Advances in integrative medicine最新文献

{"title":"The effect of acupressure on urinary incontinence severity in older women with urinary incontinence: A randomized, single-blind, controlled trial","authors":"Sana Motalebifar ,&nbsp;Maryam Momeni ,&nbsp;Mohammad Habibi ,&nbsp;Farnoosh Rashvand","doi":"10.1016/j.aimed.2025.100499","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aimed.2025.100499","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Urinary incontinence is one of the problems that can affect different aspects of the older ’s lives and decrease their quality of life. Acupressure is recommended as a non-invasive method in the management of genitourinary system problems.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The present study aims to determine the effect of acupressure on urinary incontinence severity in older women with urinary incontinence in Qazvin, Iran, in 2024.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>This randomized, single-blind, controlled clinical trial included 82 women over 65, all members of two adult daycare centers. Participants were randomly assigned to an intervention or a control group. In the intervention group, participants received acupressure 12 times, targeting ten acupoints associated with urinary incontinence symptom control. The control group did not receive any interventions except routine care. Three assessment tools were used: the ATM questionnaire for evaluating mental status, the QUID questionnaire for diagnosing urinary incontinence, and the PRAFAB questionnaire for assessing urinary incontinence severity. Data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistical tests and SPSS software.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Results showed no significant differences in demographic variables or urinary incontinence severity between the two groups baseline (p-value &gt; 0.05). Immediately and one month post intervention, the total score and the scores of all items of urinary incontinence severity were lower in the intervention group than in the control group, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (p-value&lt;0.05).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Acupressure appears to be effective in urinary incontinence severity in older women. Further studies are recommended to confirm these findings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7343,"journal":{"name":"Advances in integrative medicine","volume":"12 4","pages":"Article 100499"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144516989","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The effects of date palm on women's sexual function: A systemic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials","authors":"Safieh Jamali ,&nbsp;Mojgan Javadnoori ,&nbsp;Vahid Rahmanian ,&nbsp;Maryam Zahedian ,&nbsp;Solmaz Mohammadi","doi":"10.1016/j.aimed.2025.100498","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aimed.2025.100498","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Women's sexual health is crucial for both physical and psychological well-being. Sexual response includes desire, arousal, and orgasm. This study aimed to evaluate research on the effects of date palms on women's sexual function and assess its effectiveness.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Science Direct, and Persian databases have been searched from their inception until September 2023. The risk of bias for clinical trials was evaluated using the Cochrane tool. Heterogeneity was assessed using Cochran's Q-value and I² index. The difference in mean differences (MD) with a 95 % confidence interval (CI) was employed as the main effect size, and pooling across studies was performed using a random effects model.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>We conducted a meta-analysis of 4 RCTs with mixed quality from 5 trials involving 428 participants. Compared to the control group, date palm showed improvement in desire (SMD = 0.91, 95 % CI [0.12–1.71], p = 0.023), improvement in lubrication (SMD 0.553, 95 % CI [0.09, 1.01], p = 0.018), effectiveness of the intervention in enhancing arousal levels (SMD 0.78, 95 % CI [ 0.52, 0.92], p = &lt;0.001) and improvement in sexual function (SMD 0.85, 95 % CI [0.62, 1.08], p &lt; 0.001).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This meta-analysis indicates that date palm pollen supplementation may improve women's sexual function, particularly in desire, lubrication, arousal, and overall function according to the FSFI. However, effects on orgasm, satisfaction, and pain reduction were not statistically significant. Further research with larger sample sizes is needed to confirm these findings and explore the underlying mechanisms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7343,"journal":{"name":"Advances in integrative medicine","volume":"12 3","pages":"Article 100498"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144481196","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Individualized homeopathic medicines in the treatment of chronic tonsillitis in adults: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial","authors":"Ashish Sarkar ,&nbsp;Madhabananda Saha ,&nbsp;Siddharth Kumar Das ,&nbsp;Saleema Naaz Tabassum ,&nbsp;Shubhamoy Ghosh ,&nbsp;Koushik Bhar ,&nbsp;Munmun Koley ,&nbsp;Subhranil Saha","doi":"10.1016/j.aimed.2025.100495","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aimed.2025.100495","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Background&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Chronic tonsillitis is said to benefit from homeopathic medicines, however, evidence supporting this claim is inadequate. The objective of this trial was to compare individualized homeopathic medicines (IHMs) against placebos using the sore throat pain model (STPM) in adults with chronic tonsillitis.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Methods&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;In this 3-month, double-blind, randomized (1:1), placebo-controlled trial at Mahesh Bhattacharyya Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Howrah, West Bengal, India, 60 adults with chronic tonsillitis were randomized to receive either IHMs or identical-looking placebos. Included were the patients experiencing three or more episodes of medically confirmed acute tonsillitis per year for the last 2 years, and the patients presenting with 5 clinical signs and symptoms of chronic tonsillitis. Excluded were the cases with peritonsillar abscess or acute or chronic respiratory disease, occlusion of pharynx due to enlarged tonsils, or previous surgery in the past 6 months or need for surgery of the nose, and paranasal sinuses. Conventional management was advised concurrently to all individuals. The primary outcome was composite in nature, three visual analog scales (VAS) of STPM: sore throat pain intensity VAS (STPIS-VAS), difficulty swallowing scale VAS (DSS-VAS), and swollen throat scale VAS (SWOTS-VAS); secondary outcomes were the Tonsil and adenoid health status instrument (TAHSI) and Glasgow benefit inventory (GBI) – all measured monthly, up to 3 months. Blinded were the study participants, trial recruiters, investigators, outcome assessors, and the data-entry operator. Group differences were estimated on the intention-to-treat sample using two-way repeated measure analysis of variance accounting for between groups and time interactions, and additionally by unpaired &lt;em&gt;t&lt;/em&gt;-tests to examine whether the group differences were statistically significant at different time points. A Bonferroni-corrected &lt;em&gt;P&lt;/em&gt; value &lt; 0.017 two-tailed was considered statistically significant for three primary outcomes.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Sixty individuals were randomized, 30 in each group, and all entered the final analysis. Group differences were non-significant in the primary outcomes – STPIS VAS: F1, 58 = 0.256, P = 0.614; DSS VAS: F1, 58 = 0.315, P = 0.577; SWOTS VAS: F1, 58 = 0.135, P = 0.715; however, the secondary outcomes demonstrated significances favoring IHMs over placebos – TAHSI total: F1, 58 = 10.103, P = 0.002; GBI total: F1, 58 = 13.013, P = 0.001. Additional analyses using unpaired t-tests revealed significances in both primary and secondary outcomes and subscales (all P &lt; 0.05). Rhus toxicodendron, Belladonna, and Bryonia alba were the most frequently indicated medicines. No adverse events or drug reactions were reported during the trial.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Conclusion&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;While the trial failed to demonstrate a significant benefit of IHMs over placebo in","PeriodicalId":7343,"journal":{"name":"Advances in integrative medicine","volume":"12 4","pages":"Article 100495"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144516990","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Shilajit versus placebo in the management of patients with moderate coronavirus disease 2019: A triple-blind randomized controlled trial protocol","authors":"Narjes Bahri ,&nbsp;Sareh Dashti ,&nbsp;Fatemeh Mohammadzadeh ,&nbsp;Milad Iranshahy ,&nbsp;Roya Rahimi ,&nbsp;Farnoosh Sharifi Mood ,&nbsp;Tahereh Fathi Najafi","doi":"10.1016/j.aimed.2025.100496","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aimed.2025.100496","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a global emergency. Regardless of the progress in vaccine development, no effective medication has yet been identified for COVID-19. This study aims to evaluate the effects of Shilajit on COVID-19 severity, admission duration, and mortality.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This phase 3 parallel-group triple-blind randomized controlled trial will be conducted on 110 patients with a documented diagnosis of COVID-19 in the COVID ward of the Bohlool Gonabadi Hospital, Gonabad, Iran. Randomization will be done using the permuted block randomization approach with variable sizes (2 and 4). Participants in the intervention group will receive 100 mg Shilajit (two 500 mg capsules) per day, while the control group will receive placebo capsules for two weeks. Study outcomes include clinical improvement at day 14 of the intervention. Therefore, the presence of cough, headache, sore throat, chills, smell disorder, myalgia, axillary temperature, and SPO2: FiO2 ratio will be recorded at baseline and day 14 of the intervention for patients in both groups.</div></div><div><h3>Discussion</h3><div>This study's findings may help physicians use a traditional medicine agent as an adjuvant treatment for symptomatic management of COVID-19.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7343,"journal":{"name":"Advances in integrative medicine","volume":"12 2","pages":"Article 100496"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144147668","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Patients’ information on side effects of cancer treatment and usage of complementary and alternative medicine – A cross-sectional study","authors":"Christian Keinki ,&nbsp;Mariska-Alenka Klein ,&nbsp;Lukas Käsmann ,&nbsp;Karsten Münstedt ,&nbsp;Jutta Hübner","doi":"10.1016/j.aimed.2025.100497","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aimed.2025.100497","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Many cancer patients use complementary and alternative methods (CAM) to reduce side effects of cancer treatment. The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of information patients receive on side effects on choice to use CAM.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Patients of a cancer center undergoing outpatient treatment were assessed using a structured questionnaire.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>From 150 cancer patients taking part, 102 (68.0 %) reported side effects. 138 patients (92.0 %) reported to have been informed on potential side effects before start of treatment and only 79 patients (52.7 %) received any supportive treatment. Only 95 and 97 patients (63.3 and 64.7 % resp.) reported having received information of prevention of side effects and 130 patients (86.7 %) reported using additional or complementary methods and 75 (50.1 %) used at least one CAM method. Females and patients with higher education were more likely to use CAM. Neither information on side effects nor on methods to prevent or treat side effects was associated with a reduction in the likelihood of using CAM.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Information on dealing with side effects is lacking for many patients and should be addressed in a more structured process. However, this lack of information does not seem to be a driver of usage of complementary methods.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7343,"journal":{"name":"Advances in integrative medicine","volume":"12 2","pages":"Article 100497"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144146710","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Influencing factors of place and healthcare seeking behaviour of pregnant women accessing care at a herbal clinic in Ghana","authors":"Kofi Sarkodie ,&nbsp;Adjoa Afriyie Poku ,&nbsp;Kojo Oppong Yeboah Gyabaah ,&nbsp;Felix Kofi Damte ,&nbsp;Dorothy Serwaa Boakye ,&nbsp;Prince Ansah","doi":"10.1016/j.aimed.2025.100491","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aimed.2025.100491","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>There is extensive evidence that indicate a considerable number of pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana, seek obstetric and gynaecological care in herbal clinics. However, the literature on the extent to which place-people relationships, particularly place attachment, place dependence and place location impact on this decision is limited. This study explored the influencing factors of place and healthcare seeking behaviour of pregnant women at a herbal clinic in Ghana. The study adopted a hermeneutic research design. Twelve pregnant women and four herbal practitioners were conveniently and purposively sampled and interviewed using unstructured interview guides. A thematic analysis was done. The study found that factors influencing place attachment including place location, familiarity, availability of services influenced pregnant women’s decision to seek healthcare at the herbal clinic. Pregnant women with low socioeconomic status preferred the herbal facility to the hospital due to affordability of services. Cultural dimensions of a place such as belief in spiritualism/spiritism about herbal medicine and childlessness influenced preferences and choices in accessing healthcare. Also, place dependence factors which includes challenges in formal healthcare system, positive attitudes of herbal practitioners, and flexible payment plans influenced healthcare seeking behaviour of pregnant women. Distance and cost of travel indirectly influenced healthcare seeking behaviour of pregnant women at the herbal clinic. The implication of the findings is that positive feelings about a place influence and maintain healthcare seeking behaviour of pregnant women who access healthcare at herbal clinics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7343,"journal":{"name":"Advances in integrative medicine","volume":"12 2","pages":"Article 100491"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144146709","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The effect of peppermint (Mentha piperita. L) essential oil aromatherapy on premenstrual syndrome: A randomized controlled trial protocol","authors":"Yegane Lagzian ,&nbsp;Fatemeh Mohammadzadeh ,&nbsp;Fatemeh Yaghoobi Moghadam ,&nbsp;Negar Shafaei Bajestani ,&nbsp;Fariba Askari","doi":"10.1016/j.aimed.2025.100489","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aimed.2025.100489","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Premenstrual syndrome refers to a set of distressing and recurring psychological, behavioral, and somatic symptoms that usually begin from the ovulation and continue until the onset of menstruation. Today, many women use complementary medicine, especially medicinal plants, to control this syndrome. So far, the therapeutic effects of several medicinal plants used for this syndrome have been confirmed; however, the effectiveness of some of these plants, including peppermint, is still unclear. Therefore, the present study aims to determine the effect of peppermint essential oil aromatherapy on premenstrual syndrome.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This parallel-group, single-blinded, randomized controlled trial will be conducted on students with premenstrual syndrome living in dormitories of Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran, in two parallel groups. Cluster random sampling will be performed. First, two dormitories will be randomly selected out of the four by lottery, and randomly assign them to the intervention and control groups. Then, in each dormitory, using the list of residents and generating random numbers online, some students will be randomly selected. Peppermint essential oil composition will be identified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Participants in the intervention group will receive peppermint essential oil at 10 % purity, and the control group will receive odorless sweet almond oil as placebo to inhale from seven days before menstruation until the fourth day of menstrual bleeding for two consecutive cycles. The Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool questionnaire will be completed before, one, and two months after the intervention. The validity and reliability of this questionnaire have been confirmed in various studies. Data will be analyzed using SPSS-21 software.</div></div><div><h3>Discussion</h3><div>The results of this study will provide rigorous scientific evidence regarding the inhalation use of peppermint essential oil in managing premenstrual syndrome. If a significant positive correlation is observed in the intervention group, the use of this essential oil can be recommended to women suffering from this syndrome.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7343,"journal":{"name":"Advances in integrative medicine","volume":"12 3","pages":"Article 100489"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144471540","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Application of auricular therapy on individuals with cognitive impairment and dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis","authors":"Bianca Shieu ,&nbsp;Yu-Min Cho ,&nbsp;Min Wang ,&nbsp;M. Cary Reid ,&nbsp;Fayron Epps ,&nbsp;Ya-Lun Li ,&nbsp;Lixin Song","doi":"10.1016/j.aimed.2025.100494","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aimed.2025.100494","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Auricular point acupressure (APA) has been used to treat cancer-related pain, chronic lower back pain, headache, and dysmenorrhea and to improve anxiety and sleep quality. However, its application in populations with cognitive impairment and dementia is understudied. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to summarize APA implementation in these populations, evaluate its effects on cognitive function and Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), provide evidence-based conclusions, and guide future research directions.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We followed the PRISMA guideline to comprehensively search seven electronic English and Chinese databases (PubMed, CINHAL, Scopus, Google Scholar, NCKI, Weipu, and Wangfang). Our search strategy utilized a combination of relevant keywords and MeSH terms related to the topic of interest. Two independent investigators screened the titles and abstracts of the retrieved articles, followed by full-text screening to identify eligible studies. Discussion and consultation with a third investigator resolved disagreements. We used a standardized form for data extraction, including study characteristics, intervention details, outcomes, and risk of bias assessment. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool evaluated the quality of evidence. Narrative synthesis and meta-analysis conducted data synthesis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Key findings include: (1) there is a universal APA treatment procedure, (2) most studies that used APA with an adjunct treatment showed positive results, (3) meta-analyses revealed significant improvements with APA treatment: MMSE scores (13 RCTs; SMD = 0.55, 95 % CI: 0.13–0.97) and MoCA scores (10 RCTs; SMD = −1.03, 95 % CI: −1.79 to −0.28). The high heterogeneity (I² = 88 % for MMSE and 89.6 % for MoCA) indicates substantial variability between studies in the magnitude of treatment effects, which may be attributed to differences in study populations, intervention protocols, and treatment durations across the included trials. While analysis of ADLs (4 RCTs) showed no significant between group differences (SMD = 0.95, 95 % CI: −1.27 to 3.16).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Our meta-analysis results demonstrate significant improvements in cognitive function with APA intervention, suggesting its potential as an effective nonpharmacological therapeutic approach in clinical practice. These findings emphasize the importance of studying APA's benefits for patients with cognitive impairment and dementia, opening new avenues for research. Healthcare professionals can leverage this understanding to provide patient-centered care, tailor treatments effectively, and enhance patient participation in their healing process.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7343,"journal":{"name":"Advances in integrative medicine","volume":"12 3","pages":"Article 100494"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144471467","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bibliotherapy for adverse childhood experience: A systematic review","authors":"Luana Lenzi ,&nbsp;Jack Adlard ,&nbsp;Grace Rosina Pangrazi ,&nbsp;Saima Bashir ,&nbsp;Elaine Bousfield ,&nbsp;Alexander Thompson","doi":"10.1016/j.aimed.2025.100492","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aimed.2025.100492","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This systematic review aims to identify, describe, and evaluate the available evidence regarding the effectiveness of bibliotherapy in supporting individuals to overcome adverse childhood experiences (ACE).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A systematic search was performed using Medline, Embase, APA PsycInfo and PubMed. Studies were included if they involved participants of any age who had experienced any form of ACE during childhood and had received bibliotherapy as a form of treatment or support. Risk of bias was assesses using RoB 2 and ROBINS-I as appropriate and results were narratively synthesised (PROSPERO CRD42023404418).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Out of the 606 studies identified, only five met the inclusion criteria, comprising four RCTs and one non-RCT. The interventions included superhero and affective bibliotherapy, a community-based initiative designed to foster a love for reading among children while creating a safe and engaging environment, explicit bibliotherapy, a support group integrating indigenous stories with cognitive behavioural therapy components, and poetry therapy. These interventions were compared against alternative interventions or waitlist controls. Although the evidence was limited and of moderate to low quality, the findings suggest that bibliotherapy may help reduce ACE-related outcomes such as anxiety, grief, and PTSD, enhances emotional competence, provides a higher sense of support compared to waitlist. The included studies were not directly comparable due to high heterogeneity in study design, intervention methods ad outcomes assessment.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This systematic review highlights the need for further research into the use of bibliotherapy for managing ACE. Cautious implementation of bibliotherapy as an adjunct treatment to complement traditional therapy may enhance and prolong positive outcomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7343,"journal":{"name":"Advances in integrative medicine","volume":"12 4","pages":"Article 100492"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144516991","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Efficacy and safety of polyherbal formulation in the management of acne vulgaris: An open label, baseline-controlled, single center, prospective clinical trial","authors":"Kailash Chandra ,&nbsp;Shaikh Khursheed Aalam ,&nbsp;Anish Murtaja Alam Khan ,&nbsp;Sanjay Londhe ,&nbsp;Subodh P. Sirur ,&nbsp;Mahendra Chaudhari ,&nbsp;Yadnyesh Pandit ,&nbsp;Asad Mueed ,&nbsp;Rajeev Ranjan ,&nbsp;Shashank Agarwal ,&nbsp;Santosh Kumar Joshi","doi":"10.1016/j.aimed.2025.100490","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aimed.2025.100490","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Acne vulgaris, a common skin condition, presents a significant challenge in clinical management. This prospective baseline-controlled clinical trial aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of SAFI syrup, an Indian traditional polyherbal formulation, for the treatment of acne vulgaris.</div></div><div><h3>Materials and methods</h3><div>Two hundred fifty subjects were initially enrolled and 213 excluded based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Biochemical analysis was performed at baseline, and 3 subjects were excluded due to abnormal laboratory results. Thirty-four subjects received SAFI syrup treatment and were assessed at various time points over 90 days.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The study found that SAFI syrup treatment was well-tolerated, with no statistically significant differences in safety parameters (serum ALT, AST, creatinine and BUN) between baseline and 90 days (p &gt; 0.05). Neutrophil levels decreased significantly during treatment (p 0.04). In terms of acne grading, most patients exhibited moderate to severe acne at the beginning, but after 90 days of SAFI treatment, the majority of study subjects showed significant improvement (<em>P &lt; 0.001)</em>, with several achieved acne grades of 0. Leaky gut analysis revealed a substantial reduction in leaky gut scores (p 0.001), indicating improved gut health in most subjects.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This 90-days interventional study suggests that SAFI syrup, a polyherbal formulation, is an effective and safe option for managing acne vulgaris. The treatment resulted in significant improvements in acne grading scores, leaky gut analysis, and laboratory parameters of efficacy and safety. These findings support the use of SAFI Syrup as a viable treatment for acne vulgaris, providing a potential solution for this challenging skin condition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7343,"journal":{"name":"Advances in integrative medicine","volume":"12 3","pages":"Article 100490"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144513528","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}