Characteristics of <i>Morus alba</i>L. Cultured by In-Room Hydroponics

Morus alba L., (cv Ichinose) was cultivated by in-room hydroponics. The flavor and texture of leaves were markedly improved enough to be edible. When the contents of 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) and polyphenols were measured in the hydroponic cultivar, DNJ increased in the leaf compared to the field grown M. alba. However, polyphenols, in contrast, decreased compared to the field cultivar. HPLC profiling revealed marked difference in leaf components between hydroponic and field cultivars indicating relative contents of lipophilic polyphenols were increased. The polyphenols contents, especially, lipophilic polyphenols in the root were remarkably high compared to So-Haku-Hi (Sang Bai Pi in Chinese). The anti-obesity effect of the hydroponically grown Morus was further studied in rats by feeding high-fat, high-sucrose (HFHS) diet with and without supplementation of dried leaf and root powders for 15 weeks. As the result, both the leaf and root from the hydroponic cultivar showed potential anti-obesity and anti-hyperlipidemic functions through amelioration of insulin resistance. Differential effects of leaf and root powders indicated that besides DNJ, the lipophilic polyphenols may play a crucial role in the anti-diabetic function of hydroponically grown Morus alba L. The hydroponics will provide an alternate way to cultivate a novel resource of Morus for developing functional foods and medicines.

A Clinical Observation of Functional Abdominal Pain Syndrome in Patients Treated by Traditional Chinese Spinal Orthopedic Manipulation

Objective： To evaluate the clinical effect of traditional Chinese spinal orthopedic manipulation（TCSOM） in treating patients with functional abdominal pain syndrome（FAPS） in comparison with Pinaverium Bromide（Dicetel, PBD）, and to assess a possible cause for FAPS. Methods： Eighty patients with FAPS were randomly and equally assigned to the TCSOM group and PBD group according to the random number table. All patients in the TCSOM group were treated with a maximum of 5 times of spinal manipulations. Patients in the PBD group were instructed to take 50 mg 3 times a day, consistently for 2 weeks. The symptoms of pre-and post-treatment were assessed on a visual analog scale（VAS） pain score. A symptom improvement rating（SIR） was implemented to evaluate the effects of the treatments. Results： The symptoms of 27 cases of the TCSOM group were relieved soon after the first TCSOM treatment and 9 cases were significantly improved. The VAS pain scores in the TCSOM group were significantly lower than those in the PBD group after 2 weeks treatment. According to the SIR based on VAS, the TCSOM group included 30 cases with excellent results, 7 cases with good, and 3 cases with poor. Adverse events to the treatment were not reported. Based on VAS, the PBD group reported 8 cases with excellent results, 10 cases with good and 22 cases with poor. There was a significant difference between the two groups（P〈0.01）. Conclusions： The displacement of intervertebral discs and/or vertebra in the thoracic or lumbar region seems to be a contributing factor in the symptoms of FAPS. TCSOM is an effective treatment for FAPS.