Search Results (18)

The trend towards alternative medicine and naturopathy increases the interest in the use of natural products. This requires larger quantities of qualitative raw material of medicinal plants, including the well-known genus Echinacea. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the quality of E. purpurea and pallida cultivated in Kazanlak, Bulgaria. We developed and validated a rapid, reliable, and inexpensive HPLC method for the quantitative determination of chicoric, caftaric, and caffeic acids, and of cynarin, echinacoside, quercetin, and apigenin. The amount of chicoric and caftaric acids was monitored in different phases of plant development in aerial parts and roots. Maximal concentrations of chicoric acid (3.4%) were reported in roots in the seed-formation phase, and a concentration of 2.8% was reported in aerial parts in the vegetative phase. Caftaric acid was 0.9% in aerial parts in the vegetative and flowering phases and 0.5% in roots in the vegetative and seeding phases. Their amounts significantly exceed the requirements of the European Pharmacopoeia 8.0. Therefore, Kazanlak-grown E. purpurea could be a reliable raw material for the formulation of phytopreparations. In addition, the proposed method was applied to the detection and determination of the above-described substances in phytopreparations containing Echinacea from commercial sources. The amounts of the tested substances were found to vary widely. Full article

Naturopathy or herbal medicine has been widely used as an alternative treatment for several illnesses, such as cancer, as they are generally acknowledged as a treatment with lesser side effects. This research evaluated the bioactive compounds profiling, antioxidant, and anticancer potential in Mentha longifolia L. (essential oil and extract), using different solvent polarities (hexane, methanol, and diethyl ether). Meanwhile, the caspase 3 gene expression and cell cycle status of methanolic extract were determined in colorectal cancer cells (Caco-2 and SW48). The overall findings showed that methanolic extraction exhibited the highest total phenolic and flavonoid with respective values of 59.25 mg GAE (Gallic acid) eq./g DW (dry weight) and 20.02 mg RE (Rutin) eq./g DW, respectively, compared to hexane and diethyl ether. Furthermore, piperitenone oxid and piperitonone were found to be the dominant volatile compounds in methanolic extracts and essential oils. Additionally, the methanolic extract possesses higher antioxidant and anticancer activities. The molecular analysis indicated that methanolic extract up-regulated the expression of caspase 3 and increased the SubG1 (method to detecting cell death) peaks in treated Caco-2 and SW48 cell lines. To conclude, M. longifolia L. could serve as an effective therapeutic agent and a remedy for several illnesses, such as cancer caused by oxidative stress. Full article

Complementary and Alternative Medicines/Therapies (CAM) are commonly used by US asthma adults, yet little is known about recent trends in their use. Our aim was to report trends in CAM use among US adults with current asthma. We conducted a serial cross-sectional study using nationally representative data from the BRFSS Asthma Call-Back Survey (ACBS) collected between 2008 and 2019 (sample size per cycle, 8222 to 14,227). The exposure was calendar time, as represented by ACBS cycle, while the main outcomes were use of at least one CAM and eleven alternative therapies. We analyzed CAM use overall and by population subgroups based on age, gender, race/ethnicity, income, and daytime and night-time asthma symptoms. Our findings show that there was an increase in the use of at least one CAM from 41.3% in 2008 to 47.9% in 2019 (p-trend < 0.001) and an upward trend in the use of herbs, aromatherapy, yoga, breathing exercises, homeopathy, and naturopathy (p-trend < 0.05). However, the use of vitamins, acupuncture, acupressure, reflexology, and other CAM therapies remained stable (p-trend > 0.05). These trends varied according to population characteristics (age, sex, race, income) and asthma symptoms. In conclusion, our study suggests that CAM use among US adults with current asthma is either increasing or stable, and further studies are needed to explore the factors influencing these trends. Full article

Background: Most individuals affected by cancer who are treated with certain chemotherapies suffer of CIPN. Therefore, there is a high patient and provider interest in complementary non-pharmacological therapies, but its evidence base has not yet been clearly pointed out in the context of CIPN. Methods: The results of a scoping review overviewing the published clinical evidence on the application of complementary therapies for improving the complex CIPN symptomatology are synthesized with the recommendations of an expert consensus process aiming to draw attention to supportive strategies for CIPN. The scoping review, registered at PROSPERO 2020 (CRD 42020165851), followed the PRISMA-ScR and JBI guidelines. Relevant studies published in Pubmed/MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PEDro, Cochrane CENTRAL, and CINAHL between 2000 and 2021 were included. CASP was used to evaluate the methodologic quality of the studies. Results: Seventy-five studies with mixed study quality met the inclusion criteria. Manipulative therapies (including massage, reflexology, therapeutic touch), rhythmical embrocations, movement and mind–body therapies, acupuncture/acupressure, and TENS/Scrambler therapy were the most frequently analyzed in research and may be effective treatment options for CIPN. The expert panel approved 17 supportive interventions, most of them were phytotherapeutic interventions including external applications and cryotherapy, hydrotherapy, and tactile stimulation. More than two-thirds of the consented interventions were rated with moderate to high perceived clinical effectiveness in therapeutic use. Conclusions: The evidence of both the review and the expert panel supports a variety of complementary procedures regarding the supportive treatment of CIPN; however, the application on patients should be individually weighed in each case. Based on this meta-synthesis, interprofessional healthcare teams may open up a dialogue with patients interested in non-pharmacological treatment options to tailor complementary counselling and treatments to their needs. Full article

Humans are feeling emotions every day, but they can still encounter difficulties understanding them. To better understand emotions, we integrated interdisciplinary knowledge about emotions from various domains such as neurosciences (e.g., neurobiology), physiology, and psychology (affective sciences, positive psychology, cognitive psychology, psychophysiology, neuropsychology, etc.). To organize the knowledge, we employ technologies such as Artificial Intelligence with Knowledge Graphs and Semantic Reasoning. Furthermore, Internet of Things (IoT) technologies can help to acquire physiological data knowledge. The goal of this paper is to aggregate the interdisciplinary knowledge and implement it within the Emotional Knowledge Graph (EmoKG). The Emotional Knowledge Graph is used within our naturopathy recommender system that suggests food to boost emotion (e.g., chocolate contains magnesium that is recommended when we feel depressed). The recommender system also answers a set of competency questions to easily retrieve emotional related-knowledge from EmoKG, such as what are the basic emotions and the more sophisticated ones, what are the neurotransmitters and hormones related to emotions, etc. To follow FAIR principles, EmoKG is mapped to existing knowledge bases found on the BioPortal biomedical ontology catalog such as SNOMEDCT, FMA, RXNORM, MedDRA, and also from emotion ontologies (when available online). We design the LOV4IoT-Emotion ontology catalog that encourages researchers from heterogeneous communities to apply FAIR principles by releasing online their (emotion) ontologies, datasets, rules, etc. The set of ontology codes shared online can be semi-automatically processed; if not available, the scientific publications describing the emotion ontologies are semi-automatically processed with Natural Language Processing (NLP) technologies. This research is also relevant for other use cases such as European projects (ACCRA for emotional robots to reduce the social isolation of aging people, StandICT for standardization, and AI4EU for Artificial Intelligence) and alliances for IoT such as AIOTI. The recommender system can be extended to address other advice such as aromatherapy and take into consideration medical devices to monitor patients’ vital signals related to emotions and mental health. Full article

Aromas have a powerful influence in our everyday life and are known to exhibit an array of pharmacological properties, including anxiolytic, anti-stress, relaxing, and sedative effects. Numerous animal and human studies support the use of aromas and their constituents to reduce anxiety-related symptoms and/or behaviours. Although the exact mechanism of how these aromas exert their anxiolytic effects is not fully understood, the GABAergic system is thought to be primarily involved. The fragrance emitted from a number of plant essential oils has shown promise in recent studies in modulating GABAergic neurotransmission, with GABA_A receptors being the primary therapeutic target. This review will explore the anxiolytic and sedative properties of aromas found in common beverages, such as coffee, tea, and whisky as well aromas found in food, spices, volatile organic compounds, and popular botanicals and their constituents. In doing so, this review will focus on these aromas and their influence on the GABAergic system and provide greater insight into viable anxiety treatment options. Full article

Naturopathic medicine is a growing profession in North America that provides expertise in complementary and alternative, or integrative care to pediatric patients. It is imperative that healthcare providers have an understanding of the training and scope of other health professionals in order to effectively make decisions regarding research, collaborative clinical care, and policy. Given the prevalence of use of complementary and alternative medicine by children and families in North America, and the growing interest in “integrative” medicine, we aim to offer an overview of naturopathic care for children. This document describes the principles, training, and scope of naturopathic medicine, including health promotion, disease prevention, and illness management. It describes the process by which naturopathic doctors create an integrative healthcare plan for children, evaluate and apply evidence, and integrate ethical issues in practice management, and speaks to the role naturopathic doctors have regarding advocacy for community and planetary health as it relates to pediatrics. Full article

Background: Dyslipidemia poses a high risk for cardiovascular disease and stroke in Type 2 diabetes (T2DM). There are no studies on the impact of a validated integrated yoga lifestyle protocol on lipid profiles in a high-risk diabetes population. Methods: Here, we report the results of lipid profile values of 11,254 (yoga 5932 and control 5322) adults (20–70 years) of both genders with high risk (≥60 on Indian diabetes risk score) for diabetes from a nationwide rural and urban community-based two group (yoga and conventional management) cluster randomized controlled trial. The yoga group practiced a validated integrated yoga lifestyle protocol (DYP) in nine day camps followed by daily one-hour practice. Biochemical profiling included glycated hemoglobin and lipid profiles before and after three months. Results: There was a significant difference between groups (p < 0.001 ANCOVA) with improved serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, and high-density lipoprotein in the yoga group compared to the control group. Further, the regulatory effect of yoga was noted with a significant decrease or increase in those with high or low values of lipids, respectively, with marginal or no change in those within the normal range. Conclusion: Yoga lifestyle improves and regulates (lowered if high, increased if low) the blood lipid levels in both genders of prediabetic and diabetic individuals in both rural and urban Indian communities. Full article

Natural compounds such as essential oils and tea have been used successfully in naturopathy and folk medicine for hundreds of years. Current research is unveiling the molecular role of their antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. Nevertheless, the effect of these compounds on bacteriophages is still poorly understood. The application of bacteriophages against bacteria has gained a particular interest in recent years due to, e.g., the constant rise of antimicrobial resistance to antibiotics, or an increasing awareness of different types of microbiota and their potential contribution to gastrointestinal diseases, including inflammatory and malignant conditions. Thus, a better knowledge of how dietary products can affect bacteriophages and, in turn, the whole gut microbiome can help maintain healthy homeostasis, reducing the risk of developing diseases such as diverse types of gastroenteritis, inflammatory bowel disease, or even cancer. The present review summarizes the effect of dietary compounds on the physiology of bacteriophages. In a majority of works, the substance class of polyphenols showed a particular activity against bacteriophages, and the primary mechanism of action involved structural damage of the capsid, inhibiting bacteriophage activity and infectivity. Some further dietary compounds such as caffeine, salt or oregano have been shown to induce or suppress prophages, whereas others, such as the natural sweeter stevia, promoted species-specific phage responses. A better understanding of how dietary compounds could selectively, and specifically, modulate the activity of individual phages opens the possibility to reorganize the microbial network as an additional strategy to support in the combat, or in prevention, of gastrointestinal diseases, including inflammation and cancer. Full article

An outbreak of “Pneumonia of Unknown Etiology” occurred in Wuhan, China, in late December 2019. Later, the agent factor was identified and coined as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and the disease was named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In a shorter period, this newly emergent infection brought the world to a standstill. On 11 March 2020, the WHO declared COVID-19 as a pandemic. Researchers across the globe have joined their hands to investigate SARS-CoV-2 in terms of pathogenicity, transmissibility, and deduce therapeutics to subjugate this infection. The researchers and scholars practicing different arts of medicine are on an extensive quest to come up with safer ways to curb the pathological implications of this viral infection. A huge number of clinical trials are underway from the branch of allopathy and naturopathy. Besides, a paradigm shift on cellular therapy and nano-medicine protocols has to be optimized for better clinical and functional outcomes of COVID-19-affected individuals. This article unveils a comprehensive review of the pathogenesis mode of spread, and various treatment modalities to combat COVID-19 disease. Full article

Background: Dyslipidemia is considered a risk factor in Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) resulting in cardio-vascular complications. Yoga practices have shown promising results in alleviating Type 2 Diabetes pathology. Method: In this stratified trial on a Yoga based lifestyle program in cases with Type 2 diabetes, in the rural and urban population from all zones of India, a total of 17,012 adults (>20 years) of both genders were screened for lipid profile and sugar levels. Those who satisfied the selection criteria were taught the Diabetes Yoga Protocol (DYP) for three months and the data were analyzed. Results: Among those with Diabetes, 29.1% had elevated total cholesterol (TC > 200 mg/dL) levels that were higher in urban (69%) than rural (31%) Diabetes patients. There was a positive correlation (p = 0.048) between HbA1c and total cholesterol levels. DYP intervention helped in reducing TC from 232.34 ± 31.48 mg/dL to 189.38 ± 40.23 mg/dL with significant pre post difference (p < 0.001). Conversion rate from high TC (>200 mg/dL) to normal TC (<200 mg/dL) was observed in 60.3% of cases with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM); from high LDL (>130 mg/dL) to normal LDL (<130 mg/dL) in 73.7%; from high triglyceride (>200 mg/dL) to normal triglyceride level (<200 mg/dL) in 63%; from low HDL (<45 mg/dL) to normal HDL (>45 mg/dL) in 43.7% of T2DM patients after three months of DYP. Conclusions: A Yoga lifestyle program designed specifically to manage Diabetes helps in reducing the co-morbidity of dyslipidemia in cases of patients with T2DM. Full article

The Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Hospital in Bad Kötzting, Germany, is treating chronically ill patients, covering a broad range of indications. The aim of this study was to prove the efficacy of a multimodal intervention combining mainstream medicine with TCM treatments on the severity of psychopathological symptoms. Out of 966 patients with chronic psychosomatic disease treated 2017 at the TCM Hospital, we selected 759 patients according to specific criteria and analyzed the outcomes after multimodal intervention. The patients completed a validated questionnaire (International Statistical Classification of Diseases (ICD) Symptom-Rating-(ISR)) at admission, discharge, and follow-up. The most frequent ICD-10 diagnoses were “diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue” (28.5%), “mental and behavioral disorders” (23.7%), and “diseases of the nervous system” (13.8%). Regarding ISR symptom load, “depressive syndrome” and “anxiety syndrome” were the leading burdens showing remissions of about 40%–60% with moderate (0.588) to strong (1.115) effect sizes (Cohen’s d) after treatment. ISR total scores at discharge and follow-up were remarkably lower after intervention (0.64 and 0.75, respectively) compared to 1.02 at admission with moderate to strong effect sizes (0.512–0.815). These findings indicate a clinically relevant relief from mental symptom load after intervention with lasting clinical effects for at least six months. Full article

Background and Objective: The concept of a “disruptive innovation,” recently extended to health care, refers to an emerging technology that represents a new market force combined with a new value system, that eventually displaces some, or all, of the current leading “stakeholders, products and strategic alliances.” Naturopathy is a distinct system of traditional and complementary medicine recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO), emerging as a model of primary care. The objective here is to describe Naturopathy in the context of the criteria for a disruptive innovation. Methods: An evidence synthesis was conducted to evaluate Naturopathy as a potentially disruptive technology according to the defining criteria established by leading economists and health technology experts: (1) The innovation must cure disease; (2) must transform the way medicine is practiced; or (3) have an impact that could be disruptive or sustaining, depending on how it is integrated into the current healthcare marketplace. Results: The fact that Naturopathy de-emphasizes prescription drug and surgical interventions in favor of nonpharmacological health promotion and self-care could disrupt the present economic model that fuels health care costs. The patient-centered orientation of Naturopathy, combined with an emphasis on preventive behaviors and popular complementary and integrative health services like natural products, mind and body therapies, and other therapies not widely represented in current primary care models increase the likelihood for disruption. Conclusions: Because of its patient-centered approach and emphasis on prevention, naturopathy may disrupt or remain a durable presence in healthcare delivery depending on policymaker decisions. Full article

The efficacy of the plant-derived polyphenol curcumin, in various aspects of health and wellbeing, is matter of public interest. An internet search of the term “Curcumin” displays about 12 million hits. Among the multitudinous information presented on partly doubtful websites, there are reports attracting the reader with promises ranging from eternal youth to cures for incurable diseases. Unfortunately, many of these reports are not based on scientific evidence, but they feed the desideratum of the reader for a “miracle cure”. This circumstance makes it very difficult for researchers, who work in a scientifically sound and evidence-based manner on the therapeutic benefits (or side effects) of curcumin, to demarcate their results from sensational reports that circulate in the web and in other media. This is only one of many obstacles making it difficult to pave curcumin’s way into clinical application; others are its nonpatentability and low economic usability. A further impediment comes from scientists who never worked with curcumin or any other natural plant-derived compound in their own labs. They have never tested these compounds in any scientific assay, neither in vitro nor in vivo; however, they claim, in a sometimes polemic manner, that everything that has so far been published on curcumin’s molecular effects is based on artefacts. The here presented Special Issue comprises a collection of five scientifically sound articles and nine reviews reporting on the therapeutic benefits and the molecular mechanisms of curcumin or of chemically modified curcumin in various diseases ranging from malignant tumors to chronic diseases, microbial infection, and even neurodegenerative diseases. The excellent results of the scientific projects that underlie the five original papers give reason to hope that curcumin will be part of novel treatment strategies in the near future—either as monotherapy or in combination with other drugs or therapeutic applications. Full article

Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM) that targets infants and children can place them at grave risk. Our plan is to review some of the major cases of CAM used by parents, and by unlicensed and even licensed health professionals. Complications from CAM are rarely the focus of regulatory bodies, or even the courts. Even regulated health professionals, who have profited by misrepresenting science-based evidence for treatment or prevention of disease, have been rarely sanctioned by their respective Boards or Colleges. This must change. In addition, there is a dire need for regulators, including the governments, who allow quack products and devices to be marketed in their respective countries, to prosecute them. Existing regulations must be coupled with more effective enforcement. Some of these cases have had a direct connection to me personally, while others are examples of just plain dangerous quackery. Full article