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Reinhard Saller

Publications and source records attributed to Reinhard Saller.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

[Does there exist one specific "view of man" in naturopathy / complementary medicine?].

BACKGROUND: Practitioners and users of naturopathic therapies claim that one of the assumptions underlying their work is a holistic "view of man". OBJECTIVE: Does there exist one specific view of man in present naturopathy and what does this mean? MATERIAL AND METHODS: Database and literature research of use and meaning of the term "view of man" and descriptive analysis. RESULTS: The term "view of man" is neither timeless nor related to a specific subject area. Its meaning is connected with the state of knowledge of the respective epoch as well as its reception in science and society. The discourse concerning the term "view of man" in the 2nd half of the 20th century in German literature shows, that in different fields the argumentation about one specific view of man shifts towards a pluralistic understanding of man. This pluralistic view about man exists in medicine as well. On the one hand conventional medicine, a long time under influence of the reductionism of natural science, has widened its worldview due to methods and questions of different disciplines such as psychosomatics, psychotherapy or social medicine towards a more complex perception of man. On the other hand Traditional European Naturopathy (TEN) too, claims to respect aspects of the "body-mind-soul-unity" in its understanding of man; yet, in connection with its hardly ever explained "natural forces". Besides the findings in literature clinical experience with our patients reveals some aspects that are characteristic of today's pluralistic naturopathic understanding of man and could also be useful for conventional medicine: recognition of patients' expectations (e.g. subjective view of illness), participation in the therapy planning (e.g. construction of how to get healthy) and naturopathic modes of therapy (e.g. start of therapy at healthy parts of the body, too). CONCLUSIONS: Despite some characteristics in naturopathy one finds variations of views or images of man, which originate from multiple subjective and socio-cultural perspectives of patients and therapists and which require, next to medical knowledge, on both sides openness and communication regarding aspects of health, illness and therapeutic settings.

Complementary Therapies↗
PubMed2006

Systematic review of clinical data with BNO-101 (Sinupret) in the treatment of sinusitis.

BACKGROUND: The herbal formula BNO-101 (containing Gentianae radix, Primulae flos, Rumicis herba, Sambuci flos and Verbenae herba; ratio 1:3:3:3:3) has been widely employed as a 'mucoactive' agent in Germany for 70 years for the symptoms of respiratory infections. This paper reviews the clinical evidence of BNO-101 in sinusitis. METHODS: The systematic search identified 22 studies with BNO-101. Out of these, 6 controlled trials on sinusitis were reassessed according to predefined criteria. 4 trials had almost identical designs and could be examined by meta-analysis. RESULTS: The database comprised approximately 900 patients, mostly young adult males. After 2 weeks of treatment, verum was significantly superior to placebo (2 RCTs, 159 vs. 160 patients, both add-on to antibacterial treatment). The benefit regards the patients' assessment ('cured': verum = 61.1%, placebo = 34.5%), reduction of drain obstruction, headache and radiological signs (all p < 0.05). Comparing BNO-101 to ambroxol (2 RCTs, 151 vs. 150 patients, add-on to antibacterials in 13% of the cases) the patients' assessment after 2 weeks showed no difference, although it favoured BNO-101 in chronic cases ('cured' BNO-101 = 37.1%, ambroxol = 12.5%; p < 0.05). It also favoured BNO-101 concerning pyorrhoea and headache (p < 0.05). No significant differences were reported in 2 open randomised trials vs. N-acetyl-cysteine and vs. the herbal product Myrtol std. CONCLUSIONS: BNO-101, combined with standard antibacterial therapy, significantly reduces the acute symptoms and signs of sinusitis. The effects are of the same order of magnitude as observed with other mucoactive agents. In the trials investigated BNO-101 had a favourable risk/benefit ratio, with an incidence of adverse events similar to placebo.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed2006

Treating intermittent claudication with Tibetan medicine Padma 28: does it work?

Herbal drugs are being increasingly used in medical practice, often without appropriate scrutiny of their safety and efficacy. The medicinal product Padma 28 is a fixed combination with Tibetan origin, used in Europe since the 1960s for the symptomatic treatment of circulatory disorders, including those of peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD). We have conducted an analysis of all available data on this herbal drug from published literature as well as from original data we obtained from contacting the authors of published papers, reports and the manufacturer. A total of 19 trials have reported on 2084 patients to date, 444 of whom were in six controlled clinical studies on PAOD. A meta-analysis of five trials showed Padma 28 to increase walking distance by >100m in 18.2% of the patients with verum, versus 2.1% with placebo (P<0.001; odds ratio: 10 [95% CI 3.03, 33.33]; RR: 0.12; number needed to treat=6.2). The safety profile appears to be favourable. Available evidence shows that Padma 28 provides significant relief from PAOD-related symptoms (i.e. walking distance), probably of the same order of magnitude as other employed medications. However, larger confirmatory RCTs are desirable.

Humans↗
PubMed2006

[Efficacy and safety of Padma 28 in peripheral arterial occlusive disease].

BACKGROUND: The multicompound herbal drug Padma 28 is based on a formula from Tibetan Medicine and has been used in Switzerland for over 30 years in the symptomatic treatment of circulatory disorders including intermittent claudication. OBJECTIVE: What is the current evidence regarding the clinical efficacy and safety of this drug in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease(PAOD)? MATERIALS AND METHODS: Electronic databases were searched (each from inception to fall 2005) as well as the reference lists of the relevant articles. RESULTS: 14 articles were found including 6 published studies, 1 un-published study, 6 double publications and 1 meta-analysis. Six studies analyzed maximum walking distance, 5 of these showed a significant increase. The pooled data of the meta-analysis confirmed a significant and clinically relevant increase of the maximum walking distance by more than 100 m in about 1 out of 5 patients. Serious adverse events were not related to verum, non-serious adverse events were equally frequent as under placebo. CONCLUSIONS: The evidence available shows that the multi-target therapy with Padma 28 provides statistically significant and clinically relevant relief from PAOD-related symptoms, i.e. an increased walking distance.

Arterial Occlusive Diseases↗
PubMed2004

Evaluation of cell death caused by triterpene glycosides and phenolic substances from Cimicifuga racemosa extract in human MCF-7 breast cancer cells.

We previously reported that the antiproliferative effect of an isopropanolic-aqueous extract of black cohosh (iCR) on MCF-7 estrogen-responsive breast cancer cell line was due to the induction of apoptosis. Here we address the question to what extent apoptosis induction can be ascribed to one of the two major fractions of iCR, the triterpene glycosides (TTG) or the cinnamic acid esters (CAE). Furthermore, as black cohosh is routinely administered orally, we studied whether its pharmacological effects would withstand simulated liver metabolism. The antiproliferative activity of TTG and CAE as well as of rat liver microsomal S9 fraction-pretreated iCR on MCF-7 cells were investigated by WST-1 assay. The features of cell death induced were tested for apoptosis by flow cytometry (light scatter characteristics, Annexin V binding). Irrespective of S9-pretreatment, 72 h iCR treatment induced a dose-dependent down regulation of cell proliferation with the same IC50 of 55.3 microg/ml dry residue which corresponds to 19.3 microg/ml TTG and 2.7 microg/ml CAE. The degree of apoptotic MCF-7 cells was also comparable. Both, isolated TTG and CAE fractions inhibited cell growth, the IC50 being 59.3 microg/ml and 26.1 microg/ml, respectively. Interestingly, whereas IC50 and apoptosis induction correspond well for the whole extract, TTG and CAE fractions induced apoptosis at concentrations (25 and 5 microg/ml) well below those required for significant growth inhibition. Observation of this study firstly showed that the cell death induced by iCR withstood a metabolic activation system. In addition, TTG and CAE compounds significantly contributed to its apoptotic effect, CAE being the more potent inhibitor of proliferation and apoptosis inducer.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2003

Hyperforin a constituent of St John's wort (Hypericum perforatum L.) extract induces apoptosis by triggering activation of caspases and with hypericin synergistically exerts cytotoxicity towards human malignant cell lines.

Hyperforin (HP) is an abundant component of St John's wort with antibiotic and antidepressive activity. We report here the ability of HP and that of polyphenolic procyanidin B2 (PB-2) to inhibit the growth of leukemia K562 and U937 cells, brain glioblastoma cells LN229 and normal human astrocytes. HP inhibited the growth of cells in vitro with GI(50) values between 14.9 and 19.9 microM. The growth inhibitory effect of PB-2 was more pronounced in leukemia cell lines K562 and U937, the GI(50) concentrations being about 12.5 microM established after 48 h incubation differed significantly (P<0.05) from those of LN229 and normal human astrocytes (103.1 and 96.7 microM), respectively. Further, HP and hypericin (HY) (a naphthodianthrone from St John's wort) acted synergistically in their inhibitory effect on leukemic (K562, U937) cell growth. Cell death occurred after 24 h treatment with HP and PB-2 by apoptosis. A dose-dependent loss of membrane phospholipid asymmetry associated with apoptosis was induced in all cell lines as evidenced by the externalization of phosphatidylserine (PS) and morphological changes in cell size and granulosity by scatter characteristics. In leukemia U937 cells, HP increased the activity of caspase-9 and caspase-3 and in K562 cells caspase-8 and caspase-3. In addition, the broad spectrum caspase inhibitor z-VAD-fmk inhibited both the appearance of PS exposure and the activation of caspases, illustrating the functional relevance of caspase activation during HP-induced apoptosis. Cytocidal effects of HP and its cooperation with HY on tumor growth inhibition in a synergistic manner make the St John's wort an interesting option in cancer warranting further in vitro and in vivo investigation.

Annexin A5↗
PubMed2003

"Quality profiling" for complementary medicine: the example of a hospital for traditional Chinese medicine.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of the methodological approach of "quality profiling" for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is to offer an empirical database that would enable different participants in the health care system to evaluate the quality of a medical provider. METHODS: Quality profiling is a structured way of describing quality on the levels of infra-structure, patients, medical interventions, outcomes, and quality assurance related to one specific provider. As part of a program called "quality management and research," this type of profiling constitutes one basic step for generating knowledge in terms of evidence-based medicine as well as confidence-based medicine. Quality profiling is exemplified by a hospital for Traditional Chinese Medicine in Germany. Within 1 year all in-patients were included in the database using questionnaires for physicians and patients at the time of admission, discharge from the hospital, and follow-up inquiries at intervals up to 1 year after discharge. The frequency of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions was recorded daily. RESULTS: Data for 1036 patients (mean age 53 years old, 73% female) were analyzed. The most frequent diagnostic categories were musculoskeletal disorders (30%) and neurologic disorders (26%). Therapeutic effects were shown in various outcome measures such as reduced intensity of complaints, improved quality of life, increased satisfaction in lifestyle areas, and fewer days off work. In 6.5% of the subjects, adverse events (mostly of minor severity) were recorded. CONCLUSIONS: Quality profiles can serve as a basic tool for evaluating provider quality when the results are compared with either a predefined standard or with profiles of other providers who are offering similar medical services.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Comparison of the growth-inhibitory effect of Hypericum perforatum L. extracts, differing in the concentration of phloroglucinols and flavonoids, on leukaemia cells.

In this study we compared, simultaneously, the growth-inhibitory effect of Hypericum perforatum L. extracts, containing various amounts of hyperforin (A 3.25%; B 2.21%; C 0.21% w/w) and flavonoids (A and B 5.3%; C 10% w/w), but closely same amounts of naphthodiantrones (0.3%) on two leukaemic cell lines K562 and U937 in the WST-1 assay. The GI50 (concentration of extracts which caused 50% of cell growth inhibition) for H. perforatum extracts analysed and characterized by HPLC for their biologically active constituents was 248.3-621.3 microg mL(-1) in K562 and 378.2-911.7 microg mL(-1) in U937 cells. The corresponding values of the three main groups were 1.6-3.9 microM naphthodianthrones, 1.0-40.7 microM phloroglucinols and 30.5-68.5 microM flavonoids. The results of this study supported the hypothesis that, apart from hyperforin and flavonoids, other components of the extract could be involved in its growth-inhibitory effect that it exerts without light activation.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic↗
PubMed2002

Mechanisms involved in spontaneous and Viscum album agglutinin-I-induced human neutrophil apoptosis: Viscum album agglutinin-I accelerates the loss of antiapoptotic Mcl-1 expression and the degradation of cytoskeletal paxillin and vimentin proteins via caspases.

Viscum album agglutinin-I (VAA-I) is a plant lectin that possesses interesting potential therapeutic properties and immunomodulatory activities. We have recently found that VAA-I is a potent inducer of human neutrophil apoptosis, but the mechanism(s) involved require further elucidation. In this study, we found that VAA-I alters mitochondrial transmembrane potential and increases intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Despite these observations, treatment with the mitochondrial stabilizer, bongkrekic acid, or with catalase, known to degrade H(2)O(2), fails to reverse VAA-I-induced apoptosis. Moreover, VAA-I was found to induce apoptosis in PLB-985 cells deficient in gp91(phox), indicating that the lectin acts via an ROS-independent mechanism. Pretreatment of neutrophils with brefeldin A, an inhibitor of vesicular transport, was found to reverse VAA-I-induced apoptosis. Protein expression of Mcl-1 was decreased by VAA-I. The role of caspases in the degradation of cytoskeletal proteins during both spontaneous and VAA-I-induced neutrophil apoptosis was also investigated. Paxillin and vimentin were markedly degraded by VAA-I when compared with neutrophils that undergo spontaneous apoptosis, but not vinculin or alpha- and beta-tubulin. Caspases were involved in cytoskeletal protein degradation because preincubation with the pan-caspase inhibitor N-benzyloxycarbonyl-V-A-D-O-methylfluoromethyl ketone was found to reverse protein cleavage. We conclude that VAA-I needs to be internalized to mediate apoptosis and that its activity is not dependent on a cell surface receptor-mediated pathway. Also, we conclude that VAA-I induces apoptosis by ROS-independent and Mcl-1-dependent mechanisms and that caspases are involved in cytoskeletal protein degradation in both spontaneous and VAA-I-induced neutrophil apoptosis.

Apoptosis↗
PubMed2002

Polysaccharides isolated from Echinacea purpurea herba cell cultures to counteract undesired effects of chemotherapy--a pilot study.

In an open prospective study with matched historical controls we aimed to evaluate whether a polysaccharide fraction isolated from the herb Echinacea purpurea could counteract the undesired effects of chemotherapy. Fifteen patients with advanced gastric cancer undergoing palliative chemotherapy with etoposide, leucovorin and 5-fluorouracil (ELF) received for 10 days (beginning 3 days before chemotherapy) daily i.v. injections of 2 mg of a polysaccharide fraction isolated from Echinacea purpurea herb cell cultures (EPS-EPO VIIa). The median number of leukocytes 14-16 days after chemotherapy was 3630/microL (range 1470-5770) in the patients receiving EPS-EPO VIIa compared with 2370/microL (870-3950) in the patients of the historical control group (p = 0.015). EPS-EPO VIIa had no clinically relevant effects on phagocytic activity of granulocytes or on lymphocyte subpopulations. Sixty-eight adverse events including two deaths were observed, most likely due to chemotherapy and the general condition of the patients. However, an association with the test intervention cannot be ruled out completely. The results of this pilot study suggest that EPS-EPO VIIa might be effective in reducing chemotherapy-induced leukopenia. The efficacy and safety should be investigated in further studies.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Integrating patient preferences in clinical trials: a pilot study of acupuncture versus midazolam for gastroscopy.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Patient preferences play an important role when choosing between different treatment options and may have an influence on outcome. We performed a study to investigate (1) to what extent patients make use of the offer to receive acupuncture as a pretreatment for gastroscopy, (2) whether this is perceived as being as effective as sedation, and (3) whether characteristics and outcomes differ between patients giving consent to random allocation and patients choosing their pretreatment. DESIGN: Partially randomized patient preference trial. Patients who gave consent to randomization were allocated randomly while patients who had a preference received the treatment of their choice. PATIENTS: One hundred and six (106) inpatients of a district hospital in southern Germany undergoing gastroscopy for diagnostic purposes. INTERVENTIONS: Pretreatment with a sedative (midazolam) or acupuncture. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Patient's overall assessment on a visual analogue scale (VAS). RESULTS: Twenty-eight (28) patients (26%) agreed to be randomized, 21 (20%) chose acupuncture, 51 (47%) midazolam, and 8 (7%) did not want pretreatment. Patients receiving midazolam rated the examination as slightly less troublesome than those receiving acupuncture. Oxygen saturation, blood pressure, and heart rate were significantly lower in patients receiving midazolam. Characteristics and outcomes of randomized and nonrandomized patients did not differ significantly. CONCLUSIONS: Because of the low number of patients giving consent to random allocation conclusions on effectiveness are difficult to draw. The partially randomized patient preference design is recommended for use in future trials of acupuncture for gastroscopy. Such trials should be performed in an outpatient setting.

Acupuncture Therapy↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cytostatic and apoptosis-inducing activity of boswellic acids toward malignant cell lines in vitro.

Boswellic acids from frankincense were indentified as the active compounds which inhibit leukotriene biosynthesis, 5-lipoxygenase and exert antiproliferative activity toward a variety of malignant cells. Because of the relevance for the clinical application, we tested the ethanolic extract of Boswellia serrata gum resin containing a defined amount of boswellic acids for its cytotoxic, cytostatic and apoptotic activity on five leukemia (HL-60, K 562, U937, MOLT-4, THP-1) and two brain tumor (LN-18, LN-229) cell lines by WST-1 assay and flow cytometry. The Boswellia serrata extract induced dose-dependent antiproliferative effects on all human malignant cells tested with GI50 values (extract concentration producing 50% cell growth inhibition) between 57.0 and 124.1 micrograms/ml. In three haematological cell lines (K562, U937, MOLT-4) the effect of total extract expressed in GI50 was 2.8-, 3.3- and 2.3-times more potent (p < 0.05) than pure 3-O-acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid (AKBA). Morphological changes after 24-27 hours and the detection of apoptotic cells by AnnexinV-binding and/or by the detection of propidium iodide-labelled DNA with flow cytometry, confirmed the apoptotic cell death. The results of this study suggest the effectiveness of Boswellia serrata extract with defined content of boswellic acids.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Apoptosis of human prostate androgen-dependent and -independent carcinoma cells induced by an isopropanolic extract of black cohosh involves degradation of cytokeratin (CK) 18.

BACKGROUND: The inhibitory effects of black cohosh extracts (Cimicifuga syn. Actaea racemosa L.) on the proliferation of human breast cancer cells were reported recently. In this study, we turned examined another hormone-dependent, epidemiologically important tumor disease, prostate cancer. The cell growth inhibitory effect of an isopropanolic extract of black cohosh (iCR) on androgen-sensitive LNCaP and androgen-insensitive PC-3 and DU 145 prostate cancer cells was investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The cytotoxic effect of the extract was determined by WST-1 assay. Apoptosis was determined by the appearance of apoptotic morphology, annexin V-FITC adherence and caspase activation. Cytokeratin (CK) 18 degradation was identified with M30 monoclonal antibody. RESULTS: Regardless of their hormone sensitivity, the growth of prostate cancer cells was significantly and dose-dependently down-regulated by iCR. The drug concentration producing 50% cell growth inhibition in all cell lines after 72h lay between 37.1 and 62.7 microg/ml. Increases in the level of M30 antigen of approximately 1.8-, 5.9- and 5.3-fold over untreated controls were observed in black cohosh-treated PC-3, DU 145 and LNCaP cells, respectively, with the induction of apoptosis being dose- and time-dependent. CONCLUSION: Black cohosh extract kills human hormone-responsive or-unresponsive prostate cancer cells by induction of apoptosis and activation of caspases. This finding suggests that the cell's hormone responsive status is not an important determinant of the response to the extract and that iCR extract may represent a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of prostate cancer.

2-Propanol↗