title: Antioxidant profiles of a prepared extract of Chinese herbs for the treatment of atopic eczema.
abstract: A standardized mixture of Chinese herbs, Zemaphyte taken orally as a daily decoction has been shown to be effective in the treatment of atopic eczema. This study showed that Zemaphyte is an efficient antioxidant, being capable of scavenging both superoxide and hydroxyl, and preventing peroxidation of biological membranes. It does not degrade hydrogen peroxide directly, but instead most likely forms a Zemaphyte-hydrogen peroxide complex. The complexed hydrogen peroxide can then be degraded in the presence of catalase to form oxygen and water. It is conceivable that Zemaphyte may contribute to the down-regulation of the activities of cells implicated in atopic eczema through its antioxidant activities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. chungly@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Lip Yong
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C530354:Zemaphyte; D013481:Superoxides; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide