BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies最新文献

Background: Stroke is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally, with Nigeria having one of the highest stroke mortality rates in Africa. The burden of stroke is particularly high in middle-aged individuals, who are often the primary breadwinners and caregivers in their families. Despite the high burden of stroke in this community, there is a paucity of studies on the knowledge and perception of stroke management practices among middle-aged residents of Otolo community.

Aim: This study investigated the knowledge and perception of middle-aged residents of Otolo community in Nnewi North Local Government Area to stroke management practices; and to identify certain sociodemographic factors that may influence the knowledge and perception of this residents.

Method: A total of 191 middle-aged residents of Otolo community in Nnewi North Local Government Area, participated in this cross-sectional study. A self-reported questionnaire was distributed to the participants in the meeting venues, churches and market places with the help of research assistants after filling the consent forms. The data collection lasted for four weeks and it took the average of 12 min to complete each questionnaire. Analysis of the collected data was done using IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.

Result: The findings of this study revealed that the study participants had a better knowledge of medical stroke management 36 (19%) than traditional stroke care 19(10%). Majority of the participants had a positive perception of medical stroke care129 (68%) than traditional management practices110 (58%). Age, educational status and occupational status were found to have statistically significant association (p < 0.05) with the participants' knowledge, while the educational attainment and occupational status were the major demographic variables found to be associated (p > 0.05) with the respondents' perception of stroke management practice.

Conclusion: The middle-aged residents of Otolo community had a fair knowledge of medical management of stroke and a poor knowledge of traditional stroke care. Majority of the study respondents had a more positive perception of medical management of stroke as compared to traditional management. Some of the sociodemographic factors found to impact knowledge and perception of this management practices includes age, educational attainment and occupation.

Background: Honey has been successfully used in wound care and cosmetics because of its effective biological properties, including antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. Polyphenols, particularly phenolic acids, are key honey components responsible for these beneficial effects. In recent years, there has been a growing demand for natural, ecologically friendly, and biodegradable products in the modern cosmetics and wound care market. This study aimed to identify and quantify phenolic acids in four Polish honey samples of different botanical origins (heather, buckwheat, linden and rapeseed) and to assess for the first time the permeation of the identified phenolic acids through the skin and their accumulation after the application of pure honey samples, as well as honey-based hydrogel and emulsion formulations.

Methods: The honey samples' antioxidant activity and total phenolic content were determined using the DPPH and ABTS assays and the Folin-Ciocalteu method, respectively. Phenolic acids and volatile compounds were identified and quantified in honey samples using the HPLC-UV and GC-MS method, respectively. The biocompatibility of the honey samples was evaluated using a murine fibroblast cell line (L929). A Franz-type vertical diffusion cell with porcine skin was used to assess phenolic acid's permeation and skin accumulation from different honey-based pharmaceutical formulations. The biodegradability of the prepared formulations was also characterised.

Results: Gallic acid, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid, coumaric acid, and 3-hydroxybenzoic acid were identified and quantified in the honey samples. Heather honey exhibited significantly higher antioxidant activity and total polyphenol content than the other honey samples. Heather, linden and buckwheat honey samples significantly decreased cell viability at concentrations of 5% and 2.5%, while rapeseed honey sample markedly reduced fibroblast viability only at 5%. Among the tested formulations - pure honey, hydrogel, and emulsion - higher skin permeation and accumulation rates of phenolic acids were observed with the prepared honey-based hydrogels than with the pure honeys and emulsions. Additionally, the prepared formulations were classified as partially biodegradable.

Conclusions: The obtained results confirmed the effectiveness of two pharmaceutical formulations in the form of a hydrogel or emulsion containing honey after applied topically. The inclusion of honey in the vehicle, in particular hydrogel increased the penetration of phenolic acids through the skin.

Background: Drug rehabilitation is a challenging process that impacts both the physical and mental health of individuals. Traditional martial arts, such as Health Qigong, and closed motor exercises, such as power cycling, have shown potential benefits in improving health outcomes. This study aims to compare the effects of Health Qigong, closed motor exercises, and their combination on the physical and mental health of female drug rehabilitation participants.

Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, female participants from the Jilin Province Women's Compulsory Isolation Drug Rehabilitation Center were randomly assigned to three groups: Health Qigong (QigongG), Closed Motor Exercise (ClosedG), and Combined Health Qigong and Closed Motor Exercise (CombinedG). Measurements were taken at baseline, mid-intervention, and post-intervention and included resting heart rate, vital capacity, choice reaction time, sleep quality, and relapse tendency.

Results: At the study's conclusion, the ClosedG group showed significant improvements in relapse tendency, vital capacity, and sleep quality compared to baseline. The QigongG showed significant improvements in relapse tendency, sleep quality, and choice reaction compared to baseline. The CombinedG group demonstrated significant improvements in relapse tendency, vital capacity, sleep quality, and choice reaction time, outperforming the ClosedG groups in reaction time, and outperforming QigongG groups in vital capacity. The CombinedG group exhibited the most notable overall improvements.

Conclusion: The combined intervention of Health Qigong and closed motor exercises is more effective in improving physical and mental health metrics among female drug rehabilitation participants than either intervention alone. These findings suggest that incorporating a combination of traditional martial arts and closed motor exercises could enhance rehabilitation programs for drug rehabilitation.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06454565. The date of registration is 2024.07.11 (Retrospectively registered).

Background: Tangeretin, a flavone compound (O-polymethoxylated) naturally present in tangerine and other citrus peels has demonstrated effectiveness as an anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective agent in several disease model. This study evaluated the impact of tangeretin in mitigating cognitive dysfunction and oxidative stress induced by colchicine in rats, comparing its efficacy with donepezil hydrochloride.

Methods: Cognitive dysfunction was induced by administering colchicine (15 µg/rat) intracerebroventricularly (ICV) via a stereotaxic apparatus in male Wistar rats. Colchicine resulted in poor memory retention in acquiring and retaining a spatial navigation task, passive avoidance apparatus, and Morris water maze paradigms. Chronic treatment with tangeretin (at doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, p.o. once daily) and donepezil hydrochloride (at a dose of 10 mg/kg, p.o. daily) for 28 days, starting seven days before colchicine injection, significantly ameliorated colchicine-induced cognitive impairment.

Results: The biochemical analysis showed that chronic administration of tangeretin effectively reversed the colchicine-induced increase in the level/activity of lipid peroxidation, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), myeloperoxidase (MPO), nitrite, reactive oxygen species (ROS), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10), serotonin, dopamine, glutamate, amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide, and caspase-3. Tangeretin also reversed the colchicine-induced reduction in the level/activity of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), amma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), glutathione S-Transferase (GST), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH), and total thiol (T-SH) in rat brains. However, donepezil hydrochloride did not prevent oxidative stress.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that chronic administration of tangeretin at 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, p.o. once daily, was protective in mitigating colchicine-induced cognitive impairment and associated oxidative stress. At the same time, donepezil hydrochloride did not demonstrate similar effects.

Objectives: With the growing ubiquity of electronic devices, the incidence of upper crossed syndrome (UCS) is increasing every year and tends to affect younger populations. The study was designed to assess the effect of cervical and thoracic "Daoyin" training on pain, posture, pulmonary function, cervical range of motion, and emotional state in college students with UCS.

Design: We conducted a parallel-group randomized control study.

Setting: The Fujian Medical University in China.

Participants: 74 patients with UCS fulfilled the study requirement and were assigned to the intervention group (IG) and the control group (CG).

Intervention: Instructed cervical and thoracic "Daoyin" training was given to students in the IG for eight weeks, five days a week for 45 min, whereas students in the CG continued with their usual activities.

Main outcome measures: Primary outcomes, including forward head and shoulder angles, pain and cervical spine function, as well as secondary outcomes, such as pulmonary function, cervical range of motion and emotional state, were measured at baseline and a follow-up of 8-week. These measurements were conducted using photogrammetry, visual analog scale (VAS), Neck Disability Index (NDI), pulmonary function, cervical range of motion test and Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), respectively. The statistical analysis used the change value between the baseline and the 8-week intervention measurements.

Results: 74 patients (IG = 37; CG = 37) were randomized. All participants were included in the analysis. There were significant differences of the change values between groups in Forward Head Angle (FHA) (d = 1.113, P < 0.001), Forward Shoulder Angle (FSA) (d = 1.052, P < 0.001), VAS (d = 0.854, P < 0.001), NDI (d = 0.754, P = 0.005), pulmonary function (Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 s/Forced Vital Capacity (FEV1/FVC) (d = 0.516, P = 0.002), maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV) (d = 0.504, P = 0.033), cervical range of motion in Left Rotation (LR) (d = 0.647, P = 0.014) and emotional state (d = 0.587, P = 0.014). No side effects were observed in this study.

Conclusion: Cervical and thoracic "Daoyin" training can improve the abnormal posture of head forward and round shoulders, reducing pain and anxiety, improving cervical spine function, and improving lung function to a certain extent.

Trial registration: ChiCTR2300072669 (20/06/2023), Prospective registration, www.chictr.org.cn .

Introduction: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a prominent multidrug-resistant and biofilm-forming bacteria. Mono-floral honey, enriched with a variety of biological compounds, can be categorized as medical-grade honey due to its notable pharmacological benefits. In this study, two types of Iranian honey were thoroughly characterized, and the antimicrobial and anti-biofilm properties were examined against three clinical strains of multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa.

Methods: Citrus and Thyme honey from Alborz were selected based on physicochemical, phytochemical, and melissopalynological tests conducted from a medical perspective. The antibacterial activity of the honey samples against three clinical strains of multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa isolated from wound infections was evaluated using both the well-diffusion and broth microdilution methods. Additionally, an antibiofilm assay was performed using the crystal violet method in microplates.

Results: Both medical grade honey samples exhibited considerable antibacterial activity against the three P. aeruginosa isolates at 75-100% v/v concentrations with inhibition zones measuring between 15 and 30 mm. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values for both types of honey were 6.25% v/v (final concentration). The antibiofilm assay indicated that both types of honey demonstrated varying levels of antibiofilm activity. Citrus honey at 9% concentration was the most effective, showing an average inhibition rate of 59%, while Citrus honey at 2.3% final concentration exhibited the least effectiveness with an average inhibition rate of 23%.

Discussion: A thorough analysis of the honeys studied confirmed their authenticity and the presence of medicinal compounds. The results of honey tests correspond to the normal range (natural Honey) in the Council of the European Union. Based on the evaluation and compliance with the medical grade criteria including authenticity, health, qualities well botanical origin mentioned honey is classified in medical grade. The antibacterial results indicated that both Thyme and Citrus honeys effectively inhibit the growth and biofilm formation of P. aeruginosa. Therefore, these honeys may serve as natural and safe alternatives or adjuncts to conventional antibiotic therapy for wound healing and infection management.

Background: Post-Acute COVID Syndrome (PACS) is a complex disorder that currently lacks effective evidenced-based therapies to manage it. This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effects of balneotherapy (BT) on PACS symptomatology.

Methods: Ninety-eight adults with PACS visited at Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Barcelona (Spain) were included to the study. Participants in the intervention group (n = 51) were allocated to 12 sessions of BT and aquatic exercises delivered in one month while the control group (n = 47) did not. The primary outcome was to evaluate the absolute change in questionnaire scores between baseline and two follow-up points: immediately after balneotherapy (or one-month post-baseline for the control group) and 2 months post-baseline. The following scales/questionnaires were employed: Post-COVID-19 functional status scale, mMRC dyspnea Scale, SF-36, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Memory failures in everyday life following severe head injury, and Visual Analogic Scale (VAS).

Results: Forty-seven patients in the BT group and 43 in the control group completed the study. The majority of participants were middle-aged women (> 84%; mean age 48 years), and the most prevalent symptoms were fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, and neurocognitive impairment (> 88%). Noteworthy, the vast majority did not undergo a severe primary infection (ICU admissions < 3%). After BT, significant improvement was detected in the BT group vs. the control group in various SF-36 domains, PSQI total score (Beta-coefficient [95%CI] 2.641 [1.15;4.12]; p -value = 0.003), HAD's anxiety subscale (Beta-coefficient [95%CI] 1.72 [0.40;3.03;p-value = 0.023), and VAS (Beta-coefficient [95%CI] 1.625 [0.32;2.96]; p-value = 0.026). Among these, SF-36's energy/fatigue and pain subscales exhibited the most prominent changes with a Beta-coefficient [95%CI] of -17.45 [-24.23;-10.66] and - 21.634 [-30.48;-12.78], respectively (p-value < 0.0001). No severe adverse effects were reported during BT although seventeen patients reported mild and transient worsening of preexisting symptoms, particularly fatigue/post-exertional malaise mainly in the first sessions of BT.

Conclusion: Balneotherapy comprise an effective therapeutic modality that can alleviate several symptoms that characterize PACS, particularly musculoskeletal pain and fatigue. However, the sustainability of these effects over time remains uncertain, as evidenced by the loss of some between-group differences at the one-month follow-up.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05765591 (13/03/2023).

Background: Cotinus coggygria has a long history of use in traditional medicine in Europe and Asia. The aim of study was to explore the cytotoxicity of extracts (EE-ethanol, MME-methylene chloride/methanol, and WE-water) and compounds (butin, butein, fisetin, sulfuretin, taxifolin, eriodictyol, fustin, cotinignan A, sulfuretin auronol, 3-O-methylepifustin, 3-O-methylfustin, and sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucoside) isolated from C. coggygria. Mechanisms of anticancer effects of three extracts, butin, butein, and sulfuretin were examined.

Methods: Compounds were isolated from the EE using silica gel column chromatography and semipreparative HPLC. Structure elucidation was performed using NMR spectroscopy. Cytotoxicity was evaluated using MTT assay. The effects on cell cycle and cell death were investigated by flow cytometry. The antimigration effects were examined by scratch assay, while expression of the MMP2, MMP9, and VEGFA were measured by quantitative real time PCR. The antioxidant effects were examined by flow cytometry.

Results: 3-O-methylepifustin, epitaxifolin, and sulfuretin auronol were found for the first time in C. coggygria. The extracts and compounds showed selective cytotoxicity against HeLa, MDA-MB-231, HL-60, K562, A375, PC-3, and DU 145 cells. HeLa cells were the most sensitive to the cytotoxicity of MME (IC₅₀ value of 47.45 µg/mL), while leukemia K562 and HL-60 cells were the most sensitive to the MME and EE (IC₅₀ values in the range from 31.04 to 44.57 µg/mL). Butein exerted strong cytotoxicity on HeLa, K562, and MDA-MB-231 cells (IC₅₀ values of 8.66 µM, 13.91 µM, and 22.36 µM). EE, butin, butein, sulfuretin, and fisetin were highly selective against leukemia K562 cells when compared with normal fibroblasts MRC-5 (selectivity index: 4.01, 5.15, 6.17, 7.05, > 4.41, respectively). Butein and fisetin showed high selectivity in the cytotoxic activity against HeLa cells when compared with MRC-5 cells (selectivity index: 9.91 and > 6.61). Three extracts, butin, butein, and sulfuretin, initiated apoptosis in HeLa cells by activating caspase-8 and caspase-9. The extracts, butin, butein, and sulfuretin inhibited HeLa cell migration. EE, MME, butein, and sulfuretin exerted cytoprotective effects in normal fibroblasts.

Conclusions: This research might suggest promising anticancer effects and underscores the need for additional research on C. coggygria extracts and compounds to assess their potential in cancer prevention and therapy.

Background: Massage is suggested to be an effective treatment for chronic plantar heel pain (PHP). There is, however, no scientific evidence to support this claim. In the present study Traditional Thai Massage (TTM) has been compared with Ultrasound therapy (US) for treating PHP.

Methods: Sixty PHP patients with a Myofascial Trigger Point (MTrP) present in the calf were randomly assigned to receive a 40-minute single treatment of either US or TTM. Pain Intensity (VAS), Pressure Pain Threshold (PPT), Ankle Dorsiflexion Range of Motion (DROM), and Foot Skin Temperature (FST), were measured before, immediately after, and 24 h after treatment.

Results: Compared to baseline, both groups showed a significant reduction in pain intensity immediately (CVAS) and 24 h after treatment (MVAS24) (p < 0.01), as well as a significant increase in PPT of the heel immediately after treatment (p < 0.05). However, only the US treatment group showed an increase in PPT in the calf immediately after treatment (p < 0.05). Furthermore, only the US group showed a significant increase in DROM immediately and 24 h after treatment (p < 0.001). The reduction in CVAS and increase in DROM immediately (p < 0.05) and 24 h after treatment (p < 0.01) were significantly greater in the US than the TTM group.

Conclusions: The significant efficacy of US with stretching for providing pain relief in the treatment of PHP is confirmed. For the first time, TTM has also been demonstrated to be effective in providing pain relief for patients with PHP and may have a potentially useful complementary role, in treating PHP.

Trial registration: TCTR20210909001 (First Submitted Date: September 2021).

Background: Syzygium guineense (Wild.) DC. is a wild indigenous tree widely used as a traditional medicine for various human ailments in Ethiopia. The purpose of this study was to quantify total phenolic (TPC) and total flavonoid (TFC) contents and determine the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of various solvent extracts of the bark of the plant.

Methods: The TPC and TFC were determined using Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride methods, respectively. The 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging, ferric-reducing power, and total antioxidant capacity assays were used to evaluate the antioxidant activities. Antibacterial properties were determined using the disc-diffusion and broth dilution assays.

Results: The ethanol extract of the bark was found to have high TPC (37.80 ± 3.70 mgGAE/g) and TFC (19.22 ± 1.44 mgQE/g). Similarly, the ethanol extract showed stronger DPPH scavenging activity (EC₅₀ = 5.62 μg/mL). The ferric-reducing power and total antioxidant capacity were also strong (163.08±11.67 mgAAE/g and 143.72±2.86 mgBHTE/g of dried extract of 1 mg/mL, respectively). The lowest MIC was observed in acetone extract against S. aureus (1.56 mg/mL) and in ethanol extract against K. pneumoniae (1.56 mg/mL).

Conclusion: The ethanol extract of the bark of S. guineense possesses high TPC and TFC. In addition, it showed strong ferric-reducing power and total antioxidant capacity, asserting high antioxidant content. The extracts have shown antibacterial activities against both Gram-positive (S. aureus) and Gram-negative bacterial species. Thus, further in-depth investigations may warrant the isolation of powerful antioxidants and potent antimicrobial agents from the plant.