A Toxicological Study of HangAmDan-B in Mice

AbstractThe aim of the study was to define the toxicity of HangAmDan-B (HAD-B) in mice over the short and long term. HAD-B was studied in 1-week single and 5-week repeated oral dose toxicity tests on male Imprinting Control Region mice. Doses used in 1 week single oral dose toxicity tests were 0, 0.2, 1, 5, and 25 g/kg/day and those of repeated toxicity test were 0, 0.04, 0.2, 1, and 2 g/kg/day. Blood and urine samples were assayed and their morphology observed. Numerical data were compared using Mann-Whitney U test and analysis of variance. Significantly decreased red blood cell levels in mice from S2-HAD-B, S3-HAD-B, S4-HAD-B, and S5-HAD-B groups were observed in single oral dose toxicity tests. Hemoglobin, hematocrit, and mean cell hemoglobin values in mice from the S4-HAD-B and S5-HAD-B groups were also significantly decreased. No mortalities or significant differences in all factors were observed during the dosing period of the repeated dose toxicity test. Administering 2 g/kg/day of HAD-B in mice over a 5-week period showed no significant hematological changes. However, risk of anemia with more than 5 g/kg/ day administration of HAD-B was found. In general, HAD-B appears to be safe and nontoxic, and a no observed adverse effect level in mice was established at 2 g/kg/ day. This data serves as satisfactory preclinical evidence for the safety of HAD-B should a future clinical trial for HAD-B be launched. Further studies are required to confirm these safety results and to carry out a safety trial in humans

Toxicity Studies on Secretio Bufonis: A Traditional Supplement in Asia

AbstractObjectivesThis study was performed to investigate the toxicity of Secretio Bufonis (SB) on male mice and assess its no-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL).Materials and MethodsAfter feeding an aqueous solution of SB extracts to mice for either 1 or 8 weeks, their blood and urine were assayed and their liver and kidney morphology examined. The numerical data was analyzed by the Mann-Whitney U-test and analysis of variance test.ResultsMice administered SB in 50 mg/kg/day for 1 week had higher heart weights and higher aspartate transaminase activities; those administered SB in 0.01 and 0.05 mg/kg/day for 8 weeks had lower creatinine concentrations; and those administered SB in 0.5 mg/kg/day for 8 weeks had higher brain weights and higher blood urea nitrogen.ConclusionsThe extracts of SB had cardiac toxicity in the short term and hepatotoxicity in the long term. The NOAEL of the extract was under 5 mg/kg/day for 1 week and under 0.25 mg/kg/day for 8 weeks

Toxicological Study on MUNOPHIL, Water Extract of Panax ginseng and Hericium erinaceum in Rats

AbstractObjectiveAs data on the safety profile of Panax ginseng and Hericium erinaceum is lacking, the safety of these two compounds was examined in a series of toxicological studies.Materials and MethodsMUNOPHIL, the water extract mixture of Panax ginseng and Hericium erinaceum was tested in an oral subchronic 28-day toxicity study in rats at doses of 1250, 2500 and 5000 mg/kg/day.ResultsIn repeated dose toxicity studies, no mortality was observed when varying doses of the extracts were administered once daily for a period of 28 days. There were no significant differences in body weight, absolute and relative organ weights between controls and treated rats of both sexes. Hematological analysis showed no differences in most parameters examined. In the biochemistry parameter analysis, no significant change occurred. Pathologically, neither gross abnormalities nor his-topathological changes were observed. Therefore, MUNOPHIL appears to be safe and non-toxic in these studies and a no-observed adverse effect level in rats was established at 5000 mg/kg/day.ConclusionThe data could provide satisfactory preclinical evidence of safety to launch clinical trials on standardized formulation of plant extracts

Identification of Target Genes Involved in the Antiproliferative Effect of Enzyme-Modified Ginseng Extract in HepG2 Hepatocarcinoma Cell

Ginsenosides are ginseng saponins, which are the major biologically active components of Panax ginseng, often metabolized by intestinal bacteria into more effective forms. In this study, we found that the antiproliferative activity of ginseng increased after enzymatic processing of ginseng saponin (50% inhibitory concentration [IC50], >30 μg/mL), which may be the result of the accumulation of minor saponins, such as Rh1, Rg3, compound K, and PPT constituents in ginseng saponin. Using the Agilent PrimeView Human Gene Expression Array, we found that the expression of several genes involved in apoptosis (caspase-4, Annexin A2, HSPA9, AIFM1, UQCRC2, and caspase-7) were increased in HepG2 human hepatocarcinoma cells after their treatment with enzyme-modified ginseng extract (EMGE). Furthermore, several genes implicated in cell cycle progression (CDCA3, CDCA8, CABLES2, CDC25B, CNNM3, and CCNK) showed decreased expression in HepG2 cells treated with EMGE. Finally, from flow cytometric analysis, we found that EMGE-treated HepG2 cells showed increased apoptotic sub-G1 population (24%), compared with that observed in DMSO-treated control cells (1.6%). Taken together, our results suggest that EMGE induces anticancer activity through the induction of apoptosis-related genes and cell cycle arrest via decreased expression of cell cycle regulatory genes

A study on recent tendency of anti-tumor herbal acupuncture

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to develop and activate anti-tumor herbal acupuncture for cancer patients in South Korea. Methods: We investigated some literatures on anti-tumor herbal acupuncture which is used in South Korea and China, and made diagrams. Results: The results are summarized as follows. Anti-tumor herbal acupuncture is one of the traditional oriental medical method which is effective for cancer patients. In domestic studies, most of herb materials are belong to action of cooling&detoxification(25.0%) and strengthening body resistance(46.4%) which are proved to have effects of anti-tumor, immune activation and preventing tumor. In China, point injection therapy are used for improving symptoms of cancer patients and healing tumor. Also herbal intravenous injection is used for combination of chinese traditional and western cancer therapy and treating cancer patients variously. Conclusions: From the above results, it is expected that anti-tumor herbal acupuncture is useful to improve clinical symptoms and quality of life(QOL) of cancer patients. Also we must develop new progressive methods of point injection and herbal intravenous injection for treating cancer patients, and advance clinical studies and trials

Comparison of Distribution and Density of Nemopilema nomurai by Water Columns Using Echo Counting and Echo Integration Methods

In this study, the distribution of Nemopilema nomurai in the waters of Mijo-myeon, Namhae and Gijang-gun, Busan was analyzed; furthermore, echo counting and echo integration methods were used to compare the distribution density. The acoustic system used in the study was a split beam scientific echosounder operating at 38 and 120 kHz (EK-60, Simrad, Norway). Echo counting and echo integration methods were used to determine the density of N. nomurai distributed in the survey areas. The distribution of N. nomurai by water columns, estimated using an echo counting method, was concentrated at approximately 10 m deep in the waters of Mijo, Namhae and 10–50 m deep in the waters of Gijang, Busan; moreover, the distributed depth varied by the surveyed date and time. It was shown that analyzing the acoustic scattering strength of jellyfish obtained from the echo counting method would be more effective for distributional survey of N. nomurai with two frequency system

Prospective Analysis on Survival Outcomes of Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer Stages over IIIb Treated with HangAm-Dan

Background and objective Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) stages over IIIb still remain as an intractable disease. Survival rate of NSCLC stages over IIIb could be increased through chemotherapy and radiation, but results are not satisfactory. Oriental medicine herbal formula, HangAm-Dan (HAD) has been developed for anti-tumor purpose and several previous studies have already reported its effects. The aim of this study is to assess HAD's efficacy on prolonging the survival rate of NSCLC stages over IIIb. Methods We have administered 3 000 mg of HAD daily to patients. The study included 74 first visit patients of East-West Cancer Center (EWCC) from November 2007 to April 2008, diagnosed with inoperable NSCLC stages over IIIb. Among them, 30 patients were in HAD group and 44 patients were in combined group with conventional therapy and HAD. We have observed and analyzed their overall survival. Results Of total 74 patients, overall 1 year, 2 year survival rates and the median survival time were 62.1%, 34.9% and 17.0 months (95%CI: 12.9-21.1). NSCLC stage IIIb patients showed higher survival rates than NSCLC stage IV patients (P=0.408). The 1 year, 2 year survival rates and the median survival time of the combined group were 70.5%, 37.9% and 20.0 months (95%CI: 16.4-24.6). In HAD group, the 1 year, 2 year survival rates and the median survival time were 50.0%, 25.7% and 12.0 months (95%CI: 6.6-17.4). The combined therapy group showed higher survival rates than the HAD group (P=0.034). Each groups treated with HAD for more than 4 weeks showed higher survival rates than those treated for less than 4 weeks, but there was no significant difference (P=0.278). In hazard ratio, the combined therapy group showed lower mortality rate than the HAD group with statistical significance (P=0.040). Conclusion HAD could prolong the survival rate of inoperable NSCLC stages over IIIb. HAD is more effective when combined with conventional therapy. In the future, more controlled clinical trials with larger sample in multi-centers are needed to reevaluate the efficacy and safety of HAD