Functional foods derived from noni (Morinda citrifolia) have been marketed to help prevent lifestyle-related diseases. Many lifestyle-related diseases, such as hypertension and hyperlipemia, are associated with poor blood fluidity. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of 50% ethanolic extracts from noni, and their constituents, on blood fluidity, in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) rat model with a micro channel array flow analyzer (MC-FAN). Oral administrations of the noni leaf extract (MCL-ext) and the noni seed extract (MCS-ext) to DIC rats resulted in a reduction of the passage time of whole blood, as compared to the vehicle control. The MCL-ext and its constituents, namely ursolic acid (1), rutin (2), and kaempferol-3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside (3) inhibited collagen-induced platelet aggregation. MCL-ext, as well as MCS-ext and its constituents, namely 1, americanin A (4), and 3, 3'-bisdemethylpinoresinol (5), inhibited polybrene-induced erythrocyte aggregation. Inhibition of erythrocyte aggregation by MCL-ext and MCS-ext was mainly attributable to 1. The euglobulin lysis time (ELT) assay indicated that oral administration of MCL-ext or MCS-ext induces fibrinolysis activity in rats. This is the first report of the effects of noni extracts on blood fluidity. MCL-ext exhibited more in vitro anti-platelet activity, and improvement of blood fluidity and fibrinolysis activity in vivo than MCS-ext.

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Investigation of the phytoconstituents of Bombax ceiba L. flowers resulted in the isolation and identification of 7 phenolic compounds; namely: isovanillic acid (4-methoxy-3-hydroxy-benzoic acid) (I), mangiferin (2-β-D-glucosyl-1,3,6,7-tetrahydroxyxanthone) (II), protocatechuic acid (3,4-dihydroxy-benzoic acid) (III), rutin (IV), quercetin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (V), apigenin 7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (VI) and quercetin 3-O-β-D-galactouronopyranoside (VII). This is the first report on the isolation of all these compounds from Bombax ceiba flowers, while compounds (II) and (V) were previously reported from the leaves of the plant. The 70% methanolic extract (up to 5 g/kg body weight) did not induce any obvious toxic effects in mice. The extract exhibited central and peripheral analgesic activity. In addition, the acute paw oedema response was significantly reduced, indicating anti-inflammatory activity. The protective effect of the extract against paracetamol-induced liver damage was indicated by reduction of the elevation of liver enzymes, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) induced by paracetamol. Using a short-term in vitro assay of the Epstein-Barr virus (early antigen) (EBV-EA) activation induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorobol-13-acetate (TPA) in Raji cells, Bombax ceiba flowers extracts inhibited the activation of the early antigen (% EBV-EA positive cells). At different concentrations (1, 10 and 100 μg/ml), the ethyl acetate extract showed the most significant inhibitory effects.

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Antiviral activity in vitro and therapeutic efficacy of polyphenols including catechin from green tea (Camellia sinensis) were evaluated in mice infected with herpes simplex virus (HSV) and influenza virus (IFV). The extract concentrations that inhibited plaque formation of HSV-1, HSV-2, and IFV by 50% were 29.24 ± 2.97, 22.19 ± 5.64, and 30.50 ± 2.40 μg/ml, respectively. Mice administered polyphenols (25 and 50 mg/kg/dose) intraperitoneally 1 h before and twice daily after virus inoculation exhibited significant delays in the development of herpetic skin lesions (P<0.05), while oral administration of 50 mg/kg/dose or intraperitoneal administration of 5 mg/kg/dose of polyphenols twice daily failed to delay the development of skin lesions. These results demonstrated that polyphenols showed therapeutic anti-HSV activity after intraperitoneal administration but not oral administration in cutaneous HSV infection in mice. In contrast, polyphenols did not show significant therapeutic efficacy in IFV-infected mice in spite of anti-IFV activity in vitro. Although polyphenols from green tea have antiviral activity against HSV and IFV in vitro, antiviral activity was not absorbed orally, while intraperitoneal administration showed anti-HSV therapeutic activity but not anti-IFV activity in IFV-infected mice.

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There has been a rapid increase in the prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NASH is associated with possible progression to liver cirrhosis and cancer. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) treated ICR mice (ICR-MSG) are known to develop obesity, diabetes mellitus, and also NASH-like histopathological changes that are similar to those found in humans. In Ayurvedic medicine, Salacia reticulata has traditionally been used to treat diabetes mellitus and rheumatism. In the present study, we studied the preventive effects of S. reticulata on NAFLD/NASH in ICR-MSG mice.
ICR-MSG mice were given S. reticulata extract (SRE) for 8 weeks. Body weight and food intake were determined over time, and at the completion of treatment, blood was drawn and the liver was dissected for determination of biochemical parameters and histopathological examination of the liver cells.
Compared with the Normal group, the MSG-Control group showed significant obesity, hyperinsulinemia, abnormal lipid metabolism, marked fatty liver. In contrast, significant suppression of body weight gain and improvement of hyperinsulinemia and abnormal lipid metabolism were observed in the groups treated with SRE. Furthermore, SRE was found to suppress liver hypertrophy and to reduce hepatic triglyceride and total cholesterol levels. Histopathological examination revealed that SRE prevents vacuolar degeneration of hepatocyte by lipid accumulation and suppresses infiltration of inflammatory cells. The above results demonstrated SRE's ability to improve obesity and insulin resistance and to suppress development of fatty liver and infiltration of inflammatory cells, suggesting that SRE is a promising agent for the prevention and treatment of NAFLD/NASH.

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A 32-year-old man with refractory atopic dermatitis visited our hospital in the hope of receiving treatment with Kampo medicine. He had had diffuse pruritic erythema with scale and lichenificated plaques almost all over the body in spite of standard therapy using topical steroid and antihistamines over 20 years. We listened attentively to his complaints from the psychosomatic standpoint. Besides having intractable eruptions, he suffered from insomnia and physical and mental fatigue. Hochuekkito and orengedokuto were added to the standard therapy. After confirming that these preparations succeded to improve his symptoms, we also used goreisan, shofusan, and unseiin for other symptoms according to his conditions during the long-term treatment course.
In addition, we recommended him to convert to a better-balanced diet consisting mainly of traditional Japanese food and to keep a diet diary. Five months later, his eruptions almost completely disappeared, and no new treatment was required for the following ten years. After ten years, a mild recurrence of skin symptoms occurred but hochuekkito and goreisan with standard therapy effectively cured them soon. Although stress sometimes caused recurence for the following 3 years, remission for more than a year and half has been achieved with dietary care alone. This report represents the long-term outcome of diet-and-Kampo therapy conducted by the same dermatologist over 16 years for a patient with recalcitrant atopic dermatitis.

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