The American journal of Chinese medicine
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Review Meta Analysis
Excavating Anticonvulsant Compounds from Prescriptions of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Treatment of Epilepsy.
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a long history and been widely used in prevention and treatment of epilepsy in China. This paper is intended to review the advances in the active anticonvulsant compounds isolated from herbs in the prescription of TCM in the treatment of epilepsy. ⋯ In addition, in this present review, the evaluation of the effects of the anticonvulsant classical TCM prescriptions is discussed. According to these rewarding pharmacological effects and chemical substances, the prescription of TCM herbs could be an effective therapeutic strategy for epilepsy patients, and also could be a promising source for the development of new drugs.
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Meta Analysis
The Effectiveness of Acupuncture for Osteoporosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
To summarize the existing evidence and evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture as a clinical treatment for osteoporosis. Six English and four Chinese databases were searched from their inception to April 2017. Randomized controlled trials were included, in which warm acupuncture, needling or electroacupuncture were compared with sole Western medicine with osteoporosis. ⋯ Needling could relieve pain (MD [Formula: see text] -2.27, 95% CI [Formula: see text] -3.11, -1.43, [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]0.00001) compared with sole Western medicine. This present systematic review indicated that acupuncture could be an effective therapy for treating osteoporosis. Warm acupuncture seemed to more effective than electroacupuncture and needling for osteoporosis in comparison to sole Western medicine.
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Review
Phytotherapeutic Activities of Sanguisorba officinalis and its Chemical Constituents: A Review.
Sanguisorba officinalis Linne (S. officinalis, Rosaceae) has been used as a medicinal plant for the treatment of burns, hematemesis, melena, intestinal infections, and dermatitis for a long time in China, Korea, and Japan. The therapeutic efficacy of this herb is intimately associated with its anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antifungal, hemostatic, and anticancer activities. Its root contains triterpenoid saponins (zigyuglycoside I: C[Formula: see text]H[Formula: see text]O[Formula: see text] and ziyuglycoside II: C[Formula: see text]H[Formula: see text]O8) and tannins (sanguiin H-6: C[Formula: see text]H[Formula: see text]O[Formula: see text]). ⋯ The underlying mechanism involved in the pharmacological actions of these active constituents is mainly related to p38 MAPK signaling. Although various studies have reported its therapeutic activities and major chemical components, review articles that extensively organize various properties of S. officinalis and its major constituents are still scarce. Taken together, the objective of this paper is to provide overall pharmacological and phytochemical profiles of S. officinalis and its constituents (including ziyuglycoside I, ziyuglycoside II, and sanguiin H-6), and their potential roles in clinical applications for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, bleeding disorders, and cancer.
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Scutellaria baicalensis (Huangqin in Chinese) is a major traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) herb, which has a long history of use in the treatment of a variety of symptoms correlated with cancer. In the past decade, the potential of S. baicalensis and single compounds derived from it as anticancer agents targeting various pathways has received extensive research attention. Specifically, the proliferation and metastases inhibiting properties of the single compounds in cancer have been studied; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. ⋯ However, the aim of this review is to provide a more thorough view of the last 10 years to link traditional use with modern research and to highlight recently discovered molecular mechanisms. Extracts and major flavonoids derived from S. baicalensis have been found to possess anticancer effects in multiple cancer cell lines both in vitro and in vivo. Further investigation is warranted to better understand the underlying mechanisms and to discover novel targets and cancer therapeutic drugs that may improve both the survival and quality of life of cancer patients.
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Smilax glabra (SG) Roxb., a well-known traditional Chinese medicine, has been extensively used worldwide for its marked pharmacological activities for treating syphilitic poisoned sores, limb hypertonicity, morbid leucorrhea, eczema pruritus, strangury due to heat, carbuncle toxin, and many other human ailments. Approximately 200 chemical compounds have been isolated from SG Roxb., and the major components have been determined to be flavonoids and flavonoid glycosides, phenolic acids, and steroids. Among these active compounds, the effects of astilbin, which is used as a quality control marker to determine the quality of SG Roxb., have been widely investigated. ⋯ However, an extensive study to determine the relationship between the chemical compositions and pharmacological effects of SG Roxb. has not been conducted and is worth of our study. Improving the means of utilizing the effects of SG is crucial. The present paper reviews the ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of SG Roxb. and assesses its ethnopharmacological use in order to explore its therapeutic potential for future research.