Effects of Panax ginseng extract in patients with fibromyalgia: a 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of an extract of Panax ginseng in patients with fibromyalgia. A randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial was carried out over 12 weeks to compare the effects of P. ginseng (100 mg/d) with amitriptyline (25 mg/d) and placebo in 38 patients with fibromyalgia: 13 in Group I (amitriptyline), 13 in Group II (placebo), and 12 in Group III (P. ginseng). Ratings on the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) revealed a reduction in pain in the P. ginseng group (p < .0001), an improvement in fatigue (p < .0001) and an improvement in sleep (p < .001), with respect to baseline characteristics, but there were no differences between the three groups. With respect to anxiety, improvements occurred in the P. ginseng group compared to baseline (p < .0001); however, amitriptyline treatment resulted in significantly greater improvements (p < .05). P. ginseng reduced the number of tender points and improved patients' quality of life (using the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire - FIQ); however, there were no differences between groups. The beneficial effects experienced by patients for all parameters suggest a need for further studies to be performed on the tolerability and efficacy of this phytotherapic as a complementary therapy for fibromyalgia.

A Ação do Cissampelos Sympodialis Eichl: uma Perspectiva para o Tratamento da Asma / The Action of Cissampelos Sympodialis Eich: a Perspective in the Asthma’s Treatment

A espécie Cissampelos sympodialis (Menispermaceae) éutilizada na medicina popular e indígena para o tratamento dedesordens inflamatórias, incluindo a asma. O objetivo dopresente estudo foi revisar a literatura sobre os estudoscom a espécie Cissampelos sympodialis (Menispermaceae).A pesquisa bibliográfica deste trabalho foi realizada nosbancos de dados eletrônicos: Pubmed, Bireme, Portal Capes-Periódicos, Scielo. A asma tem como principal característicafisiopatogênica a inflamação e o broncoespasmo. Estudosfitoquímicos com espécies vegetais utilizadas no tratamentodessa patologia têm sido realizados com o objetivo deencontrar novas perspectivas terapêuticas que apresentemmenos efeitos adversos em relação aos tratamentos atuais.Estudos comprovaram que a planta é capaz de inibir tanto oinfluxo de eosinófilos quanto a produção de leucotrienoscisteínicos desencadeados pelo processo alérgico da asma.Com isso, de acordo com a literatura revisada, os estudospré-clínicos com as folhas de C. sympodialis viabilizamensaios clínicos que possam comprovar a segurança e aeficácia do C. sympodialis em seres humanos, tornandoprovável a liberação do registro como um fitomedicamento epossibilitando uma ampliação das opções terapêuticas depacientes portadores de patologias crônicas, como a asma,que cursam com broncoespasmo e inflamação...

The species Cissampelos sympodialis (Menispermaceae)is used in the popular and indigenous medicine for the treatmentof inflammatory disorders, including the asthma. The aim ofthe present study was to revise the literature about thespecies Cissampelos sympodialis (Menispermaceae). Thebibliographical research of this study was accomplished inthe electronic databases: Pubmed, Bireme, Portal Capes-Periódicos, Scielo. The asthma has as main physiopathogeniccharacteristic the inflammation and the bronchoconstriction.Phytochemical studies with vegetable species used in thetreatment of that pathology have been accomplished withthe objective of finding new therapeutic perspectives thatpresent less adverse effects in relation to the currenttreatments. Studies showed that the plant is able to inhibitboth the eosinophilic influx and the production of cysteinylleukotrienes unchained by the allergic process of the asthma.Therefore, in agreement with the revised literature, preclinicalstudies with the leaves of C. sympodialis make possible theconduction of clinical rehearsals that can prove safety andeffectiveness of the C. sympodialis in human beings, makingprobable the liberation of its registration as a phytomedicationas well as enlarging the therapeutic options of patientsaffected by chronic pathologies, like asthma, that coursewith bronchoconstriction and inflammation...