Efficacy and Safety of a Mixed Extract of Trigonella foenum-graecum Seed and Lespedeza cuneata in the Treatment of Testosterone Deficiency Syndrome: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of a mixed extract of Trigonella foenum-graecum seed and Lespedeza cuneata (TFGL) for the treatment of testosterone deficiency syndrome (TDS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients were instructed to take a placebo or 200 mg TFGL capsule twice per day for 8 weeks. The primary efficacy variable was the change from baseline in the Aging Males' Symptoms scale (AMS), as well as levels of serum total and free testosterone. Secondary efficacy measurements included changes from baseline in the number of ‘yes’ answers on the Androgen Deficiency in the Aging Male (ADAM) questionnaire, levels of serum total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglyceride, all domain scores of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), perceived stress scale-10 (PSS-10), as well as changes in body composition. RESULTS: The TFGL group exhibited a significant improvement in the AMS scores at 8 weeks, total testosterone at 8 weeks, and free testosterone at 4 and 8 weeks. At 4 weeks, 25% of the TFGL group changed to negative in terms of ADAM scores and 34.1% of the TFGL group had negative scores at the end of the study. The TFGL group exhibited a significant improvement in total cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, triglyceride, IIEF scores, and PSS-10 scores at 8 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: The mixed extract of TFGL resulted in significant improvements in symptoms of TDS, as measured by the AMS, ADAM, PSS-10 and testosterone levels.

Beneficial Effect of Lespedeza cuneata (G. Don) Water Extract on Streptozotocin-induced Type 1 Diabetes and Cytokine-induced Beta-cell Damage

The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-diabetic effects of the water extract of Lespedeza cuneata (LCW) using rat insulinoma (RIN) m5F cells and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. The effect of LCW on the protection of pancreatic beta cells was assessed using MTT assay, and nitric oxide production was assessed using Griess reagent. STZ-induced diabetic rats were treated with 100 and 400 mg/kg body weight of LCW for 5 weeks. In results, LCW significantly protected cytokine-induced toxicity and NO production, and increased insulin secretion in RINm5F cells. LCW significantly decreased serum blood glucose, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) levels, and renal fibronectin expression in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Also, LCW effectively improved BW loss in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Thus, our results suggest that LCW has a beneficial effect on cytokine-induced pancreatic beta cell damage and biomarkers of diabetic complication in hyperglycemic rats.

Contents of flavonoids in the extract of Lespedeza virgata / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the contents of the flavonoids in the extract of Lespedeza virgate.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The constituents in the ethanol extraction of the aerial parts of Lespedeza virgate were isolated and purified using column chromatography, and the isolated compounds were identified according to their physicochemical and spectral data.</p><p><b>RESULTS AND CONCLUSION</b>Eight flavonoids were isolated and identified as tricin (I), kaempferol (II), apigenin (III), kaempferitrin (IV), morin (V), luteolin (VI), quercetin-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnoside (VII), chrysoeriol-7-rutinoside (VIII). The compounds I, II, III, V and VI were isolated for the first time from the plant, and the compound VIII was isolated from this genus for the first time.</p>

Chemical constituents from Lespedeza virgata / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the chemical constituents of Lespedeza virgata.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The constituents were isolated by column chromatography and their structures were elucidated by chemical properties and spectroscopic evideuce.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Seven components were isolated and identified as quercetin 3-O-[2"-O-( E'-6"-O-feruloyl)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-beta-D-galact opyranoside (1), kaempferol-7-O-L-rhamnopyranoside (2), 7-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyransyl-kaempeferol-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (3), quercetine (4), E-beta-hydroxycinnamic acid (5), protocatechuic acid (6), p-hydroxybenzoic (7).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Seven components are isolated from L. virgata for the first time.</p>

Regeneration of transgenic Lespedeza thunbergii expressing levansucrase gene (Sac B) from Bacillus subtilis / 生物工程学报

The Bacillus subtilis Sac B gene with the vacuolar targeting signal sequence driven by 35S promotor was transferred into Lespedeza thunbergii by Agrobacterium mediated method. Total 62 Kan-resistant plants were obtained, of which 5 plants were proved to be transgenic plants. The transgenic plants were characterized by PCR amplification, PCR-Southern hybridization and RT-PCR. The physiological assay results showed that the transgenic plants were more tolerant to stress than the controls under the condition of 200mmol/L NaCl and 5% PEG, respectively, and that the content of soluble sugar in trnsgenic plants was significantly higher than that of controls in the period of tests (5-15 days) under salt and PEG stress.

Experimental study on treatment of minimal change nephropathy with Lespedeza michx / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the therapeutic effect of Lespedeza Michx in experimental rat model of minimal change nephropathy (MCN).</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The rat MCN model was reproduced by tail-intravenous injection of Adriamycin. The treatment effect of Lespedeza Michx was determined by the detection of urine protein collection for 24 hours, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), ATCO, IL-8, TNF-alpha in serum, and renal histopathological changes were observed by microscope.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Lespedeza Michx could decrease the contents of urine proteinuria, MDA, IL-8, and TNF-alpha in serum, increase SOD level and improved the pathological change of glomeruli.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Lespedeza Michx was effective on MCN.</p>