Korean red ginseng improves blood pressure stability in patients with intradialytic hypotension.

Introduction. Intradialytic hypotension (IDH) is a common complication during hemodialysis which may increase mortality risks. Low dose of Korean red ginseng (KRG) has been reported to increase blood pressure. Whether KRG can improve hemodynamic stability during hemodialysis has not been examined. Methods. The 8-week study consisted of two phases: observation phase and active treatment phase. According to prehemodialysis blood pressure (BP), 38 patients with IDH were divided into group A (BP ≥ 140/90 mmHg, n = 18) and group B (BP < 140/90 mmHg, n = 20). Patients were instructed to chew 3.5 gm KRG slices at each hemodialysis session during the 4-week treatment phase. Blood pressure changes, number of sessions disturbed by symptomatic IDH, plasma levels of vasoconstrictors, blood biochemistry, and adverse effects were recorded. Results. KRG significantly reduced the degree of blood pressure drop during hemodialysis (P < 0.05) and the frequency of symptomatic IDH (P < 0.05). More activation of vasoconstrictors (endothelin-1 and angiotensin II) during hemodialysis was found. The postdialytic levels of endothelin-1 and angiotensin II increased significantly (P < 0.01). Conclusion. Chewing KRG renders IDH patients better resistance to acute BP reduction during hemodialysis via activation of vasoconstrictors. Our results suggest that KRG could be an adjuvant treatment for IDH.

Insomnia in older adult females is highly associated with metabolic syndrome.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to investigate the relationships between insomnia and metabolic syndrome among Taiwanese older adults. METHODS: This cross-sectional study enrolled participants aged over 60 years from outpatient clinics between July and September 2018. Demographic characteristics of all participants and questionnaire data for sleep duration, use of hypnotic agents, baseline activities of daily living, 5 items of the geriatric depression scale, comorbidities, medications, and risk of obstructive sleep apnea were obtained. Insomnia was defined by scores of questionnaires of the Chinese version of the Athens Insomnia Scale higher or equal to 6 points. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed according to criteria of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III. Multivariable forward stepwise logistic regression analysis was applied to investigate independent associations between insomnia and metabolic syndrome before and after stratifying by gender. RESULTS: Among the 336 participants (mean age 74.9 ± 8.5 years, female 49.1%), 63.1% participants had metabolic syndrome, with significantly higher prevalence among females than males (males 56.7%; females 69.7%). Participants with metabolic syndrome had higher rates of insomnia (34.0% vs. 21.8%, P = 0.018). The significant associations between insomnia and metabolic syndrome disappeared after adjusting for all covariates. However, insomnia was independently associated with metabolic syndrome in older females (adjusted OR 2.614, 95% CI 1.011-6.763, P = 0.048) after adjusting for all covariates. CONCLUSIONS: Insomnia is significantly associated with metabolic syndrome among older female adults. These findings suggest that gender may play a role in the pathogenesis of insomnia and metabolic syndrome in older adults.

Effect of yoga on serum homocysteine and nitric oxide levels in adolescent women with and without dysmenorrhea.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the present study is to explore the effect of yoga on the serum levels of homocysteine and nitric oxide (NO) in a cohort of women with primary dysmenorrhea and normal healthy controls. METHODS: A prospective controlled trial was conducted in 35 women with primary dysmenorrhea and 35 healthy controls in a community-based study. Short-form Menstrual Distress Questionnaires (MDQs) were administered to assess the menstrual symptoms. All participants were provided yoga intervention, twice a week at 30 minutes/session, consecutively for 8 weeks. Blood samples were drawn from each woman on the third day of the menstrual cycle. Assessments of MDQs and blood samples for the determination of homocysteine and NO concentrations were performed at baseline and within the first 3 days of their next menses after completion of yoga intervention. RESULTS: A total of 30 women from the dysmenorrheal group and 30 from the control group completed the study. Homocysteine levels were higher in those with dysmenorrhea when compared with healthy controls before yoga intervention (Mann-Whitney U test, p<0.05); however, no statistically significant differences were found between the two groups after 8 weeks of yoga training (p<0.05). The concentrations of homocysteine in both the dysmenorrheal and control groups after 8 weeks decreased by 51.37% and 46.46%, respectively (p<0.001). There were no statistically significant differences in NO levels between the two groups at baseline and after intervention. The total scores on the MDQs decreased significantly after yoga intervention in the dysmenorrheal group (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Yoga intervention was found to be associated with reductions in severity of dysmenorrhea and may be effective in lowering serum homocysteine levels after an intervention period of 8 weeks. These observations suggest that yoga may have therapeutic effects in women by restoring endothelial function.

The Antidepressant-like Effect of Ethanol Extract of Daylily Flowers ( Jin Zhen Hua) in Rats.

According to the prediction of the 2008 World Health Organization (WHO) report, depression will be the highest burden disease by the year 2030. Daylily flower ( Jin Zhen Hua ; the flower of Hemerocallis fulva) is traditionally used for soothing in Chinese dietary therapy. The major flavonoid of daylily flowers, rutin, is also characterized to be an antidepressant. In this study, we investigated the antidepressant effects of ethanol extract of daylily flowers (DFEtoH) and rutin by forced swimming test (FST) and neurotransmitter metabolism of brain regions (frontal cortex, hippocampus, striatum, and amygdala). Results show that either short- or long-term tests, the extract and rutin significantly reduce the immobility time and increased swimming time of FST, which are compared with the vehicle (P < 0.05). The extract and rutin also increase the serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine concentration of these brain regions (P < 0.05). In long-term tests, the daylily flowers extract markedly increased serotonin concentration and reduced serotonin turnover rate in these brain regions but not frontal cortex. In conclusion, present data illustrated that DFEtoH does have antidepressant-like effects possibly via the regulation of serotonergic system. Moreover, rutin might be playing a very important role in the antidepressant-like effects of DFEtoH.