Homeopathy. 2009 Jul; 98(3): 169-76Smit E, Oberholzer HM, Pretorius EImmunomodulators are substances which modify the immunity of an individual to favour a particular immunological response. The immune response and the function of the immune response regulation process are described, with special reference to cancer and autoimmune disease. Homeopathy and its role in immune regulation are discussed with special reference to Canova. Canova is a homeopathic product produced, according to the Hahnemannian homeopathic method, in Brazil. Its role in cancer, bone marrow and haematopoiesis as well as macrophage and monocyte activation is reviewed. Canova seems to stabilize platelet morphology in human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS). The data suggest that the future of immunomodulators and homeopathic products which appear to have an effect on the immune response requires a better understanding of the relative need for immune activation versus immune modulation. Homeopathic products specifically need more attention.

Homeopathy. 2009 Jul; 98(3): 142-8Rossi E, Endrizzi C, Panozzo MA, Bianchi A, Da Frè MOBJECTIVE: To evaluate the response to homeopathic treatment in a public homeopathic clinic of all patients attending between September 1998 until December 2005, and to analyze homeopathic practice. METHODS AND SETTING: Longitudinal observational study in a homeopathic clinic based in a public hospital in Lucca, Italy. Data relating to patient details, clinical diagnosis, remedy prescribed, potency of dosage, prescription strategy and identification of the case as acute-chronic-recurrent were analyzed. Clinical response was assessed by the Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital Outcome Score. RESULTS: Overall 74% of patients reported at least moderate improvement. Outcomes were better with longer treatment duration and younger age of patients. Respiratory, followed by dermatological and gastrointestinal pathologies responded best, psychological problems relatively poorly. CONCLUSIONS: Homeopathic therapy is associated with improvement in a range of chronic and recurring pathologies. Certain characteristics of patient and pathology influence the outcome.

Biol Pharm Bull. 2009 Aug; 32(8): 1359-63Tan CB, Gao M, Xu WR, Yang XY, Zhu XM, Du GHSalidroside is a major constituent of Rhodiola rosea L. that elicits beneficial effects for ischemic cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of salidroside on endothelial cells apoptosis induced by the hypoxia mimicking agent, cobalt chloride. After challenge with cobalt chloride for 24 h, loss of cell viability and excessive apoptotic cell death were observed in EA.hy926 endothelial cells, and the level of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) increased concentration-dependently. However, the endothelial cell apoptosis and excessive ROS generation were attenuated markedly by salidroside pretreatment. In addition, salidroside inhibited activation of caspase-3 and cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) induced by cobalt chloride, decreased expression of Bax and rescued the balance of pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins. These findings suggest that salidroside protects endothelial cells from cobalt chloride-induced apoptosis as an antioxidant and by regulating Bcl-2 family. Salidroside may represent a novel therapeutic agent for the treatment and prevention of hypoxia and oxidative stress-related diseases.

Clin Chim Acta. 2009 Aug 1; Hu ZY, Zhao YS, Wu D, Cheng ZNBACKGROUND: We determined if if endogenous cortisol 6beta-hydroxylation clearance [CL(m(6beta))] could be used as a reliable index for in vivo CYP3A phenotyping (including both hepatic and intestinal CYP3A activity). Methods: In this study, 16 healthy volunteers received a single 7.5 mg oral dose of midazolam (MDZ). Blood samples were drawn up to 24 h after dosing. Urine samples were collected at various time periods after dosing. MDZ, 1-hydroxymidazolam (1-OHMDZ), cortisol (F) and 6beta-hydroxycortisol (6beta-OHF) in plasma or urine were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet absorbance detection (HPLC-UV). RESULTS: CL(m(6beta)) was poorly correlated (P>0.2) with MDZ oral clearance [CL(oral(MDZ))] and the ratio of AUC(0-infinity(1-OHMDZ)) versus AUC(0-infinity(MDZ)) [MR((AUC))]. However, when examining the data obtained from male volunteers exclusively, strong correlations were observed between CL(m(6beta)) and CL(oral(MDZ)). Larger interindividual and intraindividual variability was observed in urinary ratio of 6beta-OHF/F compared with CL(m(6beta)). Conclusion: CL(m(6beta)) can not reflect the overall CYP3A activity accurately and quantitatively in the population.

Guang Pu Xue Yu Guang Pu Fen Xi. 2009 May; 29(5): 1427-30Miao S, Sun JY, Xie YH, Wang JB, Shi XP, Ding YY, Bi LL, Gao SB, Wang SWAn analysis method was developed to determine the chemical speciation of Cu, Zn, Fe and Mn in radix scutellariae decoction using atomic absorption spectroscopy(AAS). The decoction can be divided into suspension and soluble species by 0.45 microm filter membrane and the soluble species can be separated into organism and inorganic species by LSA-10 macroporous resin. These elements in water-soluble test samples can be divided into alcohol-soluble and water-soluble by adopting n-octyl alcohol-water allocation system in man-made gastric acidity. Then, the concentration of these elements was determined by AAS, which provided more chemical speciation information about these elements instead of the total amount of them only in radix scutellariae. Deteotion limit of Cu, Zn and Mn by using the method was all 0.01 microg x mL(-1) and was 0.02 microg x mL(-1) for Fe. The RSD was in the range of 1.5%-3.6% (n=11) and the recovery rate of soluble species and inorganic species were in range of 96.7%-105.0%. The method has been successfully applied to determine the chemical speciation of Cu, Zn, Fe and Mn in radix scutellariae, which was very important for overall study of radix scutellariae.