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Kava For The Treatment Of Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A 16-Week Double-Blind RCT
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$680,489.00
Summary
Herbal medicines play a prominent role in traditional medicine to treat affective disorders (mood and anxiety disorders), however scientific studies are needed to truly assess their effectiveness. This clinical trial is examining the anxiolytic efficacy of Kava in treating chronic anxiety. As current response to antidepressant drugs can be inadequate, Kava may offer an additional affordable, safe, and effective option to reduce anxiety.
Analysis And Development Of Medicinal Herbs For The Prevention And Management Of Cardiovascular Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$358,500.00
Summary
Although medicinal herbs are widely used in the community for the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease, to date no systemic, effective methods are available to assess the physiological effects of these substances. This project will employ advanced bio-cellular and molecular technologies to develop (i) screening procedures, (ii) standardised chemical analyses and (iii) bioassays to allow efficient assessment of new herbal pharmaceuticals in relation to possible cardiovascular activ ....Although medicinal herbs are widely used in the community for the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease, to date no systemic, effective methods are available to assess the physiological effects of these substances. This project will employ advanced bio-cellular and molecular technologies to develop (i) screening procedures, (ii) standardised chemical analyses and (iii) bioassays to allow efficient assessment of new herbal pharmaceuticals in relation to possible cardiovascular activities, side effects, purity and quality.Read moreRead less
Development Of 'omics-based Approaches To Investigate Labelling Accuracy And Legality Of Herbal Medicine In Australia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$494,883.00
Summary
Herbal medicines such as tradition Chinese medicine (TCM) are popular across Australia, but little has been done to ensure they are accurately labeled, don’t contain adulterants and that ingredients are legal. Preliminary work suggests that TCM, even those approved by regulators, contain pharmaceuticals and illegal species. Our research will develop a new two-pronged DNA and toxicological auditing toolkit with the aim of providing accurate information on herbal medicines for sale in Australia.
Interactions Between Herbal Medicines And The Anticoagulant Warfarin
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$440,250.00
Summary
Complementary medicines are used widely in our community. Products are advertised as safe despite the fact that many have never been systematically tested for either efficacy or safety. Little is known about the potential for herbal medicines to interact with conventional medicines which may lead to potentially serious consequences. Clinical reports suggest that there is potential for an interaction between warfarin and herbal medicines. Interactions with warfarin in patients receiving the drug ....Complementary medicines are used widely in our community. Products are advertised as safe despite the fact that many have never been systematically tested for either efficacy or safety. Little is known about the potential for herbal medicines to interact with conventional medicines which may lead to potentially serious consequences. Clinical reports suggest that there is potential for an interaction between warfarin and herbal medicines. Interactions with warfarin in patients receiving the drug as part of their therapy can be life threatening. Identifying and avoiding significant drug interactions with warfarin can reduce patient problems caused by excessive bleeding, reduce length of hospital stay and decrease the need for frequent blood monitoring. The present study design will also provide a valuable insight into possible interactions with other medicines by understanding the mechanism of possible herb-drug interactions.Read moreRead less
Structure-based Drug Design For Neuroprotection From Traditional Chinese Medicine
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$245,968.00
Summary
In the proposed research, three novo approaches for drug discovery will be explored: 1) The important neurodegenerative disease relevant protein JNK3 crystals will be used as the probe to fish out the potential inhibitors from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM); 2) Instead of individual drug components, the mixture of TCM will be used directly; 3) The composition of a TCM library are not randomly chosen but have been used in China for hundreds to thousands of years in curing neurodegenerative di ....In the proposed research, three novo approaches for drug discovery will be explored: 1) The important neurodegenerative disease relevant protein JNK3 crystals will be used as the probe to fish out the potential inhibitors from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM); 2) Instead of individual drug components, the mixture of TCM will be used directly; 3) The composition of a TCM library are not randomly chosen but have been used in China for hundreds to thousands of years in curing neurodegenerative disease.Read moreRead less
Flavonoids are widely consumed in the diet in food, beverages and herbal preparations. They have diverse actions on the body. We wish to investigate how they might affect brain function. One of the most important transmitters in the brain is a chemical known as GABA. Many known CNS drugs, such as alcohol and the benzodiazepine Valium, influence the action of GABA as a transmitter. These drugs enhance the action of GABA in activating particular receptors in the brain. We have discovered that apig ....Flavonoids are widely consumed in the diet in food, beverages and herbal preparations. They have diverse actions on the body. We wish to investigate how they might affect brain function. One of the most important transmitters in the brain is a chemical known as GABA. Many known CNS drugs, such as alcohol and the benzodiazepine Valium, influence the action of GABA as a transmitter. These drugs enhance the action of GABA in activating particular receptors in the brain. We have discovered that apigenin, a flavonoid found in many herbal preparations and in beverages such as camomile tea, has a special action on GABA in that it enhances the enhancing action of benzodiazepines on GABA receptors. This is a novel mode of drug action that needs to be explored further. We will study the actions of a range of flavonoids known to occur in various popular products such as soy milk, red wine and green tea for their effects on GABA receptors. From the results we plan to design and synthesise new substances with a view to discovering new therapeutic agents to treat a range of CNS disorders, such as anxiety, epilepsy and memory deficits. This project will also yield information on the possible interactions between alcohol and prescription drugs like Valium with flavonoids consumed in the diet. Already it is known that a flavonoid in grape fruit juice may influence the metabolism of drugs like Valium. This project will be concerned with possible interactions within the brain. The novel mode of action that we have discovered is of significance in terms of our basic understanding of brain function. It could add another dimension to what we already know about the brain as our most complex organ.Read moreRead less
A Randomized Placebo-controlled Trial Of A Herbal Preparation In Functional Dyspepsia:
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$643,680.00
Summary
Functional dyspepsia is characterisd by relapsing upper abdominal symptoms (pain, early satietation, fullness, bloating) without identifiable cause if routine diagnostic measures are utilised. This condition is highly prevalent affecting between 10 and 25 % of the population and causes substantial costs to the society due to medical consultations, diagnostic work-up and treatment. So far, treatments with chemically defined medication are disappointing with only a small proportion of patients exp ....Functional dyspepsia is characterisd by relapsing upper abdominal symptoms (pain, early satietation, fullness, bloating) without identifiable cause if routine diagnostic measures are utilised. This condition is highly prevalent affecting between 10 and 25 % of the population and causes substantial costs to the society due to medical consultations, diagnostic work-up and treatment. So far, treatments with chemically defined medication are disappointing with only a small proportion of patients experiencing sufficient relief. More recently, some herbal preparations have been tested in Europe in clinical trials and found to be effective, but comparisons with chemically defined treatments. However, data from Australia are lacking. In addition no study has been conducted so far that assessed and compared the cost-efficacy of a herbal preparations and a chemically defined treatment. Thus this project aims to assess and compare the effects of a standardised herbal preparation (STW-9) and-or a proton pump inhibitor on the relief of symptoms and the cost-efficacy in patients suffering from functional dyspepsia. In addition, we will assess whether there is an association between the clinical response (complete or substantial improvement of symptoms) and the symptom pattern, the changes of the sensitivity of the stomach (as assessed with a standardised nutrient challenge) and we will elucidate the role of specific receptor channels called Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) channels that are involved in the manifestation of abdominal sysmptoms such as pain or discomfort. This study will establish the cost-efficacy of a standardised herbal preparation (as compared to the stablshed treatment standard), allows to identify subgroups of patients who will most likely respond to therapy and gain insights into the underlying mechanisms. Thus, this study bears the potential to substantially improve the quality of care and cost efficacy of treatment of patients with this highly prevalent disease.Read moreRead less
Given that consumption of flavonoids in the diet is likely to be 100-1000 mg per day, it is important to find out how flavonoids might influence GABA-A receptors especially in relation to influencing actions of other therapeutic agents that interact with GABA-A receptors in the brain, such as benzodiazepines and ethanol. This may lead to new strategies in the use of herbal medicines and their possible interactions with other medications. These studies will provide information on how key dietary ....Given that consumption of flavonoids in the diet is likely to be 100-1000 mg per day, it is important to find out how flavonoids might influence GABA-A receptors especially in relation to influencing actions of other therapeutic agents that interact with GABA-A receptors in the brain, such as benzodiazepines and ethanol. This may lead to new strategies in the use of herbal medicines and their possible interactions with other medications. These studies will provide information on how key dietary flavonoids and novel structurally related chemicals could influence brain function. This project will probe the chemical characteristics of novel modes of action of flavonoid-related compounds in order to design and develop potentially useful therapeutic agents for CNS disorders involving GABA-A receptors. It is likely that flavonoids act on specific sites on such receptors that represent important new targets for drug development. This research is intended to provide new chemical entities useful as either alternatives to the benzodiazepines, which have a range of undesirable side effects, or as adjuncts to enable reduced doses of benzodiazepines to be used.Read moreRead less
Development And Evaluation Of Novel Anti-inflammatory Products Derived From An Indigenous Medicinal Plant
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$276,598.00
Summary
This collaborative project between researchers at the University of South Australia and Indigenous traditional owners from Northern Kaanju homelands (Cape York Peninsula, Qld) will develop and evaluate products derived from the Northern Kaanju medicinal plant Dodonaea polyandra. Extracts of the plant and novel compounds isolated from it have anti-inflammatory activity. These have the potential to be used in inflammatory diseases such as dermatitis, arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease.
Investigation Of Australian And Papua New Guinean Traditional Medicines For Drug Discovery And Cultural Preservation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$373,751.00
Summary
This project addresses the growing need for new antimicrobial agents by utilising the traditional medicinal floral knowledge of indigenous communities of Australia and Papua New Guinea. Discoveries from the biological and chemical investigations of traditional medicines used by these communities for treatment of microbial infections will indicate their potential to be used as clinical agents. Benefit sharing and capability building opportunities for the communities involved will also be key outc ....This project addresses the growing need for new antimicrobial agents by utilising the traditional medicinal floral knowledge of indigenous communities of Australia and Papua New Guinea. Discoveries from the biological and chemical investigations of traditional medicines used by these communities for treatment of microbial infections will indicate their potential to be used as clinical agents. Benefit sharing and capability building opportunities for the communities involved will also be key outcomes.Read moreRead less