Study Shows Chinese Herbs Help Sleeplessness

Posted by Cathy on with 5 Comments

iSleepherbpac.comAsian countries commonly treat sleeplessness with Chinese herbs more affordably and without the side-effects associated with prescriptions. A study done in Taiwan showed patients complaining of  insomnia were successfully treated with Chinese herbs.  

 

This study included 16,134 participants who received a total of 29,801 Chinese Herbal Medicine prescriptions. This large-scale study which used data assembled by the National Health Insurance of Taiwan, evaluated the frequency and patterns of Chinese herbs in treating insomnia. 

What’s unusual about this study is not just the sheer numbers of participants but the amount of data collected. Read the full study here.

The reason the study has such a large group of participants is simply that Taiwan has instituted a unique computerized data entry system as part of its health care system.  Patients can choose to visit either a Western hospital or a Traditional Chinese Medicine hospital. All data from patient visits are recorded in a national computer database. Because data is readily available in electronic form, large scale analysis is easy. Data in this study covers the course of one year.  The numbers reflect the patients who, according to diagnostic codes for insomnia, were treated with Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine in 2002.

Included in this data are the following:

  • How many patients complained of insomnia, demographics on age, sex, etc?
  • How many patients were prescribed various Chinese herb formula combinations in packets? (herbal packets are the preferred delivery method of Chinese herbs in Taiwan hospitals and clinics.)
  • How many patients were prescribed single Chinese herbs in packets?
  • Which Chinese herb formula was the most prescribed?
  • Which individual herbs were often added to the prescribed Chinese herbal medicine formula?

Conclusion:

The data concluded the most common individual Chinese herbs prescribed for insomniawere Polygonum multiflorum used 23.8% of the time, followed by Ziziphus spinosa (18.3%) and Poria cocos (13.3%). Suan Zao Ren Tan was the most commonly prescribed formula.  These are the same Chinese herbal ingredients found in iSleep Herb Pack.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ PUBLISHED IN:   EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY & ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE CAM Advance Access published online on April 1, 2009 eCAM, doi:10.1093/ecam/nep018 © 2009 The Author(s). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/uk/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Prescriptions of Chinese Herbal Medicines for Insomnia in Taiwan during 2002 Fang-Pey Chen1,2, Maw-Shiou Jong1,2, Yu-Chun Chen2,3, Yen-Ying Kung1,2, Tzeng-Ji Chen2,3, Fun-Jou Chen4 and Shinn-Jang Hwang2,3 1Center for Traditional Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, 2National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, 3Department of Family Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital and 4Graduate Institute of Integration Chinese and Western Medicine, Chinese Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan

Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) has been commonly used for treating insomnia in Asian countries for centuries. The aim of this study was to conduct a large-scale pharmaco-epidemiologic study and evaluate the frequency and patterns of CHM use in treating insomnia.

We obtained the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) outpatient claims from the National Health Insurance in Taiwan for the year 2002. Patients with insomnia were identified from the diagnostic code of the International Classification of Disease among claimed visiting files.

Corresponding prescription files were analyzed, and an association rule was applied to evaluate the co-prescription of CHM. Results showed that there were 16 134 subjects who visited TCM clinics for insomnia in Taiwan during 2002 and received a total of 29 801 CHM prescriptions. Subjects between 40 and 49 years of age comprised the largest number of those treated (25.3%). In addition, female subjects used CHMs for insomnia more frequently than male subjects (female: male = 1.94:1). There was an average of 4.8 items prescribed in the form of either an individual Chinese herb or formula in a single CHM prescription for insomnia. Shou-wu-Teng (Polygonum multiflorum) was the most commonly prescribed single Chinese herb, while Suan-Zao-ren-tang was the most commonly prescribed Chinese herbal formula.

According to the association rule, the most commonly prescribed CHM drug combination was Suan-zao-ren-tang plus Long-dan-xie-gan-tang, while the most commonly prescribed triple-drug combination was Suan-Zao-ren-tang, Albizia julibrissin, and P. multiflorum.

For reprints and all correspondence: Prof. Shinn-Jang Hwang, Department of Family Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No. 201, Sec. 2, Shih-Pai Road, Taipei 112, Taiwan, ROC. Tel: +886-2-287-57460; Fax: +886-2-287-37901; E-mail: sjhwang@vghtpe.gov.tw

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National Institute of Health – PubMed study abstract on Suan Zao Ren Tang

J Biomed Sci. 2007 Mar;14(2):285-97. Epub 2006 Dec 7.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor mediates suanzaorentang, a traditional Chinese herb remedy, induced sleep alteration.

Yi PL, Tsai CH, Chen YC, Chang FC.

Department of Medical Technology, Jen-Teh Junior College of Medicine, Nursing and Management, Miaoli, Taiwan.

Abstract

The sedative-hypnotic medications, including benzodiazepines and non-benzodiazepines, are the most common treatments for insomnia. However, concerns regarding patterns of inappropriate use, dependence and adverse effects have led to caution in prescribing those sedative-hypnotic medications. On the other hand, a traditional Chinese herb remedy, suanzaorentang, has been efficiently and widely used in clinic for insomnia relief without severe side effects in Asia. Although suanzaorentang has been reported to improve sleep disruption in insomniac patients, its mechanism is still unclear. The present study was designed to elucidate the effects of oral administration of suanzaorentang on physiological sleep-wake architectures and its underlying mechanism in rats. We found that oral administration of suanzaorentang at the beginning of the dark onset dose-dependently increased non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREMS) during the dark period, but had no significant effect on rapid eye movement sleep (REMS). Our results also indicated that intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor type A antagonist, bicuculline, significantly blocked suanzaorentang-induced enhancement in NREMS during the dark period, but GABA(B) receptor antagonist, 2-hydroxysaclofen had no effect. These results implicated that this traditional Chinese herb remedy, suanzaorentang increases spontaneous sleep activity and its effects may be mediated through the GABA(A) receptors, but not GABA(B) receptors.

Herbal Aphrodisiacs

Posted by Cathy on with 5 Comments

The perfect follow up to my Chinese medicinal wine article is the topic of herbal aphrodisiacs.  An aphrodisiac can be anything that arouses or intensifies sexual desire. Throughout the centuries Chinese emperors had concubines to keep happy,  or was it the reverse? Either way preserving one’s stamina and sexual vitality was of the utmost importance to one’s health and herbs were considered a source for the proverbial “fountain of youth”. 

Needless to say, perfecting Chinese herbal formulas for sexual enhancement, has been a high priority for  over two thousand years.  

Ginseng is probably the most well known of the herbs used throughout the centuries. Yet a Chinese herb formula with ginseng will often be more potent than any given single herb.  A formula for sexual improvement is always designed to build both yin and yang energy from a Chinese medicine viewpoint. All natural aphrodisiac formulas are designed to build the kidney energy because in Traditional Chinese medicine the kidney's are the source of the sexual stamina.   

Other powerful kidney tonics include Cistanche, see this post to find out more about this truly remarkable plant that grows only with a host plant next to it. Cistanche is completely dependent on the energy of it’s host for all it’s growth and maturation.     

The herb Rehmannia is another superior herb to replenish your yin and yang energy. It is always given in combination with other herbs by Acupuncturist’s and Chinese Medicine practitioners. In fact,  it is one herb of six in a formula that many in Asia use for years. This formula called Six Flavor Rehmannia is commonly taken in pill form and is very safe to take long term.

Horny goat weed also known as Epimedium, (by name alone) must be included in this list. Many studies have researched the power of this plant.  The general consensus is the leaves active constituents  help increase the relaxation of smooth muscle  and this allows more blood flow to the penis or clitoris or other smooth muscles. It also has immune regulating effects. Again, it’s often used in combination with other herbs for the sought after aphrodisiac effects.

I would be remiss not to include Cordyceps as a Chinese herbal aphrodisiac. To read more about cordyceps click here. I believe will suffice to say it’s one of the strongest sexual tonics known in the herb world.

If  your looking for a powerful herb formula to boost your energy, check with a licensed Acupuncturist. You’ll end up getting a higher quality product than something off the shelf of most stores. You will also be certain to get the right product for your condition. If you have any questions about herbal formulas feel free to post them here or drop us a private message using the  yellow contact button on the left. 

Happy Valentines Day all.

Drink in the Benefits of Chinese Medicine Wines

Posted by Cathy on

Two things I love to do are digging in the dirt and drinking good wine. So this article is a natural for me. 

Digging and drinking don’t seem very compatible, but if you’re an archeologist digging in the dirt has an entirely different meaning.  In 1972 a group of very fortunate Chinese archeologists were digging and uncovered one of the greatest finds in Chinese history, the Mawangdui Han Tombs dating back to the Han Dynasty dated 220 BCE to 220 AC.  These tombs are one of China's most important archaeological discoveries.

One of thousands of artifacts recovered from these tombs was a book titled “52 Prescriptions".  In this book more than 30 wine recipes were recorded.  But not just any wine, medicated wines, formulated for both internal and external use to treat illnesses like ulcers, snake bits, skin problems and of course longevity and sexual stamina.  Wine was a common beverage for the aristocrats of the time and two top priorities were living longer and greater sexual prowess. 

Some wines were called tonic wines,  many are still used today to preserve health and increase longevity.  The wines were made by mixing certain medicinal herbs and leaving them to soak or brew for some period of time, anywhere from a few weeks to a few months or longer.  I’ve never tried to make medicinal wines but I do keep a private stock of ginseng roots soaking in a premium vodka.  It makes the ultimate martini.

Whether it’s wine or tea, both use the same principal of soaking or cooking Chinese herbs in a liquid, be it water or wine, to release the healthly consitutients of the herbs.  So drink up and enjoy the health benefits of Chinese medicine, truly rooted in 2000 year old books like “52 Prescriptions”.

New discoveries in Chinese Herbal Medicine for Oral Cancer

Posted by Cathy on with 2 Comments
New treatments for oral cancer with chinese herbsChinese herbs can play a role in oral cancer inhibition according to a study recently published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, Febuary  2010. Surgery, radiation and chemotherapy have been the tri-fecta standard of care for oral squamos cell carcinoma (OSCC) yet the past 20 years survival rates have not improved.

This latest study reveals celastrol, a chemical  found in Chinese herbs may help treat cancer by inactivating a protein necessary for cancer growth.

Oral cancer strikes men over 40 twice as often as women and tends to spread rapidly. Tobacco use is believed to be the cause of 70-80% of oral cancer cases, whether it be from smoking or chewing tobacco. Poor oral hygiene and alcohol abuse may also increase ones risk for cancers of the mouth, tongue, lips, and gums.  
This recent study was conducted at the Medical College of Georgia in Atlanta, funded in part by the by National Institutes of Health, the Mayo Foundation  and a grant from the American Heart Association. The study reported a  “combination of GA and celastrol has a synergistic antitumor effect” and concluded this “may be a promising modality for treating oral squamous cell carcinoma.”1

“Gambogic acid (GA) is a major active ingredient of gamboge, which has been widely used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is reported that GA possesses diverse biological effects, such as anti-oxidant and anti-infectious activities”.2-3 Recent pharmacological studies have revealed that GA also has potent cytotoxic and anti-cancer activities in several cancer cell lines” 4

Celastrol  is a chemical  found in  the Chinese herb called  Thunder God Vine (Tripterygii Wilfordi Radix Folium). Various preparations of Thunder God Vine have been used in Asia over the last 50 years in the treatment of a number of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.5

Cancer  treatments may now incorporate this herb compound with other treatments to improve patients survival rates. “The celastrol induces the protein to form fibrils and clusters it together, which inactivates it,” said researcher Ahmed Chadli.  “When they are clustered, they’re not available for other functions that help cancer grow.”

As a side note celastrol an active ingredient in some Traditional Chinese herbal medicines has also been found beneficial in studies  for prostate cancer.6
References:
            The Journal of Biological Chemistry   http://www.jbc.org/content/285/6/4224.abstract

From the  Center for Molecular Chaperone Radiobiology and Cancer Virology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia 30912,
 
The  Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, and
 
         The Organic Chemistry Laboratory, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Jacksonville, FL
 Supported by the American Heart Association Grant SDG 0930019N and a Seed award from the Cardiovascular   Discovery Institute at the Medical College of Georgia. Correspondence should be addressed: Center for Molecular Chaperone Radiobiology and Cancer Virology, Medical College of Georgia, 1410 Laney Walker Blvd., CN-3151, Augusta, GA 30912.
           
Laboratory of Oral Tumor and Oral Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology and     Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai 200011, PR China

1 Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese  Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, PR China  &    

2 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, PR China

3The Chinese anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive herbal remedy Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F.  Pub med.  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10680192


 

4Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese  Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, PR China

& Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, PR China

5.  The Chinese anti-inflammatory and immune suppressive herbal remedy  Tripterygium wilfordii

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10680192

6 Celastrol in prostate cancer therapies. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19545787

 

Herb & Vitamin Fillers – is there a recommended dose?

Posted by Cathy on with 1 Comment

pill questions markLabels on most herbal products in the US provide little to no information regarding  the amount of fillers ie. starch, otherwise known as excipients.  Excipients are  inactive substance used as a carrier or any ingredient that is added to adjust the intended dosage. Often excipients are used to  achieve a uniform  5 to 1 herb ratio.  (Basically a diluents).  Excipients are also used to improve administration such as making capsules or  pressed pills.

Currently, there is no technology to make capsules or pressed supplements without using these fillers. Current FDA labeling requirements for dietary supplements do not require the manufacturer  to list the amount of excipients. This leaves room  for lots of speculation and ambiguity regarding the strength of the products.  How much product in the bottle is filler and how much is vitamins and/or herbal extract? There is no set answer for this question simply depends on the manufacturer  and many are not disclosing this information on their labels.  

Gel-Caps and individual packet herbs are the only modalities which do not need to contain excipients.  There are over 750 additives (includes excipients) which  have been approved  by the Food and Drug  Administration (FDA) for  our food & supplement products. Excipients  toxicity and safety has been a controversial subject for more than a decade. Some research suggests excipients destroy immunity by bursting T-Cells and block nutrient uptake. This topic is too broad to discuss here.   I mention this, only to bring awareness that the issue exists. 

There are compelling reasons for these theories and  further  research is clearly warranted.  There is simply too much we don’t  know about  how excipients interact in our bodies. Excipients usage in Chinese herbal products ranges anywhere from 35% to 50% of a 100 gram bottle of extract, the same percentages apply for capsule herb products.  Dextrin is a common excipients along with non-GMO potato starch or  corn starch (corn is the most genetically altered food).  Again, the amount of excipient  used is  not currently required on product labels. Advantages of adding excipients are they extend the shelf life of Chinese herb products. Chinese Herb tea pills were traditional made without  an excipient.

The natural clumping of  the herbs was beneficial in this delivery system.  Unfortunately the shelf life is very short. Remember herbs are natural products and without preservatives they do turn rancid when exposed to air.  One side effect of adding excipients has turned into a benefit  for  people who prefer  to swallow their herb granules by  placing granules  on their tongue and swallowing with water. The use of  excipients makes this easier by reducing the natural stickiness of  the herbs.