Effects of kampo (Japanese herbal) medicine "sho-saiko-to" on DNA-synthesizing enzyme activity in 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced colonic carcinomas in rats

Chinese Herbal Medicine (Chaihu-Huaji Decoction) Alleviates Postembolization Syndrome following Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization and Improves Survival in Unresectable Hepatocellular Cancer: A Retrospective Study

Objective

To examine the efficacy of Chaihu-huaji decoction combined with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the data of 125 HCC patients treated in Chongqing Cancer Hospital between January 2012 and December 2014, including 64 patients who received Chaihu-huaji decoction and TACE (Chaihu-huaji group) and 61 patients who received only TACE (control group). The patients were examined until the last follow-up or death. Complications, hepatotoxicity, and nephrotoxicity were compared between the two groups.

Results

Fever, nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, and leukocytopenia were alleviated in patients who received Chaihu-huaji decoction, and no cases of significant hepatic and renal toxicities related to the herbal medicine were observed in the Chaihu-huaji group. The 3-year overall survival probability was significantly higher in the Chaihu-huaji group (26.47%) than in the control group (13.06%).

Conclusion

Chaihu-huaji decoction may prevent adverse events after TACE and prolong overall survival of unresectable HCC patients when combined with TACE.

Pinelliae Rhizoma Herbal-Acupuncture Solution Induced Apoptosis in Human Cervical Cancer Cells, SNU-17

Pinelliae Rhizoma has been used traditionally in Korea to promote the liver Qi activity and the function of the digestive system. We investigated whether the Pinelliae Rhizoma herbal-acupuncture solution (PRHS) would induce cell-death on SNU-17, human cervical cancer cells. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to investigate the cytotoxicity of PRHS. The cell death was identified as apoptosis with 4, 6-diamidineo-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining, and terminal deoxy-nucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. PRHS could induce apoptosis of SNU-17 via Bax-related caspase-3 activation. The expressions of both Bax, a pro-apoptotic gene, and caspase-3, an apoptotic gene, were increased. The results might provide the experimental data for the clinical use of Pinelliae Rhizoma on cervical cancer.

Therapeutic effects of the oriental herbal medicine Sho-saiko-to on liver cirrhosis and carcinoma

The traditional Chinese herbal medicine Sho-saiko-to is a mixture of seven herbal preparations that has long been used in the treatment of chronic liver disease. Various clinical trials have shown that Sho-saiko-to protects against the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhotic patients. However, the mechanism by which Sho-saiko-to protects hepatocytes against hepatic fibrosis and carcinoma is not yet known. Basic science studies have demonstrated that Sho-saiko-to reduces hepatocyte necrosis and enhances liver function. Sho-saiko-to significantly inhibits hepatic fibrosis by inhibiting the activation of stellate cells, the major producers of collagen in the liver, as well as by inhibiting hepatic lipid peroxidation, promoting matrix degradation, and suppressing extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation. Furthermore, clinical trials have shown that Sho-saiko-to lowers the rate of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development in patients with cirrhosis and increases the survival of patients with HCC. Unfortunately, some case reports have shown the side effects of Sho-saiko-to. Most of the side effects were interstitial pneumonia and acute respiratory failure induced by Sho-saiko-to in Japan. As a result of analyzing these case reports, the incidence and risk are increased by co-administration of interferon, duration of medication, and, high in an elderly population. This review discusses the properties of Sho-saiko-to with regards to the treatment of chronic liver diseases and suggests the side effects of Sho-saiko-to.

Preventive effect of traditional herbal formulae against experimental hypercholesterolemia in rats with special reference to blood lipoprotein cholesterol levels

To investigate the effect of traditional herbal formulae (Zhong Yao) against experimental hypercholesterolemia, we assayed serum lipoprotein levels and hepatic function in rats administered herbal formulae under cholesterol rich diet. Two kinds of herbal formulae; prescription 1 (Bupleurum chinense and other 9 kinds of herbs) and 2 (Camellia sinensis and other 5 kinds of herbs) were prepared. All of 35 rats were separated into 4 groups, group P fed under cholesterol rich diet for 15 days and administered the prescriptions for 2 days, group Q administered the prescriptions for 17 days under the same diet, group R fed under the same diet but no prescriptions, and group S fed under regular diet. In rats administered prescription 1, serum low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in group Q were preserved as well as standard group S. Such a preservation was not observed under administration of prescription 2. Regarding choleretic function, serum total bilic acid levels measured in group P were extremely increased when prescription 1 was administered for only 2 days after stopping the cholesterol rich diet. In study on telomerase activity of liver extracts to assess hepatocyte function, significantly higher level of activity was noted in group Q administered prescription 1. From these results, it was suggested that prescription 1 had much preventive effect against hypercholesterolemia in rats, probably due to its choleretic function.

Antitumor effects of Scutellariae radix and its components baicalein, baicalin, and wogonin on bladder cancer cell lines

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the antitumor effects of Scutellariae radix and its components baicalein, baicalin, and wogonin on human bladder cancer cell lines (KU-1 and EJ-1) and a murine bladder cancer cell line (MBT-2).

METHODS

Bladder cancer cells were incubated with various concentrations of the agents. Antiproliferative activity against the bladder cancer cell lines was examined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diplenyl tetrazolium bromide assay. In an in vivo experiment, the mice were subcutaneously injected with MBT-2 cells, and Scutellariae radix was orally administered at a dose of 2 or 10 mg per mouse one time daily for 10 days from day 11 to day 20.

RESULTS

All the drugs inhibited cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner, but baicalin exhibited the greatest antiproliferative activity. The concentration of baicalin necessary to obtain 50% inhibition was 3.4 microg/mL for KU-1, 4.4 microg/mL for EJ-1, and 0.93 microg/mL for MBT-2. For KU-1 and MBT-2, the percentage of cell survival significantly decreased (P <0.05) at a baicalin concentration of 1 microg/mL. In an in vivo experiment, antitumor effects of Scutellariae radix on C3H/HeN mice implanted with MBT-2 were investigated. All the control mice showed a progressive increase in tumor volume, reaching 2.81 +/- 0.18 cm(3) on day 20 and 5.36 +/- 0.44 cm(3) on day 25. However, when Scutellariae radix was orally administered at a dose of 10 mg per mouse one time daily for 10 days from day 11 to day 20, the tumor volume was 1.99 +/- 0.19 cm(3) on day 20 and 3.86 +/- 0.26 cm(3) on day 25, a significant inhibition of tumor growth (P <0.05). Conclusions. These results suggest that Chinese herbal medicines may become an attractive and promising treatment for bladder cancer.