Phytomedicine: International Journal of Phytotherapy & Phytopharmacology back issues from September 2008:
Cranberry juice for prophylaxis of urinary tract infections - conclusions from clinical experience and research.
Sep 01, 2008; ... Abstract Cranberry juice (Vaccinium macrocarpon) is a widely used and recommended North-American folk remedy for prophylaxis of urinary tract infections (UTI). Clinical trials have documented its efficacy in women with recurrent UTI, but so far not in other groups of patients ....
Artichoke leaf extract (Cynara scolymus) reduces plasma cholesterol in otherwise healthy hypercholesterolemic adults: a randomized, double blind placebo controlled trial.(Clinical report)
Sep 01, 2008; ... Abstract Cardiovascular diseases are the chief causes of death in the UK, and are associated with high circulating levels of total cholesterol in the plasma. Artichoke leaf extracts (ALEs) have been reported to reduce plasma lipids levels, including total cholesterol, although ...
The phytoestrogenic isoflavones from Trifolium pratense L. (Red clover) protects human cortical neurons from glutamate toxicity.(Report)
Sep 01, 2008; ... Abstract The endogenous steroid estrogen has been shown to affect neuronal growth, differentiation and survival. Genistein, daidzein and other isoflavones have been shown to mimic the pharmacological actions of the gonadal steroid estrogen with which they have structural ...
Daidzein causes cell cycle arrest at the G1 and G2/M phases in human breast cancer MCF-7 and MDA-MB-453 cells.
Sep 01, 2008; ... Abstract We examined the mechanisms by which daidzein inhibits the growth of breast cancer cells. First, we investigated its antiproliferative effects in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-453 cells exposed to 1-100 [micro]M daidzein for 24, 48, or 72 h. Daidzein significantly inhibited cell ...
20-Hydroxyecdysone increases fiber size in a muscle-specific fashion in rat.(Report)
Sep 01, 2008; ... Abstract 20-Hydroxyecdysone (20E) is an ecdysteroid hormone that regulates moulting in insects. Interestingly, 20E is also found most abundantly in plant species and has anabolic effects in vertebrates, i.e. increasing muscle size without androgen influence. The effect of 20E on ...
Sclerocarya birrea [(A. Rich.) Hochst.] [Anacardiaceae] stem-bark ethanolic extract (SBE) modulates blood glucose, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) of STZ-induced diabetic rats.
Sep 01, 2008; ... Abstract Studies in our laboratories suggest that Sclerocarya birrea stem-bark ethanolic extract (SBE) has hypoglycemic properties. Accordingly, we investigated the effects of SBE on major complications of diabetes mellitus; blood glucose, renal function and mean arterial blood ...
Protective effects of Angelica sinensis extract on amyloid [beta]-peptide-induced neurotoxicity.
Sep 01, 2008; ... Abstract The protective effects of alcohol extract from the root of Angelica sinensis (AS) on [beta]-amyloid peptide (A[beta])-induced toxicity and the mechanism of these effects were investigated. A [beta] is a pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease; it decreased ...
Effects of the polysaccharide fraction of Urtica fissa on castrated rat prostate hyperplasia induced by testosterone propionate.(Report)
Sep 01, 2008; ... Abstract A crude polysaccharide fraction of Urtica fissa roots and stems (UFP) was obtained by water extraction and ultrafiltration, and its effect on castrated rat prostate hyperplasia induced by testosterone propionate was evaluated by the volume index, wet and dry weight ...
Melissa officinalis oil affects infectivity of enveloped herpesviruses.(Report)
Sep 01, 2008; ... Abstract Extracts and essential oils of medicinal plants are increasingly of interest as novel drugs of antimicrobial and antiviral agents, since herpes simplex virus (HSV) might develop resistance to commonly used antiviral agents. Melissa officinalis essential oil was ...
Comparative study on the aristolochic acid I content of Herba Asari for safe use.
Sep 01, 2008; ... Abstract Herba Asari (Xixin, Manchurian Wildginger, Asarum spp.) is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb commonly used as a crude drug and an ingredient in patent medicines. The herb contains aristolochic acid I (AA-I), which has recently caused several incidents of poisoning in ...
Berberine prevents UV-induced MMP-1 and reduction of type I procollagen expression in human dermal fibroblasts.(SHORT COMMUNICATION)(ultraviolet)(Matrix metalloproteinases)(Report)
Sep 01, 2008; ... Abstract Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) induction and type I procollagen reduction in photoaging of the skin due to exposure to ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. Therefore, regulation of these genes has been suggested to be a useful tool to abolish skin aging. In this study, ...
Lobeline, a piperidine alkaloid from Lobelia can reverse P-gp dependent multidrug resistance in tumor cells.(Report)
Sep 01, 2008; ... Abstract Multidrug resistance (MDR) can limit efficacy of chemotherapy. The best studied mechanism involves P-gp (P-glycoprotein) mediated drug efflux. This study focuses on MDR reversal agents from medicinal plants, which can interfere with P-gp. Rhodamine 123 accumulation ...
Effect of total flavonoid fraction of Astragalus complantus R.Brown on angiotensin II-induced portal-vein contraction in hypertensive rats.
Sep 01, 2008; ... Abstract The objective of the present study was to examine further the underlying mechanism of the antihypertensive effect of the total flavonoid (TF), extracted from the seed of Astragalus complanatus R. Brown. Renovascular hypertension rats (RHR) were established ...
Wound healing activity and docking of glycogen-synthase-kinase-3-[beta]-protein with isolated triterpenoid lupeol in rats.(Report)
Sep 01, 2008; ... Abstract A triterpene compound lupeol isolated from petroleum ether extract of leaves of Celastrus paniculatus was screened for wound healing activity (8 mg/ml of 0.2% sodium alginate gel) by excision, incision and dead space wound models on Swiss Albino rats (175-225g). In ...
Cytotoxic properties of thiophenes from Echinops grijissi Hance.(Clinical report)
Sep 01, 2008; ... Abstract The dichloromethane fraction of the crude ethanol extract of Echinops grijissi Hance roots exhibited different cytotoxicity against a panel of four human tumor cell lines, HepG2, K562, HL60 and MCF-7. By a bioassay-guided fractionation, eight thiophenes were isolated ...
Antiproliferative activity of triterpenoids from Eclipta prostrata on Hepatic stellate cells.(Clinical report)
Sep 01, 2008; ... Abstract Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) have been known to play a key role in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis. In the course of screening antifibrotic activity of natural products employing HSC-T6, a rat hepatic stellate cell line as an in vitro assay system, the methanolic ...
High Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography for the Analysis of Medicinal Plants, Eike Reich, Anne Schibli (Eds.).
Sep 01, 2008 ... Thieme Medical Publishers Inc., New York (2007). 264pp., US$149.95, Hard cover, ISBN: 978-1-58890-409-6 This is a comprehensive book on High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC). This volume contains six chapters that encompass the theoretical understanding and ...