ఆల్టర్నేటివ్ & ఇంటిగ్రేటివ్ మెడిసిన్

Objectives: The aim of this study was to review the effects achieved by the Qigong on balance in the last 17 years publications.

Design: The performed search included quantitative researches about the effects of Qigong on balance, published between 01/01/2000 and 12/31/2016. There was no language restriction and reviews were not included in the analysis.

Databases: PubMed, CSIC, Cochrane Library, Scopus, PEDro, Dialnet, JSTAGE, JTCM.

Results: A total of 2966 studies were founded, 11 of them were selected after having applied the established inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Conclusion: Currently, there is not enough evidence to conclusively demonstrate the benefits of Qigong in improving balance. However, based on the analyzed studies, we can say that there are signs of an improvement.

Acupuncture, a complementary therapy originated in China over 3000 years ago, is widely practiced in western countries. There is an urgent need to define the mechanisms underlying some clinical effects obtained by acupuncture. A placebo effect is sustained by neuroimaging evidence indicating the activation of areas in the brain that are involved in expectation after real and sham acupuncture. However, only real acupuncture modulates the activity of specific regions in the brain some of which involved in the perception of pain. Basic research applied to the field of acupuncture is beginning to offer a scientific interpretation to these events. Indeed, the stimulation of acupoints alters the architecture of the connective tissue and this local mechanical stress is delivered to the keratinocytes, mast cells and fibroblasts, which react in several manners, including the release of various molecules that act on peripheral nerve endings. Consequently, locally generated signals can be transmitted to the neural centers. In the light of these achievements and urging more research in the field, it can be concluded that there are common denominators between acupuncture and western medicine.

Healthcare providers do consider the potential risk of harm that any treatment can cause. Chiropractic healthcare is a system of complementary medicine based on the manipulative treatment of misalignments of the joints, especially those of the spinal column. Recently, the use of chiropractic spinal manipulation has increased considerably while its safety has been debated and estimates vary widely for the incidence of serious complications. Some vascular and neurological incidents account for the criticism surrounding chiropractic. The aim of this review is to investigate the risk of serious complications of chirporactic spinal manipulations to enlighten further understanding on their prevention.

Malaria is the most devastating infectious disease in the world, and increasing numbers of multi drug resistance parasites are making it worse. The rising problem of morbidity and mortality justify the search and adoption of new tools and measures to minimize the impact of malaria. World Health Organization stated that homoeopathy is the second most used medical system internationally which is a nontoxic form of alternative medicine and can be combined with classical treatment methods for avoiding the risk of adverse effects. Innumerous scientific researches have been carried out to sustain homoeopathy as a complete scientific system to combat antagonism. Establishment of classical homeopathic drugs for malaria can prove as a next generation therapy, as homeopathy doesn’t give any scope of resistance. The most important and significant aspect of homeopathic medicines is that they are developed after direct proving on human beings and not on animals. Each homeopathic medicine is therefore more akin to human nature and human system. This is a quality unshared by most medicines in other systems. This review will give scientific basis to classical homeopathic doctrine of ultra-high dilutions and their use as antimalarials. Homeopathic medicines are used against malaria since last two decades and this review provides a data of all homeopathic antimalarials and the ongoing researches. The review is supported by latest research in this field which can provide a base for designing better methodologies in the field of homeopathic antimalarial therapy.

Gastritis represent a state of inflammation, irritation, or erosion of the stomach lining which may occur suddenly (acute) or gradually (chronic). Generally there is no universally accepted classification of gastritis and early classification was based mainly on the morphology, but recently pathogenic mechanisms have also been incorporated. The gastric mucosa is continuously exposed to many noxious factors, and Gastric protection aimed mainly to reduce or prevent the chemically induced acute hemorrhagic erosions which is exerted by compounds such as prostaglandins (PG) and SH derivatives without inhibiting acid secretion.

Common causes of gastritis are excessive alcohol consumption or prolonged use of non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin or ibuprofen. It may also develop after major surgery, traumatic injury, burns, or severe infections. Chronic causes are infection with bacteria, primarily Helicobacter pylori (HP), chronic bile reflux, stress additionally certain autoimmune disorders can cause gastritis as well. The most common symptom is abdominal upset or pain, indigestion, abdominal bloating, nausea, vomiting and pernicious anemia. The current study here is focusing on the causes, clinical profile, inflammatory, immune response and autoimmune atrophic gastritis in affected individuals. Additional focuses are on different diagnostic tools for Helicobacter pylori infection (HP) and current therapeutic treatment.

Objective: Chyawanprakash, a Chyawanprash based proprietary Ayurvedic formulation in which conventional sugar and honey are replaced by permitted alternate sweeteners in diabetic population.

Design: This was a randomized open label clinical study conducted across two study sites in Maharashtra (India). 121 male and female subjects in the age range of 18-70 years who were suffering from Type II Diabetes mellitus for more than one year and were stabilized on either exercise/diet regimen or oral hypoglycemic agents were recruited in the study and advised 1 teaspoonful of Chyawanprakash twice daily orally after meals for 90 days. They were advised to continue their anti-diabetic medicines under the supervision of the Investigator. Results were assessed basis pre and post treatment changes in glycosyated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and the Physician global assessment of overall safety. Clinical symptoms, laboratory parameters like blood sugar and insulin levels, microalbuminuria, liver and renal function tests, lipid profiles etc and changes in dose of oral hypoglycemic agents were also assessed.

Results: Oral administration of Chyawanprakash in recommended dosage in controlled Type II diabetics did not show any safety concern which was evident by no statistically significant change in HbA1c levels and the clinical as well as laboratory parameters (blood sugar, microalbuminuria, liver and renal function tests, lipid profiles etc). 97% excellent safety was reported on the Physician’s global assessment of overall safety. Moreover, a statistically significant improvement was also observed in energy levels of subjects.

Conclusion: Results concluded the suitability of Chyawanprakash in controlled Type II diabetics.

Objective: To evaluate the protein expression and distribution of Notch signaling-related, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the bone marrow cells of S180 tumor bearing mice. Additionally, verification of acupuncture regulated protein expression of these DEGs to protect bone marrow stem cells and alleviate cyclophosphamide (CTX) chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression was examined as well.

Methods: Healthy male Kunming mice were inoculated with S180 sarcomas and further divided into blank control (group A), CTX group (group B), acupuncture (group C), and moxibustion (group D) groups. Animals in groups B, C, and D were intraperitoneally injected with single dose of 150 mg/kg CTX to generate the myelosuppressive model; while animals in group A were injected with an equivalent volume of sterile saline. After immobilizing the animals, mice in groups C and D received daily acupuncture and moxibustion, respectively at Dazhui, Geshu, Shenshu, and Zusanli acupoints; while mice in groups A and B received no daily treatment. Animals in each group were euthanized by cervical dislocation following five days of treatment and their femurs collected for marrow harvest. Small-throughput cDNA microarray was used for initial DEG screening, followed by immunohistochemistry, real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), and Western Blot analysis to detect protein expression and quantity of the Notch signaling-related DEGs in the bone marrow cells.

Results: Expression of numb proteins (i.e., numb1 and numb2) was found to be up regulated while notch2 and jag1 were down regulated in bone marrow cells of acupuncture treated, tumor bearing mice.

Conclusion: Acupuncture regulated the changes of Notch signaling-related DEGs in mouse bone marrow cells. The data indicates that acupuncture treatment may alleviate the CTX chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression associated with tumor burden, suggesting that might be the key mechanism to improve bone marrow function.

Background: As an alternative and complementary practice, Tai Chi is becoming increasingly popular in the United States, especially among the elderly. Although several interventional and qualitative biomechanical studies have been performed, a quantitative approach, such as multi-joints kinetics synergy of ankle, knee and hip, has yet to be performed. To better understand the biomechanics of Tai Chi, the characteristics of the total support moment synergy were studied during Tai Chi gait and compared to normal gait.

Methods: Ten healthy, experienced (two years) Tai Chi Chuan practitioners performed normal walking and Tai Chi gait while data was collected using high-speed infrared motion analysis cameras. The joint distributions of the ankle, knee, and hip were calculated by ratio between individual joint moment impulse and total support moment impulse. Using a paired t-test, the joint moment distributions of the lower limb were compared between Tai Chi gait and normal walking.

Results: The total support moment of Tai Chi walking was predominated by the contribution of the knee (ankle: 32.78 ± 1.25%; knee: 58.68 ± 1.84%; hip: 8.54 ± 1.91%) whereas the ankle was the primary contributor to support in normal walking (ankle: 67.86 ± 2.76%; knee: 26.18 ± 2.69%; hip: 5.96 ± 1.83%). The contributions of all three joints studied differed significantly (p<0.05) between Tai Chi gait and normal gait.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates different kinetics synergy patterns between Tai Chi gait and normal gait. Importantly, Tai Chi gait places a high mechanical demand on the knee joint. Our results provide biomechanical basis of Tai Chi’s benefits on increasing knee joint range of motion and muscle strength, also suggest that prescribing Tai Chi as a potential therapy for people with joint disease, it needs a careful consideration of evaluating mechanical response of people with joint disease during Tai Chi exercise due to higher mechanical demand on the knee joint.

Cancer diagnoses often carry with them a range of emotional distress. The evidence based, complimentary medicine practice of music therapy may improve patient symptoms, care and quality of life. This paper will present 3 case studies to illustrate the effect music therapy can potentially have on the lives of cancer patients. Music therapy may serve as a beneficial and cost-effective adjunct to standard oncology care and it is suggested that music therapy practices be considered at hospitals and oncology centers nationally.