Reduction of perception of chronic fatigue in an observational study of patients receiving 12 weeks of Kampo therapy.

Objective: The aim of this study was to observe the influence of Kampo therapy on latent chronic fatigue of patients with chronic diseases.

Subjects: One hundred and seventy-three (173) consecutive patients with chronic diseases came to our department for the first time.

Design: This was a prospective study.

Inhibitory effects of triterpenes isolated from Chuling (Polyporus umbellatus Fries) on free radical-induced lysis of red blood cells.

Chuling, sclerotia of Polyporus umbellatus FRIES, has long been used for urological disorders in traditional medicine. In this study, we demonstrated that Chuling in vitro protects red blood cells from 2,2-azo-bis(2-amidinopropane)dihydrochloride (AAPH)-induced hemolysis. The inhibitory effect was dose-dependent at concentrations of 50 to 1000 microg/ml.

Inhibitory effects of Stephania tetrandra S. Moore on free radical-induced lysis of rat red blood cells.

Crude preparations of Stephania tetrandra S. MOORE (ST), a traditional herbal medicine, have been used safely for arthritis and silicosis in China. In this study, we demonstrated that ST in vitro protects red blood cells from 2,2-azo-bis (2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH)-induced hemolysis.

Oren-gedoku-to and Keishi-bukuryo-gan-ryo inhibit the progression of atherosclerosis in diet-induced hypercholesterolemic rabbits.

In this study, we examined whether the Kampo formulas Oren-gedoku-to (OGT, Huanglian-jie-du-tang in Chinese) and Keishi-bukuryo-gan-ryo (KBG, Gui-zhi-fu-ling-wan in Chinese) could prevent the progression of atherosclerosis in cholesterol-fed rabbit, an animal model for hypercholesterolemia in vivo. Twenty-four male Japanese white rabbits (2 kg body weight) were divided into four groups. The control group was fed standard rabbit chow containing 1% cholesterol, the OGT group was fed standard rabbit chow containing 1% cholesterol and 1% OGT, the KBG group was fed standard rabbit chow containing 1% cholesterol and 1% KBG, and the vitamin E group was fed standard rabbit chow containing 1% cholesterol and vitamin E (450 mg/1000 g).

Effects of Choto-san and hooks and stems of Uncaria sinensis on antioxidant enzyme activities in the gerbil brain after transient forebrain ischemia.

Previously, we revealed that oral administrations of Choto-san, a Kampo formula, and the hooks and stems of Uncaria sinensis Haviland (Rubiaceae), a medicinal plant comprising Choto-san, enhanced superoxide anion and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities in the hippocampus, and prevented delayed neuronal death of pyramidal cells in the hippocampal CA1 region in a transient forebrain ischemia gerbil model. In the present study, for the purpose of clarifying whether the endogenous antioxidant enzymes contribute to these mechanisms, we investigated the effects of Choto-san extract (CSE) and Uncaria sinensis extract (USE) on superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities in the brain by using the same experimental model. 1.