Early intervention with Kan Jang® to treat upper-respiratory tract infections: A randomized, quadruple-blind study.

Background And Aim: and preparations and their fixed combination, called Kan Jang®, are traditionally used for relieving symptoms of upper-respiratory tract infections (URTIs). This study aimed to assess the efficacy of early intervention with Kan Jang® on the relief and duration of inflammatory symptoms during the acute phase of the disease.

Experimental Procedure: A total of 179 patients with URTI symptoms received six Kan Jang® (daily dose of andrographolides: 60 mg) or placebo capsules a day for five consecutive days in this randomized, quadruple-blinded, placebo-controlled, two-parallel-group phase II study.

Synergy assessment of fixed combinations of Herba Andrographidis and Radix Eleutherococci extracts by transcriptome-wide microarray profiling.

Background: Generally accepted, but insufficiently proved, the concept of synergy is based on an assumption that combining of two biologically active substances is justified because the combination is more active and less harmful than the ingredients.

Hypothesis: Analysis of RNA microarray of isolated neuroglia cells and the comparison the number of genes deregulated by plant extracts and their fixed herbal formulation might be a useful tool/method for assessment of synergistic and antagonistic interactions of herbal extracts in human organism.

Aim: The primary aim of this study was to extend a new method of assessment of synergistic and antagonistic interactions of herbal extracts in isolated human neuroglia cells when they applied in the form of fixed combinations.

Mechanism of action of Rhodiola, salidroside, tyrosol and triandrin in isolated neuroglial cells: an interactive pathway analysis of the downstream effects using RNA microarray data.

Aim: The aim of this study was to identify the targets (genes, interactive signaling pathways, and molecular networks) of Rhodiola rosea extract in isolated neuroglia cells and to predict the effects of Rhodiola extract on cellular functions and diseases. In addition, the potential mechanism of action of Rhodiola rosea extract was elucidated, and the "active principle" among the three isolated constituents (salidroside, triandrin, and tyrosol) was identified.

Methods: Gene expression profiling was performed using the T98G human neuroglia cell line after treatment with the Rhodiola rosea SHR-5 extract and several of its individual constituents (salidroside, triandrin and tyrosol).

Synergy and Antagonism of Active Constituents of ADAPT-232 on Transcriptional Level of Metabolic Regulation of Isolated Neuroglial Cells.

Gene expression profiling was performed on the human neuroglial cell line T98G after treatment with adaptogen ADAPT-232 and its constituents - extracts of Eleutherococcus senticosus root, Schisandra chinensis berry, and Rhodiola rosea root as well as several constituents individually, namely, eleutheroside E, schizandrin B, salidroside, triandrin, and tyrosol. A common feature for all tested adaptogens was their effect on G-protein-coupled receptor signaling pathways, i.e.

Adaptogens stimulate neuropeptide y and hsp72 expression and release in neuroglia cells.

The beneficial stress-protective effect of adaptogens is related to the regulation of homeostasis via mechanisms of action associated with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the regulation of key mediators of the stress response, such as molecular chaperones, stress-activated c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase, forkhead box O transcription factor, cortisol, and nitric oxide (NO). However, it still remains unclear what the primary upstream targets are in response to stimulation by adaptogens. The present study addresses this gap in our knowledge and suggests that an important target for adaptogen mediated stress-protective effector functions is the stress hormone neuropeptide Y (NPY).

Effects of Adaptogens on the Central Nervous System and the Molecular Mechanisms Associated with Their Stress-Protective Activity.

Adaptogens were initially defined as substances that enhance the "state of nonspecific resistance" in stress, a physiological condition that is linked with various disorders of the neuroendocrine-immune system. Studies on animals and isolated neuronal cells have revealed that adaptogens exhibit neuroprotective, anti-fatigue, antidepressive, anxiolytic, nootropic and CNS stimulating activity. In addition, a number of clinical trials demonstrate that adaptogens exert an anti-fatigue effect that increases mental work capacity against a background of stress and fatigue, particularly in tolerance to mental exhaustion and enhanced attention.

Evidence-based efficacy of adaptogens in fatigue, and molecular mechanisms related to their stress-protective activity.

The aim of this review article is to assess the level of scientific evidence presented by clinical trials of adaptogens in fatigue, and to provide a rationale at the molecular level for verified effects. Strong scientific evidence is available for Rhodiola rosea SHR-5 extract, which improved attention, cognitive function and mental performance in fatigue and in chronic fatigue syndrome. Good scientific evidence has been documented in trails in which Schisandra chinensis and Eleutherococcus senticosus increased endurance and mental performance in patients with mild fatigue and weakness.

Adaptogens exert a stress-protective effect by modulation of expression of molecular chaperones.

Adaptogens are medicinal plants that augment resistance to stress, and increase concentration, performance and endurance during fatigue. Experiments were carried out with BALB/c mice taking ADAPT-232 forte, a fixed combination of three genuine (native) extracts of Eleutherococcus senticocus, Schisandra chinensis and Rhodiola rosea, characterised for the content of active markers eleutherosides, schisandrins, salidroside, tyrosol and rosavin and in doses of about 30, 90 and 180 mg/kg for seven consecutive days followed by forced swimming test to exhaustion. ADAPT-232 forte strongly augments endurance of mice, increasing the time taken to exhaustion (TTE) in a dose-dependent manner from 3.

Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic study of interaction of Rhodiola rosea SHR-5 extract with warfarin and theophylline in rats.

Significant pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic interactions between various herbal products and drugs being substrates of cytochrome P450 have recently been reported. The aim of this study was to determine whether Rhodiola rosea SHR-5 extract interacts with warfarin and theophylline when administered concomitantly. Thus, concomitant treatment of rats with theophylline and SHR-5 did not give rise to significant effects on the pharmacokinetics of theophylline.

Pharmacology of Schisandra chinensis Bail.: an overview of Russian research and uses in medicine.

Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Bail. is often referred to as an example of a medicinal plant with use in modern Chinese medicine.

The adaptogens rhodiola and schizandra modify the response to immobilization stress in rabbits by suppressing the increase of phosphorylated stress-activated protein kinase, nitric oxide and cortisol.

Adaptogens possess anti-fatigue and anti-stress activities that can increase mental and physical working performance against a background of fatigue or stress. The aim of the present study was to ascertain which mediators of stress response are significantly involved in the mechanisms of action of adaptogens, and to determine their relevance as biochemical markers for evaluating anti-stress effects in rabbits subjected to restraint stress. Blood levels of stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK/JNK), the phosphorylated kinase p-SAPK/p-JNK, nitric oxide (NO), cortisol, testosterone, prostaglandin E(2), leukotriene B(4) and thromboxane B(2) were determined in groups of animals prior to daily oral administration of placebo, rhodioloside or extracts of Eleutherococcus senticosus, Schizandra chinensis, Rhodiola rosea, Bryonia alba and Panax ginseng over a 7 day period.