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Efficacy and safety of medicine-food homology Shenqi paste in older adults with diabetic sarcopenia: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

1. J Ethnopharmacol. 2026 May 23;363:121444. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2026.121444. Epub 2026 Feb 26. Efficacy and safety of medicine-food homology Shenqi paste in older adults with diabetic sarcopenia: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Hua L(1), Wang Y(2), Yuan X(3), Wang R(4), Li

Synergistic effects of new lactone polyketides from an endophytic fungus Phomopsis sp. XP-8 with antibiotics.

2. Fitoterapia. 2026 Jan;188:107045. doi: 10.1016/j.fitote.2025.107045. Epub 2025 Dec 19. Synergistic effects of new lactone polyketides from an endophytic fungus Phomopsis sp. XP-8 with antibiotics. Ren H(1), Miao Y(1), Girimpuhwe D(1), Guo J(1), Ge S(1), Zhang W(1), Yang GG(1), Liu S(1), Wu Q

Synergistic therapeutic effects of Duzhong Jiangya Tablets and amlodipine besylate combination in spontaneously hypertensive rats using (1) H-NMR- and MS-based metabolomics.

3. Biomed Chromatogr. 2020 Apr;34(4):e4741. doi: 10.1002/bmc.4741. Epub 2020 Jan 21. Synergistic therapeutic effects of Duzhong Jiangya Tablets and amlodipine besylate combination in spontaneously hypertensive rats using (1) H-NMR- and MS-based metabolomics. Li J(1), Zhao M(1), Jiang X(1), Liu

Aucubin protects against pressure overload-induced cardiac remodelling via the β(3) -adrenoceptor-neuronal NOS cascades.

4. Br J Pharmacol. 2018 May;175(9):1548-1566. doi: 10.1111/bph.14164. Epub 2018 Mar 25. Aucubin protects against pressure overload-induced cardiac remodelling via the β(3) -adrenoceptor-neuronal NOS cascades. Wu QQ(1)(2)(3), Xiao Y(1)(2)(3), Duan MX(1)(2)(3), Yuan Y(1)(2)(3), Jiang XH(1)(2)(3),

Efficacy and safety of Cortex Eucommiae (Eucommia ulmoides Oliver) extract in subjects with mild osteoarthritis: Study protocol for a 12-week, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

5. Medicine (Baltimore). 2019 Dec;98(50):e18318. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000018318. Efficacy and safety of Cortex Eucommiae (Eucommia ulmoides Oliver) extract in subjects with mild osteoarthritis: Study protocol for a 12-week, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Ahn H

Effects of repeated use of a commercial topical lotion on subcutaneous fat thickness in resistance-trained male athletes.

1. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2023 Jan;22(1):255-261. doi: 10.1111/jocd.14853. Epub 2022 Feb 28. Effects of repeated use of a commercial topical lotion on subcutaneous fat thickness in resistance-trained male athletes. Peos JJ(1), Ong J(1). Author information: (1)School of Human Sciences (Exercise and Sports Science), Faculty of Science, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia. This study tested whether subcutaneous fat loss is enhanced via application of a popular topical fat loss lotion. Twenty resistance-trained men (mean ± SD age of 26.3 ± 6.3 years and weight of 86.8 ± 11.1 kg) had a topical fat-loss lotion containing Coleus forskholii, Silybin, Eucommia ulmoides leaf, Paullinia cupana seed, caffeine, and black pepper essential oil applied twice daily for 8 weeks to the front and lateral thigh of one of the participant's leg, and a placebo control lotion was applied to the same sites on the other leg. After 8 weeks, there were no significant differences between the placebo and treatment legs for the change in subcutaneous fat thickness of the front thigh (p = 0.73) or for leg fat percentage (p = 0.52). However, there was a slight, yet significant difference in the change in subcutaneous fat thickness of the lateral thigh favoring the treatment leg (-0.42 vs +0.75 mm, p = 0.029), but with this difference disappearing depending on the statistical tests being used. Only 2/19 participants perceived a difference in fat loss in response to each condition. Although the topical lotion tested here resulted in statistically significantly greater subcutaneous fat loss at the lateral but not front thigh, this effect was very small, contingent upon the statistical test being used, and unperceivable by the participants themselves. © 2022 The Authors. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. DOI: 10.1111/jocd.14853 PMCID: PMC10078737 PMID: 35174607 [Indexed for MEDLINE] Conflict of interest statement: We declare that no financial interest or benefit has arisen from the direct application of this research.

Exploring the therapeutic synergy of drug-lifestyle interventions in fluorosis: a randomized trial on cardiovascular metabolic outcomes from the China fluorosis cohort (CFC).

2. Front Pharmacol. 2026 Mar 31;17:1737666. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2026.1737666. eCollection 2026. Exploring the therapeutic synergy of drug-lifestyle interventions in fluorosis: a randomized trial on cardiovascular metabolic outcomes from the China fluorosis cohort (CFC). Lu Y(#)(1), Tao F(#)(1), Wei S(1)(2)(3), Hu T(1), Wang R(1), Ye C(4), Hong F(1), Luo P(1)(2)(3)(5). Author information: (1)Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China. (2)Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Endemic and Ethnic Regional Diseases Co. Constructed by the Province and Ministry, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China. (3)Guizhou Provincial Engineering Research Center of Ecological Food Innovation, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China. (4)Department of Orthopedics, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China. (5)The State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, School of Pharmaceutic Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China. (#)Contributed equally INTRODUCTION: Skeletal fluorosis patients face a markedly elevated risk of cardiovascular metabolic abnormalities, including endothelial dysfunction, excessive oxidative stress, and impaired calcium-phosphate metabolism. Current clinical interventions for this condition are limited to symptomatic analgesia and conventional anti-osteoporotic treatments, and lack targeted therapeutic strategies for the "kidney deficiency and blood stasis" pathogenesis of skeletal fluorosis that can synergistically protect both the skeletal and cardiovascular systems. METHODS: This multicenter randomized controlled trial was conducted on 1,480 skeletal fluorosis patients from the China Fluorosis Cohort (CFC), to investigate the synergistic therapeutic effects of three traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) combinations-Ginkgo biloba combined with Epimedium (Drug 1), Xianling Gubao combined with Eucommia ulmoides (Drug 2), and Gusongbao combined with Rosa roxburghii (Drug 3)-in conjunction with lifestyle modifications on cardiovascular metabolic outcomes. RESULTS: Smoking and alcohol consumption were identified as independent risk factors for reduced therapeutic efficacy in skeletal fluorosis patients with comorbid cardiovascular metabolic abnormalities (OR = 2.755, 95% CI: 1.400 -5.421). Among the three TCM combinations, Drug 2 and Drug 3 significantly counteracted these adverse risk factors, reducing the risk of treatment failure by 53.9% (OR = 0.461) and 57.0% (OR = 0.430), respectively. Drug 3 exhibited superior efficacy in reducing diastolic blood pressure (β = -2.263, P = 0.010), while its systolic blood pressure-lowering effect diminished with increasing age. Drug 2 showed synergistic benefits with improved sleep quality (β = 1.596, P = 0.002) and healthy dietary habits (β = -1.180, P = 0.001), which enhanced its antihypertensive effects and led to a significant reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels (P < 0.05). Additionally, the interaction models outperformed the main-effect models, confirming the dynamic synergistic effect between lifestyle interventions and TCM pharmacotherapy. DISCUSSION: These findings highlight the clinical necessity of integrating behavioral interventions with pharmacotherapy to optimize cardiovascular metabolic safety in the clinical management of skeletal fluorosis. Based on these results, we propose a novel theoretical framework-Personalized Behavioral-Integrated Therapy (PBIT)-which guides the incorporation of patient-specific behavioral and demographic factors into tailored treatment strategies, thereby improving the precision and clinical outcomes of skeletal fluorosis treatment. Copyright © 2026 Lu, Tao, Wei, Hu, Wang, Ye, Hong and Luo. DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2026.1737666 PMCID: PMC13076280 PMID: 41988524 Conflict of interest statement: The author(s) declared that this work was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Dietary supplementation of water extract of Eucommia ulmoides bark improved caecal microbiota and parameters of health in white-feathered broilers.

3. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl). 2024 May;108(3):816-838. doi: 10.1111/jpn.13929. Epub 2024 Feb 7. Dietary supplementation of water extract of Eucommia ulmoides bark improved caecal microbiota and parameters of health in white-feathered broilers. Lu M(1), Zhao ZT(1), Xin Y(1), Chen G(2), Yang F(1). Author information: (1)Food Quality and Safety, School of Laboratory Medicine, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China. (2)Food Nutrition and Health, College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China. Eucommia ulmoides has been used as a food and medicine homologue for a long time in China. We hypothesize that Eucommia ulmoides achieves its health-promoting effects via altering gut microbiota. Here, we investigated the effects of water extract of Eucommia ulmoides bark on caecal microbiota and growth performance, antioxidant activity, and immunity in white-feathered broilers treated for 42 days. A total of 108 one-day-old Cobb white-feathered broilers were randomly assigned to three treatment groups: control diet, 0.75% Eucommia ulmoides diet (EU Ⅰ) and 1.5% Eucommia ulmoides diet (EU Ⅱ). The results showed that EU Ⅱ treatment improved average body weight (ABW), thigh muscle quality and total length of intestines, and decreased the serum total triglycerides and total cholesterol (TC) (p < 0.05). Eucommia ulmoides supplementation increased serum superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), total antioxidant activities and content of immunoglobulins, and reduced levels of malondialdehyde and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) (p < 0.05). Moreover, the supplementation increased the diversity of caecal microbiota and reduced the pathogenic genera Escherichia Shigella and Helicobacter. The genera Ochrobactrum, Odoribater, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Georgenia and Bifidobacterium were positively associated with the ABW, total intestinal length, serum levels of GSH-Px, SOD and immunoglobulins (p < 0.001) and negatively associated with the TC and TNF-α (p < 0.01), suggesting an association of the changes of gut microbiota and improvement of broiler health. Meanwhile, Eucommia ulmoides supplementation enriched the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway of exocrine secretion from the pancreas, circadian entrainment and inhibited lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis. In conclusion, Eucommia ulmoides water extract can be used as a feed additive to improve poultry industry production. © 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. DOI: 10.1111/jpn.13929 PMID: 38324000 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

Quanduzhong capsules for the treatment of grade 1 hypertension patients with low-to-moderate risk: A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

4. Front Pharmacol. 2023 Jan 10;13:1014410. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1014410. eCollection 2022. Quanduzhong capsules for the treatment of grade 1 hypertension patients with low-to-moderate risk: A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Xu X(1)(2)(3), Tian W(1)(2)(4), Duan W(1)(2), Pan C(5), Huang M(5), Wang Q(5), Yang Q(5), Wen Z(5), Tang Y(6), Xiong Y(6), Zhu Z(6), Liu Y(6), Wei D(6), Qi W(6), Ouyang X(6), Ying S(6), Wang X(6), Zhou Z(7), Li X(7), Cui Y(7), Yang S(7), Xu H(1)(2). Author information: (1)Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China. (2)National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Cardiology, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China. (3)The Eighth Hospital of Baotou, Baotou, China. (4)Graduate School, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China. (5)The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Guangxi, China. (6)Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China. (7)Jiangxi Puzheng Pharmaceutical Co, Ltd., Jiangxi, China. Background: Duzhong [DZ (Eucommia ulmoides Oliv.)] is regarded as a traditional Chinese medicine with a history dating back more than 2000 years. This herb is considered a nourishing herb in China and is commonly used as a tonic to strengthen muscles and bones, nourish the kidneys and liver, and soothe miscarriages. Moreover, there is evidence that DZ is capable of regulating blood pressure (BP), and several compounds isolated from DZ have been shown to have a BP-lowering effect. Quanduzhong capsules contain an extract of DZ [Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. (Eucommiaceae; Eucommiae cortex)] that is effective in treating hypertension. This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial sought to evaluate the clinical efficacy of Quanduzhong capsules in the treatment of low-to-moderate risk grade 1 hypertension patients. Materials and methods: A total of 60 patients from 3 centers with documented low-to-moderate risk grade 1 hypertension were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to the test group or the control group. After a 1 week lead-in period using sham Quanduzhong capsules, all patients who met the entry criteria (29 cases in the test group and 29 cases in the control group) entered the 4 week test period. The test group took Quanduzhong capsules, and the control group continued to take sham Quanduzhong capsules. The primary endpoints [24-h mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) determined via 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM); office SBP and DBP] and secondary endpoints [mean arterial pressure; mean pulse; daytime mean SBP and DBP; nocturnal mean SBP and DBP; SBP and DBP load; area under the blood pressure (BP) curve; morning peak BP; early morning SBP and DBP; smoothness index of SBP and DBP; 24 h BP mean coefficient of variation (CV); percentage of patients with circadian restoration in ABPM; home BP; quality of life evaluated by WHO Quality of Life-BREF questionnaire; grading and quantitative evaluation of hypertension symptoms; values of plasmatic renin activity, angiotensin II, aldosterone, β-2 microglobulin and homocysteine] were assessed following the treatment. Drug-related adverse events and adverse drug reactions were also compared. Results: After a 4 week test period, a significant difference in the DBP CV between the two groups was observed (-2.49 ± 4.32 vs. 0.76 ± 4.3; p < .05). Moreover, the mean office SBP change was -7.62 ± 9.32 mmHg, and the mean DBP change was -4.66 ± 6.03 (p < .05). Among the three subjects with abnormal homocysteine levels in the test group, homocysteine levels decreased by 6.23 ± 9.15 μmol/L after treatment. No differences were observed between the two groups in any other indicators. After 4 weeks of treatment, there were no significant differences between the groups in terms of safety indicators (p > .05). No abnormal vital signs (except BP) or severe liver or renal function impairment were observed during the treatment periods; in addition, adverse events and drug reactions were mild. Conclusion: Treatment with Quanduzhong capsules reduced office SBP and DBP as well as DBP CV determined by 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring in patients with grade 1 hypertension at low-to-moderate risk. Clinical Trial Registration: https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=32531, identifier ChiCTR1900021699. Copyright © 2023 Xu, Tian, Duan, Pan, Huang, Wang, Yang, Wen, Tang, Xiong, Zhu, Liu, Wei, Qi, Ouyang, Ying, Wang, Zhou, Li, Cui, Yang and Xu. DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1014410 PMCID: PMC9871381 PMID: 36703729 Conflict of interest statement: ZZ, XL, YC and SY are employed by Jiangxi Puzheng Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., China. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The reviewer XX declared a shared parent affiliation with the authors XX, WT, WD and HX to the handling editor at the time of review.

Illicium verum and Eucommia ulmoides leaf extracts promote nutrient availability and antioxidant capacity in piglets by upregulating duodenal and jejunal Nrf2/TNF-α.

5. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl). 2021 Sep;105(5):916-926. doi: 10.1111/jpn.13534. Epub 2021 Mar 26. Illicium verum and Eucommia ulmoides leaf extracts promote nutrient availability and antioxidant capacity in piglets by upregulating duodenal and jejunal Nrf2/TNF-α. Liao W(1), Zhao S(2), Yang Z(1), Yang W(1), Huang L(1), Liu F(1), Liu M(1), Ge J(3), Wang Y(4), Jiang S(1). Author information: (1)Department of Animal Sciences and Technology, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian City, Shandong Province, China. (2)Jiaozhou Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Service Center, Jiaozhou, Qingdao City, Shandong Province, China. (3)Shandong Zhongcheng Feed Technology Co., Ltd, Feicheng City, Shandong Province, China. (4)Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. The effect of Illicium verum extracts (IVE) or Eucommia ulmoides leaf extracts (ELE) on nutrient availability, duodenal and jejunal antioxidant ability of Duroc ×Landrace × Yorkshire (DLY) and Chinese native Licha-black (LCB) piglets was investigated. Ninety-six piglets (48 DLY and 48 LCB respectively) without significant difference in body weight (11.22 ± 0.32 kg) were used in a 2 × 4 factorial design. Animals were randomly allocated to four treatments, and each had four replicates with three DLY and three LCB piglets. Treatments were basal diet (CON) and basal diet with 500 mg/kg IVE, 250 mg/kg ELE and 50 mg/kg chlortetracycline (CHL) respectively. Animals were placed individually for 7-days adaptation following 42-days test. Results showed the significant interaction (p < 0.05) between dietary treatments and pig species in activity of total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), content of malondialdehyde (MDA), and α-tumour necrosis factor (TNF-α), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and Nrf2/TNF-α at mRNA and protein level in duodenum and jejunum of DLY and LCB piglets. The IVE and ELE increased (p < 0.05) activity of GSH-Px and T-SOD, and the Nrf2/TNF-α at mRNA and protein level, however, the decreased (p < 0.05) MDA content, and TNF-α at mRNA and protein level in duodenum and jejunum were observed. The CHL decreased (p < 0.05) activity of GSH-Px and T-SOD, TNF-α and Nrf2 at mRNA and protein level in duodenum, but increased (p < 0.05) MDA content and Nrf2/TNF-α in jejunum. DLY piglets had higher (p < 0.05) nutrient digestibility (organic matter, crude protein and gross energy), availability (biological value and net protein utilization), MDA content, and TNF-α at mRNA and protein level in jejunum, and had lower (p < 0.05) activity of GSH-Px and T-SOD, and Nrf2 and Nrf2/TNF-α at mRNA and protein level in duodenum and jejunum than LCB. In conclusion, the 500 mg/kg IVE and 250 mg/kg ELE improved the nutrient availability, and the improvement of antioxidant capacity is realized by activating the Nrf2/TNF-α of duodenum and jejunum. The CHL had adverse effects on antioxidant ability of DLY and LCB piglets. The results showed that the nutrient digestion and absorption capacity of DLY were stronger than that of LCB piglets, but the antioxidant capacity was lower than that of LCB piglets. Therefore, the IVE and ELE are recommended as a new potential alternative to antibiotics in piglets' diets. © 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH. DOI: 10.1111/jpn.13534 PMID: 33769629 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

Effects of Eucommia ulmoides leaf extracts on growth performance, antioxidant capacity and intestinal function in weaned piglets.

6. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl). 2020 Jul;104(4):1169-1177. doi: 10.1111/jpn.13333. Epub 2020 Mar 9. Effects of Eucommia ulmoides leaf extracts on growth performance, antioxidant capacity and intestinal function in weaned piglets. Ding H(1), Cao A(1), Li H(1), Zhao Y(1), Feng J(1). Author information: (1)Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang, China. Eucommia ulmoides is traditional Chinese medicine, and it possesses several potential bioactivities, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and immune regulatory activities. This study was conducted to determine the effects of dietary Eucommia ulmoides leaf extracts (ELE) on growth performance, antioxidant capacity and intestinal function of weaned piglets. Two hundred crossbred (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire) piglets with an average initial weight of 12.96 ± 0.28 kg were randomly allotted to five treatments: C0 (basal diet), C1 (basal diet + antibiotics) and basal diet supplemented with increasing levels of ELE (0.2, 0.3 or 0.4 g/kg of feed). The results showed that ELE or antibiotics supplementation remarkably decreased diarrhoea rate and 0.3 g/kg ELE increased average daily gain compared with C0 (p < .05). 0.3 g/kg ELE increased alkaline phosphatase (AKP) levels and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) in serum and liver, as well as increased the content of serum albumin and total protein (TP) compared with the C0 (p < .05). The lipase activity of duodenum content and trypsin activity of jejunum content were improved fed diets containing 0.3 g/kg ELE compared with C0 (p < .05). The 0.3 g/kg ELE treatments have a higher villus height of the duodenum and jejunum compared with the C0 (p < .05). These results suggested that ELE supplementation had beneficial effects on antioxidant and intestinal function in weaned piglets, which also could increase growth performance and decreased diarrhoea rate. Accordingly, ELE is a potential alternative to antibiotics. © 2020 Blackwell Verlag GmbH. DOI: 10.1111/jpn.13333 PMID: 32153077 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

Effect of Illicium verum or Eucommia ulmoides leaf extracts on the anti-stress ability, and mRNA and protein expression of Nrf2 and TNF-α in Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire and Chinese native Licha-black nursery piglets.

7. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl). 2020 Jul;104(4):1085-1095. doi: 10.1111/jpn.13235. Epub 2019 Oct 31. Effect of Illicium verum or Eucommia ulmoides leaf extracts on the anti-stress ability, and mRNA and protein expression of Nrf2 and TNF-α in Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire and Chinese native Licha-black nursery piglets. Jiang S(1), Yang Z(1), Huang L(1), Yang W(1), Song D(1), Liu F(1), Ge J(2), Wang Y(3), Jiang S(1). Author information: (1)Department of Animal Sciences and Technology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, China. (2)Shandong Zhongcheng feed Technology Co., Ltd, Feicheng, China. (3)Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Lethbridge, AB, Canada. Plant extracts are considered to be an effective alternative to antibiotics in response to weaning stress in piglets. This study evaluated the effect of Illicium verum extracts (IVE) or Eucommia ulmoides leaf extracts (ELE) on growth performance, serum and liver antioxidant ability of nursery piglets, as well as the difference of IVE and ELE on Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire (DLY) and Chinese native Licha-black (LCB) piglets. A total of 96 nursery piglets (48 DLY and 48 LCB piglets) with an average body weight of 11.22 ± 0.32 kg were randomly divided into four treatments in a 2 × 4 factorial design. Each treatment had four replicates with 3 DLY and 3 LCB piglets per replicate respectively. Treatments included: basal diet, basal diet + 500 mg/kg IVE, basal diet + 250 mg/kg ELE and basal diet + 50 mg/kg chlortetracycline (CHL). All piglets were housed individually for the 42 days trial period after 7 days adaptation. Results showed that there were significant interactions (p < .05) between piglets species and dietary treatments in average daily gain (ADG) and feed efficiency, serum and hepatic glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and malondialdehyde (MDA), hepatic integral optical density (IOD) of α-tumour necrosis factor (TNF-α), hepatic relative mRNA expressions of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/TNF-α and protein expression of TNF-α. Regardless of piglets species, supplementation with IVE and ELE increased (p < .05) ADG and feed efficiency, T-SOD and GSH-Px in serum and liver, hepatic IOD of Nrf2, hepatic mRNA and protein expression of Nrf2/TNF-α. However, CHL treatment resulted in lower (p < .05) serum GSH-Px and hepatic mRNA and protein expression of Nrf2/TNF-α, and higher hepatic MDA and IOD of TNF-α. Compared to LCB, DLY piglets had higher (p < .05) ADG and feed efficiency, serum and hepatic MDA, and protein expression of TNF-α, but lower (p < .05) ADFI, liver index, serum and hepatic GSH-Px, hepatic IOD of TNF-α, mRNA expressions of Nrf2/TNF-α were observed. In conclusion, Illicium verum (500 mg/kg) and Eucommia ulmoides leaf (250 mg/kg) extracts can increase the growth performance and antioxidant ability of DLY and LCB piglets, while chlortetracycline produces undesirable side-effects on the antioxidant ability of DLY and LCB piglets. Illicium verum and Eucommia ulmoides leaf extracts produced different antioxidant effects in DLY and LCB piglets with the Chinese native Licha-black pig responding better than Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire. © 2019 Blackwell Verlag GmbH. DOI: 10.1111/jpn.13235 PMID: 31667936 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

A clinical trial testing the safety and efficacy of a standardized Eucommia ulmoides Oliver bark extract to treat hypertension.

8. Altern Med Rev. 2011 Dec;16(4):338-47. A clinical trial testing the safety and efficacy of a standardized Eucommia ulmoides Oliver bark extract to treat hypertension. Greenway F(1), Liu Z, Yu Y, Gupta A. Author information: (1)Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University System, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, USA. frank.greenway@pbrc.edu BACKGROUND: A tea made from Eucommia ulmoides leaves and bark is part of the Japanese diet. Eucommia is an herbal medicine that, by increasing nitric oxide, reduced blood pressure (BP) in rats and humans in an uncontrolled clinical trial. OBJECTIVE: A controlled clinical trial was conducted to evaluate an aqueous bark extract of Eucommia standardized to eight percent pinoresinol di-beta-D-glucoside (PG) for BP reduction in humans. METHODS: Study 1: Twenty-four healthy adult subjects with a BP between 120-160/80-100 mmHg were randomized to Eucommia extract 500 mg three times daily for eight weeks. Automatic 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (24-h ABPM) was utilized at baseline and after eight weeks. Study 2: The effect of the Eucommia extract on isoproterenol-stimulated lipolysis was evaluated in a human fat cell assay to determine whether Eucommia was a beta-adrenergic blocker. Study 3: Thirty healthy adult subjects with a BP between 120-160/80-100 mmHg were randomized to 1 g Eucommia extract three times daily for two weeks with 24-h ABPM at baseline and after two weeks. RESULTS: Study 1: There was no toxicity or any difference in BP between the two groups. Study 2: Eucommia at 0.5% w/v reduced isoproterenol-stimulated lipolysis from 2.67 to 1.4 times the buffer control (P<0.001). Study 3: The Eucommia extract was well-tolerated and reduced BP by an average of 7.5/3.9 mmHg (P<0.008). CONCLUSION: The standardized Eucommia extract reduced BP and has beta-adrenergic blocking activity. Eucommia may be an appropriate nutraceutical intervention for prehypertension. PMID: 22214253 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

Use of a multibotanical (Nutrafem) for the relief of menopausal vasomotor symptoms: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

9. Menopause. 2010 Mar;17(2):303-8. doi: 10.1097/gme.0b013e3181bf8e92. Use of a multibotanical (Nutrafem) for the relief of menopausal vasomotor symptoms: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Garcia JT(1), Gonzaga F, Tan D, Ng TY, Oei PL, Chan CW. Author information: (1)St Luke's Medical Center, Quezon City, Philippines. Comment in Menopause. 2010 Mar;17(2):237-8. doi: 10.1097/gme.0b013e3181d2deac. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of a multibotanical (Nutrafem) with those of placebo for the treatment of menopausal vasomotor symptoms. METHODS: In this phase III, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study, 159 postmenopausal women experiencing at least 21 vasomotor symptoms per week were treated with Nutrafem (Bionutra Pte Ltd, Singapore) or a matched placebo for 12 weeks. Treatment outcome was evaluated by the change from baseline in the average weekly number of vasomotor symptoms. RESULTS: At the end of the study, Nutrafem reduced the number of vasomotor symptoms by 46% from baseline, and this is significantly superior to placebo (26% from baseline; P = 0.020). Forty-three percent of women taking Nutrafem experienced an at least 50% reduction in the number of symptoms compared with 6% of women taking placebo (P = 0.021; number needed to treat = 2.7). There were no group differences in adverse events, laboratory values, and gynecological data. CONCLUSIONS: Nutrafem is an effective botanical treatment for vasomotor symptoms in postmenopausal women. DOI: 10.1097/gme.0b013e3181bf8e92 PMID: 19934777 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

Yo Jyo Hen Shi Ko (YHK) improves transaminases in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH): a randomized pilot study.

10. Dig Dis Sci. 2006 Jul;51(7):1183-9. doi: 10.1007/s10620-006-8030-y. Yo Jyo Hen Shi Ko (YHK) improves transaminases in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH): a randomized pilot study. Chande N(1), Laidlaw M, Adams P, Marotta P. Author information: (1)Division of Gastroenterology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada. nchande2@uwo.ca NASH is a common condition with a rising incidence. There is progression to cirrhosis in some cases and the potential for mortality or requirement of liver transplantation. Currently, there is no approved therapy for NASH. The natural compound YHK has both anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic properties, and can lead to improvement in transaminases in viral hepatitis. Improvement in transaminases may correlate with improved histology in NASH and hence may impact on the natural history. We sought to determine the effects of YHK on NASH. We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study to determine the effects of YHK on transaminases and on quality of life (QoL) in patients with biopsy-confirmed NASH and a persistently abnormal ALT or AST. Eight patients were randomized to YHK or placebo for 8 weeks. The ALT and AST were measured at baseline and weeks 4, 8, and 12. SF-36 surveys were serially completed. All five patients in the YHK group but none in the placebo group had a marked decrease in ALT at both week 4 and week 8 compared to baseline. After discontinuing YHK the ALT returned toward baseline at week 12. The mean decrease in ALT compared to baseline was significantly greater in the YHK group than in the placebo group at both week 4 (-42.8+/-23.2 vs. -6.3+/-6.7 U/L; P=0.036) and week 8 (-45.4+/-23.4 vs. 6.0+/-24.6 U/L; P=0.036). There was also a nonsignificant decrease in AST in the YHK group compared to placebo. QoL was not affected and no severe adverse events were reported. In this controlled pilot study we found the novel nutraceutical agent YHK to be effective at reducing ALT values in patients with NASH. YHK is well tolerated. Further studies are justified to assess the impact of YHK in the natural history of NASH. DOI: 10.1007/s10620-006-8030-y PMID: 16944007 [Indexed for MEDLINE]