Preclinical summary
Published preclinical data has shown that Sigesbeckia and compounds found in Sigesbeckia are:
- Analgesic
- Anti-inflammatory & reduces oedema (swelling)
- Antioxidant
- Cartilage protective
- Immunomodulatory
Clinical summary
Clinical trials conducted with Sigesbeckia have shown that:
- Subjects with rheumatoid arthritis had reductions in joint swelling and pain after taking Sigesbeckia for for one month
- Subject with osteoarthritis in the knee receiving Sigesbeckia for 5 weeks had improved signs and symptoms.
Preclinical data
Sigesbeckia extract when used topically has been shown to have analgesic effect. Applied topically, Sigesbeckia showed an analgesic effect in the acetic acid writhing model and the hot plate test. The results were significant compared with the control group, but not as great as topically applied emthyl salicylate ointment (2).
References
- Park H-J. (2006). Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effect of a diterpene isolated from the aerial part of Siegesbeckia pubescens. Korean Journal of Plant Research, 19(6): 660-664.
- Wang J et al. (2008). Anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity of topical administrations of Siegesbeckia pubescens. Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Science, 21(2): 89-91.
The findings that Sigesbeckia acts on phase 2 oedema has been confirmed by in vitro studies. Compounds isolated from Sigesbeckia inhibit induced nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a) – all of which are mediators of inflammation. NO activates cyclooxygenase (COX-2), which in turn increases the release of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins. In addition to this, the Sigesbeckia compounds were show to have peroxynitrite scavenging activity, a free radical created through the reaction of NO and superoxide anion that would perpetuate the inflammatory response (3, 4).
References
- Park H-J. (2006). Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effect of a diterpene isolated from the aerial part of Siegesbeckia pubescens. Korean Journal of Plant Research, 19(6): 660-664.
- Wang J et al. (2008). Anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity of topical administrations of Siegesbeckia pubescens. Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Science, 21(2): 89-91.
- Kim JY, Lim HJ and Ryu J-H (2008). In vitro anti-inflammatory activity of 3-O-methyl-flavones isolated from Siegesbeckia glabrescens. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 18: 1511-1514.
- Park H-J et al. (2008). Anti-inflammatory activities of ent-16αH, 17-hydroxy-kauran-19-oic acid isolated from the roots of Siegesbeckia pubescens are due to the inhibition of iNOS and COX-2 expression in RAW 264.7 macrophages via NF-κB inactivation. European Journal of Pharmacology, 558: 185-193.
In a thiocyanante assay, extracts of Sigesbeckia where shown to exhibit both antioxidant activity and also free radical scavenging activity. This could have benefit across a range of pathologies, including inflammation, as many reactive oxygen species are pro-inflammatory mediators (2).
References
- Su JD, Osawa T and Namiki M (1986). Screening for antioxidative activity of crude drugs. Agricultural and Biological Chemistry; 50 (1): 199-203. 7.
- Kang DG, Yun CK, and Less HS (2003). Screening and comparison of antioxidant activity of solvent extracts of herbal medicines used in Korea. Journal of Ethnopharmacology; 87: 231-236.
In a similar study, Sigesbeckia extract was compared against ibuprofen and a placebo in a knee osteoarthritis model to explore the protective and preventative effects of the compounds on osteoarthritis. After four weeks of treatment, Sigesbeckia was shown to significantly decrease levels of the inflammatory cytokines IL-1B and TNF-a in the joint fluid compared with placebo. Microscopic examination of the joint cartilage showed that Sigesbeckia extract effectively protected cartilage cells from damage and degradation compared with the placebo group that showed clear degenerative changes in the joint cartilage (2).
References
- Huh et al. Therapeutic effect of Siegesbeckiae pubescens on cartilage protection in a rabbit collagenase-induced model of osteoarthritis. Journal of Pharmacological Sciences, 2008; 107: 317-328
- Guo LY, Hu HH and Mi JG (2006). Effect of classic formula, Xi Xian Pill, on IL-1β and TNF-α content in joint fluid and cell morphology of articular cartilage of model rabbits with knee osteoarthritis. China Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology; 19 (6).
Whilst IgE is typically associated with allergic diseases such as asthma, food allergies and allergic rhinitis, it is also known to be elevated in various auto-immune disorders such as systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. Elevated IgE levels are theorised to be of importance in rheumatoid arthritis and studies have shown high levels of IgE in the sera of RA patients (2).
References
- Kim HM, Lee J-H, Won J-H, Park E-J, Chae H-J, Kim H-R, Kim C-H, and Baek S-H (2001). Inhibitory effect on immunoglobulin E production in vivo and in vitro by Siegesbeckia glabrescens. Phytotherapy Research; 15: 572-576.
- Millauer et al., 1999. High IgE in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients is complexed with anti-IgE autoantibodies
Clinical data
References
- Dou Y. Clinical observations on 38 cases of rheumatoid arthritis treated with Xi-Tong capsule. China Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine; 2004; 19 (12): 752-753.
References
- Shi, J. Clinical observations on an ancient formula of Xi xian Wan to improve sodium hyaluronate’s efficacy in the treatment of early stage osteoarthritis of the knee. 2008; Guiyang Medical College, China.