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Baicalin, a Scutellaria baicalensis extract, has been found to have numerous therapeutic applications in liver and gut diseases by mediating apoptosis and immune response pathways.
2021 Pharmacological Research Baicalin and the liver-gut system: Pharmacological bases explaining its therapeutic effects Hu Q, Zhang W, Wu Z, Tian X, Xiang J, Li L, et al.
Review Article Baicalein Cholestasis Huang Qin
High-throughput screening and bioinformatics technology were utilized in the extraction and study of baicalin from the dried root of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, an herb traditionally used in Chinese medicine. The research sought to understand the biological action of baicalin, particularly how it affects diseases related to the liver and gut. The effects were associated mainly with downstream apoptosis and immune response pathways, which are induced by upstream oxidative stress and inflammation.
In the discussion of the resultant findings, it was identified that baicalin engages various key factors during oxidative stress regulation. These include PI3K/Akt/NRF2, Keap-1, NF-κB, and HO-1, contributing to the healing effects of baicalin on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease/non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, ulcerative colitis, and cholestasis. Further, it was discovered that baicalin plays a therapeutic role in regulating inflammatory response and apoptosis pathways. This ability aids in the alleviation of liver diseases and suppression of hepatocellular carcinoma. Baicalin was also found to regulate the intestinal flora by promoting the production of short-chain fatty acids, shedding new light on the full range of baicalin's pharmacological effects.
Medical-grade honey outperforms conventional treatment in healing cold sores, reducing healing time and alleviating associated symptoms like pain and itching.
2021 Pharmaceuticals Medical-Grade Honey Outperforms Conventional Treatments for Healing Cold Sores—A Clinical Study Naik PP, Mossialos D, Wijk B, Novakova P, Wagener FADTG, Cremers NAJ
Randomised Controlled Trial Cold Sore Honey
The methodology in this study involved a crossover trial with a group of 29 patients with recurrent cold sores. The majority of these patients experienced four or more episodes per year, so they served as their own control group. These patients applied a medical-grade honey product called L-Mesitran Soft to their cold sore either at the onset of symptoms or upon the appearance of the blister. After the healing process, they answered a questionnaire, assessing the effectiveness of the honey treatment based on healing time, pain, and itching level.
Researchers found that the average healing time was significantly less with the honey treatment in comparison to conventionally used treatments. The honey treatment led to faster healing in 86.2% of all patients and increased subjective healing score in 79.3% of the patients. Moreover, patients experiencing pain and itching with cold sores reported a reduction in these symptoms when treated with medical-grade honey. Additionally, all the patients expressed a preference for the honey treatment over conventional ones for future cold sores. This suggests the potential of MGH as a superior alternative treatment for cold sores.