Steroids in traditional Chinese medicine: what is the evidence?

Effects of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of patients with central serous chorioretinopathy: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Several studies have reported the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC), while some ophthalmologists are concerned that TCM may be a risk factor for CSC as some chinese herbs contain hormonal ingredients. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TCM in treating patients with CSC. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies of TCM for CSC were searched up to July 10, 2023 on the following biological databases without language and publication time restrictions: PubMed, Ovid Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, The Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure Database (CNKI), Technology Periodical Database (VIP), Wanfang, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Service System (SinoMed). Review Manager V.5.4.1 and Stata 14 software were used for data analysis. Finally, thirty-eight studies were finally included including 23 RCTs and 15 cohort studies. The meta-analysis showed that compared with the routine treatment alone, the combination of TCM can not only reduce the recurrence rate (OR = 0.29, 95% CI: 0.21,0.40; I2 = 0%) and central retinal thickness (CRT) (MD = - 35.63, 95% CI: - 45.96,-25.30; I2 = 89%) of CSC, but improve patients' best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) (SMD = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.62,1.11; I2 = 77%); additionally, it has no obvious side effects compared with routine treatment (OR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.39,1.34; I2 = 10%). Overall, this study shows that the use of TCM does not increase the risk of CSC recurrence; on the contrary, the combination of TCM may reduce the recurrence of CSC and improve BCVA and CRT in patients with CSC compared with conventional treatment.

The burden of systemic corticosteroid use in asthma management in Asia

For most patients, asthma can be effectively managed using inhaled medications. However, patients who have severe and/or uncontrolled asthma, or who experience exacerbations, may require systemic corticosteroids (SCSs) to maintain asthma control. Although SCS are highly effective in this regard, even modest exposure to these medications can increase the risk for long-term, adverse health outcomes, such as type 2 diabetes, renal impairment, cardiovascular disease and overall mortality. Clinical and real-world data from studies investigating asthma severity, control and treatment practices around the globe have suggested that SCS are overused in asthma management, adding to the already substantial healthcare burden experienced by patients. Throughout Asia, although data on asthma severity, control and SCS usage are limited and vary widely among countries, available data strongly suggest a pattern of overuse consistent with the broader global trend. Coordinated changes at the patient, provider, institutional and policy levels, such as increasing disease awareness, promoting better adherence to treatment guidelines and increasing availability of safe and effective alternatives to SCS, are likely necessary to reduce the SCS burden for patients with asthma in Asia.

Mechanisms of Intervertebral Disc Degeneration Treatment with Deer Antlers Based on Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking

Background

With the aging of the population, the prevalence of IVDD increases preoperatively. How to better treat IVDD has become an important clinical issue. Deer antlers proved to have a great effect on the treatment of IVDD in many studies, but the molecular mechanism has not been clarified.

Objective

To investigate the molecular mechanism and target of deer antlers in the treatment of IVDD.

Methods

Compounds from deer antlers were collected and targets were predicted using HERB, TCMSP, TCMID, SwissADME, and SwissTargetPrediction. Collection of disease targets for IVDD was done using GeneCards, TTD, DrugBank, DisGeNET, and OMIM. Cytoscape 3.7.2, AutoDock Vina (v1.1.2), and R software were used for data analysis and the construction of network diagrams.

Results

A total of 5 active compounds from deer antlers were screened and 104 therapeutic targets were predicted. A total of 1023 IVDD disease targets were collected. Subsequently, PPI network prediction analysis was performed for disease and treatment targets, and 112 core targets were collected after screening. After obtaining the core target, we used the clusterProfiler software package of R software to carry out GO and KEGG enrichment analyses for the core target and plot the bubble maps. According to the GO enrichment results, the main biological processes of IVDD treatment by deer antlers lie in the rhythmic process, mRNA catabolic process, and G1/S transition of the mitotic cell cycle. KEGG results were mainly related to the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, thyroid hormone signaling pathway, and Notch signaling pathway. Molecular docking results showed that estrone had the best docking results on ESR1.

Conclusion

Deer antlers are rich in various compounds that can prevent the development of IVDD by upregulating the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and Notch signaling pathway. Its key compounds estradiol and estrone can reduce the inflammatory response and oxidative stress in tissues and organs, thus slowing down the progression of IVDD. Estrone, the active compound in deer antlers, was found by molecular docking to have good results against ESR1, the target of the disease, which may be a potential site for drug therapy.

Medicinal plants' proposed nanocomposites for the management of endocrine disorders

Extensive attention has been focused on herbal medicine for the treatment of different endocrine disorders. In fact, compelling scientific evidence indicates that natural compounds might act as endocrine modulators by mimicking, stimulating, or inhibiting the actions of different hormones, such as thyroid, sex, steroidal, and glucose regulating hormones. These potentials might be effectively employed for therapeutic purposes related to the endocrine system as novel complementary choices. Nevertheless, despite the remarkable therapeutic effects, inadequate targeting efficiency and low aqueous solubility of the bioactive components are still essential challenges in their clinical accreditation. On the other hand, nanotechnology has pushed the wheels of combining inorganic nanoparticles with biological structures of medicinal bioactive compounds as one of the utmost exciting fields of research. Nanoparticle conjugations create an inclusive array of applications that provide greater compliance, higher bioavailability, and lower dosage. This can safeguard the global availability of these wealthy natural sources, regardless of their biological occurrence. This review inspects future challenges of medicinal plants in various endocrine disorders for safe and alternative treatments with examples of their nanoparticle formulations.

Application of LC-MS/MS and UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap methods for determining 54 steroids in illegal dietary supplements and other sample types

RATIONALE

With the development of the Internet and social network services, the public access to or use of illegal products has been increased via on/offline black markets. Steroids refer to the compounds yielding strong treatment effects on some diseases or muscle building, and are classified as the pharmaceutical compounds that are prohibited for personal use without a prescription. The prohibition is made for their potential risk to cause serious adverse effects along with their efficacies.

METHODS

To monitor the distribution of illicit products containing steroids, a simple and reliable analytical method was established and validated, allowing rapid and simultaneous determination of 54 steroids in them. During the screening, LC-Q-Orbitrap/MS was performed first followed by quantitative analysis using LC-MS/MS. For the accurate and reliable analysis, the samples were extracted using QuEChERS to reduce the matrix effect.

RESULTS

After the screening of 617 illegal samples advertised as being effective in alleviating various diseases or improving athletic performance with the established LC-Q-Orbitrap/MS method, the validated LC-MS/MS method was used to perform the quantitative analysis of the detected steroids. Of these, 142 samples were adulterated with steroids, and several samples with two or more steroids were detected. Due to the lack of previous studies on the toxicity of these illicit products, the side effects of consuming them are unpredictable and could be harmful.

CONCLUSIONS

The development of LC-Q-Orbitrap/MS method accompanied by LC-MS/MS could be successfully applied to the inspection of illegal steroid products for public health, enabling the rapid and accurate detection of analytes and incorporation of non-analyte components.

Discovering the Potential of Natural Antioxidants in Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A Review

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a multifactorial disease associated with anatomical changes in the inner retina. Despite tremendous advances in clinical care, there is currently no cure for AMD. This review aims to evaluate the published literature on the therapeutic roles of natural antioxidants in AMD. A literature search of PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar for peer-reviewed articles published between 1 January 2011 and 31 October 2021 was undertaken. A total of 82 preclinical and 18 clinical studies were eligible for inclusion in this review. We identified active compounds, carotenoids, extracts and polysaccharides, flavonoids, formulations, vitamins and whole foods with potential therapeutic roles in AMD. We evaluated the integral cellular signaling pathways including the activation of antioxidant pathways and angiogenesis pathways orchestrating their mode of action. In conclusion, we examined the therapeutic roles of natural antioxidants in AMD which warrant further study for application in clinical practice. Our current understanding is that natural antioxidants have the potential to improve or halt the progression of AMD, and tailoring therapeutics to the specific disease stages may be the key to preventing irreversible vision loss.

Fast Screening and Identification of Illegal Adulterated Glucocorticoids in Dietary Supplements and Herbal Products Using UHPLC-QTOF-MS With All-Ion Fragmentation Acquisition Combined With Characteristic Fragment Ion List Classification

Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS) with all-ion fragmentation (AIF) acquisition was established for an identification and quantification of illegal adulterated glucocorticoids in dietary supplements and herbal products. Next, a novel method called characteristic fragment ion list classification (CFILC) was developed for a fast screening of adulterated compounds. CFILC could provide the characteristic ions comprehensively and completely through direct extract from the MS² library instead of finding them manually. This is time-saving and provides fast screening results with a high confidence level by filtering of a pre-calculated threshold of similarity scores for illegal adulterants that are not included in the library as well as for new emerging structural analogs. The obtained results demonstrated the great qualitative and quantitative strength of this approach, providing a promising and powerful method for a routine fast screening of illegal adulterated glucocorticoids.

Genetically Encoded Sensor Cells for the Screening of Glucocorticoid Receptor (GR) Effectors in Herbal Extracts

Although in vitro sensors provide facile low-cost ways to screen for biologically active targets, their results may not accurately represent the molecular interactions in biological systems. Cell-based sensors have emerged as promising platforms to screen targets in biologically relevant environments. However, there are few examples where cell-based sensors have been practically applied for drug screening. Here, we used engineered cortisol-detecting sensor cells to screen for natural mimetics of cortisol. The sensor cells were designed to report the presence of a target through signal peptide activation and subsequent fluorescence signal translocation. The developed sensor cells were able to detect known biological targets from human-derived analytes as well as natural product extracts, such as deer antlers and ginseng. The multi-use capability and versatility to screen in different cellular environments were also demonstrated. The sensor cells were used to identify novel GR effectors from medicinal plant extracts. Our results suggest that decursin from dongquai had the GR effector function as a selective GR agonist (SEGRA), making it a potent drug candidate with anti-inflammatory activity. We demonstrated the superiority of cell-based sensing technology over in vitro screening, proving its potential for practical drug screening applications that leads to the function-based discovery of target molecules.

Water extract of Er-xian decoction selectively exerts estrogenic activities and interacts with SERMs in estrogen-sensitive tissues

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The increasing use of "kidney"-nourishing Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) like Er-xian decoction (EXD) for management of menopausal symptoms and osteoporosis has aroused concerns about their safety, and whether they interact with prescription drugs as both of them act via estrogen receptors (ERs) and regulate serum estradiol.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The present study aimed to evaluate whether EXD selectively exerted estrogenic activities and interacted with Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERMs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In vivo, mature ovariectomized (OVX) rats were administrated with EXD or combined treatment of EXD and SERMs for 12 weeks. The tissue-selective effect of EXD and its interaction of SERMs were studied in four estrogen sensitive tissues, bone, brain, breast and uterus. In vitro, the interaction of extracts of EXD-treated serum and SERMs in four ER-positive cell lines.

RESULTS

In OVX rats, EXD selectively alleviated estrogen deficiency-induced changes in the bone and brain without inducing any estrogenic effects in the breast or uterus. Two-way ANOVA indicated the presence of interactions between EXD and SERMs in OVX rats but EXD did not significantly alter the tissue responses to SERMs in the bone, breast or brain. Indeed, the combined use of EXD and SERMs appeared to suppress the estrogenic effect of raloxifene and tamoxifen in the uterus. Extract of EXD-treated serum directly stimulated cell proliferation or differentiation in human osteosarcoma MG-63, neuroblastoma SHSY5Y, breast cancer MCF-7, and endometrial Ishikawa cells. Two-way ANOVA revealed that EXD-treated serum interacted with SERMs at various concentrations and altered the effects of tamoxifen in MG-63 and MCF-7 cells.

CONCLUSIONS

EXD exerted estrogenic effects in a tissue-selective manner and interacted with SERMs. Combined treatment of EXD and SERMs did not hamper the beneficial effects of SERMs on the bone or brain but appeared to moderate the estrogenic effect of SERMs in the uterus.

Nanocarriers in the Enhancement of Therapeutic Efficacy of Natural Drugs

Abstract Since time immemorial, plant derived natural products have been used for the treatment of various human diseases before the intervention of modern medicine. The basis of modern medicine is still being inspired from traditional medicine and therapies. However, despite their tremendous therapeutic potential, these natural drugs often have poor bioavailability, metabolic instability, and aqueous insolubility. These factors greatly impede a natural drug’s commercialization potential as a mainstream medicine. Therefore, the development of nanocarrier drug delivery systems is indispensable in overcoming the various constraints of the bottlenecks which occur with natural drugs. Of particular interest in this review are four plant materials endogenous to China with the common names of barrenwort or horny goat weed (Epimedium), Shu Di Huang (Rehmannia glutinosa, RG), ginseng (Panax ginseng), and Dong Quai or female ginseng (Angelica sinensis, AS), each having been scientifically investigated for a wide range of therapeutic uses as has been originally discovered from the long history of traditional usage and anecdotal information by local population groups in Asia. The integration of natural drugs from the East and nanocarrier drug delivery systems developed from the West is paving the way towards further accurate and efficient medicine therapy. We further discuss the potential benefits of these plants and the enhancement of their therapeutic efficacy by nanotechnology intervention.

Advances on hormone-like activity of Panax ginseng and ginsenosides

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been paid much attentions due to the prevention and treatment of steroid hormone disorders. Ginseng, the root of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer (Araliaceae), is one of the most valuable herbs in complementary and alternative medicines around the world. A series of dammarane triterpenoid saponins, also known as phytosteroids, were reported as the primary ingredients of Ginseng, and indicated broad spectral pharmacological actions, including anti-cancer, anti-inflammation and anti-fatigue. The skeletons of the dammarane triterpenoid aglycone are structurally similar to the steroid hormones. Both in vitro and in vivo studies showed that Ginseng and its active ingredients have beneficial hormone-like role in hormonal disorders. This review thus summarizes the structural similarities between hormones and dammarane ginsenosides and integrates the analogous effect of Ginseng and ginsenosides on prevention and treatment of hormonal disorders published in recent twenty years (1998-2018). The review may provide convenience for anticipate structure-function relationship between saponins structure and hormone-like effect.

Refractory Hypotension Following Elective Total Hip Replacement Surgery in a Patient Treated With Herbal Medicine: A Case Report

We describe refractory postoperative hypotension due to adrenal insufficiency in a patient treated with steroid-adulterated herbal medicine. A 62-year-old man underwent an elective total hip replacement. Surgery was uneventful, but he became profoundly hypotensive 8 hours later, requiring intensive care unit admission, intubation, vasopressor support, and renal replacement therapy. Subsequent workup revealed that he had been consuming a herbal medication adulterated with prednisolone. Adrenal insufficiency secondary to chronic exogenous steroids was diagnosed following cortisol measurements and an adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation test. He responded well to steroid therapy and made a full recovery. The use of herbal medicine should not be overlooked.

Co-Occurrence of Exogenous and Endogenous Cushing’s Syndromes—Dilemma in Diagnosis

Approach to patients who manifest with features of Cushing's syndrome often begin with exclusion of exposure to excessive exogenous source of glucocorticoids (GC). Most guidelines advocate no further assessment if excessive exogenous GC use is present. We present a case of a 66-year-old lady who was noted to have typical features of Cushing's syndrome. As she gave a very clear history of ingesting exogenous GC for a year, no further work up was undertaken. Despite cessation of GC for a year, she continued to have thin skin and easy bruising. Upon admission for hypertensive emergency, her clinician took note of her changes and investigated her for endogenous Cushing's syndrome. Her cortisol post overnight dexamethasone suppression test was 707 nmol/l. Post low dose dexamethasone suppression test yielded a cortisol of 1133.2 nmol/l. 24 hours urine cortisol was 432.2 nmol/l. Plasma ACTH was 1.1 pmol/l, indicating an ACTH independent Cushing's syndrome. We proceeded with Computed tomography scan (CT scan) of adrenals which revealed a right adrenal adenoma measuring 4.4 × 3.4 × 4.0 cm. Right retroperiteneoscopic adrenalectomy was done. Histopathology examination was consistent with adrenal cortical adenoma with foci of myelolipoma. Post adrenalectomy she developed hypocortisolism secondary to contralateral adrenal suppression which lasted up to the present date. Her cutaneous and musculoskeletal manifestations improved substantially. Co-occurrence of endogenous and exogenous Cushing's syndromes is uncommon but should be considered in patients whose Cushingnoid features do not resolve after cessation of exogenous GC.

Adrenal insufficiency from steroid-containing complementary therapy: importance of detailed history

A 62-year-old Asian British female presented with increasing tiredness. She had multiple co-morbidities and was prescribed steroid inhalers for asthma. She had also received short courses of oral prednisolone for acute asthma exacerbations in the last 2 years. Unfortunately, the frequency and dose of steroids for asthma was unclear from history. Her type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) control had deteriorated over a short period of time (HbA1c: 48–85 mmol/mol). Blood tests revealed undetectable cortisol and ACTH (<28 mmol/L, <5.0 ng/L). Renin, electrolytes and thyroid function were within normal limits. A diagnosis of secondary adrenal insufficiency, likely due to long-term steroid inhaler and recurrent short courses of oral steroids for asthma exacerbations was made. Patient was commenced on hydrocortisone 10 mg, 5 mg and 5 mg regimen. Steroid inhaler was discontinued following consultation with respiratory physicians. Despite discontinuation of inhaled steroids, patient continued not to mount a response to Synacthen®. Upon further detailed history, patient admitted taking a ‘herbal’ preparation for chronic osteoarthritic knee pain. Toxicology analysis showed presence of dexamethasone, ciprofloxacin, paracetamol, diclofenac, ibuprofen and cimetidine in the herbal medication. Patient was advised to discontinue her herbal preparation. We believe the cause of secondary adrenal insufficiency in our patient was the herbal remedy containing dexamethasone, explaining persistent adrenal suppression despite discontinuation of all prescribed steroids, further possibly contributing to obesity, hypertension and suboptimal control of DM. In conclusion, a comprehensive drug history including herbal and over-the-counter preparations should be elucidated. Investigation for the presence of steroids in these preparations should be considered when patients persist to have secondary adrenal insufficiency despite discontinuation of prescribed steroid medications.

Acute adrenal failure: a potentially fatal consequence of an adulterated herbal remedy

Herbal remedies adulterated with glucocorticoids can cause Cushing's syndrome. We report a severe presentation of a 'herbal remedy' adulterated with glucocorticoids; causing a potentially fatal adrenal crisis precipitated by acute illness. Investigations were consistent with adrenal suppression and confirmed, after tablet analysis, to be due to a 'herbal remedy' containing synthetic betamethasone/dexamethasone. This case highlights the need for clinical vigilance and patient education about the potential risks associated with the use of unlicensed treatments and the role of tablet analysis in routine biochemistry.

Dismissing the fallacies of childhood eczema management: case scenarios and an overview of best practices

BACKGROUND

Eczema or atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common relapsing childhood dermatologic illness. Treatment of AD is primarily topical with emollients and corticosteroid/calcineurin inhibitor, which is efficacious for the majority of patients. However, AD is often complicated and difficult to manage in many Asian cities. Effective therapy is impeded by fallacies in the following aspects: (1) mistrust and unrealistic expectations about Western medicine, (2) skin care and allergy treatment, (3) ambiguity about optimal bathing and moisturizing, (4) hesitation and phobias about the usage of adequate topical corticosteroid and immunomodulatory therapies, (5) food and aeroallergen avoidance and dietary supplementation, and (6) complementary and alternative therapies.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Eleven anonymized case scenarios are described to illustrate issues associated with these fallacies. A literature review is performed and possible solutions to handle or dismiss these fallacies are discussed.

CONCLUSIONS

The first step in patient care is to accurately assess the patient and the family to evaluate possible concerns, anxiety, and phobias that could impede therapeutic efficacy. Education about the disease should be individualized. Conflicting recommendations on the usage of topical steroid have a detrimental effect on management outcomes, which must be avoided.

Ginseng extracts modulate mitochondrial bioenergetics of live cardiomyoblasts: a functional comparison of different extraction solvents

Background

The root of Panax ginseng, a member of Araliaceae family, has been used as herbal medicine and functional food in Asia for thousands of years. According to Traditional Chinese medicine, ginseng is the most widely used “Qi-invigorating” herbs, which provides tonic and preventive effects by resisting oxidative stress, influencing energy metabolism, and improving mitochondrial function. Very few reports have systematically measured cell mitochondrial bioenergetics after ginseng treatment.

Methods

Here, H9C2 cell line, a rat cardiomyoblast, was treated with ginseng extracts having extracted using solvents of different polarity, i.e., water, 50% ethanol, and 90% ethanol, and subsequently, the oxygen consumption rate in healthy and tert-butyl hydroperoxide–treated live cultures was determined by Seahorse extracellular flux analyzer.

Results

The 90% ethanol extracts of ginseng possessed the strongest antioxidative and tonic activities to mitochondrial respiration and therefore provided the best protective effects to H9C2 cardiomyocytes. By increasing the spare respiratory capacity of stressed H9C2 cells up to three-folds of that of healthy cells, the 90% ethanol extracts of ginseng greatly improved the tolerance of myocardial cells to oxidative damage.

Conclusion

These results demonstrated that the low polarity extracts of ginseng could be the best extract, as compared with others, in regulating the oxygen consumption rate of cultured cardiomyocytes during mitochondrial respiration.

Estrogenic Potentials of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Estrogen, a steroid hormone, is associated with several human activities, including environmental, industrial, agricultural, pharmaceutical and medical fields. In this review paper, estrogenic activity associated with traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) is discussed first by focusing on the assays needed to detect estrogenic activity (animal test, cell assay, ligand-binding assay, protein assay, reporter-gene assay, transcription assay and yeast two-hybrid assay), and then, their sources, the nature of activities (estrogenic or anti-estrogenic, or other types), and pathways/functions, along with the assay used to detect the activity, which is followed by a summary of effective chemicals found in or associated with TCM. Applications of estrogens in TCM are then discussed by a comprehensive search of the literature, which include basic study/pathway analysis, cell functions, diseases/symptoms and medicine/supplements. Discrepancies and conflicting cases about estrogenicity of TCM among assays or between TCM and their effective chemicals, are focused on to enlarge estrogenic potentials of TCM by referring to omic knowledge such as transcriptome, proteome, glycome, chemome, cellome, ligandome, interactome and effectome.