Alternative Medical Therapies Research Articles

<i>Ayurveda</i> as a Supportive Treatment: A Case Report on Integrative Management of Intracranial Haemorrhage

Stroke is one of the leading causes of adult neurological disability across the globe. Currently, Intracranial Haemorrhage (ICH) has the highest mortality rate of all stroke subtypes. An ICH accounts for only 15% of all stroke subtypes but is one of the most disabling forms of stroke. Over one-third of patients with ICH do not survive and only 20% regain functional independence. This high rate of morbidity and mortality has prompted investigations into new medical and alternative medical therapies for ICH. The stroke is defined in the context of pakshaghata as a vatavyadhi affecting the madhyama rogamarga in which the siras and snayus are affected. The patient was administered to Rookshana followed by oleation, fomentation, purification, enema, and nasal purgation along with selected samana drugs. Assessments were done before and after treatment using Medical Research Council (MRC) Scales, Modified Rankin Scale (mRS), and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scales (NIHSS). The assessments revealed a positive approach to external and internal Ayurvedic treatments as a supporting treatment for the management of stroke due to ICH. The gradual recovery was promising and worth documenting.

Alternative Medical Therapy.

Complementary/alternative medicine" (CAM) is defined as a diverse range of medical treatments, largely non-allopathic, mostly traditional, and not integrated into the authoritarian healthcare system. Interestingly for some schools, allopathy is alternative/complementary therapy. Osteoporosis is an ever-known disease treated before the era of allopathic medicine. Even though the customary medical system of India is among the most well-known in the world, every continent has its own alternative therapies for various chronic diseases. This review of the scientific information is to help the readers understand how crucial the conceptual underpinnings of alternative medical therapy systems are to the advancement of conventional allopathic practices. Many older and recent articles about alternative medical therapy in the management of osteoporosis published in scientific journals are reviewed. Relevant information from cross-references on methods of evaluating the efficacy of different modalities and their scientific pathways is included. An effort has been made to summarise the treatment of osteoporosis by these systems. Opinions, impressions, and inferences are added while describing various aspects of these modalities. The National Library of Medicine has played an active role in publishing studies of the management of osteoporosis by alternative therapies. Many issues of management of osteoporosis still lack reliable treatment. However, good information is now available about choosing alternate medical therapy that has been studied scientifically and has shown promising results. Medicinal plants and certain natural treatments can treat osteoporosis and its problems. The use of alternate medical therapy has been proven recently by clinical practice and conventional wisdom. This sharing may help the medical practitioner to understand and judiciously allow complementary therapy while treating osteoporosis.

Traditional Chinese medicine decoctions and Chinese patent medicines for the treatment of depression: Efficacies and mechanisms.

Depression is a major mental disorder and it is currently recognized as the second-leading cause of disability worldwide. However, the therapeutic effect of antidepressants remains unsatisfactory. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been widely used for centuries, including commonly-used complementary and alternative medical therapies for depression. Recent clinical trials have been carried out to assess the efficacy and safety of TCM, and to explore the mechanisms of action in relation to the treatment of depression. To summarize frequently used TCM decoctions and Chinese patent medicines (CPM) for treating depression, review their clinical therapeutic effects in treating depressive disorders, consider their possible mechanisms, and characterize the relationships between their efficacy and mechanisms. We performed a computerized literature search using the electronic databases such as PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang databases, with the keywords "depression", "traditional Chinese medicine decoction", "Chinese patent medicine", "application", "mechanism", and their combinations, from January 1, 2000 to August 8, 2022 (inclusive). A total of 51 papers were identified. We reviewed studies on six each TCM decoctions and CPMs, which demonstrated their significant clinical efficacy for treating depression and examined their mechanisms of action. The anti-depressive effects were related to: 1) increased monoamine neurotransmitter levels, 2) inhibiting hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, 3) regulating hippocampal neurons and neurotrophic factors, 4) regulating immune cytokines, 5) counteracting excitatory amino acid toxicity, and 6) regulating microbe-gut-brain axis function. TCM plays an increasingly important role in the management of depression by enhancing the therapeutic effects and alleviating the side effects of antidepressant chemicals.

Disseminated Staphylococcus aureus infection after scarification wet cupping therapy: a case report and literature review

BackgroundCupping therapy is a complementary and alternative medical therapy used especially in pain management. It is generally considered a safe procedure, but complications, including life-threatening infection, may still occur. Understanding these complications is essential to safe and evidence-based use of cupping in practice.Case presentationHere we report a rare case of disseminated Staphylococcus aureus infection after cupping therapy. After wet cupping, a 33-year-old immunocompetent woman developed fever, myalgia, and a productive cough accompanied by acute liver and kidney injury, iliopsoas abscess, and gastrointestinal bleeding. The patient was treated successfully with cefmetazole plus levofloxacin after microbiological and antimicrobial sensitivity testing.ConclusionsThough rarely reported, clinicians, practitioners of cupping therapy, and patients should be aware of the risk of infection after cupping therapy. High hygiene standards are recommended for cupping therapy, even in immunocompetent individuals.

Effect of Tamoxifen on the Management of Dopamine Agonist-Resistant Prolactinomas: A Systematic Review.

The management of dopamine agonist (DA)-resistant prolactinomas unresponsive to second and third-line treatment is challenging and requires alternative medical therapy. The presence of estrogen receptors on pituitary tumors, and the variable behavior of pituitary tumors in the presence of estrogen, prompted investigation of the role of anti-estrogen in the treatment of DA-resistant prolactinomas. The goal of this paper is to perform a systematic review of the role of tamoxifen in the treatment of DA-resistant prolactinomas. A systematic review was conducted. Inclusion criteria were case reports, case series, and experimental studies using tamoxifen in DA-resistant prolactinomas. Exclusion criteria included review articles, DA-sensitive prolactinomas, and those that were not previously treated with DA. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. For continuous data, the mean was used. For dichotomous data, frequencies and percentages were used. Data on 22 patients were extracted from the seven included studies. Twenty patients (90.9%) responded positively to the use of tamoxifen with a mean reduction in prolactin levels of 57.4%. Ten patients (45.5%) showed normalization of prolactin post-tamoxifen administration. Regression of tumor size and stability of tumor growth were reported in four out of 22 cases (18.2%). Combination therapy with DA and tamoxifen increased DA sensitivity and had a clinically significant inhibitory effect on prolactin secretion. Furthermore, tamoxifen may be considered an effective adjuvant for tumor size control. Therefore, further studies are needed to draw more clinically and statistically robust conclusions.

Successful Treatment of Congenital Hyperinsulinism Due to KJNJ11 Gene Mutation with Long-Acting Release Octreotide: A Case Report from the Arab Region

AbstractCongenital hyperinsulinism is a rare hereditary condition that is caused by various gene mutations related to the function of the pancreatic β-cells. It is characterized by dysregulation of insulin secretion leading to profound and recurrent hypoglycemia. Its clinical presentation, histology, response to treatment, and underlying genetic defects are variable making it a heterogeneous condition. Pancreatectomy is indicated in diazoxide un-responsive cases. However, surgical treatment is associated with the possibility of persistent hypoglycemia and iatrogenic diabetes. We report a 3 months old girl who presented with hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia. She was born to consanguineous parents and had a history of four neonatal deaths in siblings. Whole exome sequencing detected a KCNJ11 variant c.350_352del p.(Phe117del) in a homozygous state. Pancreatic scan (positron emission tomography/computed tomography) showed a diffusely increased radioisotope uptake in the head and tail of the pancreas. She was resistant to diazoxide and nifedipine and was shifted to octreotide treatment through multiple daily subcutaneous injections initially. Treatment was changed to monthly depot injection of octreotide that resulted in euglycemia. She kept a normal rate of growth, insulin-like growth factor-1, and liver function. This case is an example of an alternative effective medical therapy that avoids major surgical intervention and prevents long-term complication of recurrent hypoglycemia and iatrogenic diabetes resulting after surgery.

Integrative Oncology's 30-Year Anniversary: What Have We Achieved? A North American Naturopathic Oncology Perspective.

In 1991 the U.S. Congress mandated that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) form the Office of Alternative Medicine to study alternative medical therapies, especially in oncology care. Shortly after, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) created its own division of complementary and alternative medicine (Office of Complementary and Alternative Medicine). At the genesis of the field 30 years ago, what were we hoping to see accomplished by now? In this article we take a look back at milestones, shortfalls and future directions. Exciting opportunities exist to direct our established subspeciality's future directions and we have made valuable advances the field of integrative oncology over the last 30 years: 1, IV high dose ascorbate has clinical research-based applications when used concurrently with some chemotherapeutic agents. 2. Whole body, extracorporeal and locoregional hyperthermia are being applied in treating solid tumors, including brain tumors. 3. PDL-1 tumor microenvironment testing and PDL-1 inhibitor immunotherapies have surprisingly excellent outcomes in a subgroup of cancer patients. 4. Tumor DNA sequencing (resected tumor and circulating tumor DNA in blood) has led to personalized precision targeted treatments. 5. Glucose metabolism's role in cancer progression is better understood and better therapies are available (e.g., intermittent fasting, metformin). 6. Medical cannabis has a larger role in treating chemotherapy-related side effects and shows promise for anti-proliferative effects. 8. Greater understanding has been gained of the interdependence and mutual regulation of processes in psychoneuroendocrinoimmunology (PNEI). The burgeoning field of PNEI has exponentially expanded the discussion of tumorigenesis, apoptosis, and introduced to the field the investigation of more holistic approaches to immune regulation and cancer care. 8. Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy is gaining traction especially for cancer patients facing demoralization, existential and spiritual distress, anxiety, depression and trauma related to the diagnosis and treatment of their cancer. 9. Spiritual health of cancer patients is more commonly addressed and measurable with an NIH validated scale. 10. Mind-Body therapies are efficacious for reducing cancer-related distress and are included in many cancer care programs.

Melaleuca armillaris Essential Oil as an Antibacterial Agent: The Use of Mesoporous Bioactive Glass Nanoparticles as Drug Carrier.

Bioactive glasses have been proposed for bone tissue engineering due to their excellent biocompatibility and osteo-inductive behaviour. The generation of mesoporous bioactive glass (nano) particles adds a high surface area for the dissolution and release of bioactive ions, and the possibility to load them with different drugs for antibacterial purposes. Essential oils (EO) are an interesting resource for alternative medical therapy, providing antimicrobial compounds that come from organic/natural resources like aromatic plants. Also, a biological polymer, such as chitosan, could be used to control the release of active agents from mesoporous bioactive glass (MBG) loaded particles. This work presents MBG particles with nominal composition (in mol) 60% SiO2, 30% CaO and 10% P2O5, loaded with essential oil of Melaleuca armillaris, which contains 1,8-cineol as the main active component, with an inhibitory in vitro activity against several bacterial species. Also, co-loading with a broad-spectrum antibiotic, namely gentamicin, was investigated. The MBG particles were found to be of around 300nm in diameter and to exhibit highly porous open structure. The release of EO from the particles reached 72% of the initial content after the first 24 h, and 80% at 48 h of immersion in phosphate buffered solution. Also, the MBG particles with EO and EO-gentamicin loading presented in vitro apatite formation after 7 days of immersion in simulated body fluid. The antibacterial tests indicated that the main effect, after 24 h of contact with the bacteria, was reached either for the MBG EO or MBG EO-gentamicin particles against E. coli, while the effect against S. aureus was less marked. The results indicate that MBG particles are highly bioactive with the tested composition and loaded with EO of Melaleuca armillaris. The EO, also combined with gentamicin, acts as an antibacterial agent but with different efficacy depending on the bacteria type.

Research Trends of Acupuncture Therapy on Fibromyalgia from 2000 to 2021: A Bibliometric Analysis.

Fibromyalgia Syndrome causes great physical and mental discomfort and incurs high costs. Acupuncture has been regarded as the mainstay of treatment for Fibromyalgia Syndrome while the bibliometric analysis of this field has not been summarized properly. Thus, the purpose of this study is to analyze the hotspot of acupuncture for Fibromyalgia Syndrome. The core collection database of Web of Science were searched for relevant publications from 2000 to 2021, and countries, institutions, authors, keywords, and literature were analyzed and visualized by bibliometric software CiteSpace V software and Vosviewer software, to explore the scientific achievements, research collaboration networks, research hot spots, and research trends. 868 publications were included in this study. The publications have increased steadily over time, and the type published the most is Article. Pain is the most cited journal. The most prolific country is the USA while the most prolific institution is Univ Michigan. The most prolific and influential authors were Yiwen Lin and Wolfe F respectively. The analysis of keywords and literature showed that long-term efficacy, animal studies, alternative medicine, and electroacupuncture will be the scientific hotspots in acupuncture for fibromyalgia. This study shows that the number of research studies, researchers, and research institutions on acupuncture for fibromyalgia is increasing from year to year. Future research hotspots will focus on the long-term efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of fibromyalgia, experimental animal studies, and the development of other alternative medical therapies. In addition, electroacupuncture is receiving more and more attention as a new application of traditional acupuncture therapy.

Abstract #1324976: Effect of Tamoxifen on The Management of Dopamine Agonist–Resistant Prolactinomas: A Systematic Review

Management of dopamine agonist (DA)–resistant prolactinomas that are not responding to second- and third-line treatments is challenging and necessitates alternative medical therapy. The presence of estrogen receptors on pituitary tumors accompanied by the variable behavior of pituitary tumors in the presence of estrogen prompted the study of the role of antiestrogen in the treatment of DA-resistant prolactinomas. The purpose of this paper is to provide a systematic review of the role of tamoxifen in the treatment of prolactin-secreting adenomas resistant to dopamine agonists.

Acupuncture driven depression treatment: a noninvasive approach with acupuncture and oriental medication

In this article and memorandum, authors are presenting a short review of acupuncture as a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as driving factor and as a Complementary and Alternative Medical (CAM) therapy as a noninvasive treatment of depression by influencing QI as vital energy that circulates through the body all time. This therapy or treatment in general, is involves inserting thin needles into the skin of patient at very specific points on the body to stimulate the central nervous system. Practitioners of acupuncture technique are firmly ae believing that a QI deficiency is linked to spleen and that rest and eating certain foods can treat the imbalance. According to TCM, QI energy is an invisible energy that is a vital energy, which determines a person’s health and it flows through a network of 12 major energy meridians or pathways. The authors in this short review are investigating how acupuncture can influence this invisible energy in support of balancing neutrons and perceptrons waves within brain by synchronizing them, which enhance and improves reduction of depression within a patient as a noninvasive approach.

LONG-TERM ORAL SUPPRESSIVE ANTIBIOTIC THERAPY FOR PROSTHETIC VALVE ENDOCARDITIS WITH PERIVALVULAR EXTENSION

LONG-TERM ORAL SUPPRESSIVE ANTIBIOTIC THERAPY FOR PROSTHETIC VALVE ENDOCARDITIS WITH PERIVALVULAR EXTENSION

Role of individualised homoeopathic approach in management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A prospective observational study

ADHD is estimated to affect about 6-7% of people aged 18 and under, but such statistics are widely believed to be underestimated, due to poor diagnosis and low reporting rates. If ignored, untreated children of ADHD can have problems into adulthood .The stimulating (eg. Amphetamines, Dexedrine etc.) & the non-stimulating (eg. Strattera), medications which the modern medicine offers for treating ADHD, leaves behind deleterious effects as a result of which the parents are opting for Complementary & alternative medical (CAM) therapies for such childhood problems. Homoeopathy plays a vital role in managing such childhood disorders.Aims and Objective: To study the usefulness of homoeopathic medicines in managing Attention Deficit -Hyperactivity Disorder in Children (5-12 yrs of Age) based on homoeopathic principles of Individualization.Methodology: 30 patients were selected from various geographical locations, where patients were already diagnosed by a Psychiatrist. Detailed history about the child was received, which started from the day of conception, along with mother’s history during antenatal period, child’s behaviour in infancy and in childhood duration, developmental milestones, past history, family history, and objective signs were noted down by the parents and by me. To determine the outcome of the treatment, regular follow ups were taken and the status of each patient was canalized with the help of symptom intensity score (based on CGI-P). Centesimal scale potencies were administered to the cases according to the symptoms & susceptibility of the patient.Results: 0ut of 30 patients of ADHD, 26 patients were male (86.66%) and 4 patients were female (13.34%). Maximum no. of patients out of those 30 cases were found between age group of 7 to 8 years of age i.e 8 patients (26.6%). In cases of 30 patients of ADHD most commonly used potency was 1M i.e. in 18 cases (50%).In cases of 30 patients of ADHD, after giving homoeopathic treatment maximum no. of patients i.e. 21(70%) were improving, 3 patients had significant improvement (10%),3 patients (10%) were Status quo, and 3patients (10%) patients had left treatment.Conclusion: Auxiliary therapies play a major role in neurobehavioural disorders& from my study I conclude that Homoeopathy can make the process of healing faster when it is combined with auxiliary therapies. The 30 cases on which I have worked were already on auxiliary therapy for considerable period of time and after introduction of Homoeopathic medication the process of improvement was evidently faster.

Adjuvant therapy for recurrent respiratory papillomatosis

Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) is a relatively rare disease with potentially devastating consequences for the patient. Its course is unpredictable, ranging from mild disease and spontaneous remission to aggressive disease with pulmonary dissemination and the need for frequent surgery. It can also have a chronic clinical course and cause potentially life-threatening airway damage. A number of alternative medical therapies to standard surgical treatment have been investigated in recent decades, but the results of these studies remain moderate. Recent years have brought significant changes in the incidence of the disease due to breakthroughs in vaccination and prevention of human papillomavirus (HPV) or related pathology. In Poland and many other countries, RRP is not a notifiable disease, hence current data is very limited. It has been accepted to refer to RRP as Juvenile-onset papillomatosis (JoRRP) when the disease occurs in childhood, otherwise it is Adult-onset RRP (AoRRP). This review will present the most promising directions in the fight and prevention of this disease.

Benefits of Surgical Over Medical Treatment for Unilateral Primary Aldosteronism.

Primary aldosteronism is the most common and modifiable form of secondary hypertension. Left untreated, primary aldosteronism leads high rates of cardiovascular, metabolic, and kidney disease. Therefore, early diagnosis and targeted therapy are crucial to improve long-term patient outcomes. In the case of unilateral primary aldosteronism, surgical adrenalectomy is the guideline-recommended treatment of choice as compared to alternative medical therapies such as mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist medications. Surgical adrenalectomy is not only highly successful in reversing the biochemical abnormalities inherent to primary aldosteronism, but also in mitigating the long-term risks associated with this disease. Indeed, as opposed to medical treatment alone, surgical adrenalectomy offers the potential for disease cure. Within this review article, we review the existing evidence highlighting the benefits of surgical over medical treatment for unilateral primary aldosteronism.

Visual Diagnosis: Abnormal Behavior in a 2-month-old Boy.

Visual Diagnosis: Abnormal Behavior in a 2-month-old Boy.

In vitro study on immune response modifiers as novel medical treatment options for cholesteatoma

ObjectivesTo investigate cytokine profile of cholesteatoma and to collect information about important intercellular signaling pathways by establishing two different cell culture models, to block important intercellular signaling pathways in cholesteatoma by applying immune system modifier drugs to develop alternative medical therapy options for cholesteatoma. MethodsTo observe the pathogenesis of cholesteatoma and to apply the immunomodulatory drugs, cholesteatoma tissue culture models were constituted with HEKa cells and cholesteatoma keratinocytes, which were obtained from 3 patients who underwent operations for cholesteatoma. Medicines including 5-fluorourasil, imiquimod, cyclosporine, and tacrolimus were applied on both cholesteatoma keratinocytes and HEKa cells. After 48 h of incubation, IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-α, and Ki67 levels were measured to determine cell viability rates. ResultsIn the cholesteatoma control group, IL-6 and TNF-α levels were found higher than in the HEKa control group. All repurposed drugs in the study demonstrated anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative, and cytotoxic effects on cholesteatoma. Imiquimod and tacrolimus in particular are potential treatment prospects for cholesteatoma due to their strong anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic effects. ConclusionMedical therapy options for cholesteatoma are still missing and surgery is not the ultimate solution. We have focused on intercellular inflammatory processes, which play significant roles in the pathogenesis of cholesteatoma in our paper. Inflammation and proliferation of cholesteatoma decreased after all repurposed drug applications in our study. Anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative effects of tacrolimus and imiquimod was more significant than other drugs in the study. For this reason, tacrolimus and imiquimod should be examined in depth with in vivo studies in terms of efficacy and safety for medical treatment of cholesteatoma.

Pilot study of over-the-counter drugs applied among the pediatric population in Bulgaria

Herbal medicines have evolved through their traditional use in a specific or cultural context. The pharmacological effects of herbal medicines are not due to their “natural” origin, but to the complex character of biologically active substances. Pediatricians have begun to integrate the use of complementary / alternative medical therapies with conventional health care. The first aim of the study was to make an analysis of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs (OTCDs) with a plant component. The secondary aim was to investigate OTCDs in terms of composition and nosology for use by the pediatric population in Bulgaria. Registered OTC drugs with a herbal component for children are prescribed for the treatment of colds, pain, gastrointestinal diseases, mild sleep disorders, neurovegetative dystonias and kinetosis, urinary tract inflammation, liver disease, and are also applied topically to inflammation, trauma, urticaria and scars.

A rare case of liver failure due to consumption of mahogany seeds

The use of complementary and alternative medical therapies is increasing worldwide. Many of these products have biological activity that can lead to severe toxicity or interact with prescribed medications. We present here a case of 68-year-old female, a known diabetic and hypertensive on treatment, who presented with symptoms of liver failure. This was associated with the consumption of mahogany seeds (sky fruit). She was investigated for other causes of liver failure, which turned out negative. It is important to recognize such possible complications during these therapies and promptly withdraw the offending agent.

A Review for Existing Complementary and Alternative Medical Therapies for Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has always been a frustrating disability for families and no official effective medical interventions has been found to cure this disorder yet. With more attention from the general public both nationally and internationally, more and more families and therapists showed preference to implement complementary and alternative medical (CAM) therapies. This review aims to provide more information about potential CAM that has been applied and their effectiveness.