STUDENT RESEARCH reperfusion injury , septic organ damage and diabetic disturbances .( 16 ) There is speculation that one signalling pathway associated with ER stress , PERK / eIF2α / ATF4 , may strongly participate in programmed cell death during MI / R injury .( 16 ) This study demonstrated that berberine reduced myocardial ER stress via activating this pathway , thus providing recent mechanistic understanding of its cardioprotective actions . This study also supports berberine as not only an effective , but also a safe , option for patients at moderate cardiovascular risk .( 16 )
Huang Lian demonstrates an antidiabetic effect via many courses of action . The majority of alkaloids , coptisine , jatrorrhizine , epiberberine , and berberine , were shown as α-glucosidase suppressors .( 17 ) One study addressed diabetes by examining the liver ’ s response to berberine ( 7 – 8 weeks , 200 -250 g ) in diabetic rats consuming a diet of high fats , and a streptozotocin treatment .( 18 ) The rats received berberine orally , and then were retested . Berberine lowered fasting blood glucose , body weight , cholesterol , and triglycerides in the diabetic rats . ( 18 )
Dan Shen Studies of the antitumour effects of biological therapies such as 5-fluorouracil have reported remarkable results ; however , ongoing drug treatment may result in de novo drug resistance and unwanted side effects . ( 19 ) Evidence of new therapies to conquer drug resistance and produce better patient outcomes is in demand . A recent study evaluated the anticancer properties of Dan Shen extract on human oral cancer cells using in vivo oral cancer xenograft mice .( 19 ) In this study the antitumour results of Dan Shen extract and 5-fluorouracil were compared . Pulverized Danshen root chemicals ( 4.5 kg ) were extracted with 95 % ethanol ( 15 L ) thoroughly five times . Results indicated that Dan Shen extract significantly inhibited oral cancer cell proliferation . Cell morphology studies showed that Dan Shen extract supressed the growth of human oral cancer cells by inducing cell death . The study results suggest that Dan Shen should be an option as a novel approach for drug-resistant oral cancer , as well as for preventing and treating the illness .( 19 )
A review of in vivo and in vitro studies shows that Dan Shen has numerous cardiovascular and other pharmacological effects , such as antioxidative , endothelial protection , anti-inflammatory , myocardial protection , vasodilation , anticoagulation , and antiatherosclerosis action , as well as helping decrease proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells . Additionally , some of the clinical studies suggested Dan Shen in combination with Western medicine may increase favourable outcomes in treatment of various CVDs , including angina pectoris , hypertension , myocardial infarction , hyperlipidaemia , and pulmonary heart diseases .( 20 )
A recent review highlights several studies of the protective effects of Dan Shen against CVD .( 21 ) The study involved 126 randomly selected CVD patients . Dan Shen compounds were extracted by ethanol . It ' s main contents are tanshinone IIA , tanshinone I , cryptotanshinone , rosmarinic acid and salvianolic acid B .( 21 ) Patients were given ten Dan Shen pills ( 27 mg / pill ) in the Dan Shen group , while the control patients were given placebo pills , three times daily . The patients were followed-up after three months . Serum biochemical indices were assessed . The results showed that Dan Shen decreased CVD risk by bettering the biochemical indices of CVD patients .( 22 ) Another randomised , placebo-controlled , double-blind crossover study was also performed on 20 patients to analyse the benefit in preventing and treating atherosclerosis .( 23 ) In this study , patients received Dan Shen ( water extract ) over a four-week period . The results showed that Dan Shen slightly increased LDL-cholesterol and most patients reported side effects , such as headache , dizziness , change in bowel movement frequency , and flatulence . One significant adverse event occurred during Dan Shen treatment : a peripheral facial nerve paralysis .( 23 )
Discussion- major clinical applications
Sheng Jiang Sheng Jiang is a widely consumed and well-known herb . It is cultivated for its edible rhizome to treat a number of mainly gastrointestinal dysfunctions , such as emesis , nausea , dyspepsia , and diarrhoea . It is also popular in treating
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