinese herbal medicine, we developed a highly efficient pretreatment method of liquid-liquid extraction of aflatoxin in Chinese herbal medicine without immunoaffinity column. As an effective method for the detection of aflatoxin, the ELISA can effectively reduce the aflatoxins testing cost of traditional Chinese medicine, and promote the detection ability at earlier stages of production, and strengthen the quality supervision of traditional Chinese medicine.

Traditional Korean Medical Treatment for Dizziness and Gait Instability due to Cerebellar Infarction: A Case Report

This case study reports the effect of Korean medicine treatments on a 73 year-old female who had a cerebellar infarction. She was hospitalized for 120 days (without visiting Western medicine hospital) where she was treated with acupuncture, herbal decoction, pharmacopuncture, chuna, moxibustion and physiotherapy. Following treatment, her symptoms of dizziness were evaluated using the numeric rating scale and showed pain had reduced (3 to 0). The K-Modified Barthel, showed that life performance had improved (15 to 74), and the Berg balance scale showed an improved balance (2 to 32). Steps per minute and gait posture at stance phase for ataxia also showed improvement. This case report shows that Korean medicine treatment is effective in alleviating dizziness and improved gait instability caused by cerebellar infarction.

Prevention and control of coronavirus disease 2019 in Grade-III Class-A hospitals outside of Wuhan.

Prevention and control of coronavirus disease 2019 in Grade-III Class-A hospitals outside of Wuhan.

Therapeutic Effects and Mechanisms of Herbal Medicines for Treating Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Review.

BackgroundPolycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common disorders of endocrinology in reproductive-age women. In this study, we reviewed data on the effects and underlying mechanisms of herbal medicines used in the treatment of PCOS in laboratory studies.MethodsArticles published in English up to June 30, 2018 were searched in Medline and EMBASE. We extracted data regarding herbal intervention; target cell (or animal model) usage; method of herbal extraction; route of administration; dosage and periods; and outcomes of the compounds isolated from herbs, individual herbal extracts, and herbal formula decoctions. We summarized the actions and the mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of herbal medicines on PCOS.ResultsA total of 27 studies involving 22 herbal medicines reported their efficacy on PCOS. The herbal interventions in the 27 studies comprised four compounds isolated from herbs (6 studies), nine individual herbal extracts (11 studies), and nine herbal formula decoctions (10 studies). Herbal medicines normalized female hormones, diminished male hormones, recovered the estrous cycle, ameliorated insulin resistance, and improved lipid metabolism in PCOS. The mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of herbal medicines on PCOS were found to be associated with anti-inflammation, anti-oxidative stress, inhibition of autophagy and/or apoptosis, and ovarian nerve growth factor reduction.ConclusionsHerbal medicines are thought to be promising resources in the development of effective therapeutic agents for PCOS. Further studies that include methodological quality assessment and quantitative synthesis of outcomes are recommended.

Effectiveness of Chinese herbal medicine for primary Raynaud's phenomenon: a systematic review and Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

To evaluate the effectiveness of Chinese herbal medicine for primary Raynaud's phenomenon (PRP). The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Science and Technology Journal Database, and Wanfang Database were searched up to February 13, 2018. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on treatment of PRP with Chinese herbal medicine compared with placebo, blank control, lifestyle changes, or calcium antagonists were identified and reviewed. The quality of included trials was assessed using a risk of bias tool. Eight RCTs involving 674 participants were included. The methodological quality of the included trials was generally poor. Meta-analysis of two trials showed that Buyang Huanwu Tang plus Danggui Sini Tang produced greater improvement in global symptoms than nifedipine. One trial showed that Danggui Sini Tang and a self-composed Chinese herbal medicine decoction, respectively, produced greater improvement in global symptoms than nifedipine alone. In one trial, modified Danggui Sini Tang showed greater improvement in global symptoms and arterial peak systolic velocity compared with nifedipine. One trial showed that Jiejing Tongmi Tang produced greater improvement in global symptoms, plasma endothelin, and plasma nitric oxide than cinepazide maleate injection. However, Jiejing Tongmi Tang did not produce a significant difference in skin temperature and peripheral artery blood stream drawing after cold pressor testing compared with cinepazide maleate injection. None of the trials reported frequency of attacks, duration of attacks, participant preference scores, or adverse events. Chinese herbal medicine may have a positive effective on PRP. However, owing to weak methodology, the benefits of Chinese herbal medicine for PRP are inconclusive. More rigorously designed studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Herbal decoction Divya-Swasari-Kwath attenuates airway inflammation and remodeling through Nrf-2 mediated antioxidant lung defence in mouse model of allergic asthma

Background and purposeAsthma is a chronic respiratory disease orchestrated by immune and structural cells. Identification of novel therapeutic strategies are needed for asthma due to the limitations of existing therapies. We have validated the anti-inflammatory, anti-asthmatic and immunomodulatory therapeutic properties of herbal decoction, Divya-Swasari-Kwath (DSK) using mouse model of ovalbumin (OVA) induced allergic asthma. Methods and resultsHPLC analysis identified the presence of Rutin, Glycyrrchzin, Gallic acid, Cinnamic acid, Chlorogenic acid, Caffeic acid and Piperine as bioactive herbal metabolites in DSK. Therapeutic treatment with herbal decoction DSK significantly alleviated the pathological features of allergic asthma including inflammatory cell accumulation in Broncho-Alveolar Lavage (BAL) fluids, specifically lymphocytes and eosinophils, lung inflammation, oxidative stress, airway remodelling, and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels. H&E analysis of lung tissue sections identified attenuated inflammatory cell infiltration and thickening of bronchial epithelium by DSK. PAS staining and MT staining identified decrease in OVA-induced mucus hyper secretion and peri-bronchial collagen deposition respectively, upon DSK treatment. Treatment with DSK increased the mRNA expression of antioxidative defence gene Nrf-2 and its downstream target genes HO-1 and NQO-1. In the same line, biochemical analysis for the markers of oxidative/antioxidant system confirmed the restoration of activity of Catalase, GPx, SOD and EPO and the levels of GSH, GSSG, MDA and Nitrite in whole lungs. In line with PAS staining, DSK treatment decreased the OVA-induced expression of Muc5AC and Muc5B genes. DSK treatment reduced the steady state mRNA expression levels of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-4, -5, -33, IFN-γ in whole lung; and IL-6, TNF-α and IL-1β protein levels in BALF. ConclusionCollectively, our results suggest that herbal decoction DSK is effective in protecting against allergic airway inflammation and remodelling by regulating anti-oxidant mechanisms. We postulate that DSK could be the potential therapeutic option for allergic asthma management.

Therapeutic effect of herb-separated moxibustion at Jinsuo (GV 8)-eight-diagram points on diarrhea-type irritable bowel syndrome of liver stagnation and spleen deficiency

To observe the clinical therapeutic effect of herb-separated moxibustion at Jinsuo (GV 8)- eight-diagram points on diarrhea-type irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) of liver stagnation and spleen deficiency as compared with oral administration of pinaverium bromide tablets and Chinese herbal decoction, tongxieyaofang. A total of 126 patients with IBS-D of liver stagnation and spleen deficiency were randomized into a herb-separated moxibustion group (moxibustion group), a western medication group and a Chinese herbal medication group, 42 cases in each one. In the moxibustion group, the herb-separated moxibustion was applied to Jinsuo (GV 8)-eight-diagram points. The herbs in tongxieyaofang (fried rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae, fried radix paeoniae alba, pericarpium citri reticulatae and radix saposhnikoviae) were ground into herbal paste and the paste was put on Jinsuo (GV 8)-eight-diagram points. The suspending moxibustion was exerted over the points for 40 min, once daily. In the western medication group, pinaverium bromide tablets were taken orally, 50 mg each time, three times a day. In the Chinese herbal medication group, the decoction of tongxieyaofang was taken orally, one dose a day, taking separately in two times. The duration of treatment was 8 weeks in each group. Before and after treatment, the symptom score of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), gastrointestinal (GI) symptom score, the score of IBS symptom severity scale (IBS-SSS) and the score of IBS quality of life (IBS-QOL) scale were observed in patients of each group separately. The clinical therapeutic effect was evaluated. After treatment, the scores of TCM symptoms, GI symptom scores and IBS-SSS scores were all obviously reduced in each group (P<0.05). Each of the scores in the moxibustion group was lower than the western medication group and the Chinese herbal medication group respectively (P<0.05). After treatment, the scores of each of eight subscale structures of IBS-QOL scale, named dysphoria, interference with activity, body image, health worry, food avoidance, social reaction, sexual intercourse and relationship, were all increased obviously in each group (P<0.05). The scores of each of eight subscale structures in the moxibustion group were higher than the western medication group and the Chinese herbal medication group respectively (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 92.9% (39/42) in the moxibustion group, higher than 71.4% (30/42) in the western medication group and 73.8% (31/42) in the Chinese herbal medication group respectively (P<0.05). Herb-separated moxibustion at Jinsuo (GV 8)-eight-diagram points remarkably relieves gastrointestinal symptoms and improves the quality of life in patients of diarrhea-type irritable bowel syndrome of liver stagnation and spleen deficiency, and its clinical therapeutic effect is superior to oral administration of either pinaverium bromide tablets or tongxieyaofang.

A Critical Review and Significance of Ayurvedic preparation Kwatha - Herbal decoction

The standardization of Ayurvedic classical dosage forms has been an area of academic, research, industrial and regulatory interests. It is crucial to understand the basic principles and rationality of these dosage forms for their therapeutic relevance while adapting to newer technologies for its right pharmaceutical and clinical use. Kwatha Kalpana -frequently referred to as decoctions - aqueous extraction of a group of herbs, is one of the most commonly used classical dosage forms where the therapeutic attributes are extracted from the group of botanicals into water, with the use of heat. Though clinically effective, it is seldom used due to the cumbersome preparatory method, short shelf life and poor palatability. This elaborate review covers historical and basic concepts of the dosage form, its salient features, nuances of classical preparations, traditional and newly developed methods of preparations. This paper covers intricate classical information and specifics about Kwatha, the herbal decoction.

Expert consensus on clinical application of Chinese herbal medicine decoction pieces (First Edition)

Chinese herbal medicine decoction pieces(CHMDP), one of the main forms of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) in clinic, have been widely used. However, the irrational use is increasingly serious due to the lack of the indicators for judging the rational use of CHMDP in medical institutions and the codes and standards for the clinical use of CHMDP. In order to regulate the rational clinical use of CHMDP, improve the clinical efficacy and ensure the drug safety for the patients, clinical pharmaceutical experts and clinical medical experts from 40 third-grade class-A hospitals nationwide were organized to give the &quot;expert consensus on clinical application of CHMDP&quot; in terms of prescription writing, combined use of drugs, use of special drugs, and drug use for special population. Detailed analysis and argumentation were conducted in accordance with the laws and regulations, Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2015 edition, Chinese Pharmacopoeia Code Notice for Clinical Use of Medicine, Administrative Regulations for Prescriptions, Administrative Specifications for Hospital Prescription Review(interim), and Chinese Traditional Medicine Prescription Format and Writing Specifications, as well as relevant project findings.

Chromatographic, Chemometric and Antioxidant Assessment of the Equivalence of Granules and Herbal Materials of Angelicae sinensis Radix.

Background: Granules are a popular way of administrating herbal decoctions. However, there are no standardised quality control methods for granules, with few studies comparing the granules to traditional herbal decoctions. This study developed a multi-analytical platform to compare the quality of granule products to herb/decoction pieces of Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Danggui). Methods: A validated ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array detector (UPLC-PDA) method quantitatively compared the aqueous extracts. Hierarchical agglomerative clustering analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA) clustered the samples according to three chemical compounds: ferulic acid, caffeic acid and Z-ligustilide. Ferric ion-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging capacity (DPPH) assessed the antioxidant activity of the samples. Results: HCA and PCA allocated the samples into two main groups: granule products and herb/decoction pieces. Greater differentiation between the samples was obtained with three chemical markers compared to using one marker. The herb/decoction pieces group showed comparatively higher extraction yields and significantly higher DPPH and FRAP (p < 0.05), which was positively correlated to caffeic acid and ferulic acid, respectively. Conclusions: The results confirm the need for the quality assessment of granule products using more than one chemical marker for widespread practitioner and consumer use.

Chinese herbal decoction astragalus and angelica exerts its therapeutic effect on renal interstitial fibrosis through the inhibition of MAPK, PI3K-Akt and TNF signaling pathways

Astragalus and Angelica decoction (A&A) has been clinically used as a classical traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula in China for many years for the treatment of kidney diseases, especially renal interstitial fibrosis (RIF). However, the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of A&A on RIF remains poorly understood. In the present study, systematic network pharmacology and effective experimental verification were utilized for the first time to elucidate the pharmacological efficacy and potential mechanism. The outcomes indicated that 22 active components and 87 target genes of A&A were identified and cross-referenced with RIF-associated genes, contributing to confirmation of 74 target genes of A&A for RIF. Pathway and functional enrichment analyses revealed that A&A had substantial effects on MAPK, PI3K-Akt and TNF signaling pathways. In addition, seven core targets with relatively higher betweenness and degree were identified in the constructed Chinese medicine material-chemical component-target-signal pathway network. Moreover, we verified the potential therapeutic effect of A&A in vivo (using a mouse model of RIF), confirming that A&A could effectively protect the kidney by regulating these target genes. The therapeutic effect of A&A on RIF could be attributed to its role in regulating the cell cycle, limiting the apoptosis, and inhibiting the inflammation.

Herbal medicine for the management of idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia: A protocol for a systematic review of controlled trials.

Background:Trigeminal neuralgia is an oral facial pain that is limited to one or more parts of the trigeminal nerve. As it becomes chronic, it can seriously affect the quality of life of most patients, and it is expected to increase in incidence in modern aging society. The objective of this systematic review protocol is to provide methods for evaluating the effectiveness and safety of herbal medicines for idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia (ITN).Methods:A total of 14 databases will be searched for studies uploaded from inception to the present date that investigated the treatment of ITN. These databases are MEDLINE, EMBASE, AMED, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Cochrane Library, PsycARTICLES, four Korean databases, two Chinese databases, and two Japanese databases. We will include randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing herbal medicine decoctions used to treat any type of ITN. All RCTs of decoctions or modified decoctions with any type of form of herbal medicine will be eligible for inclusion. The methodological quality of randomized controlled trials will be analyzed using the Cochrane Collaboration tool to assess risk of bias, and the confidence in the cumulative evidence will be assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) instrument.Ethics and dissemination:The results of this systematic review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and disseminated electronically and in print. To inform and guide healthcare practices, the review will be updated.Trial registration number:PROSPERO CRD42020129667.

Chinese herbal medicine Baoyuan Jiedu decoction inhibits the accumulation of myeloid derived suppressor cells in pre-metastatic niche of lung via TGF-β/CCL9 pathway

Baoyuan Jiedu (BYJD for short) decoction, a traditional Chinese medicine formula, is composed of Astragalus, Ginseng, Aconite root, Honeysuckle, Angelica, Licorice, which has the functions of nourishing qi and blood, enhancing immune function, improving quality of life and prolonging survival time of tumor patients. The present study aimed to investigate the effect and mechanism of BYJD decoction on reversing the pre-metastatic niche. We showed that BYJD decoction could prolong the survival time of 4T1 tumor-bearing mice. Moreover, we found that the BYJD decoction inhibited the formation of lung pre-metastatic niche and inhibited recruitment of myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in the lung. Mechanistically, we showed that the proteins and genes expression of TGF-β, Smad2, Smad3, p-Smad2/3, Smad4, CCL9 in the TGF-β/CCL9 signaling pathway were suppressed by BYJD decoction. In line with the above findings, our results confirm that BYJD decoction inhibits the accumulation of MDSC in pre-metastatic niche of lung via TGF-β/CCL9 pathway.

Molecular evidence of herbal formula: a network-based analysis of Si-Wu decoction.

Emerging network pharmacology (NP) combines phytochemical information with bioinformatics tools allowing herbal formulae to be illustrated holistically in the context of phytochemical basis and therapeutic mechanisms. This study attempted to explore the holistic molecular evidence of herbal formula Si-Wu decoction (SWD) by using the method of NP. Databases of traditional medicines combined with PubChem, SciFinder, SEA, STRING, and KEGG were employed to gather information for establishing the "compound similarity" (CS) network and the "target-(pathway)-target" (TPT) network. Gephi software was applied to visualise the networks, with further module-based and node-based network topological analysis. Moreover, the approved drugs and shortest path analysis were used to validate the TPT network. The CS network presented the phytochemical profile of SWD, including the major compound groups of iridoid glycosides, glycosides, phthalide lactones, phenylpropanoids, and monoterpenoids. Furthermore, the topological analysis of TPT network depicted the holistic property of SWD in interpretable neuroendocrine immunomodulation (NIM) perspective, and the node degree analysis indicated a closer connection of SWD with endocrine or metabolism system. Moreover, by combing the analysis of the CS network and TPT network, potential active ingredients could be primarily identified. The phytochemical profile and molecular target profile, which might pave the way for an understanding of SWD in modern science and provide a reference for relevant quality research and evaluation, were demonstrated by network analysis. Moreover, the methods could be further applied to discover the phytochemical or biomolecular evidence with distinct advantages in dealing with the tremendous separated information.

Cytotoxic Activity of Christia vespertilionis Root and Leaf Extracts and Fractions against Breast Cancer Cell Lines.

Christia vespertilionis, commonly known as ‘Daun Rerama’, has recently garnered attention from numerous sources in Malaysia as an alternative treatment. Its herbal decoction was believed to show anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects. The present study investigated the cytotoxicity of the extract of root and leaf of C. vespertilionis. The plant parts were successively extracted using the solvent maceration method. The most active extract was further fractionated to afford F1–F8. The cytotoxic effects were determined using MTT assay against human breast carcinoma cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231). The total phenolic content (TPC) of the extracts were determined. The antioxidant properties of the extract were also studied using DPPH and β-carotene bleaching assays. The ethyl acetate root extract demonstrated selective cytotoxicity especially against MDA-MB-231 with the highest TPC and antioxidant properties compared to others (p < 0.05). The TPC and antioxidant results suggest the contribution of phenolic compounds toward its antioxidant strength leading to significant cytotoxicity. F3 showed potent cytotoxic effects while F4 showed better antioxidative strength compared to others (p < 0.05). Qualitative phytochemical screening of the most active fraction, F3, suggested the presence of flavonoids, coumarins and quinones to be responsible toward the cytotoxicity. The study showed the root extracts of C. vespertilionis to possess notable anti-breast cancer effects.

Augmented Buyang Huanwu Decoction facilitates axonal regeneration after peripheral nerve transection through the regulation of inflammatory cytokine production

Ethnopharmacological relevanceHerbal formulation Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BYHWD) has been used to treat cardiovascular disorders including cerebral ischemia. Recent studies showed its effects on promoting axonal regeneration after nerve injury. However, compositional reformulation supplemented with herbal components that regulates inflammation may increase its efficacy for nerve repair. Aim of the studyWe prepared a new herbal decoction by adding selected herbal components to BYHWD (augmented BYHWD; ABHD) and investigated the effect of ABHD on the production of inflammatory cytokines and axonal regeneration using an animal model of nerve transection and coaptation (NTC). Materials and methodsA rat model of NTC was performed on the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) were isolated and used for immunofluorescence staining and western blot analysis. DRG tissue was also used to prepare primary neuron culture and the length of neurites was analyzed. Sensorimotor nerve activities were assessed by rotarod and von Frey tests. ResultsThree herbal components that facilitated neurite outgrowth were chosen to formulate ABHD. ABHD administration into the sciatic nerve 1 week or 3 months after NTC facilitated axonal regeneration. Cell division cycle 2 (Cdc2) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) proteins were induced from the reconnected distal portion of the sciatic nerve and the levels were further elevated by in vivo administration of ABHD. Phospho-Erk1/2 level was increased by ABHD treatment as well, implying its role in mediating retrograde transport of BDNF signals into the neuronal cell body. Production of inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and TNF-α was induced in the reconnected nerve but attenuated by ABHD treatment. Behavioral tests revealed that ABHD treatment improved functional recovery of sensorimotor activities. ConclusionsA newly formulated ABHD is effective at regulating the production of inflammatory cytokines and promoting axonal regeneration after nerve transection and may be considered to develop therapeutic strategies for peripheral nerve injury disorders.

Phytochemical profile and biological activities of Anatolian Plantain (Plantago anatolica)

The phytochemical profile and potential biological activities of Plantago anatolica Tutel & R. Mill., a traditional endemic food plant of Eastern Anatolia, Turkey, were studied. The study included analysis of phytochemical and mineral compositions of lyophilized sequential extracts (n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, acetone, ethanol and water) and traditional preparations (herbal infusion, decoction and cold water extraction) obtained from aerial parts of the P. anatolica plant, followed by evaluation of their antioxidant capacities and inhibitory activities towards enzymes involved in metabolic syndrome. Chromatographic studies showed that phenolic compounds (caffeic and chlorogenic acids, apigenin and kaempferol), and fatty acids (palmitic and linolenic acids) and an aromatic compound benzotiazole were the major phytochemicals. The ethanol extract and the herbal infusion extracted the most caffeic acid. These two preparations showed significant oxygen radical absorbance capacity (1.9 and 1.0 mmol Trolox equivalent/g dw, respectively), high ferric reducing antioxidant power (0.9 and 0.7 mmol Fe2+/g dw, respectively), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging capacity (IC50: 0.87 and 0.34 mg/ml, respectively), and ferric chelation activities (IC50: 0.09 mg/ml). Both preparations showed high inhibitory activities towards α-glucosidase (IC50 of 0.8 and 0.6 mg/ml, respectively), and lipase (IC50 of 72 and 44 μg/ml, respectively) but low inhibitory activities towards α-amylase (IC50: 4.31 and 5.32 mg/ml, respectively). These results highlighted the potential of P.anatolica as a source of phytochemicals with strong antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory properties for application in the food and biopharmaceutical industries.

An unbiased lipidomics approach identifies key lipid molecules as potential therapeutic targets of Dohongsamul-tang against non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases in a mouse model of obesity

Ethnopharmacological relevanceDohongsamul-tang (DST) is a traditional herbal formula used to promote the blood circulation and inhibit inflammation, and also widely has been used in the treatment of patients with chronic liver diseases in Korea and China. Aim of the studyThis study aimed to investigate the effect of DST on regulation of lipid metabolism of chronic liver diseases in mouse model of non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLD). Materials and methodsIn this study, we evaluated the effect of DST on high-fat and high-cholesterol diet (HFHC, 40% fat and 1% cholesterol)-induced NAFLD, and applied unbiased lipidomics using ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF MS) coupled with multivariate analysis. ResultsDST improved hepatic morphology and reduced levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). In addition, DST inhibited hepatic lipid accumulation through the downregulation of C/EBPα, PPARγ, and pAMPK. To further elucidate the effect of DST on hepatic lipid metabolism, we applied UPLC/Q-TOF MS-based lipidomics. The score plots of partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) showed that DST changed the lipid metabolic pattern of high-fat and high-cholesterol diet (HFHC) mice. Twenty-two lipid metabolites were selected as biomarkers regulated by DST and pathway analysis revealed that sphingolipid metabolism and glycerophospholipid metabolism were associated with the effect of DST on NAFLD. Among the 22 selected biomarkers, 14 were phospholipids, and DST significantly reversed the increased expression of lysophospholipase 3 (LYPLA3) and neuropathy target esterase (NTE), which are key enzymes in glycerophospholipid metabolism. Given that alterations in sphingolipids and phospholipids can have effects on apoptosis and insulin resistance (IR), we subsequently investigated changes in the expression of apoptosis-related proteins, including Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) and B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2), and IR-related markers after DST treatment. We accordingly found that the ratio of Bax to Bcl-2 expression, a maker of apoptosis, was also elevated in HFHC mice and reduced by DST treatment. In addition, DST enhanced hepatic insulin signaling by upregulating the expression of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1) and phospho-protein kinase B (pAKT), and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) analysis indicated that this herbal preparation also ameliorated systemic IR. ConclusionsThis study suggested that DST might have an effect on NAFLD by regulating the metabolism of lipids such as phospholipids and sphingolipids and demonstrated that lipidomic profiling is useful to investigate the therapeutic effects of herbal decoctions from traditional Korean and Chinese medicine.

Efficacy and safety of the classic Chinese herbal prescription Sanpian decoction on migraine: A meta-analysis

ObjectivesTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of the classic Chinese herbal prescription Sanpian decoction for curing migraine. MethodsScopus, PubMed, EMBASE, SPRINGER LINK, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Weipu Database and WanFang Database were searched from inception through January 2019 to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated the efficacy and safety of Sanpian decoction. ResultsFifteen RCTs with a total of 1377 participants were identified. Compared with the control drugs, Sanpian decoction and Sanpian decoction combined with Sibelium significantly improved the clinical efficacy separately (relative risk [RR] 4.19, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 2.91 to 6.04, P < 0.00001; RR 1.29, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.54, P = 0.003 separately); the Sanpian decoction significantly improved the visual analogue scale score (VAS) (mean differences [MD] -1.83, 95% CI -2.69 to -0.97, P < 0.0001), headache score (MD -3.77, 95% CI -7.20 to -0.34, P = 0.03) and reduced the frequency of headache attacks (MD -1.61, 95% CI -2.07 to -1.14, P < 0.00001) and the concentration of endothelin (ET) (MD -11.90, 95% CI -23.22 to -0.58, P = 0.04) when compared with control drugs. There were minor side effects related to Sanpian decoction which were well tolerated. ConclusionsSanpian decoction is of significant benefits and relative safety in treating migraine. However, more rigorous studies with larger sample sizes are needed due to methodological flaws and low quality of the included trials in this meta-analysis.

Evaluation of acute oral toxicity study of essential oils (Eos) from Pogostemon benghalensis and P. cablin in Wistar rats

The use of crude herbal decoctions in the traditional treatment of diseases is a common practice. Pogostemon benghalensis and P. cablin are commonly used for treatment of diverse categories of diseases such as infectious and non-infectious disease. Native people use the crude decoctions as bactericidal, antimalarial, anti-leshimania, anti-diarrheal and insecticidal activities. Its safety profile is not yet elucidated and therefore, this study was to analyze the acute toxicity of essential oils (Eos) from P. benghalensis and P. cablin as medicinal. Methods include acute toxicity study using male and female Wistar albino rats with single oral dose and followed up to 14 days as per the guidelines of OECD. Visual observations were carried regularly during the experimental period while body weight was measured weekly. Organ weight, clinical chemistry and hematology data were collected on the 7th and 14th days. Results were presented as mean ± standard deviation. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was carried. Oral administration of Eos from P. benghalensis and P. cablin revealed no treatment-related mortality in female rats up to the dose of 5000 mg/kg. In acute toxicity studies, no remarkable treatment related anomalies were observed compared to negative controls. Food consumption, body weight, organ weight, hematology did not showed sound variation between controls and treatment groups. However, creatinine, triglycerides, and monocytes were lower in the treated groups in 7th day as compared to control groups. No significant variations between male and female groups in relative organ weight, hematology were noticed. In conclusion, the Eos from P. benghalensis and P. cablin showed LD50 &gt; 3000 mg/kg in acute toxicity studies.&#x0D; Keywords: Pogostemon benghalensis, P. cablin, traditional medicine, safety, plant medicine, adverse effect, acute oral toxicity