ABSTRACT
Objective: To investigate the fungistatic activity and synergistic effects of natural products and their constituents, including traditional oriental medicines (TOMs). Methods: Fungistatic activities of TOMs prepared by hot-water (115 °C) or ethanol (70%; 40 °C) extraction were determined by their minimum inhibitory concentration. To assess possible synergistic effects, minimum inhibitory concentrations of various combinations were evaluated. Results: By evaluating antifungal susceptibility of Trichophyton rubrum, which is a major causative fungus for several types of dermatophytosis, we confirmed that ethanol extracts were more active than hot-water extracts in 25 of the 36 TOMs, suggesting that the constituents with high hydrophobicity tend to contribute significantly to fungistatic activity. We selected four TOMs with high fungistatic activity, including Aucklandiae radix, Gentianae macrophyllae radix, Scutellariae radix, and Galla rhois, and their synergistic effects were investigated through the combination studies between TOMs or TOM-conventional drug terbinafine. In combinations between four TOMs, partial synergistic effects were observed in Aucklandiae radix-Galla rhois and Gentianae macrophyllae radix-Galla rhois combinations, as supported by the lowest fractional inhibitory concentration index value of 0.66 for both combinations. Furthermore, Galla rhois showed the strongest synergistic effect on growth inhibition of Trichophyton rubrum with a fractional inhibitory concentration index value of 0.50 in combination with terbinafine. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that the combination of TOMs and TOM-terbinafine may be effective on treatment for chronic and recurrent dermatophytosis by improving fungistatic activity and led to decrease systemic toxicity in clinical practice.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the fungistatic activity and synergistic effects of natural products and their constituents, including traditional oriental medicines (TOMs).Methods:Fungistatic activities of TOMs prepared by hot-water (115 °C) or ethanol (70%; 40 °C) extraction were determined by their minimum inhibitory concentration. To assess possible synergistic effects, minimum inhibitory concentrations of various combinations were evaluated.Results:By evaluating antifungal susceptibility of Trichophyton rubrum, which is a major causative fungus for several types of dermatophytosis, we confirmed that ethanol extracts were more active than hot-water extracts in 25 of the 36 TOMs, suggesting that the constituents with high hydrophobicity tend to contribute significantly to fungistatic activity. We selected four TOMs with high fungistatic activity, including Aucklandiae radix, Gentianae macrophyllae radix, Scutellariae radix, and Galla rhois, and their synergistic effects were investigated through the combination studies between TOMs or TOM-conventional drug terbinafine. In combinations between four TOMs, partial synergistic effects were observed in Aucklandiae radix–Galla rhois and Gentianae macrophyllae radix–Galla rhois combinations, as supported by the lowest fractional inhibitory concentration index value of 0.66 for both combinations. Furthermore, Galla rhois showed the strongest synergistic effect on growth inhibition of Trichophyton rubrum with a fractional inhibitory concentration index value of 0.50 in combination with terbinafine.Conclusions:Our findings indicate that the combination of TOMs and TOM-terbinafine may be effective on treatment for chronic and recurrent dermatophytosis by improving fungistatic activity and led to decrease systemic toxicity in clinical practice.
ABSTRACT
Theory of Traditional Oriental Medicine (TOM) is based on 'Yin-yang' and the 'Five elements' which are ancient chinese ideology for comprehending universe. TOM is also a kinds of ideological medicine, that contains confucian ideas, Buddhism, Taoism as progression of history and cultural trend. Ideological TOM explains physiologic and pathologic condition by 'Maintaining and Disruption of Balance' like Hippocrates, Galen, Ayurvedic medicine. The holy principle of comprehending TOM can be expressed as "To practice medicine based on ideological intuition". In western society original western ideological medicine was died out in the course of scientific revolution. But ancient and medieval oriental medicine is still in existence as a strong medical power in Korea. Recently, with the trend of academic integration, there was an attempt to find affirmative components of TOM. However, the theory of TOM is so different from any criteria for modern knowledge of science and seems to be incommensurable with modern evidence based medicine. As we know, science is the knowledge that could progress cumulatively unswayed by paradigm. To integrate TOM and modern scientific medicine, first of all, the theory of TOM must be made as a precise knowledge through strict ontological and epistemological study. The precise knowledge met clear study requirements will be integrated spontaneously, and Only that has the right to join competition for developing practical technical development. In this knowledge society, the survival and integration of TOM will not only achieved by ideological slogan but also emotional sympathy anymore.