The American journal of Chinese medicine
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Alpinia officinarum rhizome has been used as a traditional herbal remedy to treat inflammatory and internal diseases. Based on the previously observed inhibitory effect of A. officinarum rhizome in an arthritis model, we evaluated whether a water extract of A. officinarum rhizome (WEAO) would enhance in vitro osteoblast mineralization using calvarial osteoblast precursor cells or would inhibit in vitro osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption using bone marrow derived macrophages. In osteoblasts, WEAO enhanced the mRNA levels of transcription factor (runt-related transcription factor 2, smad1, smad5, and junB) and marker (bone morphogenetic protein-2, collagen type 1alpha1, and osteocalcin) genes related to osteoblast mineralization, consistent with increased alizarin red S staining intensity. ⋯ WEAO also suppressed the resorbing activity of mature osteoclasts by altering actin ring formation. Therefore, the results of this study demonstrate that WEAO stimulates osteoblast mineralization and inhibits osteoclast differentiation. Thus, WEAO may be a promising herbal candidate to treat or prevent pathological bone diseases by regulating the balance between osteoclast and osteoblast activity.
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Baicalein is a component of the root of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, which has traditionally been used to treat liver disease in China. In the present study, we investigated baicalein' ability to reduce the liver injury induced by myocardial ischemia and reperfusion (I/R). Myocardial I/R was induced in this experiment by a 40[Formula: see text]min occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery and a 3[Formula: see text]h reperfusion in rats. ⋯ In conclusion, we found that baicalein can reduce the liver injury induced by myocardial I/R. The underlying mechanisms are likely related to the inhibition of the extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways, possibly via the inhibition of TNF-[Formula: see text] production, the modulation of Bcl-2 and Bax, and the activation of Akt and ERK1/2. Our findings may provide a rationale for the application of baicalein or traditional Chinese medicine containing large amounts of baicalein to prevent liver injury in acute myocardial infarction and cardiac surgery.
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The rhizome of Coptis chinensis is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine alone or in combination with other herbs to treat diseases characterized by causing oxidative stress including inflammatory diseases, diabetes mellitus and neurodegenerative diseases. In particular, there is emerging evidence that Coptis chinensis is effective in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases associated with oxidative stress. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate the neuroprotective effect of Coptis chinensis in vitro and in vivo using MPP[Formula: see text] and MPTP models of Parkinson's disease. ⋯ However, the full extract of Coptis chinensis was more effective than the tested single alkaloids. In the MPTP-induced animal model of Parkinson's disease, Coptis chinensis dose-dependently improved motor functions and increased tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neurons in the substantia nigra compared to the MPTP control. Based on the results of this work, Coptis chinensis and its main alkaloids could be considered potential candidates for the development of new treatment options for Parkinson's disease.
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Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has gained acceptance throughout the industrialized world. The present study was performed to provide information about the use of CAM at Mayo Clinic, an academic medical center in Northern Midwest of the US. We retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records of 2680 patients visiting the CAM program at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, between 1 July 2006 and 31 March 2011. ⋯ Psychological disorders (i.e., stress) were the major diagnosis referred to both integrative medical consults and executive stress management training. These results suggest that the diseases related to pain and psychological disorders are the main fields of CAM use. It also shows the increasing trend of the use of CAM at an academic medical center in the US.
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Reductions in neurotrophic factors are implicated in synaptic dysfunction in the central nervous system, but exogenous neurotrophic factors with potential effects on neuritic regeneration and synaptic reconstruction could offer therapeutic and preventive strategies for treating memory-related neurological disorders. In an earlier effort to identify natural neurotrophic agents, we found that the ethanol extract of the edible marine alga Undaria pinnatifida (UPE) had promising effects on the neuritogenesis of cultured hippocampal neurons. ⋯ It was found that UPE triggered significant increase in numbers of dendritic filopodia and spines, promoted the formation of excitatory and inhibitory synapses, and potentiated synaptic transmission by increasing the sizes of reserve vesicle pools at presynaptic terminals. These findings indicate a substantial role for UPE in the morphological and functional maturation of neurons and suggest that UPE is a possible therapeutic preventative measure and treatment for neurodegenerative diseases, such as those involving cognitive disorders and memory impairments.