Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine最新文献

Plants are an important source of natural active products that are different, based on mechanism and biological properties. Celery ( Apium graveolens L) is a plant from the apiaceae family and phenolic and antioxidant compounds of this plant have been studied by several scientists. The aim of this study was to review systematically the antioxidant activity of celery. Required articles were searched from databases such as Science Direct, PubMed, Scopus, and Springer. Keywords used in this study were Apium graveolens L, celery, antioxidant, free radical, leaf, and seed. Out of 980 collected articles (published in the period 1997-2015), 9 studies finally met the inclusion criteria and were considered. Celery, because of compounds such as caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, apigenin, luteolin, tannin, saponin, and kaempferol, has powerful antioxidant characteristics, to remove free radicals. It is clear that celery, with different compounds and diverse concentration can have varied healing effects. It is suggested that the next studies concentrate on other therapeutic and industrial attributes of celery.

Myrtus communis L (Myrtaceae) is one of the popular drugs being used in the Unani system of phytomedicine since ancient Greece period. From time immemorial, different parts of this plant and essential oil have been used for a variety of purposes such as cosmetics (hair fall control), flavoring of food and drinks as well as extensive therapeutic purposes. Ethnobotanical information revealed that M communis L has been a folkloric repute for the treatment of several diseases like gastric ulcer, diarrhea, dysentery, cancer, rheumatism, hemorrhage, deep sinuses, leucorrhoea, hemorrhoid, inflammation, dyspepsia, anxiety, insomnia, diabetes, hypertension, pulmonary disorders, and skin diseases. Moreover, ethnopharmacological studies revealed that the plant is endowed with extensive pharmacological activities, including antimicrobial, antidiarrheal, antidiabetic, antispasmodic, vasodilator, antiulcer, antioxidant, anticancer, anxiolytic, sedative-hypnotic, and anti-inflammatory activities, among others. The plant has been known to contain phenolic acids, tannins, flavonoids, glycosides, and terpenes. The myrtle oil was also found to be rich in a variety of bioactive monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes with their derivatives. Most of these studies validate the aforementioned traditional claims of this medicinal plant. Further studies are needed to unravel other pharmacological activities of this plant in the long run.

The effects of aqueous extract of Ocimum gratissimum leaf (AOGL) on the renal function of rats with gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity were investigated. This study involved the use of forty five (45) adult male Wistar rats (housed in separate metabolic cages) such that graded doses of OAGL were administered to the experimental groups (p.o.) for 28 days after exposure to gentamicin toxicity (100 mg/kg i.p.) for 1 week. At the end of the study, comparisons of some indices of renal function as well as antioxidant status (GSH and TBARS) were made between the control, toxic and AOGL-treated groups at P < 0.05. The result showed that gentamicin treatment caused significant increase ( P < .05) in urine output, urea, creatinine, total protein, relative kidney weight, and TBARS, as well as significant decrease ( P < .05) in urine creatinine and GSH levels. Post-treatment with graded doses of AOGL caused significant increase in food consumption, GSH, urine, and plasma creatinine, as well as significant decrease ( P < .05) in relative kidney weight, TBARS, and urine total protein. There was an appreciable difference in the kidney histology of the AOGL-treated groups when compared with the toxic control. Hence, the extract has therapeutic potential in the management of gentamicin-induced kidney injury, although a risk profile of renal dysfunction is not unlikely from 28 days of administration as evident by the decrease in creatinine clearance.

Comprehensive explanation about milk oversupply is not available in the current literature because few studies have been done on this topic. In traditional Persian medicine, milk oversupply and its management have been described. The aim of this study was to investigate milk oversupply from the perspective of medieval Persian practitioners. In this study, some main medical resources of traditional Persian medicine such as Al-Havi and the Canon of Medicine were studied to extract valuable information about milk oversupply. Etiology of milk overproduction according to traditional Persian medicine is based on humors theory and cannot be easily compared with current medical concepts. Diet modifications and natural remedies have been applied for managing this condition but the majority of traditional Persian medicine interventions for reducing milk oversupply have not been scientifically investigated in modern medicine. The knowledge of milk oversupply in traditional Persian medicine may be helpful to conduct further related studies.

Silybum marianum (L) Gaertn (milk thistle) seeds, Urtica dioica L (nettle) leaves, and Boswellia serrata (olibanum gum) resin are used traditionally by Iranian diabetic patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antihyperglycemic effects of these herbs in an herbal formulation in patients with type II diabetes mellitus. Sixty patients diagnosed as type II diabetes mellitus with fasting blood glucose level from 150 to 180 mg/dL, glycosylated hemoglobin level from 7.5% to 8.5%, and on oral antihyperglycemic drugs, were allocated to receive the mix herbal formulation or placebo for 90 days in a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial. The mean serum fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, and triglyceride in the herbal drug group were significantly less than placebo group's values after 3 months of the intervention. The study showed a potential antihyperglycemic and triglyceride lowering effect of the herbal formulation, while it did not have any significant cholesterol or blood pressure lowering effect.

Mindfulness-based curricular interventions can support adolescents who are at risk of school failure as they negotiate the transition from high school into young adulthood. Researchers hypothesized that a 6-week mindfulness-based intervention would lower participants' perceived stress while increasing their reported levels of self-esteem. Participants (N = 23) ranged in age from 17 to 20 years while the majority were male students of color. Pre- and postintervention survey mean responses revealed statistically significant differences on the Single-Item Self-Esteem Scale and 3 items on the Perceived Stress Scale (with small to moderate effect sizes). Postintervention focus group (n = 8) data indicated that the most valued daily practice was the body scan technique. Open coding of the focus group data also revealed several key themes in the form of overarching codes as participants discussed intervention benefits. These included ( a) self-regulation, ( b) attention-awareness, and ( c) positive thinking.

Introduction: Neurogenic bladder is a common urological condition among elderly. It results in incontinence or retention of the urine depending on the synergy of bladder smooth muscles and urethral sphincter. There can also be a condition where retention causes overflow incontinence. Retention of urine in this condition is caused by relative lack of contractility of bladder smooth muscles in response to the stretch reflex. As a result, there is no urge and therefore the bladder remains over-distended causing retention of urine. Currently, there are no absolute ways to deal with such a situation except that the patients are advised for self-help techniques of regularly evacuating the bladder. Pharmacotherapy for such condition is not promising. As the patients of neurogenic bladder are often healthy otherwise (with manageable conditions such as diabetes), a bladder dysfunction is considered as a disability that they do not want to share. In this state, any approach that offers a regeneration of bladder reflex and restoration of its functions is more than one can expect for.

Methods: An elderly male suffering with chronic urinary retention recommended for indwelling catheterization after the failure of voiding trial following the possible conventional pharmacotherapy was treated with Ayurvedic therapy.

Results: There was a complete symptom reversal after about 45 days of Ayurvedic therapy. The changes were stable after 3-month follow-up of the patient.

Conclusion: This case report presents the complete symptom reversal in a case of chronic urine retention as an outcome of Ayurvedic therapy. Seeing the importance of this clinical condition and unavailability of sufficient means in conventional medicine, it requires a serious note and enquiry into its applicability in similar cases.

In the present study, we have phytochemically characterized 5 different abundant Aloe species, including Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f., using silylation followed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry technique and compared the data using multivariate statistical analysis. The results demonstrated clear distinction of the overall phytochemical profile of A vera, highlighted by its divergent spatial arrangement in the component plot. Lowest correlation of the phytochemical profiles were found between A vera and A aristata Haw. (-0.626), whereas highest correlation resided between A aristata and A aspera Haw. (0.899). Among the individual phytochemicals, palmitic acid was identified in highest abundance cumulatively, and carboxylic acids were the most predominant phytochemical species in all the Aloe species. Compared to A vera, linear correlation analysis revealed highest and lowest correlation with A aspera ( R² = 0.9162) and A aristata ( R² = 0.6745), respectively. Therefore, A vera demonstrated distinct spatial allocation, reflecting its greater phytochemical variability.

The present study was designed to investigate the protective effect of the aqueous extract of Portulaca oleracea against hyperglycemic, oxidative damage and inflammation in the serum of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. In the present study, the rats were divided into the following groups of 8 animals each: control, untreated diabetic, 3 Portulaca oleracea (100, 200, 400 mg/kg/d)-treated diabetic groups. At the end of the 4-week period, glucose, interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and total antioxidant status (TAS) levels were measured. STZ caused an elevation in the serum levels of glucose, MDA, IL-6, and TNF-α with reduction in the levels of GSH and TAS ( P < .01). Portulaca oleracea ameliorated glucose, MDA, IL-6, TNF-α, GSH, and TAS levels in diabetic groups versus to the untreated groups ( P < .05). Taken together, Portulaca oleracea prevented hyperglycemia by preventing the oxidative stress and inflammation.