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NCCAM Featured Content
Lifestyle Changes May Affect Cell-Level Processes Related to Disease
Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:30:00 -0500
Disease risk, progression, and premature mortality—in many types of cancer and in cardiovascular and infectious diseases—have been linked to telomeres, which are protective DNA-protein complexes that keep cells genetically stable. The cellular enzyme telomerase is an important part of the body's maintenance system for these essential complexes. For example, a previous investigation found that increased stress among caregivers of Alzheimer's patients was associated with lower telomerase activity and telomere shortening. In a recent pilot study funded by NCCAM and several other sponsors, researchers at the University of California-San Francisco investigated the effects of lifestyle changes on telomerase levels in 24 men with low-risk prostate cancer.
Talk About Prescriptions Month, October 2008
Wed, 08 Oct 2008 15:30:00 -0500
October is Talk About Prescriptions Month, which is dedicated to making both health care professionals and patients aware of the importance of understanding how to use medicines safely. As with prescription pharmaceuticals, health care providers and patients should also discuss the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). If you are seeing a CAM provider (e.g., acupuncturist, chiropractor, etc.), share any information about conventional treatments and prescriptions you are taking. Some CAM approaches can have an effect on conventional medicine.
CAM at the NIH - October 2008
Thu, 02 Oct 2008 15:30:00 -0500
Feature Stories Tips for Talking with Your Health Care ProviderAre you using—or thinking about using—complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)? If so, NCCAM provides some ideas on how to get a conversation started about CAM use when you talk to your health care providers. NCCAM Hosts Meditation WorkshopExperts from a wide range of fields and disciplines who share a common interest in meditation for health purposes met to assess current scientific knowledge and identify areas of opportunity for future research. Meet NACCAM Member Margery Gass, M.D.What are some things that women can do to stay healthy at midlife and beyond? NCCAM National Advisory Council member Margery Gass, M.D., a specialist in women's health, discusses this topic. Happiness and Systematic Mind-Body TrainingWhat do monks, meditation, and music have in common? Dr. Richard Davidson discusses his work on the science of happiness and on systematic training of the mind and body.
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine - current issue
eCAM: Early Harvest
Cooper, E. L. Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0000
Second World Ayurveda Congress (Theme: Ayurveda for the Future)--Inaugural Address: Part II
Mashelkar, R. A. Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0000
Can Vitex Agnus Castus be Used for the Treatment of Mastalgia? What is the Current Evidence?
Carmichael, A.R. Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0000
There have been many treatments suggested for the management of mastalgia; one of these is the fruit extract of Vitex Agnus castus L. commonly known as Agnus castus, an extract of a deciduous shrub native to Mediterranean Europe and Central Asia. It is postulated that A. castus suppresses the stress-induced latent hyperprolactinemia which is a release of supra-physiological levels of prolactin in some patients in response to stressful stimuli. It is postulated that A. castus could be effective in the treatment of cyclical mastalgia by inhibiting the release of excess prolactin by blocking Dopamine-2 receptor type on pituitary. The adverse events following A. castus treatment are mild and reversible. The aim of this review is assess the efficacy of A. castus in the treatment of mastalgia. Data from randomized and non-randomized studies regarding the efficacy and safety of A. castus is reviewed in a systematic fashion. It is concluded that A. castus can be considered as an efficient alternative phytotherapeutic agent in the treatment of mastalgia.
BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine - Latest articles
Echinacea purpurea and osteopathic manipulative treatment in children with recurrent otitis media: a randomized controlled trial
Richard A Wahl, Michael B Aldous, Katherine A Worden and Kathryn L Grant Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0000
Background: Recurrent otitis media is a common problem in young children. Echinacea and osteopathic manipulative treatment have been proposed as preventive measures, but have been inadequately studied. This study was designed to assess the efficacy of Echinacea purpurea and/or osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) for prevention of acute otitis media in otitis-prone children. Methods: A randomized, placebo-controlled, two-by-two factorial trial with 6-month follow-up, conducted 1999 - 2002 in Tucson, Arizona. Patients were aged 12-60 months with recurrent otitis media, defined as three or more separate episodes of acute otitis media within six months, or at least four episodes in one year. Ninety children (44% white non-Hispanic, 39% Hispanic, 57% male) were enrolled, of which 84 had follow-up for at least 3 months. Children were randomly assigned to one of four protocol groups: double placebo, echinacea plus sham OMT, true OMT (including cranial manipulation) plus placebo echinacea, or true echinacea plus OMT. An alcohol extract of Echinacea purpurea roots and seeds (or placebo) was administered for 10 days at the first sign of each common cold. Five OMT visits (or sham treatments) were offered over 3 months. Results: No interaction was found between echinacea and OMT. Echinacea was associated with a borderline increased risk of having at least one episode of acute otitis media during 6-month follow-up compared to placebo (65% versus 41%; relative risk, 1.59, 95% CI 1.04, 2.42). OMT did not significantly affect risk compared to sham (44% versus 61%; relative risk, 0.72, 95% CI 0.48, 1.10). Conclusions: In otitis-prone young children, treating colds with this form of echinacea does not decrease the risk of acute otitis media, and may in fact increase risk. A regimen of up to five osteopathic manipulative treatments does not significantly decrease the risk of acute otitis media. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00010465
Neuroprotective efficacy and therapeutic window of curcuma oil: in rat embolic stroke model
Preeti Dohare, Puja Garg, Uma Sharma, N. r. Jagannathan and Madhur Ray Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0000
Background: Among the naturally occurring compounds, turmeric from the dried rhizome of the plant Curcuma longa has long been used extensively as a condiment and a household remedy all over Southeast Asia. Turmeric contains essential oil, yellow pigments (curcuminoids), starch and oleoresin. The present study was designed for investigating the neuroprotective efficacy and the time window for effective therapeutic use of Curcuma oil (C. oil). Method: In the present study, the effect of post ischemic treatment of C.oil after ischemia induced by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery in the rat was observed. C.oil (500mg/kg body wt) was given 4hrs post ischemia. The significant effect on lesion size as visualized by using diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and neuroscore was still evident when treatment was started 4 hours after insult. Animals were assessed for behavioral deficit scores after 5 and 24 hours of ischemia. Subsequently, the rats were sacrificed for evaluation of infarct and edema volumes and other parameters. Results: C.oil ameliorated the ischemia induced neurological functional deficits and the infarct and edema volumes measured after 5 and 24 hrs of ischemia. After 24hrs, immunohistochemical and Western blot analysis demonstrated that the expression of iNOS, cytochrome c and Bax /Bcl-2 were altered after the insult, and antagonized by treatment with C.oil. C.oil significantly reduced nitrosative stress, tended to correct the decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, and also affected caspase-3 activation finally apoptosis. Conclusion: Here we demonstrated that iNOS-derived NO produced during ischemic injury was crucial for the up-regulation of ischemic injury targets. C.oil down-regulates these targets this coincided with an increased survival rate of neurons.
Antioxidant activities and phenolic contents of the methanol extracts of the stems of Acokanthera oppositifolia and Adenia gummifera
Adeolu A Adedapo, Florence O Jimoh, Anthony J Afolayan and Patrick J Masika Thu, 25 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0000
Background: Acokanthera oppositifolia Lam (family: Apocynaceae) is a shrub or small tree with white latex, and the leaves of this plant are used in the form of a snuff to treat headaches and in infusions for abdominal pains and convulsions and septicaemia. Adenia gummifera Harv of the family Passifloraceae is a distinctive woody climber whose infusions are used as emetics and are said to help with some forms of depression. Lipid peroxidation has gained more importance today because of its involvement in pathogenesis of many diseases. Free radicals are the main agents in lipid peroxidation. Antioxidants thus play an important role of protecting the human body against damage by the free radicals. Plants containing phenolic compounds have been reported to possess strong antioxidant properties. Methods: The antioxidant activities and phenolic contents of the methanol extracts of the stems of Acokanthera oppositifolia and Adenia gummifera were evaluated using in vitro standard procedures. Spectrophotometry was the basis for the determinations of total phenol, total flavonoids, flavonols, and proanthocyanidins. Tannins, quercetin and catechin equivalents were used for these parameters. The antioxidant activities of the stem extract of Acokanthera oppositifolia were determined by the 2,2'-azinobis-3- ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and ferrous reducing antioxidant property (FRAP) methods. Results: The results from this study showed that the antioxidant activities of the stem extract of Acokanthera oppositifolia as determined by the 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and ferrous reducing antioxidant property (FRAP) methods, were higher than that of Adenia gummifera. The levels of total phenols and flavonols for A. oppositifolia were also higher. On the other hand, the stem extract of Adenia gummifera had higher level of total flavonoids and proanthocyanidins than that of Acokanthera oppositifolia. The 2, 2'-azinobis-3- ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) activities of the 2 plant extracts were similar and comparable to that of BHT. Conclusion: Thus, the present results indicate clearly that the extracts of Acokanthera oppositifolia and Adenia gummifera possess antioxidant properties and could serve as free radical inhibitors or scavengers, acting possibly as primary antioxidants. This study has to some extent validated the medicinal potential of the stems of Acokanthera oppositifolia and Adenia gummifera.
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