Decoction of Kampo medicines plays an important role in clinical practice, especially in individualized treatment, while the inconvenience and a long time requirement of the decocting process are impediments to its wi...Decoction of Kampo medicines plays an important role in clinical practice, especially in individualized treatment, while the inconvenience and a long time requirement of the decocting process are impediments to its widespread use in Japan. In this study, we improved the decocting method by using a microwave oven such as those found in most kitchens. To validate the feasibility and safety of this new method, we decocted kakkonto, which is the most widely used formula in clinical treatment in Japan, and keishikabushito, which contains toxic components using a microwave oven. Regarding the contents of 8 characteristic components in the kakkonto decoction and the contents of 6 toxic components in the keishikabushito decoction as indices, and with the extraction and detoxification effects equal to those of the conventional decocting method as targets, we optimized the decocting conditions with Response Surface Methods. With this new method, it took 35 min to obtain almost the same extraction effect for kakkonto as with the conventional decocting method, which takes 40 min;meanwhile, it took only 45 min to detoxify keishikabushito, which takes 60 min using the conventional decocting method. Decocting Kampo medicines with a microwave oven is feasible and as safe as the conventional decocting method. It is a convenient, safe, time-saving method, and may be applied widely in clinical practice. This innovation should allow more patients to benefit from decoction and the individualized treatment it offers.展开更多
Some Angelica species are used for medicinal purposes. In particular, the roots of Angelica acutiloba var. acutiloba and A. acutiloba var. sugiyamae, known as “Toki” and “Hokkai Toki”, respectively, are used as im...Some Angelica species are used for medicinal purposes. In particular, the roots of Angelica acutiloba var. acutiloba and A. acutiloba var. sugiyamae, known as “Toki” and “Hokkai Toki”, respectively, are used as important medicinal materials in traditional Japanese medicine. However, since these varieties have recently outcrossed with each other, it is difficult to determine whether the Japanese Angelica Root material used as a crude drug is the “pure” variety. In this study, we developed an efficient method to authenticate A. acutiloba var. acutiloba and A. acutiloba var. sugiyamae from each other and from other Angelica species/varieties. The random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) method efficiently discriminated each Angelica variety. A. acutiloba var. sugiyamae was identified via a characteristic fragment amplified by the decamer primer OPD-15. This fragment showed polymorphisms among Angelica species/varieties. The unique fragment derived from A. acutiloba var. sugiyamae was also found in one strain of A. acutiloba var. acutiloba, implying that this strain arose from outcrossing between A. acutiloba var. acutiloba and A. acutiloba var. sugiyamae. This RAPD marker technique will be useful for practical and accurate authentication among A. acutiloba var. acutiloba, A. acutiloba var. sugiyamae, and their adulterants.展开更多
Japanese Angelica Root prepared from Angelica acutiloba var. acutiloba and A. acutiloba var. sugiyamae, known in Japan as “Toki” and “Hokkai Toki”, is an important crude drug used in Kampo medicine (traditional Ja...Japanese Angelica Root prepared from Angelica acutiloba var. acutiloba and A. acutiloba var. sugiyamae, known in Japan as “Toki” and “Hokkai Toki”, is an important crude drug used in Kampo medicine (traditional Japanese medicine). However, since these Angelica varieties have recently outcrossed with each other, it is unclear whether Japanese Angelica Root sold for use in Kampo medicine is a pure variety. Here, we describe DNA sequence polymorphisms that can be used to distinguish between A. acutiloba var. acutiloba and A. acutiloba var. sugiyamae. In our analyses, differences in the trnK region of chloroplast DNA distinguished among some A. acutiloba varieties and related species, but not between A. acutiloba var. acutiloba and A. acutiloba var. iwatensis. One geographical strain of A. acutiloba var. acutiloba and A. acutiloba var. sugiyamae showed identical sequences in three regions of chloroplast DNA, but differences in the internal transcribed spacer region of nuclear ribosomal DNA. One strain of A. acutiloba var. iwatensis and A. acutiloba var. sugiyamae had identical sequences in all of the chloroplast and nuclear ribosomal DNA regions examined. These findings show that A. acutiloba var. acutiloba has hybridized with A. acutiloba var. sugiyamae and that the “Hokkai Toki” variety resulted from outcrossing with A. acutiloba var. iwatensis. Molecular authentication based on analyses of chloroplast and nuclear ribosomal DNA sequences of A. acutiloba and related species is an efficient method to authenticate Japanese Angelica Root at the variety level. Therefore, these analyses can determine whether a product is derived from A. acutiloba var. acutiloba or A. acutiloba var. sugiyamae.展开更多
The aim of this review is to recognize the ability of plants used as food and medicine for our health care. From this point of view, we have studied economical production techniques of medicinal plants and vegetables ...The aim of this review is to recognize the ability of plants used as food and medicine for our health care. From this point of view, we have studied economical production techniques of medicinal plants and vegetables that have physiological functions such as disease prevention, health maintenance and improvement of physical function. We revealed the suitable cultivation techniques such as the long-term freezing seed storage, and systematic and efficient seedling production of Swertia japonica in the future domestication in Japan. We have also studied the development of a new and friendly product for preparing decoction of Kampo medicine (Japanese traditional medicine) to utilize medicinal plants effectively. It was possible that the decoction of some Kampo medicines in a micro-wavable container could be carried out in substitution for a common method. This study revealed that the improvement of decoction method of Kampo medicine might contribute to conserve the energic or natural resources, especially medicinal plants of crude drugs in comparison with the conventional way. Moreover, the reevaluation of some vegetables such as Japanese radish and carrot in terms of the suitability as materials for “Yakuzen”, and creating and producing of newly low potassium tomatoes for improving the quality of life (QOL) of dialysis patients and potassium restricted patients were also studied by focusing traditional and local vegetables. Some local cultivars containing stronger flavor and taste with higher amount of functional constituents are suitable for our health care than F1 (first filial generation) cultivars. Our research will give feedback each other by cross cutting way, and human health science from the cultivation to utilization of medicinal plants and vegetables will be important and needed for our healthy and comfortable life in the future.展开更多
文摘Decoction of Kampo medicines plays an important role in clinical practice, especially in individualized treatment, while the inconvenience and a long time requirement of the decocting process are impediments to its widespread use in Japan. In this study, we improved the decocting method by using a microwave oven such as those found in most kitchens. To validate the feasibility and safety of this new method, we decocted kakkonto, which is the most widely used formula in clinical treatment in Japan, and keishikabushito, which contains toxic components using a microwave oven. Regarding the contents of 8 characteristic components in the kakkonto decoction and the contents of 6 toxic components in the keishikabushito decoction as indices, and with the extraction and detoxification effects equal to those of the conventional decocting method as targets, we optimized the decocting conditions with Response Surface Methods. With this new method, it took 35 min to obtain almost the same extraction effect for kakkonto as with the conventional decocting method, which takes 40 min;meanwhile, it took only 45 min to detoxify keishikabushito, which takes 60 min using the conventional decocting method. Decocting Kampo medicines with a microwave oven is feasible and as safe as the conventional decocting method. It is a convenient, safe, time-saving method, and may be applied widely in clinical practice. This innovation should allow more patients to benefit from decoction and the individualized treatment it offers.
文摘Some Angelica species are used for medicinal purposes. In particular, the roots of Angelica acutiloba var. acutiloba and A. acutiloba var. sugiyamae, known as “Toki” and “Hokkai Toki”, respectively, are used as important medicinal materials in traditional Japanese medicine. However, since these varieties have recently outcrossed with each other, it is difficult to determine whether the Japanese Angelica Root material used as a crude drug is the “pure” variety. In this study, we developed an efficient method to authenticate A. acutiloba var. acutiloba and A. acutiloba var. sugiyamae from each other and from other Angelica species/varieties. The random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) method efficiently discriminated each Angelica variety. A. acutiloba var. sugiyamae was identified via a characteristic fragment amplified by the decamer primer OPD-15. This fragment showed polymorphisms among Angelica species/varieties. The unique fragment derived from A. acutiloba var. sugiyamae was also found in one strain of A. acutiloba var. acutiloba, implying that this strain arose from outcrossing between A. acutiloba var. acutiloba and A. acutiloba var. sugiyamae. This RAPD marker technique will be useful for practical and accurate authentication among A. acutiloba var. acutiloba, A. acutiloba var. sugiyamae, and their adulterants.
文摘Japanese Angelica Root prepared from Angelica acutiloba var. acutiloba and A. acutiloba var. sugiyamae, known in Japan as “Toki” and “Hokkai Toki”, is an important crude drug used in Kampo medicine (traditional Japanese medicine). However, since these Angelica varieties have recently outcrossed with each other, it is unclear whether Japanese Angelica Root sold for use in Kampo medicine is a pure variety. Here, we describe DNA sequence polymorphisms that can be used to distinguish between A. acutiloba var. acutiloba and A. acutiloba var. sugiyamae. In our analyses, differences in the trnK region of chloroplast DNA distinguished among some A. acutiloba varieties and related species, but not between A. acutiloba var. acutiloba and A. acutiloba var. iwatensis. One geographical strain of A. acutiloba var. acutiloba and A. acutiloba var. sugiyamae showed identical sequences in three regions of chloroplast DNA, but differences in the internal transcribed spacer region of nuclear ribosomal DNA. One strain of A. acutiloba var. iwatensis and A. acutiloba var. sugiyamae had identical sequences in all of the chloroplast and nuclear ribosomal DNA regions examined. These findings show that A. acutiloba var. acutiloba has hybridized with A. acutiloba var. sugiyamae and that the “Hokkai Toki” variety resulted from outcrossing with A. acutiloba var. iwatensis. Molecular authentication based on analyses of chloroplast and nuclear ribosomal DNA sequences of A. acutiloba and related species is an efficient method to authenticate Japanese Angelica Root at the variety level. Therefore, these analyses can determine whether a product is derived from A. acutiloba var. acutiloba or A. acutiloba var. sugiyamae.
文摘The aim of this review is to recognize the ability of plants used as food and medicine for our health care. From this point of view, we have studied economical production techniques of medicinal plants and vegetables that have physiological functions such as disease prevention, health maintenance and improvement of physical function. We revealed the suitable cultivation techniques such as the long-term freezing seed storage, and systematic and efficient seedling production of Swertia japonica in the future domestication in Japan. We have also studied the development of a new and friendly product for preparing decoction of Kampo medicine (Japanese traditional medicine) to utilize medicinal plants effectively. It was possible that the decoction of some Kampo medicines in a micro-wavable container could be carried out in substitution for a common method. This study revealed that the improvement of decoction method of Kampo medicine might contribute to conserve the energic or natural resources, especially medicinal plants of crude drugs in comparison with the conventional way. Moreover, the reevaluation of some vegetables such as Japanese radish and carrot in terms of the suitability as materials for “Yakuzen”, and creating and producing of newly low potassium tomatoes for improving the quality of life (QOL) of dialysis patients and potassium restricted patients were also studied by focusing traditional and local vegetables. Some local cultivars containing stronger flavor and taste with higher amount of functional constituents are suitable for our health care than F1 (first filial generation) cultivars. Our research will give feedback each other by cross cutting way, and human health science from the cultivation to utilization of medicinal plants and vegetables will be important and needed for our healthy and comfortable life in the future.
