Herbal Studies: H-Pylori, Liver Detox, Fatty Liver, & Hepatitis - Part 3 (End)

Re: Licorice Fraction and Amino Acids Help Prevent Liver Cancer in Patients with Hepatitis C

Arase Y, Ikeda K, Murashima N, Chayama K, Tsubota A, Koida I, Suzuki Y, Saitoh S, Kobayashi M, and K. The Long Term Efficacy of Glycyrrhizin in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients. Cancer. 1997, Vol. 79:pp.1494-1500.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers in the world. More than 80% of patients with HCC have been found to have RNA for the hepatitis C virus (HCV). In Japan, where this study was conducted, the yearly incidence of HCC in patients with HCV-RNA positive cirrhosis ranges from 5% to 7%. In this study, the authors analyzed the chemopreventive action of Stronger Neo-Minophagen C (SNMC), prepared by Minophagen Pharmaceutical Company, Tokyo, Japan, in HCC patients. In Japan, SNMC has been used in the form of an intravenous solution, comprised of 0.2% glycyrrhizin, 0.1% cysteine and 2.0% glycine amino acids in saline solution. Glycyrrhizin is an aqueous extract of licorice root (Glycyrrhiza spp.). It has been shown to suppress serum alanine aminotransaminase (ALT) in patients with chronic hepatitis in a randomized, double blind controlled trial. However, the long-term effects of SNMC on patients with chronic HCV have not been confirmed. Therefore, in this study, the authors retrospectively analyzed the long-term effects of SNMC on patients with chronic HCV.

A group of 84 patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis, who also tested positive for anti-HCV antibodies, were given 100 ml a day of SNMC for eight weeks and then two to seven times a week for two to 16 years. A second group of 109 patients also diagnosed with chronic hepatitis and testing positive for HCV antibodies were given other herbal medicines for one to sixteen years. The appearance rate of HCC was studied in both groups. Diagnosis was made by the typical hypervascular characteristics observed on angiography, in addition to certain features of computed tomography and ultrasonography. Confirmation by biopsy was required in 18 patients.

The HCC appearance rate in Group A patients, who underwent long term treatment with SNMC, was significantly lower than that in Group B patients, the relative risk in untreated patients being 2.49 compared to that of those treated with SNMC. Based on the results of the current study, the long term administration of SNMC for chronic HCV was considered to be effective in the reduction of liver carcinogenesis. The authors conclude that SNMC therapy could inhibit the histologic aggravation of the liver in some chronic HCV patients and that the normalization of ALT levels by long term administration of SNMC assists in protecting against the development of liver cancer (hepatocarcinogenesis). SNMC has been widely and effectively prescribed in Japan as therapy for hepatitis. However, its pharmacologic actions need to been fully clarified.

Densie Webb, Ph.D.

The American Botanical Council has chosen not to enclose the original article with this HerbClip memo due to the prohibitive reprint costs required by the original publisher.

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http://content.herbalgram.org/ogdenpress/HerbClip/review.asp?i=41531

Re: Benefits of Artichoke Extract on Digestion, Liver Function and Cholesterol Levels

Anonymous. Artichoke Extract: Improves Digestion, Liver Funcation, and Cholesterol Levels. Natural Medicine Journal. :.

Extracts of the leaves of artichoke (Cynara scolymus) as a digestive aid provide food for thought in this HerbClip. The author cites several studies explaining that artichoke extract enhances the detoxification process of the liver and protects the liver from the toxic byproducts of this process. The way artichoke protects the liver is not explained; however, this herb also acts as a choleretic, transporting toxins from the liver in the form of bile. Bile is essential in digesting fats, helps soften stool, and helps keep the small intestine free of parasites. Decreased bile flow causes fat malabsorption, flatulence, bloating after eating, and constipation or diarrhea.

One study demonstrated that subjects treated with artichoke extract experienced a 127 percent increase in the flow of bile 30 minutes after one dose, and a 151 percent increase in bile flow one hour after dosage. In one study, 553 patients with various chronic digestive disorders, including dyspepsia (gas, bloating, intestinal cramping), gallbladder attacks, and severe constipation, were treated with one to two 320 mg capsules of artichoke extract three times daily. Digestive disturbances decreased by an average of 70.5 percent after six weeks of treatment. Physicians judged the treatment to be excellent or good in 85 percent of participants. Another study demonstrated 65 to 72 percent improvement after one week, and 80 to 92 percent improvement after six weeks. The author also recommends artichoke extract in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome, although the author acknowledges that enteric-coated peppermint oil capsules "may be a better choice" (at least insofar as clinical studies of peppermint oil demonstrate.).

The author asserts that artichoke extract helps lower cholesterol by decreasing cholesterol production in the liver and increasing the conversion of cholesterol to bile acids. Clinical research on the cholesterol-lowering effects of artichoke are incomplete. The study cited above evaluating the extract in 553 patients with digestive disorders found cholesterol lowered by an average of 11 percent after six weeks of therapy.

The author also compares artichoke extract with milk thistle (Silybum marianum) (both members of the daisy family, Asteraceae), and notes similarities in their active compounds: cynarin and silymarin. The article judges milk thistle to be superior in treating viral hepatitis. The author recommends artichoke extract as a general tonic to improve liver function and detoxification, and as a digestive aid for patients with digestive disturbances, such as flatulence, bloating, and constipation or diarrhea. The recommended dosage of standardized artichoke extract (standardized to 13-18% caffeoylquinic acids, calculated as chlorogenic acid) is 160 to 320 mg, three times daily with meals. A large safety study found only one out of 100 subjects experienced mild gastro-intestinal side effects (increased flatulence). - Leela Devi, MSN, RN


Enclosure: Copyright 1998, Natural Medicine Journal, reprinted with permission.
Sponsored by PhytoPharmica, is only available on-line at www.nat-med.com Bin #164

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Re: Review of Milk Thistle Extract for Liver Therapy

Flora K, Hahn M, Rosen H, and Benner K. Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) for the Therapy of Liver Disease. American Journal of Gastroenterology, The. Vol. 93, No. 2, 1998:139-143.

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum), has been used for almost 2,000 years as a natural remedy for diseases of the liver and biliary tract. Silybum marianum is a member of the aster family, which includes daisies and thistles. The active extract of milk thistle is silymarin, a mixture of flavonolignans (silydianin, silychristine and silybin [sic]). Extracted from the fruits, commonly referred to as ôseeds,ö a standard extract contains 70% silymarin. (The standardization level was formerly 70% in the leading German product LegalonÒ [Madaus, Cologne, Germany]. LegalonÒ is now standardized to 80% silymarin.)

The authors claim that most clinical trials that purport to assess silymarin efficacy are difficult to interpret because of flawed study designs. However, a few show significant effects of milk thistle on liver function. For example, double-blind studies on humans with acute viral hepatitis generally suggest that therapy with silymarin decreases complications, hastens recovery and shortens hospital stays. Several studies investigate silymarin therapy for exposure to natural and industrial toxins and show it to be effective in treating acute poisoning from Amanita phalloides mushrooms in animals and humans, and in reducing liver damage induced by exposure to halogenated hydrocarbons or solvents. On the other hand, a study of 14 people exposed to organophosphates (malathion) and treated for one month with silymarin showed no improvement in liver function tests when compared to 10 matched controls.

Although published trials of silymarin for drug-induced hepatitis have been small and therefore not reliable, the reported results are positive. In one study, 60 patients receiving treatment with psychotropic medications, some of whom stopped receiving medications during the study, received either 800 milligrams of silymarin a day or a placebo. Those who received silymarin experienced improved liver function tests, whether or not they stopped taking the psychotropic medications. Studies have also found silymarin can improve liver function tests in those with alcoholic liver disease. This is the primary clinical use of the extract in Germany.

The authors conclude that silymarin may be effective in improving the clinical courses of both acute and chronic viral, drug- and toxin-induced and alcoholic hepatitis. However, they caution that clinical trials conducted so far should be interpreted with care, because of flawed study designs. Still, because of its long history of use for the treatment of liver conditions and its safety record, the authors call for well-designed, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies using the herbal extract of the fruits.

Densie Webb, Ph.D.

[Note: The authors frequently refer to milk thistle extract as ôsilymarinö which, as noted above, is actually a term referring to three flavonolignans. However, the term ôsilymarinö as become a synonym for the entire milk thistle extract in various phytomedicinal articles. ôSilibininö is the most common and correct name for the isomer, not ôsilibin,ö as the authors state.]

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Re: Dandelion Review: Digestion & Liver Benefits

Murray, Michael. Dandelion: A dandy herb for the liver and digestive system. Health Counselor. Vol 8, No 1 Feb/Mar 1996:.

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is considered by many to be an unwanted weed; herbalists, however, know of the medicinal and nutritional value of the plant. Although the root is the most commonly used part, the leaves and flowering head can also be used. The root is used medicinally and as a coffee substitute; the leaves are eaten both raw and cooked, and made into a nutritious, therapeutic tea; dandelion wine and schnapps are made from the flowering heads. The plant has an excellent nutritional profile, and can be a valuable source of vitamins and minerals. The leaves contain the highest content of vitamin A of all greens (14,000 IU per 100 grams raw greens).

The bitter principle taraxacin, along with the plant's terpenoids and inulin content, are believed to be responsible in part for the plant's therapeutic activity. Dandelion is used for its pharmacological activity related to digestion, liver function, and diuresis. The bitter principle of dandelion stimulates digestion, including the secretion of salivary and gastric juices. Dandelion also enhances the flow of bile, improving the health of the liver. Two clinical studies have demonstrated the beneficial actions of dandelion on the liver. In one, dandelion was shown to have a positive effect on blood cholesterol; in the second trial, dandelion was used to successfully treat hepatitis and other liver disease.

In addition to its uses for liver function and health, dandelion leaves make an excellent diuretic, replacing the potassium which is lost during diuresis. Dandelion and its constituent inulin may also prove to be useful in the treatment of diabetes. The Chinese have used dandelion for treating breast cancer, and evidence from animal experiments in Japan suggest antitumor properties. In terms of toxicity, dandelion has been found to be extremely safe, even in large amounts.

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http://content.herbalgram.org/ogdenpress/HerbClip/review.asp?i=41841

Re: Reishi Mushroom Protects Liver - Rat Study

Lin, Jer-Min, Chun-Ching Lin, and Ming-Feng Chen, Takashi Ujiie, and Atsushi Takada. Radical scavenger and antihepatotoxic activity of Ganoderma formosanum, Ganoderma lucidum and Ganoderma neojaponicum. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. :.

Reishi, the fruit bodies of the fungus Ganoderma lucidum, is used medicinally as a tonic and a sedative in traditional Chinese medicine. It has also been used therapeutically for "neurasthenia, deficiency fatigue, insomnia, hypertension, hepatopathy, bronchitis and carcinoma." Several types of reishi are available on the Taiwanese market, mostly fruit bodies of Ganoderma formosanum, lucidum and neo-japonicum. This study was conducted to determine the antihepatotoxic activity of these three types of reishi. Towards this end, the anti-oxidant activity of the Ganoderma species was also examined, as antihepatotoxic activity is believed to be linked to the anti-oxidant or radical scavenging activity of a drug.

Rats were divided into five groups of six animals each. Three groups received carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), to induce hepatotoxicity, concurrent with water extracts of the three reishis; one group received CCl4 and olive oil, and the last received only saline, as a control. The rats were sacrificed 72 hours later, and hepatic tissues were removed from the rat livers. Enzyme levels of serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) were measured. Although serum GOT and GPT levels increased significantly following CCl4 intoxication, in comparison with the control group, treatment with each of the three Ganoderma produced a marked decrease in levels of GOT. Ganoderma lucidum was the only one to produce a significant decrease in GPT. Ganoderma formosanum produced a decrease in LDH.

The authors conclude that Ganoderma formosanum, lucidum and neo-japonicum are each effective in reducing CCl4-induced liver damage. Of the three, formosanum showed the greatest antihepatotoxic activity and the greatest free radical scavenging activity.

Enclosure

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Re: Health Benefits of Artichoke Leaf

Editors. Erratum. Phytomedicine. Vol. 5(3):244.

Kraft, K. Artichoke leaf extract - Recent findings reflecting effects on lipid metabolism, liver, and gastrointestinal tracts. Phytomedicine. 1997, Vol. 4(4):369-378.

Both traditional and recent literature suggests artichoke leaf extract has the ability to alleviate abdominal pain as well as having choleretic, lipid-lowering and hepatoprotective effects. The artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) has been used medically since the 4th century B.C. Theophrastus, a pupil of Aristotle, was one of the first to describe the plant in depth. The modern artichoke is a derivative of the wild artichoke, Cynara cardunculus. Carduus marianus (milk thistle or Silybum marianum, today) was at one time also considered part of this genus. Modern extracts are made from the leaves (Cynarae folium), using highly standardized procedures.

Dyspepsia
Both laboratory and clinical studies strongly suggest artichoke leaf extract to be a good therapeutic option in dyspeptic syndrome. Several clinical studies have found significant clinical and statistical improvement in symptoms of dyspeptic syndrome (irritable stomach, nervous gastropathy, flatulence, irritable colon, functional biliary tract disease) in as many as 87% of patients studied. In one study, 98% of the patients taking artichoke extract believed it to be better, somewhat better or equal to that of other drugs they had been treated with before.

Lipid-lowering and anti-atherosclerotic effects
Several studies have hinted at the ability of artichoke extract to lower lipid levels. It works by affecting cholesterol synthesis in the liver at several points in the synthetic pathway and by increasing the elimination of cholesterol. As a result, accumulation of undesired sterol compounds described for some synthetic lipid-lowering agents would not be expected with artichoke leaf extract. According to the most recent findings, the compound luteolin, found in artichoke extract, plays a crucial role in the inhibition of cholesterol synthesis. Luteolin is released from its glucoside (which has a weaker effect) by beta-glucosidase in the digestive tract as well as in liver cells. Recent experiments with liver cell culture have demonstrated a clear increase in the secretion of biliary substances and an increase in the number and size of the secreting bile ducts within the cells after administration of an artichoke extract. In a recent, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study, the lipid-lowering potential of artichoke leaf extract was investigated in 44 healthy volunteers. Those with total cholesterol baseline values above 220mg/dl experienced a significant decrease compared with those receiving a placebo; the higher the baseline value, the larger the reduction in lipids. Moreover, protective high-density lipoproteins (HDLs) tended to increase. It has also been suggested that artichoke leaf extract inhibits the oxidation of low-density lipoproteins (LDLs), preventing the development and progression of atherosclerosis. The author suggests that because of its safety and low cost, it could possibly be used for the prevention of atherosclerosis and its complications.

Hepatoprotective effects
Several animal experiments have demonstrated that artichoke extract exerts strong antioxidant effects on the liver. The active substances responsible for the antioxidative effect of artichoke extract have been identified as a mixture of polyphenols and flavonoids (caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, cynarin, luteolin-7-O-glucoside (cynaroside) and luteolin. To date, however, the hepatoprotective effects of artichoke leaf extract has not been proven in controlled clinical trials.

Anti-nausea effects
Clinical observations of outpatients with dyspeptic syndrome have shown that artichoke leaf extract has a strong anti-nausea and anti-emetic effect. The author suggests that as a well-tolerated phytomedicine, artichoke leaf extract might be used as adjuvant medication in oncology.

Safety
Several studies have found artichoke leaf extract to be well tolerated, with a minimum of side effects. Though no hints of allergic reactions have been reported following oral intake of the extract, local atopic reactions have been reported after skin contact with the fresh plant. There are no known interactions with conventional drugs.

Densie Webb, PhD