Mao-to Prolongs the Survival of and Reduces TNF-α Expression in Mice with Viral Myocarditis

Goal of this study was to evaluate effects of Mao-to on development of myocarditis induced by encephalomyocarditis (EMC) virus in mice. Mice were randomly divided into five groups. Group N included uninfected controls (n = 18), while group A, B and C underwent intraperitoneal injection of EMC virus. Group A was administered oral saline from day 0 to day 4. Group B was administered oral Mao-to (500 mg−1 kg−1 day−1) from day 0 to day 4. Group C was administered Mao-to from day 2 to day 6. Group D was administered Mao-to from day 5 to day 10. Treated mice were followed for survival rates during 2 weeks after infection. Body weight (BW) and organ weights including heart (HW), lungs, thymus and spleen were examined on days 4, 6 and 14. Survival rate of group C (36.4%) was significantly improved compared with group A, B or D (0% of each, P < 0.05). HW and HW/BW ratio in group C was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than those in group A, B or D. Viral titers of hearts were significantly different among groups A, B and C. Cardiac expression in tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) was significantly reduced in group C in comparison with group A, B or D on day 6 by immunohistochemical study. Administration of Mao-to starting on day 2 improves mortality resulting from viral myocarditis in mice with reduced expression of cardiac TNF-α. These findings suggest that timing of Mao-to is crucial for preventing cardiac damage in mice with viral myocarditis

The Risks of Using Personally Imported Traditional Chinese Drugs (Decoction)

金沢大学医薬保健研究域薬学系In Chinese herbal drugs, different drugs have the same name, causing confusion of drug origin which might cause harmful effects when clinically applied. We examined a 19-year-old female who acquired Chinese herbs syndrome (aristolochia nephropathy) induced by a mixture of crude Chinese drugs. She had imported the Chinese drug (decoction) consisting of approximately 20 natural elements and taken it for atopic dermatitis over a course of approximately 3 years. We identified "Guan Mutong" of Aristolochiaceae as analyzed by means of thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). We confirmed aristolochic acid, a known nephrotoxin, from stem slices of "Guan Mutong" in her drug. It is not known if "Guan Mutong" was intentionally included in her imported Chinese drugs or put in by mistake. However, the present study has suggested the possibility that the Chinese herb "Guan Mutong" which is potentially nephrotoxic, might be accidentally delivered in the plant fraction of the Chinese drug. The possible adverse effects of crude Chinese drugs should be emphasized for patients who self-administer them