Herbal remedies improve the strength of repairing ligament in a rat model

The essential oil of Croton zehntneri and trans-anethole improves cutaneous wound healing

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY RELEVANCE

Croton zehntneri is a Euphorbiaceae species native to northeastern Brazil, where teas and beverages made from Croton zehntneri leaves are used as healing agents. To our knowledge, there is no experimental study supporting this claim of pharmacological activity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Full-thickness excisional wounds were made in the left and right sides of the dorsum of anesthetised Swiss mice, and a topical pharmaceutical formulation, developed by including essential oil extracted from the leaves of Croton zehntneri (2% and 20% EOCz) in pluronic-127 (PF-127), was administered to mice twice daily for 15 days post-wounding. To evaluate the contribution of trans-anethole, the major constituent of EOCz (85.7%), in the wound healing activity of EOCz, the effect of the topical administration of trans-AT on wound tissue repair was also evaluated and compared to other groups. A macroscopic analysis of swelling and exudates was performed and scored as 0 (missing), 1 (light), 2 (moderate) and 3 (intense). The number of capillaries and leukocytes was counted in hematoxylin and eosin (HE)-stained sections of the injured tissue. For extracellular matrix remodelling analysis, fibroblasts and collagen fibres present in the photomicrography of the Masson's Trichrome (MT)-stained sections were counted. Each experimental group comprised six mice.

RESULTS

At day 3 post-wounding, it was observed that treatment with 20% EOCz greatly reduced the swelling and exudates with a similar magnitude to the dexamethasone treatment. The inflammatory cell infiltration and angiogenesis were not altered by either the EOCz- or trans-AT treatments. In contrast, an acceleration of the wound closure was observed, with an enhanced number of fibroblasts and collagen fibres in both the 20% EOCz- and trans-AT-treated mice.

CONCLUSION

Our data indicate that EOCz exerts significant wound healing activity, demonstrating its relevant therapeutic potential.

Ultrasound phonophoresis of panax notoginseng improves the strength of repairing ligament: a rat model

This study examined the phonophoretic effect of a therapeutic ultrasound coupled with a Panax notoginseng (PN) gel and compared it with a therapeutic ultrasound alone for medial collateral ligament repair in rats. Twenty mature male Sprague-Dawley rats receiving surgical transection to the left medial collateral ligament (MCL) were divided randomly into three groups: ultrasound (US, n = 7), ultrasound with PN coupling gel (PNUS, n = 7) and control (n = 6). The treatments started on day 3 after surgery for six days per week over a two-week period. The US group received 4 min of pulsed ultrasound (1 MHz) at the intensity of 0.5W/cm(2) with a normal ultrasonic coupling gel. The PNUS group received the same ultrasound treatment, but with a coupling gel that contained PN extract. The control group received a placebo ultrasound treatment similar to the other two groups. On day 17, the ligaments were mechanically tested for load-relaxation, stiffness and ultimate tensile strength (UTS). Values of the left side were normalized against that of the right side of each animal for analysis. Results revealed significantly higher normalized stiffness (p = 0.009) and UTS (p = 0.022) in the PNUS group than the other two groups, but insignificant difference in load-relaxation among all groups. This study reveals a positive ultrasonic phonophoretic effect of Panax notoginseng extract for improving the strength of ligament repair than ultrasound therapy alone.

Successful treatment of spondylolisthesis with medicinal herbs

It has been reported that some herbal medicines may be effective for acute episodes of chronic nonspecific lower back pain. Spondylolisthesis is one of the causes of lower back or neck pain. To our knowledge, successful treatment of symptomatic spondylolisthesis with medicinal herbs has not been previously reported in the published work. A 63-year-old female had suffered from back pain for 4 years. Radiographs revealed spondylolisthesis at the L3 level. In another case, an 82-year-old female suffered from neck pain. X-ray examinations revealed cervical spondylolisthesis at the C4 level. Several herbs were administered to these patients with symptomatic spondylolisthesis according to the guidelines for herbal medicine. Significant improvements in pain were obtained within 4 weeks in both patients. The pain completely disappeared after 20 weeks (case 1) and 6 weeks (case 2) of treatment. Although surgical treatment is often performed for symptomatic spondylolisthesis, the findings of the present cases imply the therapeutic potential of herbal medicine in selected patients.

Combining therapeutic laser and herbal remedy for treating ligament injury: an ultrastructural morphological study

OBJECTIVE

We examined the ultrastructural morphology (number of collagen fibrils, mean and mass-averaged diameter) of isolated and combined treatments of a therapeutic laser and herbs for medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury in rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twenty-eight rats, divided into seven groups: laser (L), herb (H), laser + herb (LH), laser control (LC), herb control (HC), laser sham (LS) and herb sham (HS), were studied. Right MCL of groups L, H, LH, LC and HC were transected, while that of LS and HS remained intact. Group L received 9 treatment sessions of GaAlAs laser with a dosage of 3.5 Jcm(-2); group H received herbal plaster treatment; groups LH had combined treatments of laser and herb; group LC had placebo laser; group LS had no treatment; groups HC and HS received only bandage without herb. All MCLs were analyzed using transmission electron microscopy at 3 weeks.

RESULTS

Differences (p < 0.05) existed in mean fibril diameters among groups. Core mass-averaged diameters of groups L and H were larger than the control groups (LC and HC). Fibril diameter of group LH (combined treatment) was even larger and approaching that of the intact MCL.

CONCLUSION

Combined therapeutic laser and herbal treatment hastened collagen fibril maturation in MCL repair.