Taxonomic class

Apiaceae

Common Trade Names

Dong Kwai, Dong Quai Capsules, Dong Quai Fluid Extract

Common Forms

Raw root: 4.5 to 30 g (boil or soak in wine)

Tablet (fluidextract): 0.5 g

Also available as capsules, powders, teas and, in some countries, injectable forms.

Source

Active components are obtained from the roots of dong quai (Angelica polymorpha var. sinensis), a fragrant perennial umbelliferous herb that is native to China, Korea, and Japan.

Chemical Components

The volatile oils extracted from the root contain n-butylphthalide, cadinene, carvacrol, dihydrophthalmic anhydride, folinic acid, isosafrole, ligustilide, nicotinic acid, safrole, succinic acid, uracil, and vitamin B12. Coumarin derivatives identified in dong quai include bergapten, imperatorin, osthole, oxypeucedanin, and psoralen. Ferulic acid has also been found.

Actions

Dong quai alters uterine activity in female rabbits. The volatile oil has an inhibitory action on the uterus, whereas the nonvolatile and water-and alcohol-soluble components have stimulatory action.

Studies conducted in rats showed increases in metabolism, oxygen use by the liver, and glutamic acid and cysteine oxidation; these actions may be attributed to vitamin B12 and folinic acid that occur in the herb’s root.

Dong quai extracts, especially alcoholic extracts, were also found to exert quinidine-type effects, prolong the refractory period, and correct atrial fibrillation in animals. Other studies in rats showed that these extracts may prevent atherosclerosis, expand coronary arteries, and increase coronary blood flow. Some coumarins are known to act as vasodilators. Although studies in animals have shown that the volatile oil exerts vasodilatory action to lower blood pressure, the duration of action is short.

Reported Uses

Dong quai is recommended by Western herbalists for many gynecologic disorders, including dysmenorrhea, excessive fetal movement, menstrual irregularities, chronic pelvic infection, and premenstrual syndrome. Most claims are based on data from animal studies or small, uncontrolled human trials, but in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 71 postmenopausal women, dong quai alone was found not to produce estrogen-like responses in endometrial thickness or vaginal maturation and not to be useful in managing postmenopausal symptoms . In traditional Chinese medicine, dong quai is used in combination with other herbs to relieve dysmenorrhea and other disorders. Kotani and colleagues evaluated such an herbal preparation including dong quai in 41 women with dysmenorrhea and found it effective in diminishing symptoms. Because an NSAID was allowed on an as- needed basis, it is difficult to determine the effect of the herbal preparation. Other reported uses include treatment of Buerger’s disease, constipation, headache, hepatitis, hepatocirrhosis, herpes zoster, hypertension, malaria, neuralgia, pyogenic infection, Raynaud’s disease, chronic rhinitis, sepsis, toothache, and ulcerous diseases or abscess. None of these uses has been evaluated clinically.

Dosage

Dosage forms, strengths, and extraction forms vary. In a placebo­controlled study evaluating the estrogenic effects of dong quai on endometrial thickness in postmenopausal women, 500-mg capsules taken P.O. t.i.d. (equivalent to 0.5 mg/kg of ferulic acid), for a total daily dose 4.5 g of root, were used.

Adverse Reactions

GI: diarrhea.

Hematologic: bleeding.

Skin: increased photosensitivity (psoralens in herb may cause severe photodermatitis) .

Other: fever.

Interactions

Anticoagulants, antiplatelets: May enhance effects. Avoid administration with dong quai.

Contraindications And Precautions

Safrole, a component of the volatile oil, is carcinogenic and not recommended for ingestion. Dong quai is contraindicated in pregnant or breast-feeding patients because its chemical components may cause fetal harm. Traditional Chinese texts advise against using dong quai in the presence of an acute infection.

Special Considerations

Monitor the patient for potential bleeding.

Ask why the patient is using dong quai and suggest that he seek a health care provider to address these concerns.

Caution the patient that some of the herb’s components have been shown to increase the risk of some cancers.

Instruct the patient who becomes photosensitive to use sunblock and to wear adequate clothing and sunglasses.

Caution the patient against using dong quai for its yet unproven estrogenic effects.

Advise women to report planned or suspected pregnancy and to avoid using this herb during pregnancy or when breast-feeding.

Commentary

Despite numerous therapeutic claims for dong quai, only a few controlled clinical trials and animal-based studies are available to support its use to treat dysmenorrhea. Most claims regarding dong quai are unsubstantiated and need additional investigation. Dong quai appears to have more than 18 active chemical components, many of which exert widely divergent pharmacologic effects. Some components are carcinogens, and adverse effects of others are unknown. Extensive testing of individual components is needed before dong quai can be regarded as safe or effective.

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Taxonomic class

Asteraceae

Common Trade Names

Feverfew, Feverfew Glyc, Feverfew Power, Tanacet

Common Forms

Available as capsules (pure leaf, 380 mg; leaf extract, 250 mg), liquid, and tablets. The leaves are commonly used to make infusions or teas.

Source

Feverfew, a plant from Europe naturalized in the United States and Canada, bears yellow-green leaves and yellow flowers from July to October. The leaves of the plant are usually dried or used fresh in teas and extracts. The most commonly cited botanical name is Chrysanthemum parthenium, synonymous with Tanacetum parthenium. Matricaria parthenium, Leucanthemum parthenium, and Pyrethrum parthenium are also used to refer to the plant.

Chemical Components

The leaves and flowering tops of feverfew contain many monoquiterpenes and sesquiterpenes as well as sesquiterpene lactones (chrysanthemolide, chrysanthemonin, 10-epi-canin, magnoliolide, and parthenolide), reynosin, santamarin, tanaparthins, and other compounds. Parthenolide may be absent or occur in variable amounts, depending on geographic and other variables. Interestingly, melatonin has been found in significant quantities in both the feverfew plant and commercial feverfew products. Fresh green feverfew leaf contains 2.45 mcg/g of melatonin, whereas the freeze-dried leaf contains 1.61 mcg/g of melatonin .

Actions

The main active ingredients are the sesquiterpene lactones, particularly parthenolide, which inhibits serotonin release by human platelets in vitro. This may be the mechanism of action for feverfew’s purported efficacy in treating migraine headaches . Parthenolide also inhibits serotonin release and has demonstrated significant cytostatic activity toward mouse fibrosarcoma (MN-1 1) and human lymphoma . Extracts of feverfew contain several chemicals that inhibit activation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and the synthesis of prostaglandins and leukotrienes (by way of inhibition of the cyclooxygenase and 5-lipoxygenase pathways). In murine studies, anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects have been documented for both feverfew extract and parthenolide.

Reported uses

Although the initial enthusiasm for feverfew has waned, plant preparations are again becoming increasingly popular for use in migraine prophylaxis and as an antipyretic. A detailed and systematic review of all trials of feverfew for migraine prevention published before mid-1998 failed to find sufficient evidence to support the use of feverfew in this regard.

Feverfew is also claimed to be useful for treating asthma, insect bites, menstrual problems, threatened miscarriage, psoriasis, rheumatism, stomachache, and toothache. These uses have not been assessed in human trials.

Dosage

For migraine prophylaxis, 25 mg of freeze-dried leaf extract P.O. daily; 50 mg of leaf P.O. daily with food; or 50 to 200 mg of aerial parts of plant P.O. daily.

For migraine treatment, average dose of 543 mcg P.O. parthenolide daily.

Adverse Reactions

EENT: mouth ulcers (common with teas and whole-herb preparations).

Other: hypersensitivity reactions, post-feverfew syndrome (withdrawal syndrome characterized by moderate to severe pain, joint and muscle stiffness, and anxiety).

Interactions

None reported.

Contraindications And Precautions

Feverfew is contraindicated in pregnant or breast-feeding women.

Special considerations

Monitor for allergic reaction.

Monitor for mouth ulcers. Encourage the patient to exercise proper oral hygiene.

Feverfew potency is often based on the parthenolide content in the preparation, which is variable.

Instruct the patient not to withdraw the herb abruptly but to taper its use gradually because of the risk of post-feverfew syndrome.

Inform the patient that several other strategies for migraine treatment and prophylaxis exist and that they should be attempted before taking products with unknown benefits and risks.

Encourage the patient to promptly report unusual symptoms, such as mouth sores and skin ulcerations.

Commercial feverfew products are likely to contain small amounts of melatonin.

Points of Interest

The concentration of parthenolide in the leaves and flowering tops is highest during the summer, before the seeds are set, and drops rapidly thereafter. This has been offered as an explanation for the difference in parthenolide levels between brands of feverfew capsules and tablets.

The Health Protection Branch of the Canadian government has proposed a standard that formulations contain a minimum of 0.2% parthenolide.

Commentary

Although feverfew has been shown to be effective for migraine prophylaxis in at least two clinical trials, further studies are needed to define better dosage guidelines and specific drug interactions and mechanisms of action. For patients in whom standard drug therapy has failed, feverfew may be an agent that can prevent migraine attacks. Although standardized feverfew preparations with dosages based on free parthenolide content have the best experimental support, no consensus on use exists. The presence of melatonin in feverfew and other botanicals emphasizes the need for complete biochemical characterization of herbal medicinals.

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Hair loss is a problem with a number of people. There is no particular reason behind this problem. Some people face hair loss due to age, others due to the lack of vitamins. The graying of hair is also of a major concern for teens. To solve these problems you can take the help of generic Finasteride. Finasteride is a medicine that is approved for treating the problem of hair loss. If you are facing the problem of hair loss then you can take the help of this medicine to cure this problem. The generic name of this medicine is Propecia. Women who are pregnant should not handle this medicine. This medicine gets absorbed through the skin. It is also known that this medicine causes problem to male babies. Testosterone is converted to DTH in the body due to this medicine. Hence you should handle it with care. You can finasteride buy this medicine at Medstore at a discounted price. If you have any query regarding the medicine then you may also get an online prescription. If there are any other queries that you would like to get sorted then you can also call up the toll free number.

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Throughout the world, there has been constant discussion about the issue of adult care. The issue in itself is a tricky one and has to be handled with utmost care and respect towards our aged people. We all are struggling to balance our personal lives, career and our relations. It is not a cakewalk anymore with nuclear families and self-centered attitudes. We cannot blame to the growing civilization for such situation but we have to accept the increasing need of adult day care centers to enable our elders lead a stress-free life with the honor they deserve.

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There are numerous people who are suffering from the problem of defected vision. The main problem with vision that is commonly faced by people includes myopia, hypermetropia. There are however not many ways of rectifying the problem. One of the solutions to this problem is the use of the appropriate lens. That is in case of myopia a lens with a diverging power is used and in case of hypermetropia a lens with a converging power is used. Recently another way out of the problem has been found out. With the help of a surgery known as the LASIK surgery this problem can be fixed. Lasik Orange County provides the best in the LASIK surgery so that you can see well. With the help of the experts present in the LASIK orange county you can easily get you myopia corrected without much of a risk. There are many other ways with the help of which you can permanently reduce your dependence on glasses. The details of the services provided by this eye care center are also available on the Internet. You can easily log on to the internet and check the various benefits of getting this treatment done.

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These days most of the companies hire psychologist so as to monitor and help the employees. The mind set of people is changing and more and more people these days are looking for a way-out to their mental problems. This has made a growth in the requirement of the psychologists around the world. Therefore if you are looking for a course that can help you get name and money, then psychology is it. There are a number of other domains that you can look up to. There are different specializations in this field and you can opt for the different courses that are provided by the different universities for the same. Industrial organizational psychology online course is one of the courses that are taught in some of the university. This course can be done online without the need of your presence in a university. People who are working and do not have the time to spend on a regular course can opt for this online course. If you want to make a career in psychology then you should opt for a university or an institution that can provide you with the right opportunity and the right education. The online courses are not only a time saver can also valuable in the market.

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Paint rock valley is an outdoor therapeutic program which helps youngsters in their daily problems by stressing on goal setting and optimistic attitude. It uses a trial and error approach which helps teenagers to make better choices in life. The program consists of a lot of adventurous activities like athletics, outdoor trips and vocational training essential for a sound body it also emphasizes on non-denominational services and group culture for the proper nurturing of young minds. Three springs paint rock valley for boys provides special therapeutic courses for boys and girls who are experiencing emotional disorders. It helps them uncover the hidden potential by discovering their personal strengths .The duration of the course is from 12 to 18 months for children aged between 13 to 18.

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Vaporizer is an instrument which applies low temperature heat on herbal substances for the effective absorption of active ingredients of herbal substance without combustion.

It is more effective and cleaner than normal combustion because it does not produces any byproducts such as tar ,carbon monoxide or other harmful elements responsible for cigarette related cancer .Vaporizer is useful for persons who are worried about the respiratory hazards of smoking as it is cooler than smoke and does not harm sensitive throat and lung tissue .It is very useful for patients suffering from sore throat, chronic coughing, muscle spasms, fatigue, nausea ,joint pain and stress related ailments. Digestion is another option for vaporization but this process is slow and sometimes painful too, moreover vapors travel through the body and the bloodstream more efficiently.

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The Sanford-Brown institute is a postsecondary school offering focused, quality and short term career training in various fields of medical and healthcare training such as surgical technology, medical billing and coding, medical assistance and therapy.

http://www.sbjacksonville.com/ was established in 1977 and currently operates in 15 campuses located in nine states. The Stanford-Brown Jacksonville is known for its dedication to medical excellence It consists of a short term program which enables you to sharpen your skills rapidly.

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