Brian May | RMIT University (original) (raw)

Papers by Brian May

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Apr 29, 2020

Forschende Komplementärmedizin =, 2013

PeerJ, 2020

Background Ding Chuan Tang (DCT), a traditional Chinese herbal formula, has been consistently pre... more Background Ding Chuan Tang (DCT), a traditional Chinese herbal formula, has been consistently prescribed for the therapeutic management of wheezing and asthma-related indications since the Song Dynasty (960–1279 AD). This study aimed to identify molecular network pharmacology connections to understand the biological asthma-linked mechanisms of action of DCT and potentially identify novel avenues for asthma drug development. Methods Employing molecular docking (AutoDock Vina) and computational analysis (Cytoscape 3.6.0) strategies for DCT compounds permitted examination of docking connections for proteins that were targets of DCT compounds and asthma genes. These identified protein targets were further analyzed to establish and interpret network connections associated with asthma disease pathways. Results A total of 396 DCT compounds and 234 asthma genes were identified through database search. Computational molecular docking of DCT compounds identified five proteins (ESR1, KDR, LTA4...

BMJ Open, 2019

IntroductionAlthough acupuncture has been recommended for alleviating cancer pain by clinical gui... more IntroductionAlthough acupuncture has been recommended for alleviating cancer pain by clinical guidelines, the level of the supporting evidence needs to be improved. A pragmatic randomised controlled trial (pRCT) in a hospital setting would provide real-world assessments of the overall clinical effects of acupuncture. This pilot trial aims to explore the feasibility and provide data for sample size calculations for a pRCT evaluating the effectiveness of acupuncture as an adjunctive therapy to routine medical care for cancer pain.Methods and analysisThirty patients with cancer admitted to the oncology department with moderate or severe pain will be recruited. Participants will be randomised at a ratio of 1:1 to the adjunctive acupuncture group or a control group which receives routine pain management without acupuncture. The standardised section of the acupuncture protocol will be developed based on the results of reviews of the literature, recommendations in clinical guidelines and i...

Advances in Botanical Research, 2012

Herbal medicines have become a major source and main stream for future drug development and for h... more Herbal medicines have become a major source and main stream for future drug development and for human health care. This chapter provides a brief overview and perspective of the research topic related to Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) used for the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Herbal medicine-related research is important to integrate the medical and pharmacological sciences with the plant sciences including agriculture. RA is a chronic, inflammatory, systemic autoimmune disease characterized by pain, swelling and stiffness. Increased attention is being given to the use of CHMs for the treatment of RA due to the limitations of existing drugs. In this review, an attempt has been made to highlight research on herbs with anti-arthritic potential. This chapter gathers valuable information from a wide variety of sources and supplies it to readers in figures and convenient tables. This chapter also considers various single herbs and herbal mixtures (products) in the context of clinical studies. In addition, experimental investigations that focus on the mechanisms of anti-arthritic activity are discussed. Our objective is to stimulate the researchers to perform further research on the potential use of medicinal plants with anti-arthritic properties.

European Journal of Phycology, 2015

PLOS ONE

This systematic review aims to assess the effects and safety of Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) i... more This systematic review aims to assess the effects and safety of Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) in the management of rhinosinusitis (RS); inform clinicians of the current state of the evidence; identify the best available evidence; and suggest further directions for research. Five English and four Chinese language databases, and four clinical trial registries were searched. Eligible studies were randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Participants were diagnosed with RS based on established criteria. Test interventions were CHMs administered orally and/or nasally, excluding injections and displacement techniques. Control interventions included placebos, no additional treatment, and conventional non-invasive treatments including pharmacotherapies and/or nasal irrigation, and/or inhalations. Polyposis and post-surgical recovery were excluded. Outcomes were Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT), visual analogue scales (VAS), Lund-Mackay computed tomography score (LM), Lund-Kennedy Endoscopic sco...

A source for the early history of medicine in China is the numerous ancient writings that have be... more A source for the early history of medicine in China is the numerous ancient writings that have been handed down from the pre-Qin period. While these are not principally concerned with medicine, they do make mention in passing of events and concepts of relevance to medicine. Unfortunately most of these references tend to be brief and provide little detail. Nevertheless, they can provide an historical context that assists in the dating of terms and concepts. Therefore they are sources that should not be neglected in the task of piecing together ancient medical practices. The passage examined in this article appears to be the oldest clearly dateable account in the extant Chinese literature of a medical case in which a 'physician' (yi) was involved.

Integrative Cancer Therapies, 2018

Objectives: To assess the clinical evidence for integrative herbal medicine therapy in the manage... more Objectives: To assess the clinical evidence for integrative herbal medicine therapy in the management of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) and hand-foot syndrome (HFS) resulting from treatments for colorectal cancer (CRC). Design: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were identified from major English and Chinese databases. Participants had been diagnosed with CRC by pathology and had received or were undergoing chemotherapy. Interventions included herbal medicines administered orally or topically. Controls were placebo, supportive care or conventional chemotherapy for CRC. Methods followed the Cochrane handbook. Meta-analyses were grouped by study design, outcome measure, severity, and chemotherapy. Random-effects models with 95% confidence intervals were used. Heterogeneity was assessed as I2. Results: Sixty-three RCTs (4286 participants) were included. Five used a placebo in the control groups. Fifty-eight studies tested oral herbal medicine, and 5 tested topical h...

Journal of Herbal Medicine, 2017

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England), Feb 1, 2017

Management of the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia remains a challenge worldwid... more Management of the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia remains a challenge worldwide. Herbal medicines may play a role in the development of new interventions. To determine effects of herbal medicines for management of the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia, meta-analysis was conducted of 31 controlled trials (3613 participants). Frequently tested herbal medicines were the Ginkgo biloba leaf extract EGb 761 (seven studies) and the multi-ingredient formula Yokukansan (eight studies). Sixteen studies tested other herbal medicines. Improvements were detected in Neuropsychiatric Inventory scores in EGb 761 groups compared to placebo (MD -3.46 [-5.94, -0.98]; I(2) = 93%; n = 1757) and Yokukansan groups compared to no treatment (SMD -0.53 [-0.86, -0.21]; I(2) = 0%; n = 150). Cognitive scores were improved in EGb 761 groups while Yokukansan did not appear to affect cognitive function. Of the other herbal medicines, there were improvements in the behavioural an...

The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2016

To identify and analyze records of the treatment of dementia and memory disorders in the classica... more To identify and analyze records of the treatment of dementia and memory disorders in the classical Chinese medical literature that were consistent with the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s disease (AD), with the aim of determining which traditional medicines have histories of use for these disorders. Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Zhong Hua Yi Dian), a database of more than 1000 classical and premodern Chinese medical books, was systematically searched. Search terms were identified from dictionaries, medical nomenclatures, guidelines, and specialist clinical manuals on aging, neurology, or brain disorders. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were used to identify citations of conditions whose signs and symptoms were consistent with the clinical features of AD. Passages of text identified by these terms were copied to Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, together with the identity of the source book and all relevant information on the disorder and the intervention. Each distinct passage of text was considered a citation. The frequencies of the traditional formulas used as interventions and their constituent ingredients were calculated. The selection criteria identified 1498 citations of dementia and memory impairments derived from 277 different books written from circa 363 to 1945 AD. In 91 of these citations, memory impairment was associated with aging and was broadly consistent with the clinical features of AD. Although the interventions varied in name, Poria cocos, Polygala tenuifolia, Rehmannia glutinosa, Panax ginseng, and Acorus species consistently appeared as ingredients in multiple formulas for memory impairment in the context of aging. Memory impairment in older age was a recognized condition in the classical literature. Many of the traditional medicines frequently used as ingredients in classical formulas for memory impairment consistent with clinical features of AD remain in contemporary use, and experimental studies suggest biological activities relevant to AD.

Phytotherapy Research, 2016

The roots of two peony species, Paeonia lactiflora Pallas and Paeonia veitchii Lynch are routinel... more The roots of two peony species, Paeonia lactiflora Pallas and Paeonia veitchii Lynch are routinely referred to as either chishao () or baishao (). This paper reviews the botanical origins and traditional medicinal usage of each species, as well as pharmacological like activity of their constituents. A search of herbal pharmacological encyclopaedia, PubChem and PubMed databases identified their known constituents. The biological data for these constituents were evaluated and classified according to pharmacological-like activity, with emphasis on compounds of greatest concentration and bioavailability. It was found that P. lactiflora and P. veitchii have some common compounds; however, their phytochemical bioavailability varies. Furthermore, a larger number of compounds have been identified in P. lactiflora. These have greater potential for antiinflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial and antioxidant therapeutic activity compared with P. veitchii. However, evidence indicates both species are similarly indicated for antiviral and glycaemic activity. Major compounds of each are classified as flavonoids, hydrolysable tannins (polyphenols) and monoterpene glycosides. The evidence suggests both species, when administered in entire botanical form, have an excellent safety profile; however, constituent toxicity risk evidence is limited, requiring further investigation. Although experiments show many compounds have biological activity, further investigation of their therapeutic potential is needed. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp; Sons, Ltd.

Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.), 2016

Psoriasis vulgaris is a chronic disease that significantly affects patient's quality of life ... more Psoriasis vulgaris is a chronic disease that significantly affects patient's quality of life and poses an economic burden. Acitretin is a second-generation retinoid used for psoriasis in clinical practice. Orally administered Chinese herbal medicine (CHM), alone or combined with acitretin, has been used for the clinical management of psoriasis vulgaris. This systematic review evaluates the efficacy of oral CHM in comparison with acitretin and the add-on effect of oral CHM to acitretin. Five English databases and four Chinese databases were searched from their inceptions to May 2014. Included randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) were published in English or Chinese, compared oral CHM or the combination of oral CHM and acitretin with acitretin, and used Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) as the outcome measure. A total of 25 RCTs were included in this review: 8 studies compared oral CHM with acitretin, 12 compared the combination with acitretin alone, and 5 were three-arm st...

BMJ open, Jan 25, 2016

The aim of this systematic review is to assess the efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicine... more The aim of this systematic review is to assess the efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicine for the treatment of patients with vascular cognitive impairment but no dementia. We will perform a comprehensive retrieval in the following electronic databases: PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, CINAHL, Chinese Biomedical Literature Service System (SinoMed), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Scientific Journals Database (VIP), Wan-fang database and other sources. After screening the studies, the methodological quality of all included trials will be assessed according to the risk of bias instrument provided by the Cochrane Collaboration. A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials will be conducted using RevMan V.5.3 software. Funnel plot analysis and Egger's test will be used to assess publication bias, if possible. The quality of evidence will be assessed by the GRADE system. This systematic review will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed journal and a re...

Phytotherapy research : PTR, Jan 23, 2016

The management of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) remains an issue in the treatme... more The management of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) remains an issue in the treatment of colorectal cancer using oxaliplatin-based regimens. Certain traditional plant-based medicines (TMs) have histories of use for nausea and vomiting and have been integrated with conventional therapies for CINV. To assess the effectiveness of integrative management of CINV, meta-analysis was conducted of 27 randomised controlled studies (1843 participants) published from 2005 to 2013. The oxaliplatin plus TM groups showed significantly reduced CINV (risk ratio 0.65 [0.59, 0.71], I(2) = 28%) compared with oxaliplatin controls, with or without the addition of conventional anti-emetics. Further sensitivity analyses based on the ingredients of the TMs identified six plants (Atractylodes macrocephala, Poria cocos, Coix lacryma-jobi, Astragalus membranaceus, Glycyrrhiza uralensis and Panax ginseng) that were associated with significant reductions in CINV without important heterogeneity. Ex...

Phytomedicine, 2016

High blood pressure is the major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and the rising prevalenc... more High blood pressure is the major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and the rising prevalence of human hypertension precedes the trend toward a global epidemic of unhealthy ageing. A focus on lifestyle and dietary interventions minimizes dependency on pharmacological antihypertensive therapies. Observational studies indicate that the intake of dietary flavonoids is associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The evidence suggests that the dietary intakes of polyphenol-rich foods, herbs and beverages including flavonols, anthocyanidins, proanthocyanidins, flavones, flavanones, isoflavones and flavan-3-ols, improves vascular health, thereby significantly reducing the risk of hypertension and CVD. Consumption is associated with an improvement in endothelial function via vascular eNOS and Akt activation. Increased NO bioavailability improves vasodilation and blood circulation, effects protein kinases, ion channels and phosphodiesterases, counteracting vascular inflammation and LDL oxidative stress. Importantly, some polyphenols also inhibit the activity of matrix metalloproteinases, inhibit angiotensin converting enzyme activity and thereby improving SBP and DSB. We review the improvement of polyphenol intake on blood pressure and endothelial function for the treatment of hypertension, including not only observational but also RCTs and pre-clinical studies. The antihypertensive phytotherapy of polyphenol-rich foods for protection and improving endothelial function with vascular relaxation occurs via the NO-cGMP pathway and ACE inhibition. OPCs stimulate endothelium-dependent vasodilation, suppress vasoconstrictor ET-1 synthesis, activate a laminar shear stress response in endothelial cells and also inhibit the activity of metalloproteinases including ACE lowering blood pressure.

Chronic respiratory disease, Jan 21, 2015

Chronic cough is a significant health burden. Patients experience variable benefits from over the... more Chronic cough is a significant health burden. Patients experience variable benefits from over the counter and prescribed products, but there is an unmet need to provide more effective treatments. Natural products have been used to treat cough and some plant compounds such as pseudoephedrine from ephedra and codeine from opium poppy have been developed into drugs. Text mining historical literature may offer new insight for future therapeutic development. We identified natural products used in the East Asian historical literature to treat chronic cough. Evaluation of the historical literature revealed 331 natural products used to treat chronic cough. Products included plants, minerals and animal substances. These natural products were found in 75 different books published between AD 363 and 1911. Of the 331 products, the 10 most frequently and continually used products were examined, taking into consideration findings from contemporary experimental studies. The natural products identi...