Research
Wolfberry Juice Wolfberry Juice (Also known as Goji Berry or Lycii Berry)
Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. 2006 Apr;26(4):329-31.
Effects of Jiangtang Bushen Recipe On Serum C-Reactive Protein, Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha and Interleukin-6 in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
[Article in Chinese]
Fan GJ, Tang XY, Li SL.
Department of Endocrinology, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120. fgjie@tom.com
OBJECTIVE To observe the effect of Jiangtang Bushen Recipe (JBR) on inflammatory cytokines in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and explore its therapeutic mechanism. METHODS Sixty-four patients with T2DM were randomly divided into the treated group (n = 34) and the control group (n = 30). Education course, dietary treatment and conventional hypoglycemic agent were given to both groups, and JBR, mainly composed of Cibot Rhizome, Radix Dipsaci, Glossy Privet Fruit; Ecliptae Herba, Radicis Lycii, Radix Astragali, Rehmannia Dride Rhizome, etc., was given additionally to patients in the treated group, one dose a day for 4 weeks by boiled water and taking in two times. Fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting insulin (FINS), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured, and insulin sensitive index (ISI) and clinical TCM symptom score were calculated before and after treatment. RESULTS: After treatment, the clinical symptom score dropped in both groups (P < 0.01), and it was lower in the treated group than that in the control group (P < 0.01). At the same time, serum levels of FINS, CRP, TNF-alpha and IL-6 decreased and ISI increased significantly, the effect showed in the treated group was also superior to that in the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: JBR, which could tonify Pi and Shen, nourish Yin and clear away heat, can improve insulin resistance and alleviate clinical symptoms of T2DM patients, the mechanism may be related with its actions in regulating the production of inflammatory cytokines and inhibiting inflammatory reac-
PMID: 16689001 [PubMed - in process]
J Ethnopharmacol. 2002 Oct;82(2-3):169-75.
Protective Effect of Fructus Lycii Polysaccharides Against Time and Hyperthermia-Induced Damage in Cultured Seminferrous Epithelium
Wang Y, Zhao H, Sheng X, Gambino PE, Costello B, Bojanowski K.
Department of Histology and Embryology, Ningxia Medical College, Yinchuan, People''s Republic of China.
Lycium barbarum L. (Solanaceae) is a Chinese medicinal plant whose fruits (Fructus Lycii) are used by Chinese physicians for treatment of infertility. However, the active ingredients and the mechanism of action underlying Lycium''s fertility-facilitating effects remain unknown. Here we report that Fructus Lycii polysaccharides (FLPS) inhibit time- and hyperthermia-induced structural damage in murine seminiferous epithelium, in vitro. Moreover, we found that FLPS delayed apoptosis in this system, both at normothermic and hyperthermic culture conditions. Oxidative stress was reported to be a major cause of structural degradation and apoptosis in hyperthermic testes, and thus the protective effect of FLPS could implicate an antioxidant mechanism of action. To test this hypothesis we assayed the effect of FLPS on ultraviolet light-induced lipid peroxidation, and cytochrome c reduction by free radicals. We found that FLPS is a potent inhibitor of both of these reactions. Together, these results demonstrate the protective effect of FLPS on time- and hyperthermia-induced testicular degeneration in vitro, indicate the potential mechanism of action for this protective effect, and provide a scientific basis for the traditional use of this plant.
PMID: 12241992 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
