Phytotherapy research : PTR
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The antiobesity and antihyperlipidaemic effects of pu-erh tea in rats with high fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity were investigated. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups and fed varying diets for an 8-week period: control diet, HFD, and HFD supplemented with low, moderate or high doses of pu-erh tea extract (0.5 g, 2 g and 4 g/kg BW/day, respectively). Pu-erh tea significantly reduced the total body weight and the weight of various adipose pads. ⋯ Moreover, pu-erh tea significantly increased lipoprotein lipase, hepatic lipase and hormone-sensitive lipase activities in epididymal fat tissue in rats with HFD-induced obesity. Analysis of real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction results indicated that pu-erh tea significantly enhanced mRNA levels of hormone-sensitive lipase in rats with HFD-induced obesity. These results suggest that pu-erh tea attenuated visceral fat accumulation and improved hyperlipidemia in a rat model of HFD-induced obesity.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Effectiveness and safety of topical capsaicin cream in the treatment of chronic soft tissue pain.
Topical capsaicin is an established treatment option for various pain conditions. In a randomized double-blind multi-centre study, 281 patients suffering from chronic soft tissue pain were treated either with a cream containing capsaicin 0.05% ('Finalgon® CPDWärmecreme', n = 140) or placebo (n = 141). Of these, 151 were excluded from the ITT analysis, as they had in addition to their soft-tissue pain, pain of other origin. ⋯ More adverse events occurred in the capsicum group (n = 13) than in the placebo group (n = 6). The capsaicin cream was generally well tolerated. The results indicate that capsaicin cream is useful in patients with chronic soft tissue pain and is also efficacious in patients with chronic back pain for which effectiveness was already demonstrated in earlier clinical trials.
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The main objective of this study was to determine the central effect of eugenol on neuropathic pain when injected intrathecally at the level of the lumbar spinal cord. In a preliminary study the penetrability of eugenol was evaluated in the CNS of rats. Blood, brain and spinal cord samples were collected at selected time points following eugenol administration and concentrations were determined by tandem liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. ⋯ Following the induction of neuropathic pain in rats using the sciatic nerve ligation model, intrathecal injections of eugenol were done to evaluate the central effect of eugenol. Treatment with 50 μg of eugenol significantly decreased secondary mechanical allodynia after 15 min, 2 h and 4 h (p < 0.05; <0.005; <0.05, respectively) and improved thermal hyperalgesia after 2 h and 4 h (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05). The results support the hypothesis that eugenol may alleviate neuropathic pain, both allodynia and hyperalgesia, by acting centrally most probably at the level of the dorsal horn of the spinal cord where vanilloid receptors can be found.
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Silybum marianum or milk thistle (MT) is the most well-researched plant in the treatment of liver disease. The active complex of MT is a lipophilic extract from the seeds of the plant and is composed of three isomer flavonolignans (silybin, silydianin, and silychristin) collectively known as silymarin. Silybin is a component with the greatest degree of biological activity and makes up 50% to 70% of silymarin. ⋯ Silymarin acts as an antioxidant by reducing free radical production and lipid peroxidation, has antifibrotic activity and may act as a toxin blockade agent by inhibiting binding of toxins to the hepatocyte cell membrane receptors. In animals, silymarin reduces liver injury caused by acetaminophen, carbon tetrachloride, radiation, iron overload, phenylhydrazine, alcohol, cold ischaemia and Amanita phalloides. Silymarin has been used to treat alcoholic liver disease, acute and chronic viral hepatitis and toxin-induced liver diseases.
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Clinical Trial
A novel Gymnema sylvestre extract stimulates insulin secretion from human islets in vivo and in vitro.
Many plant-based products have been suggested as potential antidiabetic agents, but few have been shown to be effective in treating the symptoms of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in human studies, and little is known of their mechanisms of action. Extracts of Gymnema sylvestre (GS) have been used for the treatment of T2DM in India for centuries. ⋯ In vitro measurements using isolated human islets of Langerhans demonstrated direct stimulatory effects of OSA(R) on insulin secretion from human ß-cells, consistent with an in vivo mode of action through enhancing insulin secretion. These in vivo and in vitro observations suggest that OSA(R) may provide a potential alternative therapy for the hyperglycemia associated with T2DM.