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Research Publications on "Sho-saiko-to" (1990-2001)
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Is your "Sho-saiko-to" manufactured under the same quality standard as the ones approved by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Labor? Find out more... |
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Authors Watanabe S. Kitade Y. Masaki T. Nishioka M. Satoh K. Nishino H. Institution Third Department of Internal Medicine, Kagawa Medical University, Kagawa 761-0701, Japan. seishiro@kms.ac.jp Title Effects of lycopene and Sho-saiko-to on hepatocarcinogenesis in a rat model of spontaneous liver cancer. Source Nutrition & Cancer. 39(1):96-101, 2001. Abstract The Long-Evans Cinnamon (LEC) rat is a well-characterized model of spontaneous hepatocarcinogenesis. It has been shown that dietary administration of lycopene or the herbal medicine Sho-saiko-to (TJ-9) has anticarcinogenic activity, although the mechanism by which these products protect against carcinogenesis is not well known. We investigated the outcome of administration of lycopene and TJ-9 on the occurrence of hepatic neoplasia in LEC rats. A diet containing 0.005% lycopene (originally the product of tomato oleoresin containing 13% lycopene) and 1% TJ-9 (crude extracts of 7 herbs: bupleurum root, pinellia tuber, scutellaria root, jujube fruit, ginseng root, glycyrrhiza root, and ginger rhizome) was administered from 6 weeks of age until the rats were sacrificed at 76 weeks of age, at which time most of the nontreated animals were known to have hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Development of HCC in treated groups was analyzed histologically by comparison with untreated controls. Glutathione S-transferase placental form (GST-P) was analyzed by an immunohistochemical method. Concentration of copper, iron, and zinc, which appear to play a role in hepatocarcinogenesis in LEC rats, was analyzed. The percent areas of HCC in the liver specimens of control, lycopene, and TJ-9 groups were 17.9 +/- 17.1%, 27.2 +/- 20.8%, and 27.6 +/- 18.4%, respectively. These intergroup differences were not significant. The percent area, number of areas, and mean size of area staining positively for GST-P revealed no significant differences between the groups. The number of GST-P-positive areas within the HCC lesions was greater in the TJ-9 group than in the control or lycopene group (p = 0.024 and p = 0.012, respectively). The study also demonstrated a lower concentration of iron in livers of the lycopene group than the control group (p = 0.019). There were no differences in serum alpha-fetoprotein levels or the cumulative survival rates between the groups. In conclusion, long-term administration of lycopene or TJ-9 did not reduce the risk of hepatocarcinogenesis in LEC rats.
Authors Huang XX. Yamashiki M. Nakatani K. Nobori T. Mase A. Institution Department of Laboratory Medicine, Mie University School of Medicine, Tsu, Mie, Japan. Title Semi-quantitative analysis of cytokine mRNA expression induced by the herbal medicine Sho-saiko-to (TJ-9) using a Gel Doc system. Source Journal of Clinical Laboratory Analysis. 15(4):199-209, 2001. Abstract The RT-PCR method was employed to determine the cytokine mRNA expression of human peripheral lymphocytes induced by the Japanese herbal medicine Sho-saiko-to (TJ-9). The results showed that the mRNA expression of IL-12, IL-1beta, IL-10, TNF-alpha, G-CSF, and IFN-gamma increased after 6 hr in culture. This is the first reported finding that TJ-9 is an IFN-gamma inducer. Next, cytokine mRNA expression was semi-quantitatively measured using the Gel Doc system with a CCD camera and then statistically analyzed in order to determine which component of TJ-9 was the true cytokine inducer. The results showed that the scutellaria root is the main component inducing the cytokines, while the glycyrrhiza root is the secondary component. When the cytokine concentrations in the supernatants of cell cultures were measured by ELISA, the levels of IL-12, IL-1beta, IL-10, TNF-alpha, and G-CSF reflected mRNA expression levels in the cell fraction. However, the level of IFN-gamma was below the detectable limit. The effects of various reagents on many different kinds of cytokine mRNA expression could be analyzed objectively in a short time using the Gel Doc system. Many important findings could be demonstrated by this simple, easy, sensitive, and cheap method. After the clinical significance of cytokine analysis is confirmed, this method may become a useful clinical examination tool. Copyright 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Authors Nishimura N. Naora K. Hirano H. Iwamoto K. Institution Department of Pharmacy, Shimane Medical University Hospital, Izumo, Japan. Title Changes in the dissolution of tolbutamide by a traditional Chinese medicine, Sho-saiko-to (Xiao Chaihu Tang). Source Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin. 24(4):409-13, 2001 Apr. Abstract Dissolution rate is considered an important factor affecting absorption and efficacy after the oral administration of tolbutamide. Since in many cases traditional Chinese medicines, including Sho-saiko-to (TJ-9, Xiao Chaihu Tang), are taken with other drugs, it is likely that the dissolution and absorption of concomitant drugs in the gastrointestinal tract are influenced by the presence of traditional Chinese medicines. In this study, the effects of TJ-9 on the in vitro dissolution of tolbutamide were examined. We carried out the dissolution test of tolbutamide in the absence or presence of traditional Chinese medicines (Kakkon-to, TJ-1; Hachimi-jio-gan, TJ-7; Chorei-to, TJ-40; Shakuyaku-kanzo-to, TJ-68; TJ-9; Glycyrrhizae Radix, GR; glycyrrhizin, GL) by using a pH 1.2 dissolution medium. Tolbutamide was determined by HPLC assay. The moment parameters, ie., mean dissolution time (MDT), and the dissolution rate constant up to 20 min (kd) were estimated from the dissolution profiles on the basis of the first-order kinetics. Preparations containing GR, namely TJ-1, TJ-9 and TJ-68, significantly reduced the kd and increased the MDT of tolbutamide, while TJ-7 and TJ-40 had no effect on the early dissolution profile of tolbutamide. The extent of decrease in the kd in the presence of TJ-1, TJ-9 and TJ-68 was dependent on their GR contents. Similar inhibitory effects on the dissolution rate of tolbutamide were observed when GR alone was added to the test medium. In addition, GL, a major constituent of GR, induced a 50% increase in MDT and a 30% decrease in kd. The above results indicate that Chinese traditional preparations containing GR have an inhibitory effect on the in vitro dissolution of tolbutamide, which is derived from GL in the preparations.
Authors Rossi M. Meyer R. Constantinou P. Caruso F. Castelbuono D. O'Brien M. Narasimhan V. Institution Department of Chemistry, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York 12604, Istituto di Strutturistica Chimica, CNR, 00016, Monterotondo Stazione, Rome, Italy. rossi@vassar.edu Title Molecular structure and activity toward DNA of baicalein, a flavone constituent of the Asian herbal medicine "Sho-saiko-to". Source Journal of Natural Products. 64(1):26-31, 2001 Jan. Abstract Baicalein (5,6,7-trihydroxyflavone, 1) is of interest because of its broad spectrum of biological activity. It is a constituent of the east Asian herbal remedy, "Sho-saiko-to". The 3D structure of 1 was determined using X-ray diffraction. The compound exists in an almost planar conformation with a C-2-C-1' bond distance of 1.476(5) A. Hydrogen-bonding interactions predominate in the crystal structure. The position of the three hydroxyl groups maximizes intramolecular hydrogen bonding, and each of the hydroxyl hydrogen atoms is a donor in a three-center hydrogen bond. The carbonyl oxygen, O-4, is an acceptor in an intramolecular hydrogen bond (with OH-5). Two molecules of 1 exist as hydrogen-bonded dimers related by inversion center (-x + 1, -y, -z + 1). O-4 is also an acceptor in an intermolecular hydrogen bond with OH-6. The planarity of the flavone framework is dependent on structural and/or electronic forces that stabilize the negative charge on the exocyclic oxygen atom, O-4. Compound 1, therefore, is planar in any situation where forces can stabilize the negative charge on O-4. Consistent with this, UV absorbance studies performed on 1-DNA complexes with varying concentrations of 1 strongly suggest intercalation of 1 within the double helix, followed by possible interstrand cross-links.
Authors Nishimura N. Naora K. Hirano H. Iwamoto K. Institution Department of Pharmacy, Shimane Medical University Hospital, 89-1 Enya-cho, Izumo, Shimane 693-8501, Japan. Title Effects of sho-saiko-to (xiao chai hu tang), a Chinese traditional medicine, on the gastric function and absorption of tolbutamide in rats. Source Yakugaku Zasshi - Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan. 121(2):153-9, 2001 Feb. Abstract This study was carried out to investigate the effects of Sho-saiko-to (Xiao Chai Hu Tang), a Chinese traditional medicine, on the gastric function including the gastric emptying rate (GER) and intragastric pH in rats. Additionally, the effects of the GER and intragastric pH on tolbutamide absorption after oral administration were examined. The GER measured at 40 min after dosing was reduced to about 70% by the pretreatment of Sho-saiko-to (500 mg/kg). The plasma tolbutamide concentration in the rats treated with a 250 mg/kg dose of Sho-saiko-to was significantly lower than that in the control group. Plasma tolbutamide concentrations increased along with the GER in the group co-administered Sho-saiko-to, and there were significant correlations between the GERs and plasma levels in both time points at 20 and 40 min after administration. In the study using pylorus-ligated rats, Sho-saiko-to significantly elevated the intragastric pH, but induced no change in the concentrations of tolbutamide dissolved in the gastric content. Additionally, Sho-saiko-to did not change the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) of tolbutamide up to 60 min after administration into the stomach loop, and gastric absorption has been considered to minimally contribute to whole absorption of tolbutamide in the gastrointestinal tract. These results indicate that Sho-saiko-to has an inhibitory effect on the function of gastric emptying in rats. The reduced gastric emptying could affect gastrointestinal absorption, resulting in the lower plasma concentration of tolbutamide after oral administration. Furthermore, it is suggested that Sho-saiko-to can raise the intragastric pH but affect neither the intragastric dissolution nor the gastric absorption of tolbutamide. |
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