Ethnobotanical Survey on Skin Whitening Prescriptions of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Taiwan.

The increasing interest and demand for skin whitening products globally, particularly in Asia, have necessitated rapid advances in research on skin whitening products used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Herein, we investigated 74 skin whitening prescriptions sold in TCM pharmacies in Taiwan. Commonly used medicinal materials were defined as those with a relative frequency of citation (RFC) > 0.2 and their characteristics were evaluated. Correlation analysis of commonly used medicinal materials was carried out to identify the core component of the medicinal materials. Of the purchased 74 skin whitening prescriptions, 36 were oral prescriptions, 37 were external prescriptions, and one prescription could be used as an oral or external prescription. After analysis, 90 traditional Chinese medicinal materials were obtained. The Apiaceae (10%; 13%) and Leguminosae (9%; 11%) were the main sources of oral and external medicinal materials, respectively. Oral skin whitening prescriptions were found to be mostly warm (46%) and sweet (53%), while external skin whitening prescriptions included cold (43%) and bitter (29%) medicinal materials. Additionally, mainly tonifying and replenishing effects of the materials were noted. Pharmacological analysis indicated that these medicinal materials may promote wound healing, treat inflammatory skin diseases, or anti-hyperpigmentation. According to the Spearman correlation analysis on interactions among medicinal materials with an RFC > 0.2 in the oral skin whitening prescriptions, Paeonia lactiflora Pall. (white) and Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz. showed the highest correlation (confidence score = 0.93), followed by Ziziphus jujuba Mill. (red) and Astragalus propinquus Schischkin (confidence score = 0.91). Seven medicinal materials in external skin whitening prescriptions with an RFC > 0.2, were classified as Taiwan qi bái sàn (an herbal preparation), including Angelica dahurica (Hoffm.) Benth. & Hook. f. ex Franch. & Sav., Wolfiporia extensa (Peck) Ginns, Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Rchb. f., Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz., Ampelopsis japonica (Thunb.) Makino, Paeonia lactiflora Pall. (white), and Bombyx mori Linnaeus. Skin whitening prescriptions included multiple traditional Chinese medicinal materials. Despite the long history of use, there is a lack of studies concerning skin whitening products, possibly due to the complex composition of traditional Chinese medicine. Further studies are required to assess the efficacy and safety of these traditional Chinese medicinal materials for inclusion in effective, safe, and functional pharmacological products.

Ethnobotanical Survey of Natural Galactagogues Prescribed in Traditional Chinese Medicine Pharmacies in Taiwan.

Natural medicinal materials have been used to promote breast milk secretion. Here, we investigated the natural medicinal materials prescribed in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) pharmacies across Taiwan to induce lactation. We collected medicinal materials from 87 TCM pharmacies, identified them in the prescriptions, and analyzed their drug contents. We examined their botanical origins, biological classifications, traditional usage, and modern pharmacological properties. We used the TCM Inheritance Support System to identify core medicinal materials in galactogenous prescriptions. We collected 81 medicinal materials from 90 galactogenous prescriptions. Leguminosae accounted for 12%, whereas Apiaceae accounted for 7% of all materials examined. The primary medicinal plant parts used were roots and seeds. Nineteen frequently used medicinal materials had a relative frequency of citation of greater than or equal to 0.2. According to their efficacy, 58% were warm, 54% were sweet, and 63% were tonifying; 74% of the frequently used medicinal materials have been showed efficacy against breast cancer. The primary core medicinal material was Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels, whereas the secondary core medicinal materials were Tetrapanax papyrifer (Hook.) K. Koch and Hedysarum polybotrys Hand.-Mazz. Most galactogenous prescriptions consisted of multiple materials from Leguminosae and Apiaceae. The mechanisms underlying galactogenous efficacy warrant further investigations.

Assessment of urinary thiodiglycolic acid exposure in school-aged children in the vicinity of a petrochemical complex in central Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: School-aged children living in the vicinity of vinyl chloride (VCM)/polyvinyl chloride (PVC) factories may have an increased risk of exposure to hazardous air pollutants. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate the urinary thiodiglycolic acid (TDGA) level, as TDGA is a major metabolite of VCM, for students at elementary schools near a petrochemical complex in central Taiwan. METHODS: We recruited 343 students from 5 elementary schools based on distance to the VCM/PVC factory. First-morning urine and blood samples were obtained from our subjects from October 2013 to September 2014. Urine samples were analyzed for urinary creatinine and TDGA using LC/MS-MS. Hepatitis virus infection were assessed using blood samples. We determined their vitamin consumption, resident location, parent's employment, and other demographic or lifestyle characteristics using a questionnaire. RESULTS: Median urinary TDGA levels for 316 students at 5 elementary schools from the closest (<.9km) to the farthest (∼8.6km) with respect to the petrochemical complex were 147.6, 95.5, 115.5, 86.8, and 17.3µg/g creatinine, respectively. After adjusting for age, gender, hepatitis virus infection, vitamin B consumption, passive smoking, and home to source distance, we found that urinary TDGA levels for the closest students was significantly higher than those at other schools. Further, median urinary TDGA levels for students during school time were 4.1-fold higher than those during summer vacation. CONCLUSIONS: After adjusting for confounders, urinary TDGA levels for the school-aged children decreased with increasing distances between the elementary schools and the petrochemical complex.

STRESS-responsive deacetylase SIRT3 is up-regulated by areca nut extract-induced oxidative stress in human oral keratinocytes.

Areca chewing is an important environmental risk factor for development of oral premalignant lesions and cancer. Epidemiological evidence indicates that areca chewing is tightly linked to oral carcinogenesis. However, the pathogenetic impacts of areca nut extract (ANE) on normal human oral keratinocytes (HOKs) are unclear and possibly involve oxidative stress via redox imbalance. Sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) is a member of the sirtuin family of proteins that play an important role in regulating cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Recent studies have confirmed that ANE and other areca ingredients can induce ROS. In this study, we examined the role of SIRT3 in the regulation of ANE-induced ROS in HOK cells. We examined HOK cell viability following treatment with various ANE concentrations. ANE-induced cytotoxicity increased in a dose-dependent manner and was approximately 48% at a concentration of 50 µg/ml after 24 h. SIRT3 expression and enzyme activity were up-regulated in HOK cells by ANE-induced oxidative stress. Additionally, we identified that SIRT3 controls the enzymatic activity of mitochondrial proteins, such as forkhead box O3a (Foxo3a) transcription factor and antioxidant-encoding gene superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2), by deacetylation in HOK cells. Moreover, SIRT3-mediated deacetylation and activation of Foxo3a promotes nuclear localization in vivo. These findings suggest that SIRT3 is an endogenous negative regulator in response to ANE-induced oxidative stress and demonstrate an essential role for redox balance in HOK cells.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester suppresses proliferation and survival of TW2.6 human oral cancer cells via inhibition of Akt signaling.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) is a bioactive component extracted from honeybee hive propolis. Our observations indicated that CAPE treatment suppressed cell proliferation and colony formation of TW2.6 human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells dose-dependently. CAPE treatment decreased G1 phase cell population, increased G2/M phase cell population, and induced apoptosis in TW2.6 cells. Treatment with CAPE decreased protein abundance of Akt, Akt1, Akt2, Akt3, phospho-Akt Ser473, phospho-Akt Thr 308, GSK3ß, FOXO1, FOXO3a, phospho-FOXO1 Thr24, phospho-FoxO3a Thr32, NF-κB, phospho-NF-κB Ser536, Rb, phospho-Rb Ser807/811, Skp2, and cyclin D1, but increased cell cycle inhibitor p27Kip. Overexpression of Akt1 or Akt2 in TW2.6 cells rescued growth inhibition caused by CAPE treatment. Co-treating TW2.6 cells with CAPE and 5-fluorouracil, a commonly used chemotherapeutic drug for oral cancers, exhibited additive cell proliferation inhibition. Our study suggested that administration of CAPE is a potential adjuvant therapy for patients with OSCC oral cancer.

The effectiveness of continuing training for traditional birth attendants on their reproductive health-care knowledge and performance.

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the effectiveness of continuing training for traditional birth attendants (TBAs) on their reproductive knowledge and performance. SETTING: Mzuzu Central Hospital in the northern region of Malawi. PARTICIPANTS AND ANALYSIS: a total of 81 TBAs trained during 2004 and 2006 in Mzuzu, Malawi received continuing training courses. Their reproductive knowledge was assessed by a structured questionnaire during 2004 and 2007. A multivariate generalised estimating equation (GEE) model was constructed to determine the associations between their reproductive knowledge scores and age, years of education, time since the last training course, test frequency and number of babies delivered. FINDINGS: from July 2004 to June 2007, a total of 1984 pregnant women visited these trained TBAs. A total of 79 (4.0%) mothers were referred to health facilities before the birth due to first-born or difficult pregnancies. No maternal deaths occurred among the remaining mothers. There were 26 deaths among 1905 newborn babies, giving a perinatal mortality rate of 13.6 per 1000 live births. The GEE model demonstrated that knowledge scores of TBAs were significantly higher for TBAs under the age of 45 years, TBAs with more than five years of education, TBAs who had taken a training course within one year, and TBAs with a higher test frequency. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: continuing training courses are effective to maintain the reproductive knowledge and performance of trained TBAs. It is recommended that continuing training should be offered regularly, at least annually.