Bungorn Sripanidkulchai

Effectiveness of green tea on weight reduction in obese Thais: A randomized, controlled trial.

This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of green tea on weight reduction in obese Thais. A randomized, controlled trial involving 60 obese subjects (body mass index, BMI > 25 kg/m2) was conducted. All subjects consumed a Thai diet containing 3 meals (8373.6 kJ/day) for 12 weeks, prepared by the Nutritional Unit at Srinagarind Hospital. The diet contained 65% carbohydrates, 15% protein, and 20% fat. Body weight, BMI, body composition, resting energy expenditure, and substrate oxidation were measured at baseline, and during weeks 4, 8, and 12 of the study. Serum levels of leptin and urine VMA were measured at baseline and during the 12th week. Differences over time and between the treatments (green tea or placebo) over time were determined using two-factor ANOVA with repeated measures. In comparing the two groups, differences in weight loss were 2.70, 5.10, and 3.3 kg during the 4th, 8th, and 12th weeks of the study, respectively. At the 8th and 12th weeks of the study, body weight loss was significantly different (P < 0.05). At the 8th week, the difference in resting energy expenditure was 183.38 kJ/day (P < 0.001), the difference in the respiratory quotient was 0.02 (P < 0.05), and no significant differences existed in satiety score, food intake, or physical activity. Urine VMA was significantly different in the 12th week of the study (P < 0.05). We conclude that green tea can reduce body weight in obese Thai subjects by increasing energy expenditure and fat oxidation.

Diuretic effects of selected Thai indigenous medicinal plants in rats.

Extracts of five indigenous Thai medicinal having ethnomedical application in the treatment of dysuria were investigated for their diuretic activity. Root extracts of Ananas comosus and Carica papaya, given orally to rats at a dose of 10 mg/kg, demonstrated significantly increased urine output (P < 0.01) which was 79 and 74%, respectively, of the effect of an equivalent dose of hydrochlorothiazide. Both plant extracts gave similar profiles of urinary electrolyte excretion to that of the hydrochlorothiazide. The analyses of the urinary osmolality and electrolyte excretion per unit time suggest the observed effect of A. comosus was intrinsic, whereas that of C. papaya may have resulted from a high salt content of this extract. However, our experimental evidence on the diuretic activities of the other three plants did not parallel their local utilization for dysuria. It was found that the rhizome of Imperata cylindrica apparently inhibited the urination of rats whereas the rhizome of Cyperus rotundus and the stem of Averrhoa carambola failed to demonstrate any diuretic activities. These results indicate that two of the plants investigated exert their action by causing diuresis. The other three plants need further investigation to determine their effectiveness in the treatment of dysuria.

Positive modulation of cognition and mood in the healthy elderly volunteer following the administration of Centella asiatica.

AIMS OF THIS STUDY Centella asiatica has a reputation to restore decline cognitive function in traditional medicine and in animal model. However, little evidence regarding the efficacy of Centella asiatica from systematized trials is available. Therefore, the present randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study investigated the effect of Centella asiatica on cognitive function of healthy elderly volunteer. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty-eight healthy elderly participants received the plant extract at various doses ranging 250, 500 and 750 mg once daily for 2 months. Cognitive performance was assessed using the computerized test battery and event-related potential whereas mood was assessed using Bond-Lader visual analogue scales prior to the trial and after single, 1 and 2 months after treatment. RESULTS The results showed that the high dose of the plant extract enhanced working memory and increased N100 component amplitude of event-related potential. Improvements of self-rated mood were also found following the Centella asiatica treatment. CONCLUSION Therefore, the present findings suggest the potential of Centella asiatica to attenuate the age-related decline in cognitive function and mood disorder in the healthy elderly. However, the precise mechanism(s) underlying these effects still require further investigation.

Pharmacokinetics, Bioavailability, Tissue Distribution, Excretion, and Metabolite Identification of Methoxyflavones in Kaempferia parviflora Extract in Rats

Kaempferia parviflora (KP) is an herbal plant in the family of Zingiberaceae. KP mainly contains methoxyflavones, especially 5,7-dimethoxyflavone (DMF), 5,7,4′-trimethoxyflavone (TMF), and 3,5,7,3′,4′-pentamethoxyflavone (PMF). The present study was designed to characterize the pharmacokinetics, including bioavailability, distribution, excretion, and identification of metabolites after administration of a KP ethanolic extract. Male rats were orally or intravenously administered a 250 mg/kg concentration of a KP extract, and blood samples were obtained at selected times to determine pharmacokinetic parameters of PMF, TMF, and DMF. For distribution and excretion studies, the organs, urine, and feces samples were collected at various times after oral administration of a larger (750 mg/kg) dose of KP extract. Methoxyflavones in the biological samples were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography-UV, and the metabolites in urine and feces were further identified by using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. After oral administration, concentrations of the three methoxyflavones quickly approached their maximal concentration, ranging from 0.55 to 0.88 μg/ml within 1 to 2 h after administration, and then were gradually excreted with half-lives of 3 to 6 h. The methoxyflavones showed low oral bioavailability of 1 to 4%. Three methoxyflavones were detected at their highest levels in liver followed by kidney. They were also found in lung, testes, and brain. After absorption, organ distribution, and metabolism, the components of KP were mainly eliminated through urine in the forms of demethylated, sulfated, and glucuronidated products and as demethylated metabolites in the feces. The parent compounds were found to have 0.79, 1.76, and 3.10% dose recovery in urine and 1.06, 1.77, and 0.96% dose recovery in feces for PMF, TMF, and DMF, respectively. These studies are the first to describe the pharmacokinetics of KP extract to provide the information on blood and tissue levels.

Light and electron microscopy observations of embryogenesis and egg development in the human liver fluke, Opisthorchis viverrini (Platyhelminthes, Digenea).

Eggs of most species digenean flukes hatch in the external environment to liberate larvae that seek and penetrate a snail intermediate host. Those of the human liver flukes, Opisthorchis viverrini, hatch within the gastrointestinal canal of their snail hosts. While adult parasites are primarily responsible for the pathology in cases of human opisthorchiasis, their eggs also contribute by inducing granulomata and in serving as nidi for gallstone formation. In view of the peculiar biology of O. viverrini eggs and their contribution to pathology, we investigated embryogenesis in this species by light and transmission electron microscopy. Egg development was traced from earliest stages of coalescence in the ootype until full embryonation in the distal region of the uterus. Fully mature eggs were generally impermeable to resin and could not be examined by conventional electron microscopy methods. However, the use of high-pressure freezing and freeze-substitution fixation of previously fixed eggs enabled the internal structure of mature eggs, particularly the subshell envelopes, to be elucidated. Fertilization occurs in the ootype, and the large zygote is seen therein with a single spermatozoon wrapped around its plasma membrane. As the zygote begins to divide, the spent vitellocytes are pushed to the periphery of the eggs, where they progressively degrade. The early eggshell is formed in the ootype by coalescing eggshell precursor material released by approximately six vitelline cells. The early eggs have a thinner eggshell and are larger than, but lack the characteristic shape of, mature eggs. Characteristic shell ornamentation, the “muskmelon” appearance of eggs, appears after eggshell polymerization in the ootype. Pores are not present in the shell of O. viverrini eggs. The inner and outer envelopes are poorly formed in this species, with the outer envelope evident beneath the eggshell at the opercular pole of the mature egg. The miracidium has a conical anterior end that lacks the distinctive lamellar appearance of the terebratorium of other digeneans, such as the schistosomes. The miracidium is richly glandular, containing an apical gland in the anterior end, large cephalic gland, and posterior secretory glands. Each gland contains a secretory product with different structure. The paucity of vitelline cells associating with eggs, the reduced size of eggs, and reduced complexity of the extraembryonic envelopes are interpreted as adaptations to the peculiar hatching biology of the miracidia.

Anti-inflammatory effect of Streblus asper leaf extract in rats and its modulation on inflammation-associated genes expression in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells

AIM OF THIS STUDY Streblus asper is a medicinal plant from Thailand used in folk medicine for the treatment of several inflammatory diseases. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of Streblus asper leaf ethanolic extract (SAE). MATERIALS AND METHODS The experimental carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats was performed in which the SAE at doses of 125, 250, 500 mg/kg body weight was intraperitoneally administered to the rats. Then, reverse transcriptive polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique was also performed to determine the effect of SAE on the expression of inflammation-associated genes in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). RESULTS The SAE at all given doses caused a significant dose-dependent inhibition of edema (p<0.05). Moreover, the significant and dose-dependent LPS-induced cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA expressions were demonstrated in RAW 264.7 cells treated with SAE. The inhibition is selective, since COX-1 mRNA expression did not change in the presence of SAE. CONCLUSION The results of this study are the first scientific evidence on the molecular effects of Streblus asper as a potential anti-inflammatory agent, which supports the fact that the plant is employed in traditional remedies.

In vivo and in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of Lentinus polychrous extract.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Lentinus polychrous is a Thai local edible mushroom, traditionally used for the treatments of fever and inflammation due to snake or scorpion envenomation. AIM OF STUDY The present study aimed to investigate an anti-inflammatory effect of Lentinus polychrous mycelial extract (LPME) both in vitro and in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS The cytotoxicity and suppressive effects of LPME on nitric oxide production, intracellular O2(-) production, pro-inflammatory mediator expression, TNF-α production were determined by using LPS-activated RAW 264.7 cells. In addition, Anti-inflammatory effect of LPME was evaluated by using carageenan-induced paw edema in rats. RESULTS The LPME exhibited cytotoxicity with 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 280.25 ± 10.10 μg/ml and significantly suppressed the productions of NO and intracellular O2(-) with dose-dependent manner. LPME decreased the expressions of iNOS, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and COX-2 and significantly decreased the TNF-α production in LPS-activated macrophage with dose-dependent manners. Moreover, LPME showed significant suppressive effect on paw edema in rats. CONCLUSION The results clearly revealed that the LPME inhibited NO and pro-inflammatory productions by down-regulating the gene expressions of pro-inflammatory mediators leading to the decrease paw edema in rat which support the traditional use.

Hair Growth-Promoting Effect of Carthamus tinctorius Floret Extract

The florets of Carthamus tinctorius L. have traditionally been used for hair growth promotion. This study aimed to examine the potential of hydroxysafflor yellow A‐rich C. tinctorius extract (CTE) on hair growth both in vitro and in vivo. The effect of CTE on cell proliferation and hair growth‐associated gene expression in dermal papilla cells and keratinocytes (HaCaT) was determined. In addition, hair follicles from mouse neonates were isolated and cultured in media supplemented with CTE. Moreover, CTE was applied topically on the hair‐shaved skin of female C57BL/6 mice, and the histological profile of the skin was investigated. C. tinctorius floret ethanolic extract promoted the proliferation of both dermal papilla cells and HaCaT and significantly stimulated hair growth‐promoting genes, including vascular endothelial growth factor and keratinocyte growth factor. In contrast, CTE suppressed the expression of transforming growth factor‐β1 that is the hair loss‐related gene. Furthermore, CTE treatment resulted in a significant increase in the length of cultured hair follicles and stimulated the growth of hair with local effects in mice. The results provided the preclinical data to support the potential use of CTE as a hair growth‐promoting agent. Copyright

Bioactive ergostanoids and a new polyhydroxyoctane from Lentinus polychrous mycelia and their inhibitory effects on E2-enhanced cell proliferation of T47D cells

From mycelia of Lentinus polychrous, a Thai local edible mushroom cultured under solid-state fermentation, a new compound, 6-methylheptane-1,2,3,4,5-pentaol (1), and five ergostanoids, namely (22E,24R)-ergosta-7,22-dien-3β,5α,6β-triol (2), 3β,5α-dihydroxy-(22E,24R)-ergosta-7,22-dien-6-one (3), ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one (4), (3β,5α,8α,22E)-5,8-diepoxy-ergosta-6,22-dien-3-ol (5) and 5,8-epidioxy-(3β,5α,8α,22E)-ergosta-6,9(11),22-trien-3-ol (6), was isolated and characterised. The compounds were determined for their oestrogenic and anti-oestrogenic activities by using human breast cancer T47D cells. All compounds had no oestrogenic activity but exhibited suppressive effect on oestradiol-enhanced cell proliferation. Among these compounds, only 4 significantly competed with oestradiol in the binding to oestrogen receptors (ERs) with higher selectivity to ERα than ERβ. These results may suggest that most compounds suppressed this oestradiol-enhanced T47D proliferation via other mechanisms rather than ER binding.

Curcuma comosa improves learning and memory function on ovariectomized rats in a long-term Morris water maze test

AIM OF THE STUDY Curcuma comosa extract and some purified compounds from this plant have been reported to have estrogenic-like effects, and estrogen improves learning in some animals and potentially in postmenopausal women; therefore, this study tested the hypothesis that Curcuma comosa and estrogen have similar beneficial effects on spatial learning and memory. MATERIALS AND METHODS Curcuma comosa hexane extract, containing 0.165 mg of (4E,6E)-1,7-diphenylhepta-4,6-dien-3-one per mg of the crude extract, was orally administered to ovariectomized Wistar rats at the doses of 250 or 500 mg/kg body weight. 17beta-estradiol (10 microg/kg body weight, subcutaneously) was used as a positive control. Thirty days after the initiation of treatment, animals were tested in a Morris water maze for spatial learning and memory. They were re-tested every 30 days and a final probe trial was run on day 119. RESULTS Compared to control rats, OVX rats displayed significant memory impairment for locating the platform in the water maze from day 67 after the surgery, onward. In contrast, OVX rats treated with either Curcuma comosa or estrogen were significantly protected from this decline in cognitive function. Further, the protection of cognitive effects by Curcuma comosa was larger at higher dose. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that long-term treatment with Curcuma comosa has beneficial effects on learning and memory function in rats.