Berberine Alkaloids ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Phytotherapy ; Tachycardia ; drug therapy

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of huperzine in treating patients with mild cognitive impairment. The randomized controlled trials(RCT) were retrieved from EMbase, Cochrane Library, PubMed, CNKI, Wanfang and VIP. The methodology quality of the included studies was evaluated, and a Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. A total of nine RCTs were included. The Meta-analysis results showed that compared with placebo, Huperzine significantly increased the scores of memory quotient(MQ) and mini-mental state examination(MMSE). However, there was no statistical difference between oral tablet and capsule. Compared with placebo, huperzine A was superior in the scores of MQ and MMSE. Huperzine is safe with mild side effects. Due to the low quality of original studies, more high-quality studies are needed to verify its efficacy.
Alkaloids ; therapeutic use ; Cognitive Dysfunction ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Memory ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Sesquiterpenes ; therapeutic use

In this review, the researches on Chinese herb components with anti-hepatic fibrosis activity in China in the recent 20 years were generalized. Almost thirty active herb components attracted author's attention, especially, salvianolic acid B and oxymatrine which were investigated comprehensively. Moreover, the author considered that, in view of the complex pathogenesis and the multi-pathway and multi-target superiority of Chinese medicine formula, the effective components formula investigations deserve more attention and probably prompt a potential researching direction.
Alkaloids ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Attention ; Benzofurans ; therapeutic use ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; drug therapy ; Quinolizines ; therapeutic use

This paper describes natural products, semi-synthetic natural products and natural product-derived compounds used for treating antiparasitic, antiviral and neurological disease that were being evaluated in clinical trials or in registration from 1998 to the end of 2005.
Alkaloids ; therapeutic use ; Antiparasitic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Biological Products ; therapeutic use ; Clinical Trials as Topic ; Humans ; Nervous System Diseases ; drug therapy

Research has demonstrated that many chemical constituents dominated by piperidine alkaloids and flavonoids, such as lobelanidine, lobeline, and lobelanine, have been obtained from Lobelia chinensis Lour. Experimental studies and clinical applications have also indicated that L. chinensis possesses a number of pharmacological activities (e.g., diuretic, choleretic, breathing excitement, anti-venom, anti-bacterial, and anticancer). This paper focuses on the properties, chemical constituents, and anticancer activity of L. chinensis to clarify the connection among them, and identify the active anticancer compounds. This work serves as the foundation for further research and development of L. chinensis.
Alkaloids ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Lobelia ; chemistry ; Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Phytotherapy ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of total alkaloids (TA) extracted from Rhizoma Coptis Chinensis on experimental gastric ulcer models.

METHODSFour kinds of experimental ulcer models were established respectively by water-immersion stress, intragastric ethanol, acetic acid erosion, and pylorus ligation. The anti-ulcer effects of TA were evaluated, and compared with that of berberine (Ber) and cimetidine (Cim).

RESULTSTA showed significant inhibitory effects on ulcerative formation induced by water-immersion stress, intragastric ethanol, and pylorus ligation in dose-dependent manner, and showed therapeutic effect on acetic acid erosion-inducing ulcer, in comparison with the control group. The anti-ulcer activity of Ber was less than TA containing equal content of Ber. TA significantly reduced the free acidity, total acidity and total acid output, but didn't affect the gastric juice volume, gastric pepsin activity, adherent mucus quantity of stomach wall and free mucus dissolving in gastric juice. The suppressive activities of TA on gastric acid secretion didn't occur when it was administered into dodecadactylon at a dose of 360 mg/kg wt. Moreover, when compared with Cim, the inhibitory effect of TA on gastric acid secretion isn't proportional to the inhibitory effects on the formation of the 4 kinds of experimental ulcers.

CONCLUSIONTA is a potent candidate in therapeutic drugs for treating gastric ulcer. Its anti-ulcer effective components and mechanism is not only related to Ber and inhibition of gastric acid, but also to other ingredients of TA and mechanism so far unknown.

Alkaloids ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Anti-Ulcer Agents ; therapeutic use ; Berberine ; therapeutic use ; Cimetidine ; therapeutic use ; Coptis ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Male ; Mice ; Phytotherapy ; Plant Extracts ; therapeutic use ; Rats ; Stomach Ulcer ; drug therapy ; prevention & control

Natural products have gained popularity worldwide for promoting healthcare, as well as disease prevention. Alkaloids are important chemical compounds that serve as a rich reservoir for drug discovery. Several alkaloids isolated from natural herbs exhibit antiproliferation, antibacterial, antiviral, insecticidal, and antimetastatic effects on various types of cancers both in vitro and in vivo. This paper focuses on the naturally-derived alkaloids such as berberine, matrine, piperine, fritillarine, and rhynchophylline, etc., and summarizes the action mechanisms of these compounds. Based on the information in the literature that is summarized in this paper, the use of alkaloids as drugs is very promising, but more research and clinical trials are necessary before final recommendations on specific alkaloids can be made. Following this, it is hoped that as a result of this review, there will be a greater awareness of the excellent promise that natural alkaloids show for use in the therapy of diseases.
Alkaloids ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Biological Products ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Phytotherapy ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Plants ; chemistry ; Porifera ; chemistry

Natural products exhibit substantial impacts in the field of anti-hypoxic traetment. Hypoxia can cause altitude sickness and other negative effect on the body. Headache, coma, exhaustion, vomiting and, in severe cases, death are some of the clinical signs. Currently, hypoxia is no longer just a concern in plateau regions; it is also one of the issues that can not be ignored by urban residents. This review covered polysaccharides, alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, peptides and traditional Chinese compound prescriptions as natural products to protect against hypoxia. The active ingredients, effectiveness and mechanisms were discussed. The related anti-hypoxic mechanisms involve increasing the hemoglobin (HB) content, glycogen content and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content, removing excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS), reducing lipid peroxidation, regulating the levels of related enzymes in cells, protecting the structural and functional integrity of the mitochondria and regulating the expression of apoptosis-related genes. These comprehensive summaries are beneficial to anti-hypoxic research and provide useful information for the development of anti-hypoxic products.
Humans ; Biological Products/therapeutic use* ; Hypoxia/metabolism* ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism* ; Adenosine Triphosphate/metabolism* ; Alkaloids

OBJECTIVETo investigate the inhibitory effect of matrine on tumor growth in tumor-bearing mice and explore its possible mechanisms of anti-tumor action in vivo.

METHODSHepatocellular carcinoma cells H(22) were subcutaneously injected into BALB/c mice and matrine was administered to the tumor-bearing mice. The kinetics of tumor formation and tumor growth were measured, tumor growth inhibition rate (IR) was calculated, and tumor tissue samples were taken and examined by light and electron microscopy to assess the inhibitory effects of matrine on tumor growth in the mice.

RESULTSMarked inhibitory effect of matrine on the transplanted hepatocellular carcinoma H(22) was observed in the tumor-bearing mice. The inhibitory rates were 62.5% and 60.7% in the groups treated with high and low dosage of matrine, respectively (P < 0.01 vs. control group). The tumor formation was significantly retarded and tumor growth was inhibited in matrine-treated groups compared with those in control mice. Histopathological examination revealed widespread necrosis with massive accumulation of infiltrating lymphocytes and plasmacytes in the tumors. Numerous apoptotic cells and apoptotic bodies were observed in the tumors under the electron microscope.

CONCLUSIONMatrine has marked inhibitory effects on tumor growth in vivo, which is probably related to inhibition of cell division and tumor cell proliferation, directly killing of tumor cells and/or induction of apoptosis and modulation of anti-tumor immune responses.

Alkaloids ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; therapeutic use ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Quinolizines ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic efficacy of tetrandrine tablets combined with matrine injection in the treatment of silicosis.

METHODSSixty-three patients with silicosis were randomly divided into treatment group (n = 33) and control group (n = 30). Both groups received anti-inflammatory, cough-relieving, and anti-asthmatic treatment. Meanwhile, the treatment group was given tetrandrine tablets (100 mg bid) and matrine injection (150 mg qd). There were 4 courses of tetrandrine treatment (each course = 3 months), with one-month intervals among them. Matrine injection was used for 15 consecutive days in each month. There were 2 courses of matrine treatment (each course = 3 months), with a one-month interval in between. The clinical symptoms, pulmonary function, serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and chest X-ray images were observed before and after treatment.

RESULTSAfter treatment, chest distress, chest pain, shortness of breath, and other respiratory symptoms were relieved significantly (P < 0.05). The treatment group showed significantly higher SOD activity than before treatment and the control group (P < 0.05) and significantly higher forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in one second than before treatment and the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, 5 patients (4 stage II cases and 1 stage III case, all in rapidly progressive forms) in the treatment group showed smaller, lighter, and clearer shadows with decreased overall intensity on chest X-ray; 12 patients showed significantly fewer and clearer lung markings on chest X-ray.

CONCLUSIONTetrandrine tablets combined with matrine injection have some therapeutic effect on silicosis.

Aged ; Alkaloids ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Benzylisoquinolines ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Injections ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Quinolizines ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Silicosis ; drug therapy ; Tablets ; Treatment Outcome