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Points - Recent Research

Electroacupuncture for Strengthening Gastrointestinal Motility in the Rat with Acute Pancreatitis

Parasitic Loranthus from Loranthaceae Rather than Viscaceae Potently Inhibits Fatty Acid Synthase and Reduces Body Weight in Mice

Chinese Herbal Medicine for Premenstrual Syndrome

Electroacupuncture for Strengthening Gastrointestinal Motility in the Rat with Acute Pancreatitis

Li J, et al. Department of Acupuncture, First Clinical College of Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150001, China. hydyylj@163.com

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism of EA in treatment of acute pancreatitis. METHODS: Twenty-four healthy male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups, a control group, a model group and an EA group. In the model group, rat acute pancreatitis model was prearpared by intraperitoneal injection of Caerulein, and in the EA group, EA was given at "Zusanli" (ST 36) and "Tianshu" (ST 25) of the model rat. The gastric emptying rate, small intestinal impelling ratio, myeloperoxidase activity in the pancreas tissue, pathological score of the pancreas and serum amylase were detected. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, both the gastric emptying rate and the intestinal impelling ratio significantly decreased in the model group (P<0.05), and they significantly increased in the EA group compared with the model group (P<0.05). Myeloperoxidase activity in the pancreas tissue, pathological score of the pancreas and serum amylase activity significantly decreased in the EA group as compared with the model group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: EA can significantly improve the disturbance of gastrointestinal motility induced by acute pancreatitis and relieve pathological damage of pancreas.

Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2008 May;28(5):365-8

Source PubMed

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Parasitic Loranthus from Loranthaceae Rather than Viscaceae Potently Inhibits Fatty Acid Synthase and Reduces Body Weight in Mice

Wang Y, et al.College of Life Science, Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 3908, Beijing 100049, China.

AIM OF THE STUDY: Our previous results have shown one species of parasitic loranthus (Taxillus chinensis (DC.) Dancer) exhibits potent inhibition on fatty acid synthase (FAS) that is proposed to be a potential therapeutic target for treatment of obesity. However, the medicinal parasitic loranthus come from tens of plants of two families, the Loranthaceae and the Viscaceae. This study was carried out to figure out whether these parasitic loranthus from the two families have similar inhibitory ability on FAS, and whether the parasitic loranthus with potent inhibitory ability on FAS significantly reduce body weight of animal. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CD-1 mice were used to test the effects of samples on their body weight and food intake in 20 days. The reversible and irreversible inhibition on FAS was assayed to study the inhibitory ability of sixteen different medicinal plants from these two families, which were collected in nature. RESULTS: The reversible inhibitory ability of the extracts from the Loranthaceae was nearly 400-fold stronger than that from the Viscaceae. The species from the genus Taxillus Tieghem showed the best effect on FAS in both reversible and irreversible inhibition. Moreover, the difference in host plants did not affect markedly on the inhibitory ability of parasitic loranthus. The medicinal herb with high inhibitory ability on FAS significantly reduced the body weight and food intake of mice by oral administration. CONCLUSIONS: The medicinal herbs from the family Loranthaceae, rather than those from the family Viscaceae, should be suitable to apply as botanical sources of parasitic loranthus for weight control. The herbs from genus Taxillus Tieghem are the best.

J Ethnopharmacol. 2008 May 23.

Source: PubMed

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Chinese Herbal Medicine for Premenstrual Syndrome

Chou PB, et al. School of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Victoria University, Australia.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a common disorder troubling many women during their reproductive years. The Chinese have been using herbal medicines to treat menstrual cycle related symptoms for centuries. The present study examined the effectiveness of Chinese herbal medicine for the treatment of PMS among Australian women within the theoretical framework of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Sixty-one women were assigned randomly into two groups within different TCM patterns. Herbal medicine and placebo were provided sequentially for a period of three months. There were significant differences (p < 0.01) in scores after three months of treatment between Chinese herbal medicine and placebo in premenstrual physical and psychological symptoms, depression, anxiety and anger favoring herbal medicine, but with no difference in perceived stress (p > 0.05). There were highly significant reductions (p < 0.001) between baseline and the end of the third herbal treatment month in all assessments in both groups except that a significant result (p < 0.05) was recorded on perceived stress only in the herbs-first group. No adverse effects were reported by any participant. The results support the hypothesis that the symptoms occurrence and severity of PMS can be effectively reduced by the use of Chinese herbal medicine.

J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol. 2008 Feb 5:1-8.

Source: PubMed

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August 2008
Volume 6, Number 8

Enhance Bone Health and Prevent Osteoporosis

Chinese Herbs for the Mind: Remedies for Depression, Anxiety, Insomnia, and Psychosis

A Multifaceted Integrative Approach to Healing Chronic Pancreatitis

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