A panel study on the effects of a Chinese medicinal suppository, Vigconic VI-28, on insulin-like growth factor 1 and homocysteine in healthy men

Abstract

Metadata onlyChanges in serum homocysteine (Hcy), often related to stroke and vascular dementia, are negatively correlated with changes in serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and growth hormone (GH) replacement decreases Hcy levels in men with GH deficiency. Very little information on the effects of Chinese medicines on GH and Hcy is available in the literature published in English. In this study, the effects of a Chinese medicine suppository, Vigconic VI-28 (VI-28), consisting of concentrated extracts of a composite mixture of herbal materials, on serum IGF-1 and Hcy were studied. In vivo observations after treatment with Chinese medicines have often indicated changes in biochemical profiles of measurable parameters related to those changes in endocrine secretions. Thirty six healthy males (age 47-66) were under observation over a 16-week schedule after using VI-28 suppository from 0 to 12 weeks. Blood specimens were taken monthly (except at the end of week 8) for analysis of Hcy and IGF-1 levels. Compared with week 0, IGF-1 levels (192.5 ± 66.4 ng/ml) were significantly elevated at week 4 (211.7 ± 80.5, p < 0.05) and week 12 (226.6 ± 95.2 ng/ml, p = 0.01). No significant changes were observed for Hcy for the whole cohort from week 0 to week 16. When the cohort was divided into 2 groups using a Hcy level of 13.0 µmol/l as the cut-off, a significant (p < 0.05) difference in IGF-1 was observed between the 2 groups at week 12 only. The mean IGF-1 of 14 subjects with higher Hcy levels was lower than that of the 22 subjects with lower Hcy. We believe that VI-28 may exert a regulatory effect on the relationship between Hcy and IGF-1, at least in subjects with relatively low levels of Hcy. In addition, we also observed an apparent association of hyperhomocysteinemia (Hcy greater than or equal to 13.0 mcmol/l) with decreased IGF-1

The effects of a Chinese medicinal suppository (Vitalliver) on insulin‐like growth factor 1 and homocysteine in patients with hepatitis B infection

“…Also reported was the beneficial regulatory effect of a Chinese medicinal suppository, Vigconic VI-28 which is similar in composition and action to Vitalliver (a Chinese medicinal suppository engaged in the present study), on Hcy and IGF-1, and their relationship among 36 healthy aging Chinese males, and an apparent association of hyperhomocysteinemia (Hcy ≥ 13.0 µmol/L) with decreased IGF-1 was observed (Chui et al, 2004). The aim of the present study was to investigate whether similar regulatory effects of Vitalliver on Hcy and IGF-1 could be found in chronic hepatitis B patients without liver cirrhosis.…”

“…In the present study, however, hyperhomocysteinaemia was not observed at baseline nor during the 3-month treatment period. Among the 40 chronic HBV patients, only three male patients (7.5%) had baseline Hcy levels greater than 13.0 µmol/ L, a cut-off value applied to differentiate the healthy subjects involved in the anti-aging study using VI-28 as described previously (Chui et al, 2004). However, trends of increase in IGF-1/IGFBP-3 were not observed in these three patients after treatment with Vitalliver.…”

“…Recently, it was reported that Hcy could induce endothelial injury with respect to inhibition of tube formation in vitro and that intervention with a Chinese medicinal herb could reverse the adverse effect of Hcy (Chan et al, 2004). Also reported was the beneficial regulatory effect of a Chinese medicinal suppository, Vigconic VI-28 which is similar in composition and action to Vitalliver (a Chinese medicinal suppository engaged in the present study), on Hcy and IGF-1, and their relationship among 36 healthy aging Chinese males, and an apparent association of hyperhomocysteinemia (Hcy ≥ 13.0 µmol/L) with decreased IGF-1 was observed (Chui et al, 2004).…”

In vitro Immunomodulatory activities of a newly concocted traditional Chinese medicine formula: VI‐28

“…Recently, several peer-reviewed reports have suggested that a novel TCM formula, denoted as VI-28, possessed anti-aging activities (Chui et al, 2004;Mak et al, 2004). A pilot clinical trial showed that VI-28 could exert a regulatory effect on serum homocysteine (Hcy) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), suggesting a possible reduction in stroke and vascular dementia in 36 male subjects (Chui et al, 2004). VI-28 was also shown to enhance significantly Radix Salviae miltiorrhizae (12%), Semen Allii (12%), Fructus Cnidii (8%), Fructus Evodiae (8%) and Rhizoma Kaempferiae (10%).…”

Рівень Інсуліноподібного Фактору Росту-1 Та Гідроген Сульфіду У Щурів З Неалкогольною Жировою Хворобою Печінки, Асоційованою З Гіпергомоцистеїнемією

“…За результатами клінічних спостережень, зростання рівня гомоцистеїну супроводжується зниженням рівня IGF-1 в сиро-ватці крові практично здорових чоловіків [15] та осіб похилого віку [16]. З іншого боку, зменшен-ня рівня IGF-1 може виявитись самостійним чинником, що індукує розвиток ГГЦ за НАжХП, оскільки in vitro встановлено здатність цього ростового фактора підвищувати активність ме-тіонінсинтетази [17].…”