Holistic Health Articles and Research Related to Herbal Medicines, Foods and Phytochemicals

Tuesday 25 July 2017

Herbal Therapy: Chaste tree berry, The Whole Herb Medicine in Ameliorated Symptoms and Treatment of Premenstrual Syndrome

Kyle J. Norton, Master of Nutrients
Health article writer and researcher; Over 10.000 articles and research papers have been written and published on line, including world wide health, ezine articles, article base, healthblogs, selfgrowth, best before it's news, the karate GB daily, etc.,.
Named TOP 50 MEDICAL ESSAYS FOR ARTISTS & AUTHORS TO READ by Disilgold.com Named 50 of the best health Tweeters Canada - Huffington Post
Nominated for shorty award over last 4 years
Some articles have been used as references in medical research, such as international journal Pharma and Bio science, ISSN 0975-6299.

If you expect that herbal medicine will ease the symptoms of your illness immediately, you will be disappointed. Symptoms of the disease can only be eased gradually, depending to stage of the treatment which directly address to the cause of the disease.

The use of plants for healing purposes have been predated long before the existence of modern medicine. Herbal plants have formed fundamental sources for conventional medicine in discovery of single ingredient medication, including aspirin (from willow bark), quinine (from cinchona bark), and morphine (from the opium poppy)......

Chaste tree berry, the queen of all herbs may have a potency in reduced symptoms and treatment of premenstrual syndrome.

According to Dr. Döll M, the extract of chaste tree berry decreased levels of prolactin serum during the first 3 weeks of the cycle of premenstrual period, inducing stress involved expression of symptoms of PMS.

Chaste tree berry is a species of Vitex agnus-castus, genus Vitex, belonging to the family Lamiaceae, native to the Mediterranean region,considered as Queen herb in treating menstrual problems and discomforts and used in herbal medicine for thousands of year as anaphrodisiac agent.

Premenstrual syndrome is a faulty function of the ovaries related to the women's menstrual cycle, affecting women's physical and emotional state, and sometimes interfering with daily activities as a result of hormone fluctuation. The syndrome occurs one to two weeks before menstruation and then declines when the period starts.

In a prospective, double-blind, placebo controlled, parallel-group, multi-center clinical trial in compared VAC BNO 1095 extract and placebo for up to three cycles, conducted by the Peking Union Medical College Hospital, group treated with extract of vitex agnus castus showed a significant reduced symptoms of PMS with mean total PMSD score decreased from 29.23 at baseline (0 cycle) to 6.41 at the termination (3rd cycle) with no serious of side effects.

Furthermore, the extract of vitex agnus castus (VAC, BNO 1095) oral administrated in 67 patients enrolled and randomly assigned to receive one tablet of VAC or placebo once a day, exhibited the decreased premenstrual syndrome symptoms at the 3rd cycle, including symptoms of negative affect, water retention, food cravings and pain, in the treatment group, compared to placebo group, especially in symptoms of water retention.

The moderate-to-severe premenstrual syndrome in Chinese women study also showed a significantly greater improvement of symptoms with intake of vitex agnus castus (VAC, BNO 1095)group than placebo, including symptom of insomnia.

Taking together, Chaste tree berry may be a safe herbal medicine for treatment of PMS, through decreased levels of prolactin, negative factors and ameliorated symptoms of the syndrome in many aspects.

Back to Kyle J. Norton Home page http://kylejnorton.blogspot.ca

Sources
(1) [The premenstrual syndrome: effectiveness of Vitex agnus castus].[Article in German]by Döll M1.(PubMed)
(2) Treatment for premenstrual syndrome with Vitex agnus castus: A prospective, randomized, multi-center placebo controlled study in China by He Z1, Chen R, Zhou Y, Geng L, Zhang Z, Chen S, Yao Y, Lu J, Lin S.(PubMed)
(3) Treatment of moderate to severe premenstrual syndrome with Vitex agnus castus(BNO 1095) in Chinese women by Ma L1, Lin S, Chen R, Wang X.(PubMed)
(4) Evaluating therapeutic effect in symptoms of moderate-to-severe premenstrual syndrome with Vitex agnus castus (BNO 1095) in Chinese women by Ma L1, Lin S, Chen R, Zhang Y, Chen F, Wang X.(PubMed)

Herbal Therapy: Aloe Vera, the Natural Whole Food Medicine for Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis

Aloe Vera is species of succulent plant in the genus Aloe, belonging to the Family Xanthorrhoeaceae, native to Sudan. It has become very popular for commercial cultivation due to its health benefits. Aloe Vera has been used in herbal medicine in treating many kinds of disease, including wound, burn healing, minor skin infections, sebaceous cysts, diabetes, and elevated of cholesterol, etc.
Constipation is a condition in difficulty in emptying the bowels, in most case associated with hardened feces.

Ulcerative colitis is condition of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) inducing long-lasting inflammation and ulcers in the digestive tract.

In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 44 hospital out-patients with ulcerative colitis randomly given oral aloe vera gel or placebo, 100 mL twice daily for 4 weeks, oral administrated group showed a improvement and response occurred in nine (30%), viewed in the Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index and histological scores.

Dr. Langmead , the lead researcher said, "Oral aloe vera taken for 4 weeks produced a clinical response more often than placebo; it also reduced the histological disease activity and appeared to be safe".

Furthermore, in the study of male Sprague Dawley rats fed experimental diets for 2 weeks before and during the induction of colitis, dietary aloe vera gel significantly ameliorated intestinal inflammatory responses in a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) induced ulcerative colitis.

In fact, the efficacy is also found to associate to the abundant bioactivity of the herbs.

Other researchers suggested that the anti ulcerative colitis activity of aloe vera gel may be due to the healing properties of antioxidants, scavengers, chelators as well as strongly inhibited Inflammation, electrical/mechanical impairment in the gut, and a great majority of oxidative stress.

Taking altogether, herbal aloe vera may process anti ulcerative colitis properties, through expression of bioactivity in induced production of antioxidant in reduced intestinal inflammatory responses. but further study is necessary to confirm its claim.

Back to Kyle J. Norton Home page http://kylejnorton.blogspot.ca

Sources
(1) Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of oral aloe vera gel for active ulcerative colitis by Langmead L1, Feakins RM, Goldthorpe S, Holt H, Tsironi E, De Silva A, Jewell DP, Rampton DS.(PubMed)
(2) Advances in treatment of ulcerative colitis with herbs: from bench to bedside by Wan P1, Chen H1, Guo Y1, Bai AP1.(PubMed)
(3) Dietary aloin, aloesin, or aloe-gel exerts anti-inflammatory activity in a rat colitismodel by Park MY1, Kwon HJ, Sung MK.(PubMed)
(4) The protective and healing effects of a natural antioxidant formulation based on ubiquinol and Aloe vera against dextran sulfate-induced ulcerative colitis in rats by Korkina L1, Suprun M, Petrova A, Mikhal'chik E, Luci A, De Luca C.(PubMed)

Monday 24 July 2017

Herbal Therapy: Alfalfa, the Natural Anti Microbial Whole Food Medicine

The use of plants for healing purposes have been predated long before the existence of modern medicine. Herbal plants have formed a fundamental sources for conventional medicine in discovery of single ingredient medication, including aspirin (from willow bark), quinine (from cinchona bark), and morphine (from the opium poppy)......

Alfalfa is a flowering plant in the genus Medicago, belonging to the family Fabaceae, cultivated all over the world as hay for cattle feeding, and used in traditional medicine over thousands of year to treat high cholesterol, asthma, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, enhance digestive system, bleeding disorder, kidney and urinary tract infection, etc. North American aboriginal have used Alfalfa seed as food, such as making bread and mush.

Alfalfa may be a potential anti microbial agent used for treatment of infection or infectious related diseases.

According to the Via Orabona 4, Università, chemical compound saponins found in alfalfa family exhibited anti microbial activities in a selection of medically important yeasts, Gram-positive and negative bacteria.

Dr. Avato P, the lead author said, "(The anti micrbial) Activity (of alfalfa)was especially high against Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus cereus, B. subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis) with M. arabica being the species showing a broader spectrum of action. Discrete antifungal activity was also observed, mainly against Saccharomyces cerevisiae".

Furthermore, in the study of 40 steers fed either a sainfoin (hay or silage) or alfalfa (hay or silage) diet over a 9-week period, in vitro, alfalfa fed group showed a decline in fecal E. coli numbers marginally.

The study also suggested the result of decline of anti E. coli number is due to the presence of phytochemical phenolics in alfalfa.

In fact, The Karunya University in the investigation of Antimicrobial of Alfalfa(Medicago sativa) in various bacterial strain showed a positive effects of alfalfa seed extract in inhibition of

five bacterial strains namely Bacillus licheniformis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Lactococcus lactis, Klebsiella pneumonia. The efficacy also depend on concentration of extract with the maximum inhibition was seen in 300µg/ml concentration of extract.

There is no doubt that intake of alfalfa regularly may be beneficiary in reduced risk and treatment of microbial infection and diseases. But further human trials are necessary.

Back to Kyle J. Norton Home page http://kylejnorton.blogspot.ca

Sources
(1) Antimicrobial activity of saponins from Medicago sp.: structure-activity relationship by Avato P1, Bucci R, Tava A, Vitali C, Rosato A, Bialy Z, Jurzysta M.(PubMed)
(2) Potential to reduce Escherichia coli shedding in cattle feces by using sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) forage, tested in vitro and in vivo by Berard NC1, Holley RA, McAllister TA, Ominski KH, Wittenberg KM, Bouchard KS, Bouchard JJ, Krause DO.(PubMed)
(3) Antimicrobial screening of Alfalfa(Medicago sativa) in various bacterial strains by G.SHEELA JOY1 , and Dr.PHILOMENA GEORGE2 *. *Professor, 1B.Tech.student Department Biotechnology, Karunya University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India 641114(IJPDA)

Food Therapy: Celery, the Natural Whole Food in Suppressed Symptoms of Arthritis Diseases

According to recent study, Celery Seed Extract (CSE) has been found to be more effective in comparison to aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen in suppressing arthritis symptoms in a model of polyarthritis without interaction with compared medication intake.

Dr. Powanda MC, the lead researcher said, " unlike many dietary supplements, the available data suggest that CSE does not significantly affect the p450 enzyme systems( function in interaction with medication intake) and thus is less likely to alter the metabolism of drugs the individual may be taking"

Celery is a species of Apium graveolens, belonging to the family Apiaceae, cultivated all around the globe as a vegetable. Celery can grow to 1/2 m tall with stalks (leaf on the top) arranging in a conical shape joined at a common base.

The over the counter (OTC) oral remedies for arthritis and rheumatism classified celery seed extracts has a effective efficacy as ibuprofen in the anti-arthritic assay without causing gastric bleeding, but the treatment ranged is from almost zero to highly effective depending to a certain class of product.

In support of the above differentiation, A. graveolens (AGE) against liver oxidative stress in an adjuvant-induced arthritic rat model study found that oral administration of AGE (250, 500, and 1,000 mg/kg) for 24 consecutive days in the rat model, reduced symptoms of arthritis through reduced liver oxidative stress and enhanced liver antioxidant properties.

Taking altogether, intake of celery may be effective in ameliorated symptoms of arthritis through binding to the expression of proinflammation cytokins. But oral administrated large amount of celery supplements such as celery seed should be consulted with related field specialist.

Arthritis Is Curable
You Can Eliminate Osteoarthritis
By addressing the Underlying Causes through Clinical Trials and Studies

Ovarian Cysts And PCOS Elimination
Holistic System In Existence That Will Show You How To
Permanently Eliminate All Types of Ovarian Cysts Within 2 Months

Super foods Library, Eat Yourself Healthy With The Best of the Best Nature Has to Offer recommended by Kyle J. Norton

Back to Kyle J. Norton Home page http://kylejnorton.blogspot.ca

Sources
(1) Celery Seed and Related Extracts with Antiarthritic, Antiulcer, and Antimicrobial Activitie by Powanda MC, Whitehouse MW, Rainsford KD.(PubMed)
(2) Over the counter (OTC) oral remedies for arthritis and rheumatism: how effective are they? by Whitehouse MW1, Roberts MS, Brooks PM.( PubMed)
(3) Effects of Apium graveolens Extract on the Oxidative Stress in the Liver of Adjuvant-Induced Arthritic Rats bySukketsiri W1, Chonpathompikunlert P2, Tanasawet S3, Choosri N1, Wongtawatchai T3.(PubMed)

Sunday 23 July 2017

Herbal Therapy: Cayenne, the Natural Whole Food Medicine for Reduced Risk of Airway Inflammation

Kyle J. Norton, Master of Nutrients
Health article writer and researcher; Over 10.000 articles and research papers have been written and published on line, including world wide health, ezine articles, article base, healthblogs, selfgrowth, best before it's news, the karate GB daily, etc.,.
Named TOP 50 MEDICAL ESSAYS FOR ARTISTS & AUTHORS TO READ by Disilgold.com Named 50 of the best health Tweeters Canada - Huffington Post
Nominated for shorty award over last 4 years
Some articles have been used as references in medical research, such as international journal Pharma and Bio science, ISSN 0975-6299.

The use of plants for healing purposes have been predated long before the existence of modern medicine. Herbal plants have formed a fundamental source for conventional medicine in discovery of single ingredient medication, including aspirin (from willow bark), quinine (from cinchona bark), and morphine (from the opium poppy)......
Cayenne is also known as Cayenne Pepper, a red, hot chili pepper, belonging to Capsicum annuum, the family Solanaceae, native to sub-tropical and tropical regions. It has been used in traditional medicine to increases metabolism, enhance circulatory system and stomach and the intestinal tract, adjust blood pressure, lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, treat frostbite, muscles, arthritis, rheumatism, low back pain, strains, sprains, bruises and neuralgia, etc.

The immune system is the set of cells and their activity against antigens or infectious agents that comprises of the body's defense system against diseases, including inflammation.

Cayenne, has been used in tradition medicine for treatment of inflammation caused by invasion of microbial organisms and allergens.

Red pepper (Capsicum baccatum) extracts, according to the study by the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), exerted its anti-inflammatory properties through in inhibiting the neutrophil migration induced by carrageenan (Cg).

In animal study, the ethanolic and butanol extracts (200mg/kg, p.o.) presented a significant anti-inflammatory activity through their antioxidant phenolic and flavonoid compounds against oxidative and inflammation-related pathological processes, including arway inflammation.

β-Defensin, members of the antimicrobial peptide found in cayenne inhibited the expression of the mRNA of anti-inflammatory cytokine during bacterial invasion, through stimulating immunomodulatory effects.

Other research suggested that anti-inflammatory effect induced by red pepper may be by inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokine production at the inflammatory sites, such as upper airway.

Regular intake of Cayenne pepper can improve immune system against microbial infection and reduced risk of airway inflammation but overdose is found to induce toxicity.

Arthritis Is Curable
You Can Eliminate Osteoarthritis
By addressing the Underlying Causes through Clinical Trials and Studies

Ovarian Cysts And PCOS Elimination
Holistic System In Existence That Will Show You How To
Permanently Eliminate All Types of Ovarian Cysts Within 2 Months

Super foods Library, Eat Yourself Healthy With The Best of the Best Nature Has to Offer recommended by Kyle J. Norton

Back to Kyle J. Norton Home page http://kylejnorton.blogspot.ca

Sources
(1) Red Pepper (Capsicum baccatum) Extracts Present Anti-Inflammatory Effects In Vivo and Inhibit the Production of TNF-α and NO In Vitro by Allemand A1,2, Leonardi BF1, Zimmer AR1, Moreno S3, Romão PR2, Gosmann G1.(PubMed)
(2) Anti-inflammatory effects of red pepper (Capsicum baccatum) on carrageenan- and antigen-induced inflammation by Spiller F1, Alves MK, Vieira SM, Carvalho TA, Leite CE, Lunardelli A, Poloni JA, Cunha FQ, de Oliveira JR.(PubMed)
(3) Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of Capsicum baccatum: from traditional use to scientific approach by Zimmer AR1, Leonardi B, Miron D, Schapoval E, Oliveira JR, Gosmann G.(PubMed)
(4) Defensin γ-thionin from Capsicum chinense has immunomodulatory effects on bovine mammary epithelial cells during Staphylococcus aureus internalization by Díaz-Murillo V1, Medina-Estrada I1, López-Meza JE1, Ochoa-Zarzosa A2.(PubMed)

Herbal Therapy: Andrographis, The Male Contraceptive Whole Herb Medicine?

Andrographis paniculata, also known as Andrographis is a herbaceous plant, genus Andrographis, belonging to the family Acanthaceae, native to India and Sri Lanka, used in traditional Siddha and Ayurvedic in treating the common cold, flu, upper respiratory infections, infectious diseases, diarrhea, dysentery, cholera, pneumonia, ......

According to the Bharathidasan University, andrographolide, a major chemical constituent of andrographis paniculata affected the process in which spermatozoa are produced from spermatogonial stem cells in the testis by interring the dividing spermatogenic cell lines.

In a 3-month-old male Wistar albino rats at two dose levels, for 48 days, rats fed with andrographolide exerted contraceptive effects by inducing decreased sperm counts, increased in-motile spermatozoa, and several possessed abnormalities.

Dr. Akbarsha MA, the lead research said, "the study points to a male reproductive toxic effect of this compound(andrographolide) when used as a therapeutic".

Unfortunately, also in male Wistar albino rats study, orally administering extract of Andrographis paniculata of 0, 20, 200, and 1000 mg/kg of body weight per day, for 65 days prior to mating and 21 days during mating, treated group showed no effect on testosterone levels and fertility indices and sperm count and sperm motility when compared with the control.

Furthermore, in the comparison of Kan Jang--a fixed combination of Andrographis paniculata special extract (SHA-10) and Acanthopanax senticosus with Valeriana officinalis and Panax ginseng, Kan Jang decode exhibited no significant negative effect of Kan Jang on male semen quality and fertility, but rather a increased number of spermatozoids in the whole ejaculate in compared to others herbal treated group.

The conflict results of above studies may be due to types of research design, small sample size and quality of herbal medicine used....., but regardless to above conclusions, large sample size and mutli centers studies are necessary to resolve these contradiction.

Back to Kyle J. Norton Home page http://kylejnorton.blogspot.ca

Sources
(1) Aspects of the male reproductive toxicity/male antifertility property of andrographolide in albino rats: effect on the testis and the cauda epididymidal spermatozoa by Akbarsha MA1, Murugaian P.(PubMed)
(2) A phase I clinical study of Andrographis paniculata fixed combination Kan Jang versus ginseng and valerian on the semen quality of healthy male subjects by Mkrtchyan A1, Panosyan V, Panossian A, Wikman G, Wagner H.(PubMed)
(3) Reproductive and fertility effects of an extract of Andrographis paniculata in male Wistar rats by Allan JJ1, Pore MP, Deepak M, Murali B, Mayachari AS, Agarwal A.(PubMed)

Saturday 22 July 2017

Food Therapy: Asparagus, the Whole Food medicine for Reduced Risk of Diabetic Complications and Treatment of Diabetes

Kyle J. Norton, Master of Nutrients
Health article writer and researcher; Over 10.000 articles and research papers have been written and published on line, including world wide health, ezine articles, article base, healthblogs, selfgrowth, best before it's news, the karate GB daily, etc.,.
Named TOP 50 MEDICAL ESSAYS FOR ARTISTS & AUTHORS TO READ by Disilgold.com Named 50 of the best health Tweeters Canada - Huffington Post
Nominated for shorty award over last 4 years
Some articles have been used as references in medical research, such as international journal Pharma and Bio science, ISSN 0975-6299.

Whole food(herbal medicine) used as medical treatment, linking health benefits in prevention, management and treatment of diseases has induced much interests in today renowned scientists.
But many researchers have raised question of herbal quality, because geographic differences, time of grown and harvest, etc. may effect their's potency. I do believe, these questions can only be answered by experience herbalists.

Asparagus may be one of best food used to reduced risk of diabetes and diabetic complications of patients with kidney disease.

According to the study by Smt. Kashibai Navale College of Pharmacy, oral administration of ethanolic extract of Asparagus racemosus (EEAR) at a dose level of 100 and 250 mg/kg daily for 4 weeks, significantly reduced the expression of streptozotocin-induced early diabetic nephropathy in compared with control group.

Dr. Somania R, the lead researcher said, " A. racemosus treatment significantly decreased plasma glucose, creatinine, ..... total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Renal hypertrophy,....and abnormal changes in the renal tissue".

Asparagus is a flowering plant belong to species the genus Asparagus, native to the western coasts of northern Spain, north to Ireland, Great Britain, and northwest Germany, northern Africa and western Asia, used from early times as a vegetable and medicine, because of its delicate flavour and diuretic properties.

Diabetes is a condition caused by insufficient insulin entering the bloodstream to regulate the glucose. It is either caused by cells in pancreas dying off or receptor sites clogged up by fat and cholesterol. In some cases, diabetes is also caused by allergic reactions of cells in the immune system.

In Streptozotocin (90 mg/kg) injected in 2-d-old Wistar rat pups to induce non-obese type 2 diabetes, diabetic rats treated with a methanolic extract of A. officinalis seeds (250 and 500 mg/kg per d) expressed lower fasting blood glucose, improved serum insulin, total antioxidant status and qualitative and quantitative in β-cell function.
These efficacy can be attributed to the extract's anti-diabetic effects by improving insulin secretion and β-cell function.

Furthermore, the asparagus extract also exhibited the hypoglycaemic and hypotriglyceridaemic effects in preventing diabetic complications associated with hyperglycaemia and hyperlipidaemia.

Taking altogether, there is no doubt that many aspects have contributed to the effectiveness of asparagus in reduced risk of diabetic complications and treatment of diabetes, but large amount of asparagus extract intake should only be prescribed by related field specialist

Arthritis Is Curable
You Can Eliminate Osteoarthritis
By addressing the Underlying Causes through Clinical Trials and Studies

Ovarian Cysts And PCOS Elimination
Holistic System In Existence That Will Show You How To
Permanently Eliminate All Types of Ovarian Cysts Within 2 Months

Super foods Library, Eat Yourself Healthy With The Best of the Best Nature Has to Offer recommended by Kyle J. Norton

Back to Kyle J. Norton Home page http://kylejnorton.blogspot.ca

Sources
(1) Asparagus racemosus Willd (Liliaceae) ameliorates early diabetic nephropathy in STZ induced diabetic rats by Somania R1, Singhai AK, Shivgunde P, Jain D.(PubMed)
(2) Asparagus officinalis extract controls blood glucose by improving insulin secretion and β-cell function in streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rats by Hafizur RM1, Kabir N, Chishti S.(PubMed)
(3) The aqueous extract of Asparagus officinalis L. by-product exerts hypoglycaemic activity in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats by Zhao J1, Zhang W, Zhu X, Zhao D, Wang K, Wang R, Qu W.(PubMed)