Objectives : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of Baekyeum (BKE) on intestinal motility. Methods : The effects of BKE on intestinal motility at the physiological state were evaluated by determination of intestinal motility after administration of a charcoal meal. The effects of BKE on intestinal motility at cabachol-induced activated state and loperamide induced suppressed state were also evaluated by determination of intestinal motility after administration of charcoal meal. Results : BKE didn't affect the intestinal motility in physiological state, and BKE didn't affect the intestinal motility at the carbachol-induced activated state. BKE activated significantly the intestinal motility at the loperamide-induced suppressed state. Conclusions : It can be concluded that BKE is an effective herbal prescription for cancer-patients with gastrointestinal dysfunction, especially intestinal stasis.
In this study, we have demonstrated that Korean Panax ginseng (KG) significantly enhances myelopoiesis in vitro and reconstitutes bone marrow after 5-flurouracil-induced (5FU) myelosuppression in mice. KG promoted total white blood cell, lymphocyte, neutrophil and platelet counts and improved body weight, spleen weight, and thymus weight. The number of CFU-GM in bone marrow cells of mice and serum levels of IL-3 and GM-CSF were significantly improved after KG treatment. KG induced significant c-Kit, SCF and IL-1 mRNA expression in spleen. Moreover, treatment with KG led to marked improvements in 5FU-induced histopathological changes in bone marrow and spleen, and partial suppression of thymus damage. The levels of IL-3 and GM-CSF in cultured bone marrow cells after 24 h stimulation with KG were considerably increased. The mechanism underlying promotion of myelopoiesis by KG was assessed by monitoring gene expression at two time-points of 4 and 8 h. Treatment with Rg1 (0.5, 1 and 1.5 µmol) specifically enhanced c-Kit, IL-6 and TNF-α mRNA expression in cultured bone marrow cells. Our results collectively suggest that the anti-myelotoxicity activity and promotion of myelopoiesis by KG are mediated through cytokines. Moreover, the ginsenoside, Rg1, supports the role of KG in myelopoiesis to some extent.
Even though various strategies for cancer treatment have advanced with the remarkable development of genomic information and technologies, it is far from giving relief to patients with cancer. The main conventional cancer therapies, radiation and chemotherapy, generally show low efficacy and a high rate of undesirable side effects. Recently evidence has been accumulating closely connecting the immune system with anti-tumor defense mechanisms in a multistage process including tumorigenesis, invasion, growth and metastasis 1) . The immune modulating and anti-tumor activities of various oriental herbal plants have been experimented extensively and reported over the world. Administration of these herbs are known to inhibit tumor growth and incidence, and prolong the tumor-bearing rodent survival in transplanted experimental models and also restore lowered host immune defenses 2,4) . Cordyceps Militaris, a well-known traditional Effects of Cordyceps Militaris Extract on Tumor Immunity
This study examined whether manual acupuncture at the Siguan points (bilateral points LI4 and LR3) affects intestinal motility in healthy human subjects. Twenty healthy male subjects were randomly assigned either to real acupuncture (RA) at Siguan points or sham acupuncture (SA) groups in a crossover manner. All subjects underwent two experimental sessions; the RA group in the first session was treated with SA in the second session after a 2-week washout period, and vice versa. Each subject took 20 radio-markers and was treated with acupuncture 0, 12, 24, and 36 hours after radio-marker intake. Radiographs were taken at 6, 12.5, 24.5, and 48 hours, and the effect of acupuncture on intestinal motility was evaluated based on the distribution of the radio-markers in the ileum, ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, sigmoid/ rectum, and outside the body. Defecating habit was monitored during the trial, and complete blood counts were checked before and after the two acupuncture sessions. The RA and SA results showed extremely similar distributions of the radio-markers in these five regions of the alimentary canal and outside the body in radiographs taken at four different times, verifying that there was no effect of manual acupuncture at the Siguan points on intestinal motility, at least in healthy human subjects.
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