Chemical Compositions of Metals in Bhasmas and Tibetan Zuotai Are a Major Determinant of Their Therapeutic Effects and Toxicity

Minerals are alchemically processed as Bhasmas in Ayurvedic medicines or as Zuotai in Tibetan medicines. Ayurveda is a knowledge system of longevity and considers the mineral elixir made from “nature” capable of giving humans perpetual life. Herbo-metallic preparations have a long history in the treatment of various diseases in India, China, and around the world. Their disposition, pharmacology, efficacy, and safety require scientific evaluation. This review discusses the Bhasmas in Ayurvedic medicines and Zuotai in Tibetan medicines for their occurrence, bioaccessibility, therapeutic use, pharmacology, toxicity, and research perspectives. A literature search on Mineral, Bhasma, Ayurvedic medicine, Zuotai, Tibetan medicine, and Metals/metalloids from PubMed, Google and other sources was carried out, and the relevant papers on their traditional use, pharmacology, and toxicity were selected and analyzed. Minerals are processed to form Bhasma or Zuotai to alter their physiochemical properties distinguishing them from environmental metals. The metals found in Ayurveda are mainly from the intentional addition in the form of Bhasma or Zuotai. Bhasma and Zuotai are often used in combination with other herbals and/or animal-based products as mixtures. The advanced technologies are now utilized to characterize herbo-metallic preparations as Quality Assurance/Quality Control. The bioaccessibility, absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination of herbo-metallic preparations are different from environmental metals. The pharmacological basis of Bhasma in Ayurveda and Zuotai in Tibetan medicines and their interactions with drugs require scientific research. Although the toxic potentials of Bhasma and Zuotai differ from environmental metals, the metal poisoning case reports, especially lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and arsenic (As) from inappropriate use of traditional medicines, are increasing, and pharmacovigilance is desired. In risk assessment, chemical forms of metals in Bhasma and Zuotai should be considered for their disposition, efficacy, and toxicity.

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The Efficacy of Collaboration: Tibetan Medicine Across Countries and Conversations

Asian Medicine ◽

10.1163/15734218-12341343 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 10 (1-2) ◽

pp. 152-175 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sienna Craig

Keyword(s):

International Association ◽

The United States ◽

Tibetan Medicine ◽

Qinghai Province ◽

Traditional Medicines ◽

Republic Of China ◽

Tibet Autonomous Region ◽

Asian Medicine ◽

Hands On Learning ◽

Sowa Rigpa

First delivered as a plenary lecture at the ictam viii congress in September 2013 in South Korea, this paper discusses two interdisciplinary and collaborative workshops focusing on Tibetan medicine (also known as Sowa Rigpa) in contemporary contexts. The first event, which took place in December 2011, brought together nearly 40 practitioners of Sowa Rigpa from the greater Himalaya and Tibetan regions of the People’s Republic of China (prc), along with four anthropologists, for intensive, interactive discussions on pharmacology by making medicines together. The second event, which took place in October 2012 in Xining, Qinghai Province, prc, involved practitioners, educators, and researchers from the Arura Group, one of the leading Tibetan medicine institutions in the prc, with researchers from the United States, Europe, and tar (Tibet Autonomous Region) for in-depth discussions about integrative clinical research and the place of the humanities and social sciences in the study of traditional medicines. Both events were supported, directly or indirectly, by the International Association for the Study of Traditional Asian Medicine (iastam), and abided in spirit with the mission of this organisation, namely, to bring scholars and practitioners of Asian medicine together for mutual exchange. While the Kathmandu event emphasised hands-on learning and the co-production of both knowledge and things, the Xining workshop provided Tibetan medical colleagues in the prc with the opportunity to engage with broad discussions, at once methodological and epistemological, about the meaning, purpose, and aims of research on traditional medicines today.

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The Review of Chemistry, Pharmacology and Processing Method of Rhubarb (Rheum species)

Journal of Food Bioactives ◽

10.31665/jfb.2019.8205 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Jingwen He ◽

Liang Wang ◽

Hongxing Guo ◽

Hui Zhao ◽

Jiachen Sun

Keyword(s):

Blood Circulation ◽

Processing Method ◽

The Body ◽

Chemical Compositions ◽

Pharmacological Activities ◽

Processing Methods ◽

Traditional Medicines ◽

Toxic Materials ◽

Different Types ◽

Body Cooling

Rhubarb is one of the Chinese traditional medicines. About ninety-four compounds with five different types of skeletons (anthraquinone, anthrones, stilbenes, flavonoids and acylglucosides) have been isolated from rhubarb so far. These constituents are effective in purgative, clearing heat-fire, removing toxic materials from the body, cooling blood and promoting blood circulation. Recent studies have shown that the appropriate processing methods may directly impact on its nutraceutical activities and chemical compositions. Here, we summarize the update progress in the chemical compositions, pharmacological activities and processing methods of rhubarb.

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Indigenous Knowledge and Practices on Medicinal Plants Used by Local Communities of Gambella Region, South West Ethiopia

International Journal of TROPICAL DISEASE & Health ◽

10.9734/ijtdh/2019/v39i230203 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 1-14

Author(s):

Jemberu Alemu Megenase ◽

Ketema Tilahun Gelaye ◽

Prem Kumar Dara

Keyword(s):

Medicinal Plants ◽

Indigenous Knowledge ◽

Group Discussion ◽

Local Communities ◽

Chemical Extraction ◽

Traditional Use ◽

Traditional Medicines ◽

South West ◽

Informants Consensus Factor ◽

South West Ethiopia

Indigenous knowledge and practices on medicinal plants used by local communities of Gambella region, south west Ethiopia was conducted to investigate those potential and popular medicinal plants used for the treatment of various diseases in Gambella region. A total of 100 purposively selected inhabitants were employed in the study of which 84 were male and 16 were females. A traditional use of plants information was obtained by semi structured oral interviews from experienced rural elders, Focus group discussion and through questionnaire administered to traditional herbal medicine practitioners of the study area. 81 medicinal plants were identified for the traditional treatment of both human (25) and animal (16) disease. The highest numbers of medicinal plants for traditional uses utilized by this community were belonging to shrubs 30(37.03%) followed by trees (32.10%). The result reviled that 15.2% of the remedies are prepared from root part and squeezing accounts 17(20.99%) followed by chewing 14(17.28%). The major routs of administration of traditional medicines were reported oral 50(61.73%). Urine, placental retention and milk let down accounts higher informants’ consensus factor value (0.96). The findings showed that sheferaw and leele have higher fidelity level which is 100 and 92 respectively. Various factors were recorded as the main threats of medicinal plants in the study area. In conclusion, the community carries a vast knowledge of medicinal plants but this knowledge is also rapidly disappearing in this community. Such type of ethno-botanical studies will help in systematic documentation of ethno-botanical knowledge and availing to the scientific world plant therapies used as antivenin by the Gambella community and further research on plant species identification and chemical extraction is recommended.

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Differential Constituents in Roots, Stems and Leaves of Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. Screened by UPLC/ESI-Q-TOF-MS and Multivariate Statistical Analysis

Journal of Chromatographic Science ◽

10.1093/chromsci/bmz086 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 58 (2) ◽

pp. 136-143 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Wen Rui ◽

Wanxia Xia ◽

Wei Zhao ◽

Bingling Li ◽

Jian Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Statistical Analysis ◽

Multivariate Statistical Analysis ◽

Composition Analysis ◽

Chemical Compositions ◽

Therapeutic Effects ◽

Polygonum Multiflorum ◽

Multivariate Statistical ◽

Analytical Strategy ◽

Relative Standard ◽

Tof Ms

Abstract The differential constituents in leaves, stems and roots of Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. were analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/ESI-Q-TOF-MS) and by multivariate statistical analysis. The established extraction and analysis method showed relative standard deviations (RSDs) for intra-day precision of less than 3.40%, for repeatability of less than 4.06% and for stability of less than 5.10%. Principal component analysis and orthogonal projections to latent structures discriminant analysis of the UPLC/ESI-Q-TOF-MS data showed good ability to classify the leaves, stems and roots of P. multiflorum Thunb. The differential constituents, such as stilbenes, polygoacetophenoside, flavonoids and anthraquinones, accounting for variations between the leaves, stems and roots, were filtered through the variable importance in projection values and were further identified by elemental composition analysis, mass fragmentation data and retention times of available standards. Differences between the chemical compositions in the leaves, stems and roots of P. multiflorum Thunb. were closely related to their various therapeutic effects. This UPLC/ESI-Q-TOF-MS-based analytical strategy could be further utilized to evaluate the overall quality of traditional Chinese medicines and their differences of chemical constituents in different parts of the plant and/or in the plants of different geographical locations.

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A silkworm–baculovirus model for assessing the therapeutic effects of antiviral compounds: characterization and application to the isolation of antivirals from traditional medicines

Journal of General Virology ◽

10.1099/vir.0.83208-0 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 89 (1) ◽

pp. 188-194 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Yutaka Orihara ◽

Hiroshi Hamamoto ◽

Hiroshi Kasuga ◽

Toru Shimada ◽

Yasushi Kawaguchi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Antiviral Activity ◽

Viral Infections ◽

Antiviral Agents ◽

Vero Cells ◽

Infection Model ◽

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Analysis ◽

Therapeutic Effects ◽

Traditional Medicines ◽

Baculovirus Infection ◽

Simplex Virus

Ganciclovir, foscarnet, vidarabine and ribavirin, which are used to treat viral infections in humans, inhibited the proliferation of a baculovirus (Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus) in BmN4 cells, a cultured silkworm cell line. These antiviral agents inhibited the proliferation of baculovirus in silkworm body fluid and had therapeutic effects. Using the silkworm infection model, the antiviral activity of Kampo medicines was screened and it was found that cinnamon bark, a component of the traditional Japanese medicine Mao-to, had a therapeutic effect. Based on the therapeutic activity, the antiviral substance was purified. Nuclear magnetic resonance analysis of the purified fraction revealed that the antiviral activity was due to cinnzeylanine, which has previously been isolated from Cinnamomum zeylanicum. Cinnzeylanine inhibits the proliferation of herpes simplex virus type 1 in Vero cells. These results suggest that the silkworm–baculovirus infection model is useful for screening antiviral agents that are effective for treating humans infected with DNA viruses.

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Topical application of hangeshashinto (TJ-14) in the management of chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis: A preliminary study.

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2011.29.4_suppl.603 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 29 (4_suppl) ◽

pp. 603-603 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

T. Kono ◽

M. Satomi ◽

Y. Ebisawa ◽

N. Chisato ◽

M. Suno ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oral Mucositis ◽

Topical Application ◽

Tissue Injury ◽

Tap Water ◽

Therapeutic Effects ◽

Traditional Medicines ◽

Before And After ◽

The Common ◽

Grade 3 ◽

Chemotherapy Patients

603 Background: Oral mucositis is a common toxicity associated with cytotoxic chemotherapy used for cancer treatment and results in severe discomfort and impairs patients' ability to eat, swallow, and talk. The treatment of chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis is not well established. The cyclooxygenase pathway mediates tissue injury and pain through upregulation of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins. Recent study showed that one of the Japanese traditional medicines (kampo), hangeshashinto (TI-14), may be useful for periodontal disease via downregulation of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins in human. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of TJ-14 on chemotherapy- induced oral mucositis. Methods: Fourteen patients with chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis during mFOLFOX6 or FOLFIRI treatment for requiring to the metastasis of advanced colorectal cancer were received topical application of TJ-14. Topical TJ-14 was applied to the oral mucositis three times a day. Patients were asked to make 50 mL of TJ-14 solution (2.5 g) with a tap water and were advised to rinse the TJ-14 solution on the oral mucosa for 10 seconds and then to spill it. Additionally, TJ-14 was topically applied with a cotton pellet on the oral mucositis. The above treatment was advised throughout the course of chemotherapy. Patients were evaluated for the oral mucositis using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 4 before and after 2-weeks TJ-14 treatment. Results: Thirteen of the fourteen patients (92.8 %) responded to the TJ-14 therapy. There was significant reduction in the grade 3/4 mucositis from 3.2 to 1.8 (p=0.02) as well as in the grade 1/2 mucositis from 1.6 to 0.6 (p=0.034). There is no patient showed worse than before. The compliance of TJ-14-treatment was good. Conclusions: Topical application of TJ-14 may have therapeutic effects on chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis via downregulation of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins. No significant financial relationships to disclose.

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Mifepristone (RU 486) in Cushing's syndrome

Acta Endocrinologica ◽

10.1530/eje-07-0458 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 157 (5) ◽

pp. 561-569 ◽

Cited By ~ 78

Author(s):

Sarah Johanssen ◽

Bruno Allolio

Keyword(s):

Adrenal Insufficiency ◽

Cushing’S Syndrome ◽

Case Reports ◽

Evidence Synthesis ◽

Cushing's Syndrome ◽

Therapeutic Effects ◽

Receptor Blockade ◽

Onset Of Action ◽

Ru 486 ◽

Long Term Treatment

AbstractContextMifepristone (RU 486) blocks the action of cortisol by binding to the glucocorticoid receptor and, therefore, is of potential therapeutic value in Cushing's syndrome. However, research in endogenous hypercortisolism has been hampered by the controversy related to the use of mifepristone for inducing abortion. Currently, new studies are planned to better define the role of RU 486 in Cushing's syndrome. This paper reviews the available evidence concerning the therapeutic effects and adverse events of RU 486 in Cushing's syndrome.Evidence acquisitionOriginal articles and reviews were identified using a PubMed search strategy covering the time period until February 2007.Evidence synthesisTreatment of Cushing's syndrome with mifepristone has been reported in a total of 18 patients, with daily doses ranging from 5 to 30 mg/kg. Case reports indicate that the mifepristone-induced receptor blockade may lead to significant clinical improvement in patients with Cushing's syndrome in whom surgery and inhibitors of adrenal steroidogenesis fail to control hypercortisolism. Due to its rapid onset of action, mifepristone may be particularly useful in acute crises, e.g. in cortisol-induced psychosis. Side effects include adrenal insufficiency and, as a result of its antiprogestin action, endometrial hyperplasia in long-term treatment. Adrenal insufficiency can be assessed only by careful clinical evaluation, as the hormonal parameters are not reliable during receptor blockade, and is rapidly reversed by exogenous dexamethasone. Well-designed larger clinical trials are needed to better assess the value of this interesting drug in the treatment of Cushing's syndrome.

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Traditional medicine: a rare cause of lead poisoning in Western countries

F1000Research ◽

10.12688/f1000research.2-250.v1 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 2 ◽

pp. 250 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Halima Muller ◽

Simon Regard ◽

Nicole Petriccioli ◽

Omar Kherad

Keyword(s):

Laboratory Tests ◽

Lead In Blood ◽

Rapid Improvement ◽

Abdominal Ct ◽

Heavy Metal Poisoning ◽

Traditional Medicines ◽

Metal Poisoning ◽

Abdominal Ct Scan ◽

History Of ◽

High Level

A 42-year-old man from Bhutan was admitted to the emergency department with a 5-day history of abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. Enhanced abdominal CT scan was found negative, however laboratory tests showed hemolytic anemia and basophilic stippling which are often seen in lead and heavy metal poisoning. Additional tests revealed a high level of lead in blood and urine. The patient was administered a chelator treatment with rapid improvement of the symptoms. A detailed interview revealed that the patient had been taking daily Bhutanese traditional medicines to treat a Bell’s palsy from which he had been suffering for a few months. The analysis of these medicines confirmed the presence of a high level of lead.

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A review on Pharmacological potential of Berberine; an active component of Himalayan Berberis aristata

The Journal of Phytopharmacology ◽

10.31254/phyto.2017.6108 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

pp. 53-58

Author(s):

Vikas Chander ◽

◽

J.S. Aswal ◽

Rajendra Dobhal ◽

D.P. Uniyal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Skin Diseases ◽

Scientific Evidence ◽

Active Constituent ◽

Traditional Use ◽

Traditional Medicines ◽

Benzylisoquinoline Alkaloid ◽

Ameliorative Effect ◽

Pharmacological Potential ◽

Phytochemical Studies ◽

Protoberberine Alkaloid

Plants have been the basis of many traditional medicines throughout the world for thousands of years and continue to provide new remedies to mankind. They are one of the richest sources of compounds. Berberis aristata is one of the major plants used in Ayurveda for several remedies. It is used as a tonic, alternative, demulscent, diaphoretic and diuretic, and in the treatment of diarrhoea, jaundice, skin diseases, syphilis, chronic rheumatism and urinary disorders. Scientific evidence suggests its versatile biological functions that support its traditional use in the orient. Phytochemical studies shows that plant Berberis aristata contains mainly yellow colored alkaloids Berberine, oxyberberine, berbamine, aromoline, a protoberberine alkaloid karachine, palmatine, oxycanthine and taxilamine and tannins, sugar, starch. Among the several compounds Berberine is main constitute having various pharmacological actions. It is, a benzylisoquinoline alkaloid, occurs as an active constituent in numerous medicinal plants and has an array of pharmacological properties. It has been used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine for its antimicrobial, antiprotozoal, antidiarrheal and antitrachoma activity. Moreover, several clinical and preclinical studies demonstrate ameliorative effect of berberine against several disorders including metabolic, neurological and cardiological problems. This review provides a summary regarding the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic features of berberine, with a focus on the different mechanisms underlying its multispectrum activity..

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