Title of Thesis: BIOACTIVITY OF EPHEDRA: INTEGRATING CYTOTOXICITY ASSESSMENT WITH REAL-TIME BIOSENSING Kazuko Fukushima, Master of Science, 2004 Thesis Directed By: Dr. Y. Martin Lo, Department of Nutrition and Food Science Ephedrine-type alkaloids (ETA) are major active ingredients of Ephedra, a traditional Chinese medicinal herb used to treat asthma and nasal congestion. Until recently, large...

Chemokine receptors CCR3 and CCR4 are preferentially expressed by TH2 cells, mast cells, and/or eosinophils, all of which are involved in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases. Therefore, CCR3 and CCR4 have long been highlighted as potent therapeutic targets for allergic diseases. Japanese traditional herbal medicine Kampo consists of multiple crude drugs/herbs, which further consist of numerou...

Dendritic cells (DCs) can secrete cytokines stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which leads to not just acute inflammatory responses but also Th1 polarization. Furtherly, chronic inflammation or autoimmune diseases could be triggered. As a classic Traditional Chinese Medicine formula, Ephedra Aconite Asarum Decoction with the main ingredients of ephedrine and hypaconitine can show effect on...

Ephedrae herba has been used for treating colds, relieving coughs and asthma from ancient times. We previously reported the distribution of Ephedra sinica, E. equisetina, E. przewalskii, E. regeliana, E. monosperma and Ephedra sp. in Mongolia, and among them E. sinica and E. equisetina were potential new resources of Ephedrae herba of Japanese pharmacopoeia grade, based on our field survey and ...

Bracts of female cones of extant gymnosperm Ephedra (Joint fir) are either colorful and fleshy (section Ephedra), or dry-winged and membranous (section Alatae), or dry and coriaceous (section Asarca), which have played a crucial role in long-distance seed dispersal that is responsible for a wide distribution of the genus in semiarid and arid areas of Eurasia, North Africa, North America, and So...

To compare the mechanisms underlying mechanical responses to ephedrine and Ephedra herb, a main component of Kakkon-to, in isolated male and female rabbit urinary bladder and urethral strips, responses of isolated strips to the agents were recorded in organ bath systems. Ephedrine and Ephedra herb relaxed the female urinary bladder to the similar extent. These relaxations are reversed to contra...

Purpose After reviewing some adverse events, such as cardiovascular disease, regarding the use of ephedra-containing dietary supplements, the Food and Drug Administration banned the sale of ephedra products on April 12, 2004. However, according to standard prescriptions recommended by the Committee on Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy in Taiwan, ephedra is still a popular ingredient of many Chinese...

Those who forget the past are not always fated to repeat it––sometimes the consequences are even worse. The problem of ephedra in the year 2003 arose largely because we have forgotten some excellent pharmacological research of eighty years ago. The sudden death of Steve Bechler, a promising young pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles, during spring training in February 2003, was attributed to his u...

Cancer, malaria, AIDS, tuberculosis, and their corresponding multi-drug-resistant strains among other diseases have entered into the 21st century as major human medical problems. Since ancient times mankind has dealt with health problems using drugs produced by Nature. The plant kingdom has long been exploited in many aspects and specially as a source of drugs. Indeed, evidence about the first ...