Abstract. Arctium lappa, commonly known as burdock, is being promoted/recommended as a healthy and nutritive food in Chinese societies. Burdock has been used therapeutically in Europe, North America and Asia for hundreds of years. The roots, seeds and leaves of burdock have been investigated in view of its popular uses in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). In this review, the reported therapeutic effects of the active compounds present in the different botanical parts of burdock are summarized. In the root, the active ingredients have been found to "detoxify" blood in TCM term and promote blood circulation to the skin surface, improving the skin quality/texture and curing skin diseases like eczema. Antioxidants and anti-diabetic compounds have also been found in the root. In the seeds, some active compounds possess anti-inflammatory effects, and potent inhibitory effects on the growth of tumors such as the pancreatic carcinoma. In the leaf extract, the active compounds isolated can inhibit the growth of micro-organisms in the oral cavity. The medicinal uses of burdock in treating chronic diseases like cancers, diabetes and AIDS have been reported. However, it is also essential to be aware of the side-effects of burdock including contact dermatitis and other allergic/inflammatory responses that might be evoked by burdock.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a category of chronic noncommunicable diseases causing high global mortality and has been a heavy social burden in many countries. In the search of chemicals that arise from natural food source, allicin is one such ingredient from garlic that was discovered with the potential to provide beneficial effects to the cardiovascular system. From the pharmacokinetic studies, allicin is known to be hydrophobic and can be readily absorbed through the cell membrane without inducing any damage to the phospholipid bilayer and then rapidly metabolized to exert pharmacological effects that are important to the cardiovascular system. It was found to provide cardio-protective effects by inducing vasorelaxation and alleviating various pathological conditions of CVD, including cardiac hypertrophy, angiogenesis, platelet aggregation, hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia. Allicin was also discovered to further protect the cardiovascular system by enhancing the antioxidant status by lowering the level of reactive oxygen species and stimulating the production of glutathione. Other pharmacological benefits such as anticancer and antimicrobial activities were also discussed. It is concluded that allicin can be potentially developed into a health product for the cardiovascular system.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been widely used in China for thousands of years to treat and prevent diseases. TCM has been proven safe and effective, and it is being considered as one of the important types of complementary and alternative medicine and receives increasing attention worldwide. The dried root of Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb. et Zucc. (also known as “Hu Zhang” in Chinese) is one of the medicinal herbs listed in the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China. Hu Zhang is widely distributed in the world. It can be found in Asia and North America and is used as folk medicine in countries such as Japan and Korea. In China, Hu Zhang is usually used in combination with other TCM herbs. The therapeutic uses of those Hu Zhang-containing TCM prescriptions or formulations are for treating cough, hepatitis, jaundice, amenorrhea, leucorrhea, arthralgia, burns and snake bites. Recent pharmacological and clinical studies have indicated that Hu Zhang has antiviral, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and cardioprotective functions. This review gives a summary of the reported therapeutic effects of the active compounds and the different extracts of Hu Zhang.

Turmeric may be considered a functional food for regulating plasma cholesterol levels and preventing the development of fatty liver in people who frequently consume a high-cholesterol diet.

The growth of age-friendly community initiatives underscores a paradigmatic shift from the individual to the community, addressing dynamic transactions between people and the environment they are living in. The purpose of the present study is to address the gap in existing research by examining the psycho-social effects of the sense of community in mediating between WHO domains of age-friendliness and the life satisfaction of older adults. Data were obtained from 898 participants in Hong Kong. Path analysis was conducted. Two AFC domains, Social Participation as well as Community Support and Health Services, were found to be associated with life satisfaction. Sense of community was found to mediate between these two domains and life satisfaction. The implications of these findings are discussed with reference to developing opportunities in social participation of older adults and enhancing community/health support services in the context of developing sustainability in the community.