Katsuhiko Matsumoto

The effect of quercetin on cell cycle progression and growth of human gastric cancer cells

Quercetin, a flavonoid, is found in many plants, including edible fruits and vegetables. We examined the effects on cell growth of human malignant cells derived from the gastrointestinal tract and on cell cycle progression. Quercetin markedly inhibited the growth of human gastric cancer cells and the IC 50 value was 32–55 μM. DNA synthesis was suppressed to 14% of the control level by the treatment with 70 μM quercetin for 2 days. Furthermore, quercetin blocked cell progression from the G1 to the S phase.

Quercetin Enhances Tumorigenicity Induced by N-Ethyl-N'-Nitro-N-Nitrosoguanidine in the Duodenum of Mice*

Quercetin, a flavonoid, widely distributed in many fruits and vegetables, is well known to have an antitumor effect despite its mutagenicity. In this study, we examined the effect of dietary quercetin on duodenum-tumorigenicity of mice induced by a chemical carcinogen, N-ethyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (ENNG). Eight-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were divided into 4 groups; ENNG without quercetin (group A), ENNG with 0.2% quercetin (group B), ENNG with 2% quercetin (group C), and 2% quercetin without ENNG (group D). ENNG was given in drinking water for the first 4 weeks, and thereafter quercetin was given in a mixed diet. At week 20, the average number of duodenal tumors per mouse was significantly higher in group C (mean±SE, 7.26±1.75, p<0.05) than in group A (2.32±0.31). The size of the duodenal tumors increased significantly in group B (1.79±0.09 mm, p<0.001) compared with group A (1.43±0.09 mm). In contrast, no duodenal tumor was induced in group D. The present findings suggest that excessive intake of quercetin occasionally is a risk factor for carcinogenesis of some specific organs such as the upper intestine.

Efficacy of Acupuncture Treatment in Autonomic Ataxia

Recently Coefficient Variation of R-R interval derived from patients ECG is advocated to be an objective and quantitative method of analyzing autonomic nerve function. In the present study, we used this method to make an evaluation of the acupuncture treatment on the patients suffering from autonomic ataxia. Twenty-one patients were admitted to this therapy according to the results of CMI (Cornell Medical Index) test. (4 males, 17 females, mean age was 49.9 y.o.) ECG machine was used to measure the R-R interval every 100 heart beats before and after the treatment, and through this survey, the mean R-R interval (mR-R) and Coefficient Variation (C.V. SD/mR-R x 100%) were obtained. Subjective complaints were obtained at the same time, too. The mR-R became extended in 14 out of 21 patients after treatment and mean value of mR-Rs after treatment was significantly increased than prior to treatment. (871.6 msec-before 918.3 msec-after p less than 0.05) As for C.V. the mean value was not markedly changed but the variance was decreased significantly (1.67-before 0.47-after p less than 0.025), and 60% of subjective complaints were improved after treatment. These results suggest that acupuncture therapy is effective on the patients who have been diagnosed as having autonomic ataxia by regulating autonomic nerve function.

Drugs for Nourishing Yin.

滋陰とは陰を潤すという意味で, 結局は体液を補う方剤ということになる。このような方剤群を歴史を追って整理すると, まず金匱要略に麦門冬湯, 白虎加人参湯があり, また陰陽双補剤と考えられる八味丸がある。次いで和剤局方には清心蓮子飲があり, ほぼ同年代の小児薬証直訣では六味丸が八味丸の受方として独立する。その後明代に滋陰清熱の概念が確立するとともに, 多くの処方が現れるが, 代表的なものとしては万病回春の滋陰降火湯があげられよう。これらの滋陰剤の適応となる陰虚証の診断には, 望診でるい痩, 皮膚の乾燥, 問診で口渇,足腰の弱り, 粘稠な痰などがあるが, 舌苔の減少, 舌質の萎縮を主とする舌診所見が最も簡単である。陰虚証は老化, 糖尿病, 慢性炎症性諸疾患等に一般的に見られ, 今後の高齢化時代における漢方治療に極めて重要な意味を持つと考えられる。

Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for Behçet's Disease

Behcet 病に対する東洋医学的治療の概要とその臨床効果について検討した。68名の Becget 病患者に対して弁証に基づき漢方薬を投与し, 4～6ヵ月後に効果判定を行った。治療後, 白血球数, 血沈, CRP, Fibrinogen はいずれも有意の低下を示し, 臨床改善度では著明改善が5例 (7%), 改善が19例 (28%), やや改善が21例 (31%), 不変が9例 (13%) で悪化した症例は認められなかった。判定不能例は9例 (13%) であった。頻用処方としては, 洗肝明目湯, 半夏瀉心湯, 竜胆瀉肝湯などの清熱剤が多く用いられていた。また, Behcet病の東洋医学的病理機序として, 風湿熱の邪が心および肝脾を犯して初期症状が発現し, 表から裏へ, 気分から血分へと進展する過程が推察された。

The effect of low energy laser irradiation on peripheral circulation disturbance in patients with collagen diseases.

膠原病のPSSやSLE患者の末梢循環障害に対する低エネルギーレーザー照射による改善効果を, レーザードップラー血流計 (LDV) を用いて検討した。レーザー照射点としては, 両側の天柱, 風池, 肩井, 手三里, 経梁, 合谷, 星状神経節の各点に左右各1分間の照射を行った。その結果, レーザー照射前後のLDVの比較で, 1回の照射による直後効果では10例中6例で末梢血流量が増加, 3例で変化なく, 1例で減少した。そして, 照射前後の比較では, 全体として有意な増加が認められた (p<0.05)。このことから, 膠原病の末梢循環障害に対して, 低エネルギーレーザー照射が有用であると思われた。