No abstract

No abstract

A metabonomic strategy, utilizing high-resolution 1H NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with chemometric methods (discriminant analysis with orthogonal signal correction), has been applied to the study of human biological responses to chamomile tea ingestion. Daily urine samples were collected from volunteers during a 6-week period incorporating a 2-week baseline period, 2 weeks of daily chamomile tea ingestion, and a 2-week post-treatment phase. Although strong intersubject variation in metabolite profiles was observed, clear differentiation between the samples obtained before and after chamomile ingestion was achieved on the basis of increased urinary excretion of hippurate and glycine with depleted creatinine concentration. Samples obtained up to 2 weeks after daily chamomile intake formed an isolated cluster in the discriminant analysis map, from which it was inferred that the metabolic effects of chamomile ingestion were prolonged during the 2-week postdosing period. This study highlights the potential for metabonomic technology in the assessment of nutritional interventions, despite the high degree of variation from genetic and environmental sources.

No abstract

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an integral part of mainstream medicine in China. Due to its worldwide use, potential impact on healthcare and opportunities for new drug development, TCM is also of great international interest. Recently, a new era for modernisation of TCM was launched with the successful completion of the Good Practice in Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in the Post-genomic Era (GP-TCM) project, the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) coordination action on TCM research. This 3.5-year project that involved inputs from over 200 scientists resulted in the production of 20 editorials and in-depth reviews on different aspects of TCM that were published in a special issue of Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2012; volume 140, issue 3). In this narrative review, we aim to summarise the findings of the FP7 GP-TCM project and highlight the relevance of TCM to modern medicine within a historical and international context. Advances in TCM research since the 1950s can be characterised into three phases: Phase I (1950s-1970s) was fundamental for developing TCM higher education, research and hospital networks in China; Phase II (1980s-2000s) was critical for developing legal, economic and scientific foundations and international networks for TCM; and Phase III (2011 onwards) is concentrating on consolidating the scientific basis and clinical practice of TCM through interdisciplinary, interregional and intersectoral collaborations. Taking into account the quality and safety requirements newly imposed by a globalised market, we especially highlight the scientific evidence behind TCM, update the most important milestones and pitfalls, and propose integrity, integration and innovation as key principles for further modernisation of TCM. These principles will serve as foundations for further research and development of TCM, and for its future integration into tomorrow’s medicine.