Combination Of Herbal Extracts Research Articles

Interactions of a herbal combination that inhibits growth of prostate cancer cells.

PC SPES is an eight-component herbal product marketed for the treatment of prostate cancer. The manufacturer of PC SPES claims that the herbal combination is a synergistic blend, but the purported synergy has never been tested. We examined the interaction in cell culture of these eight individual herbal components by the use of an isobologram. US patent no. 5,665,393 (1997) for PC SPES was acquired, and each of the eight herbal components described was acquired, properly identified, and extracted by 95% ethanol. The extracts were tested for cytotoxicity to PC 3 human prostate cancer cells in culture by the MTT (3-[4,5-dimethythiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. Seven combinations of herbal extracts were made, varying in the proportion of the most cytotoxic herbal extract, that of Panax notoginseng. The interactions of P. notoginseng with the other seven herbs were evaluated through the use of an isobologram. In all seven herbal combinations, P. notoginseng was found to be antagonistic with the other seven herbal components in the cytotoxicity assay ( P values: 0.09, 0.12, 0.12, 0.33, 0.45, 0.56, and 0.76). The interaction between the most cytotoxic herbal component of a widely used herbal product and the other seven components was antagonistic. Herbal combinations are no different from traditional combination pharmacotherapy. If herbal combinations are able to achieve antagonism, then theoretically they can achieve synergism if combined properly.

Hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic and antioxidant properties of combination ofCurcumin fromCurcuma longa, Linn, and partially purified product fromAbroma augusta, Linn. in streptozotocin induced diabetes.

Dietary spice components ofCurcuma longa andAbroma augusta have been screened for their protective effect against reactive oxygen species induced lipid peroxidation. They have been found to be efficient antioxidant when administered in combination. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of oral administration (300mg/Kg) of the aqueous extract of turmeric whose active ingredient isCurcumin andAbromine powder as a hypoglycemic agent mixed with diet. The effect of this aqueous extract on blood glucose, lipid peroxidation (LPO) and the antioxidant defense system in rat tissues like liver, lung, kidney and brain was studied for 8 weeks in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. The administration of an aqueous extract of turmeric and abromine powder resulted in a significant reduction in blood glucose and an increase in total haemoglobin. The aqueous extract also resulted in decreased free radical formation in the tissues studied.The decrease in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and increase in reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) clearly showed the antioxidant property of the mixture. It is suggested that these changes initially counteract the oxidative stress in diabetes however, a gradual decrease in the antioxidative process may be one of the factors which results in chronic diabetes. These results indicate that the mixture of the two plants have shown antidiabetic activity and also reduced oxidative stress in diabetes. A combination ofAbroma augusta and Curcuma longa also restored the other general parameters in diabetic animals. The results were statistically analyzed and indicated that combination of herbal extracts showed better efficacy as compared to individual herbal plant extracts used.

MPTP induced hyperalgesia in mice is reversed by L-dopa

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the progressive neurodegenerative diseases of whose condition is characterized by dopaminergic neuronal cell loss and dysfunction in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) and the striatum. Recent studies have demonstrated that the nuclear receptor-related 1 protein (Nurr1) is critical of dopaminergic phenotype induction in mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons. Further, Nurr1 engages in synthesizing and storing dopamine through regulating levels of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), dopamine transporter (DAT) and vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2). The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of a herbal extract combination, consisting of Bupleurum falcatum, Paeonia suffruticosa, and Angelica dahurica (MABH), on 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced PD-like symptoms and to elucidate possible mechanisms of action focusing on Nurr1. In a subacute mouse model of MPTP-induced PD, MABH treatment resulted in recovery from movement impairments. MABH prevented dopamine depletion and protected against dopaminergic neuronal degradation induced by MPTP. Additionally, MABH increased Nurr1 expression in the SNpc of mice. To evaluate the effects of MABH on Nurr1 expression, we measured the protein levels of Nurr1 and its regulating factors using Western blot analysis in PC12 cells. MABH treatment induced the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase protein via increasing the protein expression levels of Nurr1 and ultimately the levels of TH, VMAT2, and DAT. These results indicate that MABH has protective effects on dopaminergic neurons in a mouse model of PD by regulating Nurr1.