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The Systemic Theory of Living Systems. Part IV: Systemic Medicine—The Praxis

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This fourth lecture illustrates the praxis and results of Systemic Medicine (SM) in various therapeutic applications. SM's success has made it popular throughout Venezuela and Puerto Rico. The treatment of over 300,000 patients by 150 orthodox MD's, trained and qualified in SM, in 35 medical establishments with above average results corroborate its effectiveness as an eCAM in chronic degenerative diseases. Herein we provide a synopsis of results obtained in four such pathologies-the journal's necessary space restrictions somewhat limiting content-as well as clinical and photographic evidence. The validity of any medical theory is substantiated by its degree of effectivity and success. The workability of evidence-based SM corroborates Systemic Theory's transcendence.
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eCAM 2005;2(4)429–439
doi:10.1093/ecam/neh139
Lecture Series
The Systemic Theory of Living Systems. Part IV:
Systemic Medicine—The Praxis
Jose
´
A. Olalde Rangel, Meyer Magarici, Francis Amendola and Oswaldo del Castillo
Adaptogenic Medical Centers, Calle del Arenal c/c Luis de Camoes, La Trinidad, Caracas 1080, Venezuela
This fourth lecture illustrates the praxis and results of Systemic Medicine (SM) in various therapeutic
applications. SM’s success has made it popular throughout Venezuela and Puerto Rico. The treatment
of over 300 000 patients by 150 orthodox MD’s, trained and qualified in SM, in 35 medical establish-
ments with above average results corroborate its effectiveness as an eCAM in chronic degenerative
diseases. Herein we provide a synopsis of results obtained in four such pathologies—the journal’s neces-
sary space restrictions somewhat limiting content—as well as clinical and photographic evidence. The
validity of any medical theory is substantiated by its degree of effectivity and success. The workability
of evidence-based SM corroborates Systemic Theory’s transcendence.
Keywords: adaptogen diabetes negentropy polycystic ovarian syndrome psoriasis
synergetics systemic medicine systemic theory varicose ulcer
Past and Present Naturalists ...Tomorrow’s
Systemics?
Recent past and even present successful naturalists and phyto-
therapeutic practitioners share a long and honorable tradition
of knowledge and pride in the cure of illnesses, which goes
back to written history and beyond. These qualities have
been substantiated by the success of Chinese (1,2), Kampo
(3,4), Ayurvedic (5), Chumash (6) or Mayan (7) among
many other traditional medicines. These traditional medicines
have ‘demonstrated that every culture is capable of under-
standing and ‘inventing’ the meaning of disease and its
cure, even when it is different from our modern medical views’
(7). The variability and extent of cultures to provide answers—
traditional medicines—to pathologies are embedded in the
curiosity and observational capabilities of the human race.
There are collective factors such as ‘a background of extensive
family in traditional medicine’ (8) which play an important
role in the transmission and survival of medicinal plant
knowledge among ethnic groups. A potential issue, though, is
the possible curtailment of the wisdom—and therapies—of
traditional medicines within geographical and ethnic boundar-
ies. In any case, the amount of plants, potential formulations or
properties are a massive concern for any given individual
caregiver or group to understand, store and transmit.
But, perhaps, it may be possible to set up a system or
periodic table where plants and other natural remedies could,
according to their properties, be arranged to produce specific
formulae that provide well-being for a given pathology.
Some exceptional individuals seem to have come by this
ability. One of these gifted health care practitioners was
Maurice Messegue, whom Mistinguet and Konrad Adenaur—
among his famous patients—swore that only he could treat
their illnesses. More recently, both, Dr. Rusudan Lomidze,
using the Georgian Kohlkian traditional medicine, and Lonrig
Dangar, a Tibetan physician who applied the rich Tibetan
traditional medicine have also obtained significant success.
These gifted individuals have shown that traditi onal med icine
is a successful medicine. But a question still hangs in the air?
Might a theory be devised by which regular practitioners,
health care specialists devoid of the naturalists’ extensive
background, might formulate natural organic therapeutic
protocols?
For reprints and all correspondence: Jose
´
A. Olalde Rangel, Adaptogenic
Medical Centers, Calle del Arenal c/c Luis de Camoes, La Trinidad, Caracas
1080, Venezuela. E-mail: corpgov2004@yahoo.com
The Author (2005). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.
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The Systemic Theory is set forth herein to provide an answer
to this crucial question.
Systemic Theory postulates that Health (H) is directly pro-
portional to the integrity of a living system’s Energy (E),
Bio-Intelligence (I) and Organization (O) as shown in Fig. 1.
Systemic Theory also establishes a common denominator to
all sickness (Fig. 2) and ascertains the cause of all disease to
be an entropy increase: ‘disorder augmenting within the biolo-
gically open system, stemming from energo-informational and
organizational impacts, either of external or internal nature’
(9–11). Therapeutics should then include a negentropy supply
to enhance the system’s energy–work capacity (E), its
informational potential (I) intelligence, and finally structure
and functional organization (O).
Systemic Medicine’s (SM) treatment strat egy is based on
identifying and prescribing superior herbs—tonic or
adaptogenic—or any nutraceuticals or medicine with
potential to strengthen E, I, O by providing energo, informa-
tional and organizational aid to the overall network of intelli-
gent cells and cell systems that constitute the body. The main
premise proposes that when all three factors are brought
back to ideal levels patients’ conditions begin recovery to
normal health.
Evaluating the Praxis of Systemic Theory:
Systemic Medicine
To corroborate the validity of the Systemic approach, we
examined the results of its clinical application in chronic
degenerative diseases (CDD) through retrospective studies
carried out at the Adaptogenic Medical Centres located in
Venezuela and Puerto Rico. Also included in the studies,
were patients attending the following public hospitals (in
Venezuela): Dr Domingo Luciani Hospital, Caracas; Dr Rau
´
l
Leoni Hospital, San Fe
´
lix; and the Rehabilation Center of the
Venezuelan Social Security Institute, Caracas. Three paramet-
ers were compared, ante and post-SM treatment, and these fac-
tors were as follows: Clinical results; Quality of Life (QoL)
(12); and Tolerance to treatment. All patients included in these
studies had formerly received orthodox treatments without any
success in preventing disease progression. Thus, SM became
the first choice treatment or even the unique alternative ther-
apy. The complete studies of the pathologies included in
this lecture as well as other CDD studies may be found at
www.adaptogeno.com.
Outcomes of these as well as other studies have been presen-
ted at several scientific events such as 8th International
Electrotherapy Congress in Nanning, China, September 2004;
First International Neurobiotelekom Congress, in Saint Peters-
burg, Russian Federation, December 2004; First International
Systemic Medicine Congress in Caracas, Venezuela, January
2005; Latin American Center Symposium on Environment
and Health: Exploring Natural Products, UCLA, April 2005;
First International Congress on Complementary and Alternat-
ive Treatments in Cancer, in Madrid, Spain, May 2005; and
finally at the Science Information and Spirit Seminar in
St Petersburg, Russian Federation, June 2005.
Clinical Study I: Diabetic Foot. Summary of
Outcomes and Comparative Photographic
Evidence
The therapeutic outcome is examined in 110 patients with
diverse degrees of diabetic foot (13) through a retrospective,
multicenter, descriptive 2 year long study (14). This treatment
clinically improved 80.9% of the total diabetic foot population
studied (P < 0.00001). SM prevented amputation in
40 patients (80%) of all cases diagnosed for surgical removal
of limbs (50 patients). There was a significant improvement
in QoL—86.36% of all diabetic foot cases (P < 0.00001).
Tolerance to treatment was found to be excellent (Table 1).
Figure 1. The Health Triangle is born out of the system’s Intelligence that
generates Organization and produces Energy.
Figure 2. Entropy increase brought upon by physical, chemical, biological
and emotional impacts bring about the system’s collapse.
Table 1. Synopsis of SM treatment results in diabetic foot
Number of
patients
Clinical
improvement
QoL
improvement
Treatment
tolerance
Other
110 80.9%
(89 patients)
86.36%
(95 patients)
97.27%
(107 patients)
Amputation avoided
in 80% of cases
diagnosed for
surgery
430 The systemic theory of living systems (part IV)
Results (Fig. 3) suggest that SM is the best therapeutic option
for patients affected with diab etic foot.
Clinical Study II: Severe Psoriasis. Resume
´
of
Results and Illustrative Before and
After Case Contrast
The outcome on the effects of SM in 123 patients with severe
psoriasis was examined through a retrospective, multicenter,
descriptive 2 year long study (15). Improve ment in clinical
remission was observed in 77.23% of patients (P < 0.00001).
Almost two-thirds of all patients achieved clinical improve-
ment in <46 days. QoL improvement is observed in 82.93%
of patients (P < 0.00001). This therapeutic formula was
particularly effective in severe varieties of this pathology.
Treatment tolerance was excellent (Table 2). Results confirm
a high remission rate, without side effects, in patients treated
with SM. This suggests that SM is a superior therapeutic tool
(Fig. 4).
Figure 3. Photographic evidence of diabetic foot remissions, including length of treatment between photos.
Table 2. Synopsis of SM treatment results in severe psoriasis
Number of
patients
Clinical
improvement
QoL
improvement
Remission
time: 45 days
Treatment
tolerance
123 77.23%
(95 patients)
66.3% 82.93%
(102 patients)
100%
eCAM 2005;2(4) 431
Clinical Study III: Varicose Ulcer. Synopsis of
Results, Before and After Photo Comparison
SM protocol was evaluated in 129 patients with chronic varic-
ose ulcers through a retrospective, multicenter, descriptive
2 year long study (16). This treatment improved ulcers in
79% of the population. A remission of 21% of all patients
was achieved in only 2 months. Systemic treatment also signi-
ficantly improved the most frequent symptoms (cramps
71.4%, pain 78% and edema 88.7%) (Table 3). About 105
patients had QoL improvement. Some examples of results
are seen in Fig. 5. The tolerance was excellent.
Clinical Study IV: Polycystic Ovarian
Syndrome. Results, Before and
After Graphic Differences
Thirty-five patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
were included in a retrospective, multicenter, descriptive 2 year
long study to evaluate their response to a systemic protocol
Figure 4. Photographic evidence of severe psoriasis remissions, including length of treatment between photos.
Table 3. Synopsis of SM treatment results in varicose ulcer
Number of
patients
Clinical
improvement
QoL
improvement
Treatment
tolerance
Remission time
129 79%
(102 patients)
P < 0.0001
81.35%
(105 patients)
P < 0.00001
99.22%
(128 patients)
2 months in
21% of all
patients
432 The systemic theory of living systems (part IV)
designed to improve their condition and/or obtain remission to
the aforementioned pathology (17). SM improved pelvic pain
in all 20 symptomatic patients ( P < 0.00001) ; menstrual dis-
orders (amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, menorrhagia, menomet-
rorrhagia, oligomenorrhea) in all 22 symptomatic patients
(P < 0.00001); asthenia and cephalea in all 17 symptomatic
patients (P < 0.0001); as well as acne and hirsutism in
8 out of 9 (89%) symptomatic patients (P < 0.0133). Pelvic
ecosonograms revealed that 29 patients (82.8%) experienced
a total disappearance of cysts, whereas 6 patient s (17.2% )
showed decrease in cyst size (Table 4). QoL improved in
100% of patients (P < 0.0001). Tolerance to treatment was
outstanding (100%). To conclude, evidence-based results in
PCOS treatment, with SM, suggest a remarkable CAM therapy
(Fig. 6).
E, I, O Classification of Superior Medicines
Adaptogens, tonics and nutraceuticals, in SM, are classified
according to their E, I, O potential, i.e. as Energoceuticals,
Infoceuticals and Organoceuticals. Examples of these by
category are in Table 5.
Figure 5. Photographic evidence of varicose ulcer remissions, including length of treatment between photos.
Table 4. Synopsis of SM treatment results in PCOS
Number of
patients
Clinical
improvement
Total
cyst
disappearance
QoL
improvement
Treatment
tolerance
35 100% 82.85% (29 patients) 100% 100%
eCAM 2005;2(4) 433
Systemic Protocol for Diabetic Foot
A complete description of each systemic protocol exceeds the
scope of this article; however, a summarized example for
diabetic foot is illustrated below.
E":Leuzea carthamoides
Ecdysone phytosteroids activate enzyme synthesis pro-cellular
ATP synthesis (27,30).
I":Ganoderma lucidum
Ganoderan B and dozens of other polysaccharides and beta-
glucans stimulate neuroendocrine intelligence and cell immun-
ity (46,47,105,106). Glycans’ path for immune enhancement is
not certain but Chihara et al. (107) have proposed a likely
model modified by Kidd (108) (Fig. 7).
O"Gingko biloba
Flavonolglycosides, bioflavonoids, ginkgolides and bilobal-
ides increase vascular flow (77,78).
The Healing Law of Synergetics
Healing potential, negentropy gain, is directly proportional
to synergetic contribution (SC) (11). SC is exponentially
proportional to the number of contributive active principles
(n) in a formula—ergo in a protocol. The Healing Law of Syn-
ergetics is thus derived: Remission in chronic degenerative
diseases, DS >> 0, depends on (n
2
þ n)/2. Figure 8 demon-
strates the exponential number of SC as n increases.
This law is valid as long as genetic functioning is minimally
intact. The greater the SC is, the greater the probability of
recovery. Thus all therapeutic formulations should in
consequence include as many E, I, O nutraceuticals as
possible.
Analysis
There is probably greater potential in developing formulations
of synergetic natural supplements than in synthetics for CDD.
The potential ...to introduce these compounds in the treat-
ment of human diseases in order to raise public awareness on
the richness and diversity of natural products that could be
Figure 6. PCOS before/after echosonographic comparison. Interval between echosonograms: 2 months.
434 The systemic theory of living systems (part IV)
Table 5. Superior medicines E, I and O classification
EI O
Energoceuticals that
enhance mitochondrial
ATP synthesis and resynthesis
Infoceuticals that enhance
bio-intelligence on cellular,
neuroendocrine and immune levels
Organoceuticals that specifically
enhance organ function
and structure
Names References Names References Names References
Acantopanacis
senticosus
Wu et al. (18),
Gaffney et al. (19)
Uncaria tomentosa Sheng et al. (36),
Akesson et al. (37)
Glycyrrhiza glabra Acharya et al. (66)
Cornu Cervi
pantotrichum
Kim et al. (20),
Zhang et al.(21)
Aloe vera Kim et al. (38) Curcuma Longa Chainani-Wu (67)
Ilex paraguariensis Gorgen et al. (22) Andrographis paniculata Matsuda et al. (39),
Puri et al. (40)
Ulmus fulva Brown et al. (68)
Lepidium meyenii Lopez-Fando et al. (23) Astragalus membranaceus Wang et al. (41),
Shao et al. (42)
Angelica sinensis Mei et al. (69), Yin (70)
Ocimum sanctum Agrawal et al. (24) Croton lechleri Risco et al. (43) Chondroitin/
glucosamine
Houpt et al. (71)
Panax ginseng Yang et al. (25) Echinacea purpurea and
E. angustifolia
Randolph et al. (44),
Cundell (45)
Chitin fiber Jing et al. (72)
Panax quinquefolius Wang et al. (26) Ganoderma lucidum Kohguchi et al. (46),
Jiang et al. (47)
Crataegus oxyacantha Rigelsky and Sweet (73),
Lacaille-Dubois et al. (74)
Pfaffia paniculata Kotsiuruba et al. (27),
Tashmukhamedova
et al. (28)
Grifola frondosa Odama et al. (48)
Lin et al. (49)
Dioscorea villosa Shealy (75),
Ladriere et al. (76)
Ptychopetalum
olacoides
Siqueira et al. (29) Hydrastis canadensis Rehman et al. (50) Plants enzymes Popiela et al. (77)
Rhaponticum
carthamoides
Kutuzova et al. (30) Morinda citrifolia Su et al. (51) Equisetum arvense Blumenthal et al. (78),
Fleming (79)
Rhodiola rosea Maslova et al. (31),
Spasov et al. (32)
Petiveria alliacea Ruffa et al. (52),
Malpezzi et al.(53)
Ginkgo bilova Kubota et al. (80),
Pepe et al. (81)
Schizandra chinensis Antoshechkin (33) Sutherlandia frutescens Bence and Crooks (54),
Jang et al. (55)
Gotu kola Incandela et al. (82)
l-arginine Gupta et al. (34) Tabebuia avellaneda Planchon et al. (56),
Li et al. (57)
Sargassum fusiforme Ji et al. (83)
Ubiquinone
(Coenzyme Q10)
Baggio et al. (35) Valeriana officinalis Dietz et al. (58) Harpagophytum
procumbens
Chrubasik et al. (84)
Vitex agnus castus Kobayakawa and
Sato-Nishimori (59),
Ohyama et al. (60)
Vitamins Carrero et al. (85)
Lentinus edodes Borchers et al. (61),
Wasser and Weis (62)
Minerals Hercberg et al. (86)
Coriolus versicolor Sun and Zhu (63),
Sun et al. (64)
Ptycopetalum olacoides Bucci (87),
Siqueira et al. (29)
Cordyceps sinensis Leu et al. (65) Pygeum africanum Freeman and Solomon (88),
Santa Maria Margalef et al. (89)
Rhamnus purshiana Ma et al. (90)
Ruscus aculeatus Redman (91), Bouaziz et al. (92)
Salix alba Chrubasik et al. (93)
Sena alejandrina Franz (94)
Serenoa repens Goldmann et al. (95),
Iguchi et al. (96)
Silibum marianum Halim et al. (97),
Chrungoo et al. (98)
Smilax china Lee et al. (99)
Tribulus terrestris Hong et al. (100)
Vaccinium myrthillus Zaragoza et al. (101),
Savickiene et al. (102)
Viburnum spp. Calle et al. (103)
Zingiber officinalis Young et al. (104)
eCAM 2005;2(4) 435
carefully harvested for the benefit of mankind’ as Cooper
points out, is enormous (109).
Conclusion
Based on the Law of Synergetics future therapeutics should
consist of thousands of potentially active E, I, O active
principles from all organic sources available. This opens up a
huge potential—hitherto ignored—for humanity.
Acknowledgements
We express sincere appreciation and gratitude to Professor
Edwin L. Cooper for his invaluable support in making possible
the four publications of the Systemic Theory and Praxis.
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The present study was designed to investigate the role of curcumin in chronic stress and chronic unpredictable stress-induced memory deficits and alteration of functional homeostasis in mice. Chronic stress was induced by immobilizing the animal for 2 h daily for 10 days, whereas chronic unpredictable stress was induced by employing a battery of stressors of variable magnitude and time for 10 days. Curcumin was administered to drug-treated mice prior to induction of stress. Body weight, adrenal gland weight, ulcer index and biochemical levels of glucose, creatine kinase, cholesterol, corticosterone, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and reduced glutathione (GSH) were evaluated to assess stress-induced functional changes. Memory deficits were evaluated using the elevated plus maze (EPM) model. Chronic stress and chronic unpredictable stress significantly increased the levels of corticosterone, glucose and creatine kinase and decreased cholesterol levels. Moreover, chronic stress and chronic unpredictable stress resulted in severe memory deficits along with adrenal hypertrophy, weight loss and gastric ulceration. Chronic stress and chronic unpredictable stress also increased oxidative stress assessed in terms of increase in TBARS and decrease in GSH levels. Pretreatment with curcumin (25 and 50 mg/kg p.o.) attenuated chronic stress and chronic unpredictable stress-associated memory deficits, biochemical alterations, pathological outcomes and oxidative stress. It may be concluded that curcumin-mediated antioxidant actions and decrease in corticosterone secretion are responsible for its adaptogenic and memory restorative actions in chronic and chronic unpredictable stress.
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A plant polysaccharide, Aloe gel extract, was reported to have an inhibitory effect on benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P)‐DNA adduct formation in vitro and in vivo. Hence, chemopreventive effects of plant polysaccharides [Aloe barbadensis Miller (APS), Lentinus edodes (LPS), Ganoderma lucidum (GPS) and Coriolus versicolor (CPS)] were compared using in vitro short-term screening methods associated with both initiation and promotion processes in carcinogenesis. In B[a]P‐ DNA adduct formation, APS (180 mg/ml) was the most effective in inhibition of B[a]P binding to DNA in mouse liver cells. Oxidative DNA damage (by 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine) was significantly decreased by APS (180 mg/ ml) and CPS (180 mg/ml). In induction of glutathione S-transferase activity, GPS was found to be the most effective among plant polysaccharides. In screening antitumor promoting effects, APS (180 mg/ml) significantly inhibited phorbol myristic acetate (PMA)-induced ornithine decarboxylase activity in Balb/3T3 cells. In addition, APS significantly inhibited PMA-induced tyrosine kinase activity in human leukemic cells. APS and CPS significantly inhibited superoxide anion formation. These results suggest that some plant polysaccharides produced both anti-genotoxic and anti-tumor promoting activities in in vitro models and, therefore, might be considered as potential agents for cancer chemoprevention.
Article
Objectives. To compare the effects of a proprietary extract of willow bark (Assalix) and a selective inhibitor (rofecoxib) of the enzyme cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2). Methods. An open, randomized, post-marketing study was carried out in an out-patients clinic on two groups of patients aged 18 to 80 yr presenting over a 6-month period with acute exacerbations of low back pain. Using computer-generated random list, 114 patients were allocated to receive a daily dose of herbal extract containing 240 mg of salicin wPAID ( phyto-anti-inflammatory drug) groupx and 114 were allocated to receive 12.5 mg of the synthetic COX-2 inhibitor rofecoxib wNSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) groupx. The doses were chosen according to existing recommendations. All patients were free to use whatever additional conventional treatments were thought necessary. The outcome measures were a modified Arhus index, its pain component and the Total Pain Index. Results. Groups were well matched. After 4 weeks of treatment, the Arhus index had improved by about 20%, its pain component by about 30% and the Total Pain Index by about 35%. The number of pain-free patients (visual analogue scale score <2) was about 20 in each group. About 60% of the patients in each group responded well to the treatment (as judged by an improvement of 030% in the Total Pain Index relative to its baseline). The improvement was also reflected reasonably well in the physicians’ and patients’ judgements of the effectiveness of treatment, which were largely concordant. Few patients of either group resorted to the additional conventional treatment options. The incidence of adverse events was similar in the two groups. Treatment with rofecoxib was about 40% more expensive than that with Assalix. Conclusion. There was no significant difference in effectiveness between the two treatments at the doses chosen. Treatment with Assalix was less expensive.
Article
Summary Digitalis, diuretics, and vasodilators are considered standard therapy for patients with congestive heart failure, for which treatment is tailored according to the severity of the syndrome and the patient profile. Apart from the clinical seriousness, heart failure is always characterized by an energy depletion status, as indicated by low intramyocardial ATP and coenzyme Q10 levels. We investigated safety and clinical efficacy of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) adjunctive treatment in congestive heart failure, which had been diagnosed at least 6 months previously and treated with standard therapy. A total of 2500 patients in NYHA classes II and III were enrolled in this open noncomparative 3-month postmarketing drug surveillance study in 173 Italian centers. The daily dose of CoQ10 was 50–150 mg orally, with the majority of patients (78%) receiving 100 mg/day. Clinical and laboratory parameters were evaluated at the entry into the study and on day 90; the assessment of clinical signs and symptoms was made using from two- to seven-point scales. Preliminary results on 1113 patients (mean age 69.5 years) show a low incidence of side effects: 10 adverse reactions were reported in 8 (0.8%) patients, of which only 5 reactions were considered as correlated to the test treatment. After 3 months of test treatment the proportions of patients with improvement in clinical signs and symptoms were as follows: cyanosis 81%, edema 76.9%, pulmonary rales 78.4%, enlargement of the liver area 49.3%, jugular reflux 81.5%, dyspnea 54.2%, palpitations 75.7%, sweating 82.4%, arrhythmia 62%, insomnia 60.2%, vertigo 73%, and nocturia 50.7%. Moreover, we observed a contemporary improvement of at least three symptoms in 54% of patients; this could be interpreted as an index of improved quality of life.
Article
Purpose: To evaluate the impact of postoperative treatment with an oral enzyme (OE) preparation given complementary to an antineoplastic therapy in patients with all stages of colorectal cancer. Methods: The design of this epidemiological study was a retrolective cohort analysis with parallel groups. Design and conduct of the study were performed to current standards for prospective, controlled clinical trials. Of a cohort of 1,242 patients with colorectal cancer (documented in 213 centres), 616 had received complementary treatment with OE (182 OE only, 405 other complementary drugs, 29 protocol violators) and 626 had not received OE (368 control only, 229 other complementary drugs, 29 protocol violators). Of 1,162 patients who had undergone primary surgery, 526 received adjuvant chemotherapy and 218 radiotherapy. The median follow-up time for the OE group was 9.2 months and for the control group 6.1 months. The primary test criterion of efficacy for OE treatment was the multivariate effect size of the changes from baseline of the disease- and therapy-associated signs and symptoms (nausea, vomiting, changes in appetite, stomach pain or stomach disorder, tiredness, depression, memory or concentration disorder, sleep disturbance, dizziness, irritability, dyspnoea at rest, dyspnoea during activity, headache, tumour pain, cachexia, skin disorders and infections). Tumour-related events, e.g. death, were evaluated by the number of events observed and time to event. Safety of treatment with OE was analysed in terms of number and severity of adverse events, their duration, treatment and outcome. Results: A significant reduction in disease-associated signs and symptoms was observed in patients treated with OE alone, but not in those receiving OE in addition to other complementary treatments. Adverse reactions to chemo- and radiotherapy were diminished in all patients receiving OE. Analysis of survival did not demonstrate a reduced number of deaths in the OE group. However, a trend to prolongation of survival was demonstrated, particularly in the patients with disease stage Dukes' D, in the subgroup receiving OE in addition to other complementary treatments. Similar but less-pronounced trends were observed for disease stages Dukes' B and C. In the OE group, 21 of 616 patients (3.4%) experienced OE-associated adverse reactions, all of them mild to moderate gastrointestinal symptoms. Conclusion: Complementary treatment of colorectal cancer patients with OE improves their quality of life by reducing both the signs and symptoms of the disease and the adverse reactions associated with adjuvant antineoplastic therapies. This epidemiological retrolective cohort analysis provides evidence that patients may also benefit by a prolongation of survival time. OE were generally well tolerated.
Article
The method of electrophoresis in PAAG has been used to study activity of multiple forms of acid phosphatase and malate dehydrogenase of the fat body of Anterahea pernyi pupae in norm and affected by ecdysterone. It is shown that an increase of total activity of acid phosphatase and malate dehydrogenase with administration of a steroid hormone is promoted by growth of activity of certain inducible multiple forms of the studied enzymes. Ecdysterone injection considerably elevates activity of the most electrophoretically mobile form of acid phosphatase and provokes new formation of malate dehydrogenase form. Ecdysterone-induced increase of activity of the studied enzyme forms in the fat body of Anterahea pernyi pupae is blocked by actinomycin D, an inhibitor of transcriptional processes, and by puromycin, a translation inhibitor. These data permit concluding that an increase in activity of the mentioned forms of enzymes observed with hormonal induction is a result of their synthesis de novo and is mediated by the DNA-dependent RNA-synthesis.
Article
When ginseng polypeptide (GP) was administered iv or sc to mice or rats, the blood sugar and liver glycogen were decreased. The decrease of blood sugar and liver glycogen induced by GP in rats were inhibited by pretreatments with pentolamine and propranolol, respectively. The results suggest that the effect of GP on glucose metabolism may be related to adrenergic receptors. In addition, GP at doses which cause decreases of blood sugar and glycogen, inhibited LDH activity, and consequently produced decrease of lactic acid and increase of pyruvic acid. GP was also found to stimulate SDH and CCO activities (which are respiratory enzymes in the electron transport chain), consequently promote aerobic oxidation course.
Article
Ginseng polysaccharides (GH1) 50-200 mg/kg ip or sc reduced blood glucose and liver glycogen of mice. Adrenalectomy did not affect this action. GH1 increased the content of pyruvic acid, but decreased the content of lactic acid by weakening the activity of lactate dehydrogenase. GH1 accelerated oxidative-phosphorylation of carbohydrate since the activities of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) and cytochrome oxidase (CCO) were obviously stimulated. Besides the promotion of the activity of SDH in human embryonic lung fibroblasts (HELF), GH1 decreased the content of polysaccharides in HELF of the 24th age generation, but increased that of the 40th age generation. On the other hand, GH1 stimulated the release of insulin. It is suggested that the reduction of blood glucose and liver glycogen induced by GH1 be primarily due to the increase of carbohydrate utilization and the decrease of glycogenesis.