Prescription patterns of Chinese herbal products for patients with uterine fibroid in Taiwan: A nationwide population-based study.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Uterine fibroid (myoma) is one of the most common diseases in women. Although there are several studies on the efficacy of Chinese herbs, there is a lack of large-scale survey on the use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for the treatment of uterine fibroid. This study aimed to investigate the utilization of Chinese herbal products for patients with uterine fibroid, prescribed by licensed TCM doctors in Taiwan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A random sample comprised of one million individuals with newly diagnosed uterine fibroid between 2002 and 2010 from the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database was analyzed. Demographic characteristics, TCM usage, the frequency as well as average daily dose of Chinese herbal formulas and the single herbs prescribed for patients with uterine fibroid, were analyzed. RESULTS: Overall, 35,786 newly diagnosed subjects with uterine fibroid were included. Majority of these patients (87.1%; n=31,161) had visited TCM clinics. Among them, 61.8% of their visits used Chinese herbal remedies. Patients less than 45 years of age tended to use TCM more frequently than elder patients. Gui-Zhi-Fu-Ling-Wan (Cinnamon Twig and Poria Pill) was the most frequently prescribed Chinese herbal formula, while San-Leng (Rhizoma Sparganii) was the most commonly prescribed single herb. CONCLUSIONS: Our study identified the characteristics and prescription patterns of TCM for patients with uterine fibroid in Taiwan. Further basic mechanistic studies and clinical trials are needed to confirm the therapeutic effects and mechanisms.

Curcumin induces cell apoptosis in human chondrosarcoma through extrinsic death receptor pathway.

Chondrosarcoma is a soft tissue sarcoma with a poor prognosis that is unresponsive to conventional chemotherapy. Surgical treatment leads to severe disability with high rates of local recurrence and life threat. Curcumin, an active compound in turmeric and curry, has been proven to induce tumor apoptosis and inhibit tumor proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis of cancer cells. In this study, we investigated the anticancer effects of curcumin in human chondrosarcoma cells. Curcumin induced apoptosis in human chondrosarcoma cell lines (JJ012 and SW1353) but not in primary chondrocytes. Curcumin induced upregulation of Fas, FasL, and DR5 expression in chondrosarcoma cells. Transfection of cells with Fas, FasL, or DR5 siRNA reduced curcumin-induced cell death. In addition, p53 involved in curcumin-mediated Fas, FasL, and DR5 expression and cell apoptosis in chondrosarcoma cells. Most importantly, animal studies revealed a dramatic 60% reduction in tumor volume after 21 days of treatment. Thus, curcumin may be a novel anticancer agent for the treatment of chondrosarcoma.

Release of paeonol-ß-CD complex from thermo-sensitive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogels.

By preparing an inclusion complex of paeonol (PAE) with ß-cyclodextrin (ß-CD), this study investigated its release behavior from thermo-sensitive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) hydrogels. The PAE-ß-CD complex was prepared via coprecipitation. According to differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) results, the solid PAE-ß-CD complex was found in the amorphous state, indicating that each PAE molecule was encapsulated by a ß-CD molecule. The change of chemical shifts of H3 and H5 in proton nuclear magnetic resonance (H NMR) spectra indicated that PAE was inside the CD cavity. PNIPAAm hydrogels containing different cross-linker contents were then synthesized and had a similar lowest critical solution temperature (LCST) of around 33°C. Experimental results of swelling and deswelling indicated that increasing the cross-linker content of the hydrogel decreased the swelling ratio and increased the water retention. According to experimental results of PAE-ß-CD complex release, the release rate at 45°C (>LCST) was higher than at 25°C (

Influence of menstrual cycle on pulse pressure waveforms measured from the radial artery in biphasic healthy women.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the menstrual cycle on the pulse pressure waveforms in women with regular biphasic cycles. METHODS: We recruited 36 biphasic healthy eumenorrheic volunteers. Pulse pressure waveforms from the radial artery were recorded by sphygmography in both hands, each with three measurement positions and three different preload pressures, in a total of 18 measured points. The experimental design was single blinded and the technician who measured the waveforms did not know the menstrual time point of the subjects. The parameters included the pulse rate (PR), the height of the main wave (h(1)), the height of the dicrotic wave (h(3)), the rapid ejection time, the single systolic area (sSA), and the 1-minute systolic area (tSA). RESULTS: Our results showed that PR was significantly greater during the luteal phase (81.5 +/- 1.5/minutes versus 78.3 +/- 1.5/minutes, p < 0.05) with an accompanying greater h(1), h(3), sSA, and tSA (p < 0.05). We also demonstrated that h(1), h(3), sSA, and tSA increased with preload pressures and decreased when the detector was moved proximally, possibly a resultant of differences in the diameter and depth of radial artery. Furthermore, we found that h(3) taken from the right hand was larger than that taken from the left hand and may reflect a shorter and simpler route of the right radial artery. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that pulse waveforms taken from the radial artery may assist in the identification of greater plasma volume, ventricular ejection volume, and vasodilatation increase in the luteal compared to the follicular phase.