I-Hsin Lin

The Antidepressant Effect of Gastrodia elata Bl. on the Forced-Swimming Test in Rats

Depression is a common psychiatric disorder with a high morbidity and mortality rate. The pharmacotherapy used in clinic today is not suitable for all patients and causes certain side-effects. Thus, looking for alternative treatments with antidepressant effect and minimal side-effect is important. Gastrodia elata Bl. is a famous Chinese traditional medicine used for centuries. The aim of this study is to test the antidepressant effect of Gastrodia elata Bl. extract (GE) using forced-swimming test (FST). Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to control, GE, and fluoxetine groups, treated with 10 ml/kg bw (body weight) water, 1 g/kg bw of GE, and 15 mg/kg bw of fluoxetine, respectively. Those samples were administered by gavage to rats 23.5, 4.5 and 1 hour prior to the test session of FST. After FST, the animals were sacrificed and their brains were collected for monoamines analysis. The results indicated that the duration of immobility was significantly decreased in GE group compared to the control (p < 0.05). The concentration of serotonin (5-HT), 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), and the ratio of 5-HIAA/5-HT in frontal cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus were not significantly different between GE and the control groups. However, administration of GE significantly increased the dopamine (DA) concentration (p < 0.05) and decreased the concentration of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) (p < 0.01) and DA turnover (p < 0.05) in striatum compared to the control. The results of this study show that Gastrodia elata Bl. extract modulates the turnover of DA in rats, and thus probably possesses antidepressant effect in rats.

The study of electroacupuncture on cerebral blood flow in rats with and without cerebral ischemia

Electroacupuncture (EA) is widely used to treat disorders of the nervous system, such as stroke. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of EA on cerebral blood flow (CBF) in cerebral ischemic rats. We developed an animal model of cerebral ischemia (CI) by occluding the blood flow of both common carotid arteries in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats; 2 or 15 Hz EA was applied to both Zusanli acupoints. The levels of nitric oxide (NO) in the peripheral blood and amounts of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in the cerebral cortex and thalamus were measured. In addition, L-N (G)-nitro arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) was used to measure the changes in CBF induced by EA in rats with and without CI. The results indicated that both 2 and 15 Hz EA increase the mean CBF in rats with and without CI. However, neither 2 nor 15 Hz EA induced changes in levels of NO in peripheral blood or changes in CGRP levels in cerebral cortex and thalamus. In addition, L-NAME did not change the increase in CBF. We concluded that both 2 and 15 Hz EA at both Zusanli acupoints induced the increase of CBF in rats with and without CI. Whether the effect of EA is related to NO or CGRP will be investigated in a future study.

Effects of Ganoderma lucidum and Krestin on subset T-cell in spleen of γ-irradiated mice

Effects of Ganoderma lucidum (Gl) and Krestin (PSK) extracts on spleen, thymus and splenocytes in γ-irradiated mice were investigated in this study. ICR strain male mice were divided into five groups. Group A was the normal control. Group B, the experimental control, was treated with Gl. Group C, the radiation treatment control, was treated with whole body exposure to 4 Gy γ-irradiation (RT). Group D was treated with RT and Gl. Group E was treated with RT and PSK. The dosage of Gl was 400 mg/day/kg body weight and PSK was 500 mg/day/kg body weight. Our results indicated that the relative thymus weight in groups D and E were higher than group C on day 28 after γ-irradiation. Group D was the highest in all the experimental groups. CD4 and CD8 splenocytes in group D were higher than group C on days 7 and 28. Gl was better than PSK in repairing the damage of subset T-cells in the spleen of γ-irradiated mice.

Protective effects of Gynostemma pentaphyllum in γ-irradiated mice

Radiation protective effects of Gynostemma Pentaphyllum (Gp) were investigated in γ-irradiated mice. Animals were sacrificed on days 5, 15, 25 and 35 after γ-irradiation. GOT, GPT, serum IgG and leukocyte counts were measured. Proliferation of splenocytes stimulated by mitogens, such as PHA, Con A, and LPS were detected and compared. The results showed that all parameters measured in this study were decreased and proliferation of splenocytes stimulated by mitogens were repressed in γ-irradiated mice. Gp helped to recover the decreased leukocyte counts, GOT, GPT and IgG in serum and the proliferation of splenocytes stimulated by PHA, LPS and Con A in the γ-ray irradiated mice.

A Preclinical Evaluation of Antrodia camphorata Alcohol Extracts in the Treatment of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Using Non-Invasive Molecular Imaging

This study was carried out to provide a platform for the pre-clinical evaluation of anti-cancer properties of a unique CAM (complementary and alternative medicine) agent, Antrodia camphorata alcohol extract (ACAE), in a mouse model with the advantageous non-invasive in vivo bioluminescence molecular imaging technology. In vitro analyses on the proliferation, migration/invasion, cell cycle and apoptosis were performed on ACAE-treated non-small cell lung cancer cells, H441GL and control CGL1 cells. In vivo, immune-deficient mice were inoculated subcutaneously with H441GL followed by oral gavages of ACAE. The effect of ACAE on tumor progression was monitored by non-invasive bioluminescence imaging. The proliferation and migration/invasion of H441GL cells were inhibited by ACAE in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, ACAE induced cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase and apoptosis in H441GL cells as shown by flow cytometric analysis, Annexin-V immunoflourescence and DNA fragmentation. In vivo bioluminescence imaging revealed that tumorigenesis was significantly retarded by oral treatment of ACAE in a dose-dependent fashion. Based on our experimental data, ACAE contains anti-cancer properties and could be considered as a potential CAM agent in future clinical evaluation.

Time course of changes in nail fold microcirculation induced by acupuncture stimulation at the Waiguan acupoints

Acupuncture has been used widely to treat disease; however, the time course for acupuncture to have an effect remains unclear. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the time course of changes in nail fold microcirculation (NFM) induced by acupuncture stimulation (AS) at the right and left Waiguan acupoints (WAs). A total of 38 healthy female volunteers, age range from 21 to 33, were studied. We recorded NFM of the right middle finger before, and 5 min, 10 min, 15 min and 20 min after initiating AS; NFM was also recorded 5 min and 10 min after secessions of AS. Nitric oxide (NO) and endothelin-1 levels were measured from the left cubital vein, before AS and 10 min after stopping AS. The results indicated that capillary density of NFM increased 5 min after AS at the right Waiguan acupoint (WA); however, similar changes were not noted at the left WA. The capillary density decreased beginning 15 min after AS at the right and left WA. Capillary red blood cell velocity increased 5 min and 10 min after AS at the right and left WAs, but decreased 5 min and 10 min after stopping AS at the left WA. NO and endothein-1 levels were similar before AS and 10 min after stopping AS. Therefore, we suggest that a segmental effect of the spinal nerve contributes to the increasing capillary density of NFM induced by AS. The effect of acupuncture on NFM lasts about 10-15 min. The changes of balance between the sympathetic nerve activities and parasympathetic nerve activities may be induced by AS.

Therapeutic Effects of Moxibustion on Experimental Tumor

This work investigated the therapeutic effects of the improved form of moxibustion (MT) on experimental tumor. Sarcoma 180 cells (1 x 10(7)) were transplanted into the subcutaneous tissue in the breast area of female ICR mice. Mice bearing a tumor were divided into one control and four experimental groups. The experimental groups were treated with MT for 1, 2, 3 and 4 times (abbreviated as MT1, MT2, MT3, MT4, respectively). This study showed that the experimental group treated with MT3 displayed the optimal therapeutic response. The longest mean survival time (87.8 days) within 120 days after treatment of MT3 significantly differed from the control group (60.2 days). In addition, uptake of 86Rb-radioactive tracer significantly decreased in tumors treated with MT3. The improved form of moxibustion used in this study is a reliable model of localized hyperthermia in tumor therapy.

Effects of Glycyrrhizae and Glycyrrhizic acid on radiation injury in mice.

The effects of Glycyrrhizae (GL) and Glycyrrhizic acid (GA) on promoting the recovery of mice from radiation injury were investigated. Two hundred ICR strain male mice, 6-8 weeks old, were randomly divided into four groups. Group A was the normal control. Group B, the experimental control, was treated with 4 Gy gamma-ray irradiation. Groups C and D, the experimental groups, were treated with 500 mg/kg of GL (oral administration) and 5 mg/kg body weight of GA (i.p.), respectively, for ten days after gamma-ray irradiation. Eight mice in each group were sacrificed on days 5, 12, 26 and 33 post irradiation to measure the weights of spleen, thymus and testes, and the biosynthetic rates of DNA in these organs. The results revealed that 4 Gy gamma-ray irradiation evidently inhibited the weights of spleen, thymus and testes, and their DNA biosynthetic rates. GL and GA enhanced the recovery of these organs in mice from the injury of gamma-ray irradiation.