€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ ***CHUNG HSI I CHIEH HO TSA CHIH CHINESE JOURNAL OF MODERN DEVELOPMENTS*** Fang JY [Effect of fu-zheng qu-xie on gastric disease infected with Campylobacter pyloridis] In: Chung Hsi I Chieh Ho Tsa Chih (1991 Mar) 11(3):150-2, 133 ISSN: 0254-9034 (Published in Chinese) Chinese herbal medicine and gentamycin were used separately in the treatment of 75 cases of gastric disease by campylobacter pyloridis (CP). Surveying the changes of the gastrofiberscope, pathological test, bacteriology and immunology. This study, found that in the Chinese herbal medicine group clinical symptoms were obviously improving the effective rate for CP being 80% (24/30), the death rate for CP 30% (9/30), and the effective rate for patho-histological changes 50% (15/30). Differences of curative effective rate between the two groups were statistically insignificant (P greater than 0.05). This text pointed out that the principle of Chinese herbal medicine treatment of gastric disease by campylobacter pyloridis was fu-zheng qu-xie. Fu-zheng was achieved by Astragalus membranaceus, Atractylodes macrocephala and Paeonia lactiflora, whereas qu-xie by Taraxacum monogolicum and Oldenlandia diffusa. Chinese herbal medicine for fu-zheng played an important role in modulating immune function. Qu-xie was directly disinfective and indirectly anti- bacterial. Chinese herbal medicine combined with western drugs will decrease the side effects and enhance the curative effect at the same time. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Zheng M [Experimental study of 472 herbs with antiviral action against the herpes simplex virus] In: Chung Hsi I Chieh Ho Tsa Chih (1990 Jan) 10(1):39-41, 6 ISSN: 0254-9034 (Published in Chinese) Using tissue culture method, the present work with its first-hand observation was primarily concerned with evaluating the antiviral effect of 472 traditional medicinal herbs (comprising raw material 10 mg/ml), through both initial (qualitative) and repeated (quantitative) screens, on type 1 herpes simplex virus. When dealing with water and alcoholic extracts, the effective herbs during initial screens were reduced after repeated screens by a range of 28.8-80.0%. Employing the basic value attained by the simultaneous route of drug administration, a stepwise declining of effective herbs would be: extratube route greater than simultaneous route greater than therapeutic route greater than preventive route. The more the routes of drug administration, the less the multiple-route simultaneous efficacy of a herb. Through repeated screens, 10 highly effective herbs were Aristolochia debilis, Artemisia anomala, Lindera strychnifolia, Patrinia villosa, Pinus massoniana, Prunella vulgaris, Pyrrosia lingua, Rhus chinensis, Sargussum fusiforme and Taraxacum mongolicum. Clinically, among the 78 cases of herpetic keratitis due to HSV1 treated by Pyrrosia lingua and Prunella vulgaris eye drops, a cure was effected in 38 and an improvement in 37, with 3 being of no benefit. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****CHUNG-HUA CHENG HSING SHAO SHANG WAI KO TSA CHIH ***** Luo ZH [The use of Chinese traditional medicines to improve impaired immune functions in scald mice] In: Chung Hua Cheng Hsing Shao Shang Wai Ko Tsa Chih (1993 Jan) 9(1):56-8, 80 ISSN: 1000-7806 (Published in Chinese) For the purpose of searching for immunomodulators, this experiment studied the effects of 6 kinds of Chinese traditional herbs on the restoration of the suppressed immune functions in scald mice, including cell-mediated, humoral and non-specific immunity. All control non-treated scald mice showed definite depression of immune functions in various degrees. Polygonum cuspidatum, Taraxacum officinale and Oidenlandia diffusa (wild) roxb showed immunomodulating effects as measured with 3 immunological parameters. But the effects varied according to the dosage of drugs. Rehmannia glutinosa gave definite improving effects on cell-mediated and non- specific immunity, but no significant effect on humoral immunity, while Gui Ling Gao only showed some effect on humoral immunity. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****CHUNG-KUO CHUNG HSI I CHIEH HO TSA CHIH***** Liu XR Han WQ Sun DR [Treatment of intestinal metaplasia and atypical hyperplasia of gastric mucosa with xiao wei yan powder] In: Chung Kuo Chung Hsi I Chieh Ho Tsa Chih (1992 Oct) 12(10):602-3, 580 ISSN: 1003-5370 (Published in Chinese) 138 cases of intestinal metaplasia (IM) and 104 cases of atypical hyperplasia (AH) of the gastric mucosa of chronic gastritis treated with Xiao Wei Yan Powder (XWYP) were reported. The diagnoses were based on the pathological examination of gastric antrum biopsy specimens. The cases were randomly divided into treated group and control group. The XWYP contained Smilax glabrae, Hedyotis diffusae, Taraxacum mongolicum, Caesalpinia sappan, Paeonia alba, Cyperus rotundus, Bletilla striata, Glycyrrhiza uralensis etc., and was prepared in powder form, taken orally 5-7g tid. After 2-4 months of administration, gastroscopic and pathological examinations were repeated. Results: In treated group, the total effective rate of IM was 91.3% and that of the AH was 92.16%, while in control group, they were 21.3% and 14.46% respectively (P < 0.01). It denoated that XWYP had marked therapeutic effects for IM and AH. The animal experiments revealed no toxic effect, so safety guarantee was provided for its clinical application. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****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. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****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. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****PHYTOCHEMISTRY***** Williams CA Goldstone F Greenham J Flavonoids, cinnamic acids and coumarins from the different tissues and medicinal preparations of Taraxacum officinale. In: Phytochemistry (1996 May) 42(1):121-7 ISSN: 0031-9422 Three flavonoid glycosides: luteolin 7-glucoside and two luteolin 7- diglucosides were isolated from dandelion flowers and leaves together with free luteolin and chrysoeriol in the flower tissue. The hydroxycinnamic acids, chicoric acid, monocaffeyltartaric acid and chlorogenic acid were found throughout the plant and the coumarins, cichoriin and aesculin were identified in the leaf extracts. This represents the first report of free chrysoeriol (luteolin 3'-methyl ether) in Taraxacum officinale agg. An earlier provisional identification of chicoric acid, chlorogenic acid, cichoriin and aesculin in a phenolic survey of the tribe Cichorieae is confirmed. Chicoric acid and the related monocaffeyltartaric acid were found to be the major phenolic constituents in flowers, roots, leaves and involucral bracts and also in the medicinal preparations tested. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€