Recommended Articles

(4) Journal of Pharmacopuncture, Vol. 17, No. 1, pp. 74–79, 2014

Analgesic Effects of Toad Cake and Toad-cake-containing Herbal Drugs

Eiji Inoue*, Yasuharu Shimizu, Ryo Masui, Tomomi Usui, Keiichi Sudoh

*Corresponding Author’s Affiliation: Tokyo Research Center, Kyushin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan. e-inoue@kyushin.co.jp

Abstract

Objectives: This study was conducted to clarify the analgesic effect of toad cake and toad-cake-containing herbal drugs.

Methods: We counted the writhing response of mice after the intraperitoneal administration of acetic acid as a nociceptive pain model and the withdrawal response after the plantar surface stimulation of the hind paw induced by partial sciatic nerve ligation of the mice as a neuropathic pain model to investigate the analgesic effect of toad cake and toad-cake-containing herbal drugs. A co-treatment study with serotonin biosynthesis inhibitory drug 4-chloro-DL-phenylalanine methyl ester hydrochloride (PCPA), the catecholamine biosynthesis inhibitory drug a-methyl-DL-tyrosine methyl ester hydrochloride (AMPT) or the opioid receptor antagonist naloxone hydrochloride was also conducted.

Results: Analgesic effects in a mouse model of nociceptive pain and neuropathic pain were shown by oral administration of toad cake and toad-cake-containing herbal drugs. The effects of toad cake and toad-cake-containing herbal drugs disappeared upon co-treatment with PCPA, but not with AMPT or naloxone in the nociceptive pain model; the analgesic effect of toad-cake-containing herbal drugs also disappeared upon co-treatment with PCPA in the neuropathic pain model.

Conclusion: Toad cake and toad-cake-containing herbal drugs have potential for the treatments of nociceptive pain and of neuropathic pain, such as post-herpetic neuralgia, trigeminal neuralgia, diabetic neuralgia, and postoperative or posttraumatic pain, by activation of the central serotonin nervous system.

Keywords: neuropathic pain, nociceptive pain, serotonin, toad cake

(5) Journal of Pharmacopuncture, Vol. 17, No. 2, pp. 7–17, 2014

Ethanolic Extract of Marsdenia condurango Ameliorates Benzo[a]pyreneinduced Lung Cancer of Rats

Sourav Sikdar, Avinaba Mukherjee, Anisur Rahman Khuda-Bukhsh*

*Corresponding Author’s Affiliation: Cytogenetics and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Kalyani, Kalyani, India. prof_arkb@yahoo.co.in

Abstract

Objectives: Condurango is widely used in various systems of complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) against oesophageal and stomach ailments including certain types of cancer. However, until now no systematic study has been conducted to verify its efficacy and dose with proper experimental support. Therefore, we examined if ethanolic extract of Condurango could ameliorate benzo[a]pyrene (BaP)-induced lung cancer in rats, in vivo to validate its use as traditional medicine.

Methods: Fifteen male and 15 female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were treated with 0.28 mg/kg of Sweet Bee Venom (SBV) (high-dosage group) and the same numbers of male and female SD rats were treated with 0.2 mL/kg of normal saline (control group) for 13 weeks. We selected five male and five female SD rats from the high-dosage group and the same numbers of male and female SD rats from the control group, and we observed these rats for four weeks. We conducted body-weight measurements, ophthalmic xaminations, urinalyses and hematology, biochemistry, histology tests.

Results: A histological study revealed gradual progress in lung tissue-repair activity in Condurango-fed cancer-bearing rats, showing gradual tissue recovery after three months of drug administration. Condurango has the capacity to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), which may contribute to a reduction in anti-oxidative activity and to an induction of oxidative stress-mediated cancer cell-death. Condurango-activated pro-apoptotic genes (Bax, caspase-3, caspase-9, p53, cytochrome-c, apaf-1, ICAD and PARP) and down-regulated antiapoptotic-Bcl-2 expression were noted both at mRNA and protein levels. Studies on caspase-3 activation and PARP cleavage by western blot analysis revealed that Condurango induced apoptosis through a caspase-3-dependent pathway.

Conclusion: The anticancer efficacy of an ethanolic extract of Condurango for treating BaP-induced lung cancer in rats lends support for its use in various traditional systems of medicine.

Keywords: apoptosis, caspase-3, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), Condurango, lung cancer, reactive oxygen species (ROS)

(6) Journal of Pharmacopuncture, Vol. 17, No. 2, pp. 18–26, 2014

Assessment of Factors Associated with the Safety Depth of GV15 Yamen

Hyunmin Kang, Chungsan Lim, Seungbae Lee, Byoungwoo Kim, Kirok Kwon, Kwangho Lee*

*Corresponding Author’s Affiliation: Department of Acupuncture & Moxibustion Medicine, Sangji University College of Oriental Medicine, Wonju, South Korea. redphilips@hanmail.net

Abstract

Objectives: This study was performed to check for reversibility in the changes induced by a 13-week, repeated, dose toxicity test of Sweet Bee Venom (SBV) in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats.

Methods: Fifteen male and 15 female SD rats were treated with 0.28 mg/kg of SBV (high-dosage group) and the same numbers of male and female SD rats were treated with 0.2 mL/kg of normal saline (control group) for 13 weeks. We selected five male and five female SD rats from the high-dosage group and the same numbers of male and female SD rats from the control group, and we observed these rats for four weeks. We conducted body-weight measurements, ophthalmic examinations, urinalyses and hematology, biochemistry, histology tests.

Results: (1) Hyperemia and movement disorder were observed in the 13-week, repeated, dose toxicity test, but these symptoms were not observed during the recovery period. (2) The rats in the high-dose group showed no significant changes in weight compared to the control group. (3) No significant differences in the ophthalmic parameters, urine analyses, complete blood cell counts (CBCs), and biochemistry were observed among the recovery groups. (4) No changes in organ weights were observed during the recovery period. (5) Histological examination of the thigh muscle indicated cell infiltration, inflammation, degeneration, necrosis of muscle fiber, and fibrosis during the treatment period, but these changes were not observed during the recovery period. The fatty liver change that was observed during the toxicity test was not observed during the recovery period. No other organ abnormalities were observed.

Conclusion: The changes that occurred during the 13-week, repeated, dose toxicity test are reversible, and SBV can be safely used as a treatment modality.

Keywords: acupuncture, melittin, pharmacopuncture, Sweet Bee Venom, 13-week repeated dose toxicity, 4-week recovery test