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domingo, 20 de marzo de 2011

ECLIPTA ALBA Y ALOPECIA ANDROGENETICA


Sin mucho ruido nos llega la noticia de que esta hierba, puede ser una nueva  vía de estudio, o una alternativa a lo ya existente para tratar la alopecia androgenética.
Hay varios estudios que lo confirman el primero parece hecho en ratones, donde comparándolo con el minoxidil hizo crecer pelo más rápido que éste.
En el segundo se nos muestra como actúa (al menos en parte), incrementando los niveles de el factor de los fibroblastos 7 (FGF-7), el cual tiene un rol en la angiogenesis, la creación y mantenimiento de vasos sanguineos, y bajando los niveles de BMP-4, ambos factores implicados en la alopecia androgenetica.
En el tercero se utiliza un grupo control al que se aplica minoxidil y a otro un preparado herbal entre el que esta la Eclipta Alba además de Citrullus colocynthis y Cuscuta Reflexa, y las hierbas obtienen un resultado positivo en cabellos en fase anágena.

Hair growth promoting activity of Eclipta alba in male albino rats.

Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dr HS Gour University, Sagar, MP, India.

Abstract

Alopecia is a dermatological disorder with psychosocial implications on patients with hair loss. Eclipta alba Hassk. is a well-known Ayurvedic herb with purported claims of hair growth promotion. In the reported work attempts were undertaken to evaluate petroleum ether and ethanol extract of E. alba Hassk. for their effect on promoting hair growth in albino rats. The extracts were incorporated into oleaginous cream (water in oil cream base) and applied topically on shaved denuded skin of albino rats. The time (in days) required for hair growth initiation as well as completion of hair growth cycle was recorded. Minoxidil 2% solution was applied topically and served as positive control for comparison. Hair growth initiation time was significantly reduced to half on treatment with the extracts, as compared to control animals. The time required for complete hair growth was also significantly reduced. Quantitative analysis of hair growth after treatment with petroleum ether extract (5%) exhibited greater number of hair follicles in anagenic phase (69 +/- 4) which were higher as compared to control (47 +/- 13). The result of treatment with 2 and 5% petroleum ether extracts were better than the positive control minoxidil 2% treatment.


 Eclipta alba extract with potential for hair growth promoting activity.
Molecular Oncology Lab., Dabur Research Foundation, Sahibabad, Ghaziabad 201010, India.

Abstract

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Eclipta alba is traditionally known to potentiate hair growth promotion.
AIM OF THE STUDY: The study was aimed to investigate the efficacy of methanol extract of Eclipta alba as hair growth promoter.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pigmented C57/BL6 mice, preselected for their telogen phase of hair growth were used. In these species, the truncal epidermis lacks melanin-producing melanocytes and melanin production is strictly coupled to anagen phase of hair growth. The extract was applied topically to assess telogen to anagen transition. Immunohistochemical investigation was performed to analyze antigen specificity. Animals in anagen phase of hair growth were positive for FGF-7 and Shh and negative for BMP4, whereas the animals in telogen phase were positive only for BMP4 antigen.
RESULTS: The methanol extract of whole plant when tested for hair growth promoting potential, exhibited dose dependent activity in C57BL6 mice. The activity was assessed by studying the melanogenesis in resected skin, follicle count in the subcutis, skin thickness and surrogate markers in vehicle control and extract treated animals.
CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that methanol extract of Eclipta alba may have potential as a hair growth promoter.

Development and evaluation of polyherbal formulation for hair growth-promoting activity.

Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dr. H.S. Gour University, Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, India.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Cuscuta reflexa (Roxb.), Citrullus colocynthis (Schrad.), and Eclipta alba (Hassk.) are traditionally acclaimed herbs for their hair growth-promoting potential. Aim In the present study, it was envisaged to prepare herbal formulations containing petroleum ether extracts of the three herbs in varying ratio and evaluating the formulations for the hair growth-promoting activity.
METHODS: The formulations as well as minoxidil (2%) solution (positive control) were applied topically on shaved skin of rats, and the time required for initiation and completion of hair growth cycle was recorded.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Hair growth initiation time was markedly reduced to one third on treatment with the prepared formulation compared with control animals. The time required for complete hair growth was also reduced by 32%. Quantitative analysis of hair growth cycle after treatment with formulations and minoxidil (2%) exhibited greater number of hair follicles in anagenic phase compared with control. The results thus corroborate with the traditionally acclaimed hair growth-promoting capabilities of the plants. The prepared formulation also holds potential for treatment of alopecia.

martes, 15 de marzo de 2011

LA VITAMINA C POTENCIA EL EFECTO ANTIOXIDANTE DEL TE VERDE

El mero hecho de añadir jugo de cítricos (limón, naranja etc.) a la infusión de te verde (Camellia sinensis) se ha demostrado que potencia el efecto de los antioxidantes de la planta.
El te verde es consumido en todo el mundo, y a muchos de sus amantes además de gustarle su sabor ponen como razón principal de ingesta sus propiedades anti-aging.
Los componentes químicos responsables de estos efectos son las llamadas catequinas: flavonoides con propiedades anticancerigenas, antiradicalares y reductoras de la grasa acumulada, sobre todo en el abdomen.
El beneficio de la adicción de la vitamina c es por que en el estómago se aumenta la biodisponibilidad de las catequinas, por ende pasa mayor cantidad de este componente a sangre.
En un estudio parece ser que las catequinas disponibles aumentaron un 80% con la adicción de jugo de limón.
Aquí tenemos el estudio:

Common tea formulations modulate in vitro digestive recovery of green tea catechins : Rodney J. Green1, Angus S. Murphy2, Burkhard Schulz2,Bruce A. Watkins1, Mario G. Ferruzzi.

 Abstract

Epidemiological evidence suggests a role for tea catechins in reduction of chronic disease risk. However, stability of catechins under digestive conditions is poorly understood. The objective of this study was to characterize the effect of common food additives on digestive recovery of tea catechins. Green tea water extracts were formulated in beverages providing 4.5, 18, 23, and 3.5 mg per 100 mL epicatechin (EC), epigallocatechin (EGC), epigallocatechin-gallate (EGCG), and epicatechin-gallate (ECG), respectively. Common commercial beverage additives; citric acid (CA), BHT, EDTA, ascorbic acid (AA), milk (bovine, soy, and rice), and citrus juice (orange, grapefruit, lemon, and lime) were formulated into finished tea beverages at incremental dosages. Samples were then subjected to in vitro digestion simulating gastric and small intestinal conditions with pre- and post-digestion catechin profiles assessed by HPLC. Catechin stability in green tea was poor with < 20% total catechins remaining post-digestion. EGC and EGCG were most sensitive with ⪇ 10% recovery. Teas formulated with 50% bovine, soy, and rice milk increased total catechin recovery significantly to 52, 55, and 69% respectively. Including 30 mg AA in 250 mL of tea beverage significantly (p < 0.05) increased catechin recovery of EGC, EGCG, EC, and ECG to 74, 54, 82, and 45% respectively. Juice preparation resulted in the highest recovery of any formulation for EGC (81–98%), EGCG (56–76%), EC (86–95%), and ECG (30–55%). These data provide evidence that tea consumption practices and formulation factors likely impact catechin digestive recovery and may result in diverse physiological profiles.



miércoles, 9 de marzo de 2011

LI CHING-YUN. EL HOMBRE MAS LONGEVO DE LA HISTORIA


El New York Times nos trajo su historia y con ella nacía un mito, el de un hombre en extremo longevo. Según este periódico este hombre podría haber vivido la friolera de 256 años.
Parece una cifra exagerada si lo comparamos con la mujer más longeva de la historia, una Francesa que apenas llegó a la segunda década pasados los cien.
Una cifra exagerada según algunos, cuyas dudas se ven falsadas en parte por los documentos felicitación por  su 100 y 150 cumpleaños. Su única foto parece haber sido tomada a los 250.

La bruma parece cernirse sobre los primeros años de vida, de la que lo poco que se sabe es que la pasó en el medio rural, que tuvo una buena alfabetización, y que viajó de forma incansable.

UNA VIDA RELACIONADA CON LA MEDICINA Y LA SALUD.
Li fue un experto en hierbas medicinales, las cuales recolectaba el mismo. Además practicaba Tao y meditación en general.
La vitalidad de este hombre no paso inadvertida a sus coetáneos, y a las preguntas sobre como se debía vivir el respondía filosóficamente:
“Mantén un corazón tranquilo,
Siéntate como una tortuga,
camina rápido como una paloma
y duerme como un perro.”

 Pero obviamente este no podía ser su único secreto, su dieta era baja en calorías, y estaba compuesta por varios tipos de arroces y el vino que se hacia a partir de éste. Nada fuera de lo común hasta aquí, lo realmente interesante viene ahora: manifestó consumir ginseng y  la hierba Centella Asiatica (Hydrocotyl asiática).
Todo esto sonó a chiste en la ciencia de la época, pero posteriores investigaciones revelaron el potencial de algunas sustancias de esta hierba, en varias afecciones y contra el envejecimiento (acido aciaticoside, madecasoside...).