BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies最新文献

Background: One of the most widely used medicinal plants in Iranian traditional medicine, Rosa × damascena Herrm. (mohammadi flower) that the people of Kashan use as a sedative and to treat nervous diseases and constipation. In this research, the yield, chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of this plant were evaluated for the first time from Azaran region, Kashan.

Methods: The essential oil was extracted by means of hydrodistillation (Clevenger), and its chemical compounds were identified and determined by GC/MS. The antimicrobial activity of the essential oil was determined by the diffusion method in agar, the minimum growth inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum concentration capable of killing bacterial/fungal microorganisms (MBC/MFC).

Results: The results showed that the yield of essential oil was 0.1586 ± 0.0331% (w/w). Based on the results of the chemical composition analysis of R. x damascena essential oil, 19 different compounds (98.96%) were identified. The dominant and main components of the essential oil were oleic acid (48.08%), palmitic acid (15.44%), stearic acid (10.17%), citronellol (7.37%) and nonadecane (3.70%). Based on the results of diffusion in agar, the highest zone of inhibition against Candida albicans (ATCC 10231) was ~ 9.5 mm. The strongest inhibitory activity of R. x damascena essential oil against Gram-negative Proteus mirabilis (ATCC 43071) was with the diameter of the inhibition zone (~ 9 mm), which was equal to the strength of rifampin (~ 9 mm).

Conclusion: Therefore, this essential oil is a promising natural option rich in fatty acids, which can be a potential for the production of natural antimicrobials against infectious diseases, especially urinary tract infections.

Introduction: Traditional medicines are commonly used worldwide, especially in Africa-however, there is limited information on the prevalence and types of traditional eye medicine utilization in Ethiopia. The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence, the type and nature of traditional eye medicine use and practices related to self-medication for ophthalmic diseases in a rural Ethiopian population.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in six randomly selected primary health centers in rural Gurage Zone, Southern Ethiopia. Health-seeking behavior, use of self-medication, and traditional eye medicine were assessed in the population using a semi-structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression analysis were computed to determine associated factors for using self-medication and traditional eye medicine.

Result: Of the 814 participants interviewed, 487 (59.8%) reported using traditional eye medicine, mainly for combinations of symptoms of ocular redness, irritation, and eye discharge (95.5%). Besides, 604 (74.2%) participants reported self-treatment with tetracycline 1% eye ointment. Older age, females, low income, no formal education, and lack of access to media were risks for utilizing traditional eye medicine.

Conclusion: The use of traditional eye medicine and self-treatment are common in this population. Regulatory legislation, public awareness, and making eye care are vital activities required to monitor such practices.

Background and objectives: Considering the significant prevalence of ileus after abdominal surgery and the beneficial effects of Cuminum cyminum in digestive problems, this study aimed to examine whether Cuminum cyminum has any effect on the return of bowel motility after abdominal surgery.

Materials and methods: In this triple-blind clinical trial study, 74 patients undergoing abdominal surgery were assigned to the intervention and control groups using minimization methods. The patients in the intervention group consumed 250 mg capsules containing Cuminum cyminum extract 4 h after the surgery and another dose of the drug 1 h afterward. The patients in the control group consumed a 250 mg capsule containing starch as a placebo at hours similar to those in the intervention group. The instruments used to collect the data were a demographic questionnaire and a researcher-made checklist to assess bowel habits. The data were analyzed using SPSS-22 software.

Results: The average time of gas passing in the intervention and control groups was 9.03 ± 3.41 and 11.72 ± 4.21 h, respectively. The defecation times in the intervention and control groups were 16.97 ± 5.02 and 26 ± 9.87 h, showing a significant difference between the two groups as indicated by the independent samples T-test (P > 0.001). Furthermore, abdominal pain, abdominal bloating, nausea, and vomiting were significantly less frequent in the intervention group compared to the control group as confirmed by Fisher's exact test (P > 0.001).

Conclusion: According to the results, the consumption of Cuminum cyminum after abdominal surgery helps to reduce the time of gas passing, defecation, and the return of bowel motility. However, additional studies need to address the effectiveness of Cuminum cyminum by changing the time and duration of its use.

Background: The utilization of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is experiencing a global surge, accompanied by the adoption of national CAM policies in numerous countries. Traditional Persian medicine (TPM) is highly used as CAM in Iran, and the ongoing scientific evaluation of its interventions and the implementation of evidence-based medicine (EBM) encounters various barriers. Therefore, comprehending the characteristics and interactions of stakeholders is pivotal in advancing EBM within TPM policies. In this study, we utilized both classical stakeholder analysis and social network analysis to identify key stakeholders and potential communication patterns, thereby promoting EBM in TPM policy-making.

Methods: A cross-sectional nationwide stakeholder analysis was conducted in 2023 using snowball sampling. The interviews were carried out using a customized version of the six building blocks of health. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Stakeholders were assessed based on five factors (power, interest, influence, position, and competency). The connections and structure of the network were analyzed using degree, betweenness, closeness centrality, and modularity index to detect clusters of smaller networks.

Results: Among twenty-three identified stakeholders, the Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME) and the Public were the most powerful and influential. The Iranian Academy of Medical Sciences was the most competent stakeholder. Social network analysis revealed a low density of connections among stakeholders. Pharmaceutical companies were identified as key connectors in the network, while the Public, supreme governmental bodies, and guilds acted as gatekeepers or brokers. The MOHME and Maraji were found to be high-ranking stakeholders based on four different centrality measures.

Conclusion: This study identifies powerful stakeholders in the network and emphasizes the need to engage uninterested yet significant stakeholders. Recommendations include improving competence through education, strengthening international relations, and fostering stronger relationships. Engaging key connectors and gatekeepers is essential for bridging gaps in the network.

Background: The use of finished herbal products (FHPs) among Malaysians today is expanding rapidly leading to a huge market of FHPs in the country. However, the mass production of FHPs in today's market is alarming due to safety-use issues that could lead to serious adverse effects. Nevertheless, demands are still high for FHPs as most consumers perceived it as safe to consume as it is made from natural substances as the active ingredients. This study aims to explore the safe use elements of FHPs identified by two stakeholders: consumers and practitioners in Malaysia and further compare these elements with the current regulations.

Methods: As an exploratory study, its approach is to investigate at an in-depth level of understanding of safe use elements from the involved stakeholders: consumers and practitioners. We had a total of 4 focus group discussion sessions (1 FGD session with consumer and 3 FGD sessions with practitioners) as a method of collecting data from the participants. The FGDs were conducted in local native Malaysian and then being translated by researchers without changing their meanings. Thematic analysis was done which involves methodically reading through the verbatim transcripts and consequently segmenting and coding the text into categories that highlight what the participants have discussed.

Results: From the result, we found that both practitioners and consumers agreed a safe FHP must be in compliance with the guidelines from the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH). There are other safe use elements highlighted including halal certification, trusted over-the-counter outlets, and published reports on the safety, efficacy, and quality.

Conclusions: In conclusion, both practitioners and consumers agreed that the most important safe-use element is compliance with MOH guidelines, but the depth of discussion regarding the safety elements among these stakeholders holds a very huge gap. Thus, initiatives must be planned to increase the knowledge and understanding about the MOH guidelines towards achieving a sustainable ecosystem in the safe use of FHPs.

Background: Ancient classic prescription play a crucial role in the preservation and advancement of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theories. They represent a significant milestone in the ongoing development and transmission of TCM knowledge and practices and are considered one of the breakthroughs in the development of TCM inheritance. In the process of developing ancient classic prescriptions, many problems may still arise in ensuring quality consistency between traditional methods and modern production processes, among which the extraction process poses major challenges. This paper introduces a practical approach extracting an ancient classic prescription using a modern extraction process. The technique is demonstrated through the study of the extraction process of Shenshou Taiyi powder (STP).

Methods: This study focuses on optimising the STP extraction process to ensure consistency in the quality of the product obtained through ancient and modern processes using the standard relation and fuzzy analytic hierarchical process (FAHP) and criteria importance through intercriteria correlation (CRITIC) method integrated weights combined with the Box-Behnken response surface test. Using the contents of rosmarinic acid, isoimperatorin, puerarin, as well as the extract yield and fingerprint similarity as evaluation indexes of STP, the Box-Behnken response surface method was employed to examine the varying extraction parameters, including water addition ratio, extraction duration, and number of extractions. The weighted coefficients for each parameter were calculated by combining the benchmark correlation and FAHP-CRITIC method, deriving a comprehensive score.

Results: The optimal extraction process for STP consisted of a two extractions, each using at a tenfold quantity of water, performed for one hour. Process verification across three separate batches yielded a comprehensive score of 94.7, with a relative standard deviation of 0.76%.

Conclusions: The application of the Box-Behnken response surface method combined with standard relation and FAHP-CRITIC approach proved to be stable and feasible for optimising the extraction process of STP.

Background: Chronic pain affects over 100 million Americans, with a disproportionately high number being Veterans. Chronic pain is often difficult to treat and responds variably to medications, with many providing minimal relief or having adverse side effects that preclude use. Cannabidiol (CBD) has emerged as a potential treatment for chronic pain, yet research in this area remains limited, with few studies examining CBD's analgesic potential. Because Veterans have a high need for improved pain care, we designed a clinical trial to investigate CBD's effectiveness in managing chronic pain symptoms among Veterans. We aim to determine whether CBD oral solution compared to placebo study medication is associated with greater improvement in the Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC).

Methods: We designed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, pragmatic clinical trial with 468 participants. Participants will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either placebo or a CBD oral solution over a 4-week period. The trial is remote via a smartphone app and by shipping study materials, including study medication, to participants. We will compare the difference in PGIC between the CBD and placebo group after four weeks and impacts on secondary outcomes (e.g., pain severity, pain interference, anxiety, suicide ideation, and sleep disturbance).

Discussion: Once complete, this trial will be among the largest to date investigating the efficacy of CBD for chronic pain. Findings from this clinical trial will contribute to a greater knowledge of CBD's analgesic potential and guide further research. Given the relative availability of CBD, our findings will help elucidate the potential of an accessible option for helping to manage chronic pain among Veterans.

Trial registration: This protocol is registered at clinicaltrials.gov under study number NCT06213233.

Traditional herbs have a history of clinical use in anti-fatigue. However, several adverse effects of herbs have been identified. Pityriasis rosea-like eruption (PR-LE) is a rare cutaneous complication of herbs. To the best of our knowledge, there have been few reports of PR-LE following herbs. Here, we described a case of PR-LE that developed 6 days after taking anti-fatigue herbs. After the 17 days of stopping Aconitum carmichaelii Debx and Panax Ginseng, it notably faded. So, when anti-fatigue herbs being authorized for fatigue use, monitoring for potential adverse effects is necessary.

Background: Traditional medicine (TM) interventions are plausible therapeutic alternatives to conventional medical interventions against emerging and endemic zoonotic diseases, particularly in low-and middle-income countries that may lack resources and infrastructure. Despite the growing popularity in the usage of TM interventions, their clinical safety and effectiveness are still contested within conventional healthcare in many countries.

Methods: We conducted a scoping review of the peer-reviewed literature that synthesises and maps the evidence on TM interventions for the treatment and prevention of zoonoses on the Indian subcontinent. The region, a global hotspot of biodiversity and emerging infections, is characterised by high prevalence of TM use. Based on the scientific literature (mostly case study research, n=l06 studies), our review (1) maps the scope of the literature, (2) synthesises the evidence on the application of TM interventions for zoonoses, and (3) critically reflects on the state of TM and identifies areas for future research focus.

Results: The evidence synthesis confirmed widespread usage of TM interventions for zoonoses on the subcontinent, with the majority of research reported from India (n=99 studies, 93.4%), followed by Pakistan (n=3 studies, 2.8%), Bangladesh (n=2 studies, 1.9%), and Sri Lanka (n=1, 0.9%). Most of the reviewed studies reported on ethno-medicinal uses of plant species, primarily for treating dengue (n=20 studies), tuberculosis (n=18 studies), Escherichia coli infection (n=16 studies), lymphatic filariasis and cholera (n=9 apiece). However, the evidence on the safety and effectiveness of these reported TM interventions is limited, indicating that these data are rarely collected and/or shared within the peer-reviewed literature.

Conclusion: This review thus highlights that, whilst TMs are already being used and could offer more widely accessible interventions against emerging and endemic zoonoses and ectoparasites, there is an urgent need for rigorous clinical testing and validation of the safety and effectiveness of these interventions.

Background: Ginsenoside Rg3 is a component of ginseng that protects against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (MI/R) injury. Ferroptosis is a new form of cell death characterized by oxidative damage to phospholipids. The purpose of this study was to examine the role and of ginsenoside Rg3 in MI/R and the mechanism.

Methods: A mouse model of left anterior descending (LAD) ligation-induced myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (MI/R) injury and oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R) were used as in vitro and in vivo models, respectively. Echocardiographic analysis, 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining and hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining were used to assess the cardioprotective effects of ginsenoside Rg3. Western blotting, biochemical analysis, small interfering RNA analysis and molecular docking were performed to examine the underlying mechanism.

Results: Ginsenoside Rg3 improved cardiac function and infarct size in mice with MI/R injury. Moreover, ginsenoside Rg3 increased the expression of the ferroptosis-related protein GPX4 and inhibited iron deposition in mice with MI/R injury. Ginsenoside Rg3 also activated the Nrf2 signaling pathway. Ginsenoside Rg3 attenuated myocardial ischemia/reperfusion-induced ferroptosis via the Nrf2 signaling pathway. Notably, ginsenoside Rg3 regulated the keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway to attenuate OGD/R-induced ferroptosis in H9C2 cells. Taken together, ginsenoside Rg3 attenuated myocardial ischemia/reperfusion-induced ferroptosis via the keap1/Nrf2/GPX4 signaling pathway.

Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated that ginsenoside Rg3 ameliorate MI/R-induced ferroptosis via the keap1/Nrf2/GPX4 signaling pathway.