HepC BC 
BLACKBALLING CHINESE BLACK BALLS
A 71-year-old woman suffering from the arthritis-like pain of
degenerative joint disease starts taking over-the-counter Chinese
herbal pills marketed for the relief of joint stiffness. But after
just a few months she develops a huge ulcer accompanied by internal
bleeding. The culprit: an anti-inflammatory drug in the pills
called mefenamic acid, which is supposed to be available by prescription
only. It turns out that by taking the number of pills recommended
on the label, the woman had been exceeding the maximum recommended
daily dosage.
Another woman takes similar-looking herbal pills--small black
spheres popularly known as Chinese black balls--for sleeplessness
and depression. After just one evening she ends up in the hospital
emergency room excessively sleepy and slow to respond. Lab tests
show that the pills contain seven milligrams of Valium, a potentially
harmful dose for someone unused to the drug. A typical initial
dose is one to two milligrams.
These cases, uncovered by researchers at the St. Paul-Ramsey
Medical Center in Minnesota, are just a couple of examples of
an ongoing problem. Reports of adulterated Chinese black balls--sold
under brand names like Miracle Herb with promises of pain relief
for everything from arthritis to emphysema to liver and kidney
ailments--have been making their way into the scientific literature
for at least 20 years. Some of the prescription drugs the black
balls have been found to contain: Librium, steroids such as prednisone,
muscle relaxants, and diuretics, not to mention contaminants like
lead.
Since Chinese black balls can present very serious, even life
threatening, health hazards, people sufferring chronic pain and
looking for any relief they can find should not adopt a "What
have I got to lose?" attitude. At the very least, those who
take the pills should alert their doctors. People "do not
routinely notify physicians about the use of such products,"
say the St. Paul researchers, who reported five cases of adverse
reactions to black balls altogether. But since the herb pills
frequently contain potent drugs, doctors should be informed so
that they might have a clue as to what's going on should someone
suffer adverse effects from a medication they prescribed. It could
be the patient is overdosing because he or she is already getting
large amounts of the drug from an herbal preparation.
Crayhon, Robert, Vol. 13, Tufts University Diet & Nutrition
Letter, 10-01-1995, pp 7.
This information is taken from a CD-ROM called The Herbalist by David L. Hoffman, B.Sc.; M.N.I.M.H., author of The New Holistic Herbal.
_____________________________
The Digestive System
The Liver
Schizandra Chinensis Lignoids
The herb is prepared from the ripe fruits of Chinese magnolia
vine, Schizandra chinensis, and is extensively used in Oriental
medicine. Since the initial isolation of lignans (schizandrin
and deoxyschizandrin) from its seed oil, more than 30 lignans
have been isolated and characterized.
*An extract of Schizandra reduced elevated GPT levels in mice
treated with carbon tetrachloride or thioacetamide. Most of the
lignans prevented the elevation of serum GPT levels and morphological
changes, such as inflammatory infiltration and liver cell necrosis.
A lignan named gomisin A was comparable to that of cortisone.
*Gomisin A inhibited liver lesions produced by a range of hepatotoxins,
elevated liver microsomal drug metabolizing enzyme activities,
and accelerated the proliferation of hepatocytes and the recovery
of liver functions after partial hepatectomy in rats.
*in the face of carbon tetrachloride damage, gomisin A maintained
bile flow and biliary output of electrolytes nearly to the levels
of the normal.
*the lignans inhibit carbon tetrachloride induced lipid perodixation,
decreased CO production, NADPH and oxygen consumption during the
toxins' metabolism in the liver.
*the lignans induced increases of microsomal cytochrome P-450
concentration and NADPH cytochrome C reductase, aminopyrine demethylase
and benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase activities, as well as an increase
in microsomal protein content. Remarkable enlargement of the smooth
endoplasmic reticulum of liver cells was also observed.
*treatment with gomisin A and lipopolysaccharide increased the
survival rate of mice with hepatitis from 7.5 to 80% and prevented
liver cell necrosis histologically.
*Schizandra given to 189 patients manifesting chronic viral hepatitis with elevated serum GPT levels. 107 were given 100 mg. of the extract (= 1.5 g of the herb) 82 cases received a liver extract-vitamin E complex as control. After 16-24 weeks of treatment, 73 of those treated with Schizandra showed a fall of serum GPT to normal levels. No rebound was observed after withdrawal of the herb. The rate of effectiveness in lowering the GPT level was 68.2% in the treated group and 44% in the control group. The average time needed for lowering the level to normal was about 4 weeks for the treated group and 8 weeks for the control group.
Schizandra was effective in relieving symptoms of sleeplessness,
fatigue, abdominal tension, and loose bowels. No side-effects
were observed.
HepC BC