Research Trends of Fermented Medicinal Herbs - Based on Their Clinical Efficacy and Safety Assessment

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of fermented medicinal herbs. A search of the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), PubMed databases and Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine in 2000-2011 located 11 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the clinical efficacy of fermented medicinal herbs. Domestic RCTs reported clinical efficacy on improvement of immune responses and clinical safety on usage of fermented medicinal herbs in subjects suffering from cerebral hemodynamics. Countries other than Chinareported studies on the cause of esophageal cancer and on local inflammatory reactions. In China, studies were reported on the effectiveness of fermented medicinal herbs on scapulohumeral periarthritis of the stasis type, chronic superficial gastritis, dysuria induced by benign prostatic hyperplasia of deficiency of kidney yang, diabetic nephropathy, essential hypertension, and benign prostate hyperplasia. These results indicate that fermented medicinal herbs have obvious clinical effects in some diseases and no adverse reactions. Therefore, we need to initiate more fermentation research with useful bacteria, fungi, and mushrooms to produce fermented medicinal herbs. Both governments and research authorities should focus on research involving fermentation of medicinal herbs.

Inhibitory effects of fermented extract of Ophiopogon japonicas on thrombin-induced vascular smooth muscle cells

“…Several chemical constituents of OJ, including ruscogenin and ophiopogonin D, have been identified (8). Microbial fermentation of plants has beneficial effects, including the enrichment of desirable metabolites generated by the beneficial probiotic bacteria (12,13). The present study reported on the inhibitory effects of a fermented extract of OJ (FEOJ) on the proliferation and migration of thrombin-treated VSMCs.…”

“…Fermented medicinal herbs have been demonstrated to be suitable for treating a wide range of diseases, including cerebral hemodynamics, esophageal cancer, locally prevalent inflammatory reactions, scapulohumeral periarthritis (of the stasis type), chronic superficial gastritis and dysuria (13). The present study investigated the mechanisms of the anti-atherogenic effects of FEOJ on VSMCs stimulated by thrombin.…”

Changes of Efficacy of Antioxidant, Antidyslipidemic, Antidiabetic and Microbiological Characteristics in Fermented and Salt-treated FermentedCodonopsis lanceolata

“…발하게 진행되고 있는데 항산화 5) , 항노화 5) , 항바이러스 6) , 항암 7) , 신경보호효과 8) 등의 연구가 보고되었으며, 그 안 전성이 높은 것으로 추정된다 9) . 11) , 鎭咳, 祛痰 등의 약효가 있다 전해져 血積 및 驚氣, 頭痛, 消炎藥으로 사용된다 12) .…”