Recent Research Extracts

[herbsandhelpers]

Recent Research Extracts

Effects of Antiinflammatory and Rehmanniae radix Pharmacopuncture on Atopic Dermatitis in NC/Nga Mice. Kim MC, Lee CH, Yook TH. J Acupunct Meridian Stud. 2013 Apr;6(2):98-109. doi: 10.1016/j.jams.2012.10.007. Epub 2012 Nov 30. Dept of AP and Moxibustion, College of Korean Medicine, Woosuk Univ, Wanju, Republic of Korea. Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by pruritic and erythematous skin lesions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the suppressive effects of Antiinflammatory and Rehmanniae radix pharmacopuncture on the development of AD-like skin lesions in NC/Nga mice. The AD was induced on the mice's back skin by using biostir AD. The experimental groups were divided into three groups, PPI (Antiinflammatory pharmacopuncture), PPII (Rehmanniae radix pharmacopuncture, hydrodistillation extraction) and PPIII (Rehmanniae radix pharmacopuncture, MeOH extraction). All mice were treated using a 1-mL syringe to inject 0.1mL of pharmacopuncture at right and left BL13 on alternate days. In the control group, normal saline was used instead of pharmacopuncture. The following factors were investigated: (1) optical observations made with a handscope and clinical skin scores were evaluated; (2) tissue (general/immune) mast cells and CCR3(+) eosinophils, as well as vascular endothelial growth factor, fibroblast growth factor and epidermal growth factor immunoreactive changes were evaluated; (3) CD4(+) and CD8(+) cells in the spleen were immunohistochemically examined; and, (4) the serum immunoglobulin (Ig)E level and lymphokines [interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4] were measured. In the PPI and the PPIII groups, the clinical skin score, total number of mast cells, CCR3(+) eosinophils immunoreaction and total serum IgE, IL-2 and IL-4 levels were lower than the control group. The PPI and the PPIII groups also showed strong immunohistochemical reactions for vascular endothelial growth factor and fibroblast growth factor. The PPI group particularly showed a very strong immunohistochemical reaction for epidermal growth factor. All groups showed strong immune activity for CD8(+). The PPIII group showed strong immunity for both CD4(+) and CD8(+).

CONCLUSION: Rehmanniae radix pharmacopuncture (MeOH extraction) and Antiinflammatory pharmacopuncture exerted Antiallergic and Antiinflammatory effects, suggesting that they are promising agents for improving AD-related symptoms. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V. PMID: 23591005 [PubMed in process]

Short and long-term efficacy of combining Fuzhengliqi Mixture with AP in treatment of functional constipation. Zhang C, Guo L, Guo X, Li G, Guo X. J Tradit Chin Med. 2013 Feb;33(1):51-9. Dept of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical Univ, Weihui 453100, China. [email protected]

OBJECTIVE: To explore the short and long-term efficacy of combining Fuzhengliqi Mixture (FLM, Fuzheng Liqi Heji, Support Right + Rectify Qi Mixture) with AP in treating functional constipation (FC). METHODS: The 560 patients with confirmed diagnosis of FC were randomly assigned to 4 groups: FLM group, AP group, combined therapy group and control group. There were 140 cases in each group. The FLM group was administered FLM 60 mL BID, while the AP group was treated with AP at ST25, ST37, ST36, BL25 and TH06 BID, the combined therapy group with FLM and AP and the control group was administered mosapride (5 mg thrice a day) and Macrogol 4000 (10 g BID). The treatment lasted 6 weeks. The defecation interval, stool property, constipation symptoms and accompanying symptoms were recorded, graded and scored. The gastrointestinal transit time (GITT) and motilin (MTL) level in serum and life quality score were detected at three time points (pre-treatment, at the end of treatment and 60 weeks post-treatment). Moreover, the adverse reactions were also observed.

RESULTS: In the FLM group 2 cases were eliminated for not taking medication strictly according to the research plan and 1 case was lost to follow-up, while 2 cases in the AP group and 2 cases in the combined therapy group were lost to follow-up. Compared with those detected pre-treatment, the defecation interval, stool property, constipation symptom grade, accompanying symptom grade and GITT were all decreased markedly at the end of treatment in every group, while the MTL levels in serum and life quality score were increased markedly (p<.01), the above-mentioned detecting indices were better in the combined therapy group than those in other groups (p<.05). Compared with the end of treatment, above-mentioned detecting indices all recurred significantly in the FLM group and control group 60 weeks post-treatment (p>.05), but these indices recurred insignificantly in the AP and combined therapy groups (p>.05). The short and long-term total effective rates in the combined therapy group were significantly different from those in other groups (p<.05 or p<.01). No serious adverse reactions were found in four groups.

CONCLUSION: Both FLM and AP can significantly shorten the defecation interval and GITT, increase MTL levels in serum, decrease the scores of stool property, constipation symptoms and accompanying symptoms in patients with FC to increase their life quality. The combined therapy is much better in long-term efficacy and the safety is also good, worth spreading in clinical practice. PMID: 23596812 [PubMed in process] Phil: FLM Formula has Laifuzi (Chao) () 80g, Chenpi 60g, Jinyinhua 60g, Lianqiao 60g, Pugongying 60g, Taoren 60g, Chishao 48g, Dangshen 48g, Muxiang 48g, Zhishi 48g, Huangqi 40g, Dahuang 32g, Gancao
24g/ 1000mL.

Details are at http://www.wjgnet.com/1009-3079/16/751.asp

Study on improving blood flow with Korean red ginseng substances using digital infrared thermal imaging and Doppler sonography: randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial with parallel design. Kang J, Lee N, Ahn Y, Lee H. J Tradit Chin Med. 2013 Feb;33(1):39-45. Dept of AP and Moxibustion, Cheonan Oriental Hospital of Daejeon Univ, Cheonan 330-210, Korea.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the efficacy of Korean red ginseng for improving blood flow in healthy people. METHODS: Participants were randomized and treated with 1500 mg of Korean red ginseng extract or placebo for 8 weeks. The effect of Korean red ginseng was evaluated by digital infrared thermal images and Doppler sonography and blood test.

RESULTS: 40 subjects completed the protocol. Imbalance in local thermal distribution was significantly decreased in the Korean red ginseng group confirmed by digital infrared thermal images. Doppler sonography showed no significant change in maximum and average rates of blood circulation in single or complex areas. Blood analyses for coagulation and lipid metabolism factors revealed no significant changes. No abnormal reactions to the Korean red ginseng were observed.

CONCLUSION: Digital infrared thermal imaging showed that the temperature deviation in the whole body decreased safely in the Korean red ginseng group, which mitigated the body-temperature imbalance. This result suggests that the Korean red ginseng improves blood circulation in the human body. PMID: 23596810 [PubMed in process]