€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****JOURNAL OF NUTRITION***** MORITA T EBIHARA K KIRIYAMA S DIETARY FIBER AND FAT-DERIVATIVES PREVENT MINERAL OIL TOXICITY IN RATS BY THE SAME MECHANISM. In: J Nutr (1993 Sep) 123(9):1575-85 ISSN: 0022-3166 The inclusion of 8% mineral oil in a fat-free diet causes severe growth retardation in rats. In the present study, this growth retardation was found to be primarily due to the reduction in nutrient intake, but not to the exacerbation of essential fatty acid deficiency. In addition, the growth retardation caused by mineral oil ingestion was prevented by the concurrent inclusion of 10% water- insoluble dietary fiber [gobo fiber prepared from Arctium lappa L. (gobo in Japanese) or cotton cellulose powder] or 5% fatty acids (C12- C18) as well as glycerol monostearate. The prevention of growth retardation by these substances was due to their ability to inhibit mineral oil absorption from the intestinal lumen. Registry Numbers: 112-63-0 (methyl linoleate) 8020-83-5 (Mineral Oil) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****VIROLOGY***** YAO XJ WAINBERG MA PARNIAK MA MECHANISM OF INHIBITION OF HIV-1 INFECTION IN VITRO BY PURIFIED EXTRACT OF PRUNELLA VULGARIS. In: Virology (1992 Mar) 187(1):56-62 ISSN: 0042-6822 Crude extracts of four Chinese herbs, Arctium lappa, Astragalus membranaceus, Andrographis paniculata, and Prunella vulgaris, were assessed in several tissue culture lines for anti-HIV activity and for cytotoxicity. One extract, obtained from P. vulgaris, was able to significantly inhibit HIV-1 replication with relatively low cytotoxicity. The active factor was purified using sequential precipitations with ethanol and n-butanol, followed by reverse-phase and gel permeation high-performance liquid chromatographic separations. The active component was anionic with a molecular weight of approximately 10 kDa. The purified extract inhibited HIV-1 replication in the lymphoid cell line MT-4, in the monocytoid cell line U937, and in peripheral blood mononuclear cells at effective concentrations of 6, 30, and 12.5 micrograms/ml, respectively. Pretreatment of uninfected cells with the extract prior to viral exposure did not prevent HIV-1 infection. By contrast, preincubation of HIV-1 with the purified extract dramatically decreased infectiousness. The purified extract was also able to block cell-to- cell transmission of HIV-1, prevented syncytium formation, and interfered with the ability of both HIV-1 and purified gp120 to bind to CD4. PCR analysis confirmed the absence of HIV-1 proviral DNA in cells exposed to virus in the presence of the extract. These results suggest that the purified extract antagonizes HIV-1 infection of susceptible cells by preventing viral attachment to the CD4 receptor. Registry Numbers: EC 2.7.7.- (HIV-1 reverse transcriptase) EC 2.7.7.49 (RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase) 30516-87-1 (Zidovudine) EC 2.7.7.- (HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CHINESE MEDICINE***** LIN CC LU JM YANG JJ CHUANG SC UJIIE T ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AND RADICAL SCAVENGE EFFECTS OF ARCTIUM LAPPA. In: Am J Chin Med (1996) 24(2):127-37 ISSN: 0192-415X The effects of Arctium lappa L. (root) on anti-inflammatory and free radical scavenger activity were investigated. Subcutaneous administration of A. lappa crude extract significantly decreased carrageenan-induced rat paw edema. When simultaneously treated with CCl4, it produced pronounced activities against CCl4-induced acute liver damage. The free radical scavenging activity of its crude extract was also examined by means of an electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrometer. The IC50 of A. lappa extract on superoxide and hydroxyl radical scavenger activity was 2.06 mg/ml and 11.8 mg/ml, respectively. These findings suggest that Arctium lappa possess free radical scavenging activity. The inhibitory effects on carrageenan- induced paw edema and CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity could be due to the scavenging effect of A. lappa. Registry Numbers: 11062-77-4 (Superoxides) 3352-57-6 (Hydroxyl Radical) 56-23-5 (Carbon Tetrachloride) 9000-07-1 (Carrageenan) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****BIOSCIENCE, BIOTECHNOLOGY, AND BIOCHEMISTRY***** KATO Y WATANABE T ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A XYLOGLUCAN FROM GOBO (ARCTIUM LAPPA L.). In: Biosci Biotechnol Biochem (1993 Sep) 57(9):1591-2 ISSN: 0916-8451 A xyloglucan was isolated from the 24% KOH extract of gobo (edible burdock, Arctium lappa L.). A methylation analysis and enzymic degradation studies on the polysaccharide showed that gobo-xyloglucan was built up predominantly of repeating-oligosaccharide units of hepta-(Glc:Xyl = 4:3), nona- (Glc:Xyl:Gal:Fuc = 4:3:1:1) and deca- (Glc:Xyl:Gal:Fuc = 4:3:2:1) saccharides in an approximate molar ratio of 14:12:5, which are the typical structural units of dicot xyloglucans. Registry Numbers: 37294-28-3 (xyloglucan) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****BULLETIN OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION***** ANONYMOUS IN VITRO SCREENING OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINES FOR ANTI-HIV ACTIVITY: MEMORANDUM FROM A WHO MEETING. In: Bull World Health Organ (1989) 67(6):613-8 ISSN: 0042-9686 Many plant products are being used by patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in some countries without any scientific proof that they possess anti-HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) activity. Traditional healers are now offering their remedies for scientific evaluation, and a few studies provide information on the inhibitory activity against HIV of plants such as Viola yedoensis, Arctium lappa, Epimedium grandiflorum, Glycyrrhiza uralensis and Castanospermum australe. Natural products can be selected for biological screening based on ethnomedical use, random collection or a chemotaxonomic approach (i.e., screening of species of the same botanical family for similar compounds), but the follow- up and selection of plants based on literature leads would seem to be the most cost-effective way of identifying plants with anti-HIV activity. No single in vitro screening methodology for anti-HIV activity is ideal and confirmatory assays in multiple systems are needed to examine completely the potential use of a compound. To promote further research in traditional medicine and AIDS, appropriate institutions will be identified where the different activities for the scientific evaluation of plants and their extracts for possible treatment of AIDS can be carried out. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****CHEMICAL AND PHARMACEUTICAL BULLETIN***** UMEHARA K NAKAMURA M MIYASE T KUROYANAGI M UENO A STUDIES ON DIFFERENTIATION INDUCERS. VI. LIGNAN DERIVATIVES FROM ARCTIUM FRUCTUS. (2). In: Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) (1996 Dec) 44(12):2300-4 ISSN: 0009-2363 In the previous paper, we reported the differentiation inducing activities of lignoids from Arctium Fructus (the fruits of Arctium lappa L., Compositae) against mouse myeloid leukemia cells (M1). We reinvestigated the active components of this extract and isolated three new dilignans. Furthermore, structure modifications were carried out using the most active lignan (arctigenin, 1) and its structure-activity relationship was investigated. Its aliphatic esters were more effective in inducing the differentiation of M1 cells than its aromatic esters. Especially, n-decanoate, which was the most active derivative, induced more than half of the M1 cells into phagocytic cells at a concentration of 2 microM. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ IWAKAMI S WU JB EBIZUKA Y SANKAWA U PLATELET ACTIVATING FACTOR (PAF) ANTAGONISTS CONTAINED IN MEDICINAL PLANTS: LIGNANS AND SESQUITERPENES. In: Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) (1992 May) 40(5):1196-8 ISSN: 0009-2363 Hot aqueous extracts of medicinal plants were tested for their inhibitory effect on the binding of platelet activating factor (PAF) to rabbit platelets. The extracts of Forsythia suspensa VAHL. (Oleaceae), Arctium lappa L. (Compositae) and Centipeda minima (L.) A. BRAUN et ASCHERS (Compositae) showed significant activities. Since the main constituents of F. suspensa and A. lappa are lignans, 30 lignans were tested for their inhibitory effects on PAF binding to platelets and 9 lignans were found active. Four sesquiterpenes were isolated as active compounds from C. minima. In particular 6-O- angeloylplenolin and 6-O-senecioyplenolin are the most potent and specific PAF antagonists found in this study. Registry Numbers: 9005-53-2 (Lignin) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****CRITICAL REVIEWS IN FOOD SCIENCE AND NUTRITION***** PROCTOR VA CUNNINGHAM FE THE CHEMISTRY OF LYSOZYME AND ITS USE AS A FOOD PRESERVATIVE AND A PHARMACEUTICAL. In: Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr (1988) 26(4):359-95 ISSN: 1040-8398 The chemistry and use of lysozyme as a food preservative and a pharmaceutical are reviewed. Lysozyme inhibits the growth of deleterious organisms, thus prolonging shelf life. Chemicals used to improve the preservative effect of lysozyme and those that inhibit the enzyme are discussed, along with the stability of lysozyme in various chemical environments. Lysozyme has been used to preserve fresh fruits and vegetables, tofu bean curd, seafoods, meats and sausages, potato salad, cooked burdock with soy sauce, and varieties of semihard cheeses such as Edam, Gouda, and some Italian cheeses. Lysozyme added to infant-feeding formulas makes them more closely resemble human milk. Lysozyme has been used clinically in the treatment of periodontitis, administered in chewing gum, and implemented to prevent tooth decay. It has also been administered to patients suffering from cancer for its analgesic effect and has been used as a potentiating agent in antibiotic therapy. Registry Numbers: EC 3.2.1.17 (Muramidase) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****DIABETES RESEARCH***** SWANSTON-FLATT SK DAY C FLATT PR GOULD BJ BAILEY CJ GLYCAEMIC EFFECTS OF TRADITIONAL EUROPEAN PLANT TREATMENTS FOR DIABETES. STUDIES IN NORMAL AND STREPTOZOTOCIN DIABETIC MICE. In: Diabetes Res (1989 Feb) 10(2):69-73 ISSN: 0265-5985 Twelve plants used for the traditional treatment of diabetes mellitus in northern Europe were studied using normal and streptozotocin diabetic mice to evaluate effects on glucose homeostasis. The plants were administered in the diet (6.25% by weight) and/or as decoctions or infusions in place of drinking water, to coincide with the traditional method of preparation. Treatment for 28 days with preparations of burdock (Arctium lappa), cashew (Anacardium occidentale), dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), elder (Sambucus nigra), fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum), guayusa (Ilex guayusa), hop (Humulus lupulus), nettle (Urtica dioica), cultivated mushroom (Agaricus bisporus), periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus), sage (Salvia officinale), and wild carrot (Daucus carrota) did not affect the parameters of glucose homeostasis examined in normal mice (basal plasma glucose and insulin, glucose tolerance, insulin-induced hypoglycaemia and glycated haemoglobin). After administration of streptozotocin (200 mg/kg) burdock and nettle aggravated the diabetic condition, while cashew, dandelion, elder, fenugreek, hop, periwinkle, sage and wild carrot did not significantly affect the parameters of glucose homeostasis studied (basal glucose and insulin, insulin-induced hypoglycaemia, glycated haemoglobin and pancreatic insulin concentration). Guayusa and mushroom retarded the development of hyperglycaemia in streptozotocin diabetes and reduced the hyperphagia, polydipsia, body weight loss, and glycated haemoglobin. Mushroom also countered the initial reduction in plasma insulin and the reduction in pancreatic insulin concentration, and improved the hypoglycaemic effect of exogenous insulin. These studies suggest the presence of potentially useful antidiabetic agents in guayusa and mushroom. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****FUKUOKA IGAKU ZASSHI. FUKUOKA ACTA MEDICA***** MORITA K MATSUEDA T IIDA T [EFFECT OF DIETARY FIBER ON FECAL EXCRETION AND LIVER DISTRIBUTION OF PCDF IN RATS] In: Fukuoka Igaku Zasshi (1995 May) 86(5):218-25 ISSN: 0016-254X (Published in Japanese) Forty male rats (126 g body weight) consisting of four rats a group were housed and rats of each group were given a treatment diets containing cellulose, rice-bran fiber, spinach fiber, burdock fiber, cabbage fiber, soybean fiber, Japanese-radish fiber, carrot fiber and corn fiber for five days. The remaining four rats were fed a non- fiber diet as controls. The animals were orally administered with 0.5 ml of the rice-bran oil used by Yusho patients and kept on the same diets for five days. The rice-bran oil was contaminated with 2, 3, 7, 8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran (2, 3, 7, 8-T4CDF, 458.7 ng/ml), 2, 3, 4, 7, 8-pentachlorodibenzofuran (2, 3, 4, 7, 8-P5CDF, 802.4 ng/ml) and 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8-hexachlorodibenzofuran (1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8-H6CDF, 752.3 ng/ml). PCDF in feces and liver were analyzed by high resolution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The fecal excretion of 2, 3, 7, 8-T4CDF in the group fed rice-bran fiber and spinach fiber was significantly (p < 0.01) stimulated 11.3 and 6.8 times, respectively, as compared with controls. Moreover, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8- P5CDF and 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8-H6CDF were excreted in stool at the rate of 4.1 and 3.4 times, respectively and 2.1 and 2.2 times, respectively, as compared with controls. These results suggest that administration of dietary fiber is useful for a new approach to therapy of Yusho patients. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ MORITA K HAMAMURA K IIDA T [BINDING OF PCB BY SEVERAL TYPES OF DIETARY FIBER IN VIVO AND IN VITRO] In: Fukuoka Igaku Zasshi (1995 May) 86(5):212-7 ISSN: 0016-254X (Published in Japanese) We investigated the binding of PCB by dietary fiber in vivo and in vitro. Forty male rats consisting of four rats a group were housed and rats of each group were given a treatment diet containing rice- bran fiber, spinach fiber, burdock fiber, cabbage fiber, soybean fiber Japanese-radish fiber, carrot fiber, corn fiber and cellulose for five days. The remaining four rats were fed a non-fiber diet as controls. The animals were administered with 0.5 ml of the race-bran oil used by Yusho patients and kept on the same diets for five days. Fecal excretion of PCB in the group fed rice-bran fiber and spinach fiber was significantly (p < 0.01) stimulated 6.6 and 4.1 times, respectively, as compared with controls. Dietary fiber was suspended in distilled water, and methanolic solution of PCB was added to these suspensions. The mixtures were then incubated. After centrifugation, the unbound PCB in supernatant was analyzed by gas chromatograph. Rice-bran fiber and spinach fiber bount more PCB than any of the other dietary fiber. A significant correlation existed between the amounts of binding PCB in vitro and fecal PCB output in rats by eight types of dietary fiber (r = 0.986, p < 0.01). €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ MORITA K HIRAKAWA H MATSUEDA T IIDA T TOKIWA H [STIMULATING EFFECT OF DIETARY FIBER ON FECAL EXCRETION OF POLYCHLORINATED DIBENZOFURANS (PCDF) AND POLYCHLORINATED DIBENZO-P- DIOXINS (PCDD) IN RATS] In: Fukuoka Igaku Zasshi (1993 May) 84(5):273-81 ISSN: 0016-254X (Published in Japanese) We investigated the stimulating effect of dietary fiber on fecal excretion of PCDF and PCDD stored in the rat body. Twenty-eight male rats (71-74g body weight) were orally administered with 1ml of the causal rice oil of Yusho desease. The rice oil was contaminated with 2, 3, 4, 7, 8-pentaCDF (691.4ng), 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8-hexaCDF (708.6ng), 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8-hexaCDF (128.4ng), 1, 2, 3, 7, 8-pentaCDD (7.2ng), 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8-hexaCDD (34.1ng), 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9-hexaCDD (20.1ng) and 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8-heptaCDD (115.9ng). The animals were fed a control diet containing 10% cellulose for seven days. Twenty-eight rats consisting of four rats a group were housed and rats of each group were given a treatment diet containing 10% rice-bran-fiber (RBF), 5% cholestyramine, 10% RBF + 5% cholestyramine, 10% RBF + 5% cholestyramine + 1% squalane, 10% burdock-fiber, 10% corn-fiber and 10% soybean-fiber during a period from eight to twenty-one days. The remaining four rats served as controls. PCDF and PCDD in feces, liver, small intestine and gastrointestinal tract were analyzed by high resolution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. PCDF level in small intestine of rats administered with RBF + cholestyramine showed a decrease of 40% over the level of control rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Registry Numbers: 1746-01-6 (Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****INTERNATIONAL UROLOGY AND NEPHROLOGY***** GRASES F MELERO G COSTA-BAUZA A PRIETO R MARCH JG UROLITHIASIS AND PHYTOTHERAPY. In: Int Urol Nephrol (1994) 26(5):507-11 ISSN: 0301-1623 The effects of seven plants with suspected application to prevent and treat stone kidney formation (Verbena officinalis, Lithospermum officinale, Taraxacum officinale, Equisetum arvense, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Arctium lappa and Silene saxifraga) have been studied using female Wistar rats. Variations of the main urolithiasis risk factors (citraturia, calciuria, phosphaturia, pH and diuresis) have been evaluated. It can be concluded that beneficial effects caused by these herb infusions on urolithiasis can be attributed to some disinfectant action, and tentatively to the presence of saponins. Specifically, some solvent action can be postulated with respect to uric stones or heterogeneous uric nucleus, due to the basifying capacity of some herb infusions. Nevertheless, for all the mentioned beneficial effects, more effective and equally innocuous substances are well known. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****JOURNAL OF MANIPULATIVE AND PHYSIOLOGICAL THERAPEUTICS***** STUDE DE GOERTZ C GALLINGER M INTER- AND INTRAEXAMINER RELIABILITY OF A SINGLE, DIGITAL INCLINOMETRIC RANGE OF MOTION MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUE IN THE ASSESSMENT OF LUMBAR RANGE OF MOTION. In: J Manipulative Physiol Ther (1994 Feb) 17(2):83-7 ISSN: 0161-4754 OBJECTIVE: The between and within examiner reliability of a range of motion digital inclinometer was evaluated for lumbar flexion, extension and right and left lateral flexion. DESIGN: Blinded, lumbar range of motion instrumentation reliability. SETTING: Private college research and ambulatory patient care facility. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty- eight asymptomatic persons recruited from a private college. This included students, staff and faculty that ranged from 23-36 yr, with no history of back pain or surgery or back injury 6 wk prior to entry into the study. INTERVENTION: Lumbar range of motion examination, twice by each examiner, or four times in all per subject. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Lumbar range of motion, measured in degrees. RESULTS: Intraclass correlation (ICC) revealed lack of reliability for this device except flexion, but intrinsic limitations of the instrument suggests that flexion as well may not be reliable. The p value of .05 was used for statistical significance and Burdock's recommended value of .75 represented the minimum R value for reliability. CONCLUSION: Most of the reliability values did not meet Burdock's recommended minimum R value, and the R values for flexion may have met minimum criteria due to intrinsic limitations of the instrument itself. Due to the findings of this study, we conclude that the Orthoranger II digital inclinometer is not reliable, between and/or within examiners, for measuring lumbar flexion, extension or lateral flexion. Because there was evidence to suggest other variables which were not accounted for, and which could have affected final results, the development of a streamlined protocol may result in more consistent findings. Further research is needed to either support or dispute these results before this instrument can be recommended as an assessment tool in clinical practice or in clinical trials. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****JOURNAL OF NUTRITIONAL SCIENCE AND VITAMINOLOGY***** TAKEDA H KIRIYAMA S EFFECT OF FEEDING AMARANTH (FOOD RED NO. 2) ON THE JEJUNAL SUCRASE AND DIGESTION-ABSORPTION CAPACITY OF THE JEJUNUM IN RATS. In: J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo) (1991 Dec) 37(6):611-23 ISSN: 0301-4800 To clarify the effect of feeding 5% amaranth (Food Red No. 2, Am) alone or with 5% dietary fiber on jejunal mucosal integrity, change in jejunal sucrase activity before and after the feeding was compared between rats fed and fasted previously. Digestion-absorption capacity of the jejunum was also examined by perfusing 15 mmol/liter sucrose and 30 mmol/liter glycylglycine through the anesthetized rat jejunum after 14 days of feeding Am. Gobo dietary fiber (GDF) was prepared from the roots of edible burdock (Arctium lappa L.). At the end of 3 days' fasting, rats had 20% less body weight, 30% less mucosal protein and 50% less jejunal sucrase activity per unit length than those before fasting. Although rats fed Am showed severe diarrhea and growth retardation as observed in previous reports, initial sucrase level was not changed by feeding Am for 3 days even in the fasted rats. When sucrase activity on day 3 after feeding was compared among inter-groups, however, rats fed Am showed sucrase activity lower than that of rats fed either the basal diet or the basal diet containing Am plus GDF only when they had been fasted previously. After 14 days of feeding, rats fed Am after 3 days' fasting regained sucrase activity up to that of rats fed the basal diet despite the remarkable growth retardation. Jejunal perfusion in situ showed that digestion- absorption capacity for sucrose and glycylglycine in rats fed 5% Am for 14 days was also the same as that in rats fed the basal diet. These results suggest that feeding Am can reduce neither jejunal sucrase nor digestion-absorption capacity of epithelial cells of the jejunum, but retards the regain of the lowered sucrase level at earlier stage of feeding when rats have been fasted before the feeding, and that concurrent feeding of GDF promotes catch-up of the sucrase level lowered by the fasting. Registry Numbers: EC 3.2.1.48 (Sucrase) 915-67-3 (Amaranth) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****MUTATION RESEARCH***** MORITA K KADA T NAMIKI M A DESMUTAGENIC FACTOR ISOLATED FROM BURDOCK (ARCTIUM LAPPA LINNE). In: Mutat Res (1984 Oct) 129(1):25-31 ISSN: 0027-5107 A desmutagenic factor was isolated from burdock (Arctium lappa Linne). This factor reduced the mutagenicity of mutagens that are active without metabolic activation, such as 4-NO2-1,2-DAB and 2-NO2- 1,4-DAB, as well as mutagens such as ethidium bromide, 2- aminoanthracene, Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2 requiring S9 for metabolic activation. It is resistant to heat and proteolytic enzymes and sensitive to treatment with MnCl2. The partially purified principles had a molecular weight higher than 300 000 and showed characteristics of a polyanionic substance. An irreversible diminution of the mutagen was confirmed by treatment of 2-NO2-1,4-DAB or Trp-P-2 with the burdock factor. Registry Numbers: EC 3.4 (Peptide Hydrolases) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****NOTES FROM THE UNDERGROUND***** MAJCHROWICZ MA ESSIAC. In: Notes Undergr (1995 Winter)(no 29):6-7 Essiac, an herbal formulation from the Ojibway Indians in Canada, is composed of four herbs: burdock root, sheep sorrel, turkey rhubarb root, and slippery elm bark. After her discovery of Essiac in 1922, Rene Caisse reported treating and "curing" hundreds of people with cancer and other chronic diseases. The rights to the "original" Essiac now belong to Elaine Alexander of Vancouver, who is currently working with an unnamed health products company to research, test, manufacture, and distribute Essiac. However, there are a variety of sources for Essiac in the United States. According to former chiropractor Gary Glum, sheep's sorrel destroys cancer cells; the other three herbs are blood purifiers. In addition, Dr. Jim Chan, naturopathic physician, says burdock root contains inulin, a powerful immune modulator. However, there has been no basic research done with these herbs to demonstrate their true mechanisms of action. In addition, only anecdotal reports provide information about results. Only laboratory and clinical studies will confirm the anti-tumor and immune-modulating effects of Essiac. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****PLANTA MEDICA***** NOSE M FUJIMOTO T TAKEDA T NISHIBE S OGIHARA Y STRUCTURAL TRANSFORMATION OF LIGNAN COMPOUNDS IN RAT GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT. In: Planta Med (1992 Dec) 58(6):520-3 ISSN: 0032-0943 Structural transformation of arctiin and tracheloside, major components of seeds of Arctium lappa and Carthamus tinctorius, were investigated using rat gastric juice (pH 1.2-1.5) and rat large intestinal flora in vitro. Quantitative analysis of lignans and their metabolites was carried out by high performance liquid chromatography. Both lignans were stable in rat gastric juice and arctiin was rapidly transformed to arctigenin in rat large intestinal flora, followed by conversion to the major metabolite, 2-(3",4"- dihydroxybenzyl)-3-(3',4'-dimethoxybenzyl)-butyrolactone. On the other hand, tracheloside also decreased dependently with time and was converted to trachelogenin and its major metabolite, 2-(3",4"- dihydroxybenzyl)-3-(3',4'-dimethoxybenzyl)-2-hydroxybutyrolactone. These experiments suggest that in the course of metabolism of lignans, firstly a cleavage of the glycosidic bond occurred and then demethylation of the phenolic methoxy group in the alimentary tract followed. Registry Numbers: 20362-31-6 (arctiin) 33464-71-0 (tracheloside) 9005-53-2 (Lignin) 96-48-0 (4-Butyrolactone) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****TERATOGENESIS, CARCINOGENESIS, AND MUTAGENESIS***** BASARAN AA YU TW PLEWA MJ ANDERSON D AN INVESTIGATION OF SOME TURKISH HERBAL MEDICINES IN SALMONELLA TYPHIMURIUM AND IN THE COMET ASSAY IN HUMAN LYMPHOCYTES. In: Teratog Carcinog Mutagen (1996) 16(2):125-38 ISSN: 0270-3211 Medicinal plants play a major role in the life of Turkish people and of late medicinal plant usage has increased in many countries. Green plants in general contain mutagenic and carcinogenic substances, but there is little information about the biological activities of herbal medicine. In the present study, therefore, various Turkish medicinal herbs were investigated for their genotoxic potential in the Salmonella typhimurium microsomal activation assay and the alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis (COMET) assay. Extracts from these medicinal herbs and some fractions of these extracts were examined. The species investigated were Arctium minus, Ecballium elatterium, Momordica charantia, Plantago major, Urtica dioica, Viscum album, Salvia triloba, Euphorbia rigida, Stachys lavandulifolia, Acteoside, Abies nordmannia. They are used for various immune disorders and are applied either topically or taken orally as a herbal tea. Of the 19 samples of the extracts and fractions investigated, none produced a positive response in strains TA98 and TA100 with or without metabolic activation, but all produced an increase above negative control values in the COMET assay. Some extracts were investigated further and produced dose-related increases. In the case of Urtica and Euphorbia species, where two fractions from these plants were examined, one fraction produced a greater response than the other. It is suggested that the lesser response of the fractions might be due to less DNA strand-breaking agents in the fractions or they may have antigenotoxic properties. The breaks that are detected in the COMET assay could be alkali-labile AP-sites and intermediates in base- or nucleotide-excision repair and are difficult to interpret in terms of hazard for man. Further studies with additional genotoxicity assays would be required to make such a prediction. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****YAO HSUEH HSUEH PAO [ACTA PHARMACEUTICA SINICA]***** WANG HY YANG JS [STUDIES ON THE CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS OF ARCTIUM LAPPA L] In: Yao Hsueh Hsueh Pao (1993) 28(12):911-7 ISSN: 0513-4870 (Published in Chinese) Six compounds were isolated from the seeds of Arctium lappa L. One of them is a new lignan named neoarctin B(VI). The structure has been elucidated on the basis of spectral (UV, IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, DEPT, 2D-NMR and MS) analysis. The other five compounds were identified as daucosterol (I), arctigenin (II), arctiin (III), matairesinol (IV) and lappaol F (V). Registry Numbers: 155969-67-8 (neoarctin B) 474-58-8 (lyoniside) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ SUN WJ SHA ZF GAO H DETERMINATION OF ARCTIIN AND ARCTIGENIN IN FRUCTUS ARCTII BY REVERSE- PHASE HPLC. In: Yao Hsueh Hsueh Pao (1992) 27(7):549-51 ISSN: 0513-4870 The fruits of Arctium lappa L. is an often-used herbal drug in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of common cold caused by wind and heat. This drug contained many constituents, principally arctiin, with arctigenin in smaller amount. In this work, arctiin has been isolated from the fruits of Arctium lappa, and then enzymolyzed into arctigenin. The obtained arctiin and arctigenin were characterized and then used as standards for their determination in the crude drug by HPLC. The method is simple, rapid and accurate. Registry Numbers: 20362-31-6 (arctiin) 7770-78-7 (arctigenin) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€