How does biomedicine interact with complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs)? Existing studies emphasize boundary work and epistemological distinctions, but give limited attention to the professional contexts shaping biomedical responses. Adopting a social space perspective, this study argues that variation in biomedical responses to CAMs arises from healthcare space structures-specifically, the social distance between biomedicine and CAMs and physicians' social positions. Drawing on a comparative study of Hong Kong and Chinese mainland, we show that biomedical physicians adopt two distinct professional norms toward traditional Chinese medicine (TCM): an exclusive norm in Hong Kong and an integrative norm in Chinese mainland. Evidence from in-depth interviews with physicians indicates that these norms reflect differing patterns of social distance between biomedicine and TCM and the stratified social positions of physicians in the two regions. By foregrounding professional context, this study offers a spatial framework for understanding variation in biomedical responses to CAMs across sociocultural settings.

Loureirin A, a bioactive monomer derived from Sanguis Draconis flavones, is a traditional Chinese medicine extract recognized for its potent antioxidant properties. Although pharmacological therapies for colorectal cancer (CRC) continue to advance, the overall prognosis of CRC patients remains dismal. Therefore, alternative treatment strategies, such as complementary and alternative medicine, should be considered to aid in the management of this malignancy. In this study, we aimed to investigate the anti-cancer effects and mechanisms of Loureirin A treatment in CRC. We performed various in vitro experiments, including cell proliferation, colony formation, and apoptosis assays, following treatment of two CRC cell lines (HCT116 and HT29) with increasing concentrations of Loureirin A. Loureirin A exerts anti-cancer effects in CRC by significantly inhibiting cell proliferation, reducing colony formation, and enhancing apoptotic activity compared with the control group. These effects occurred in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, Loureirin A treatment could significantly reduce the levels of phosphorylated protein kinase B (AKT) in both CRC cell lines by western blot analysis. Loureirin A exhibits anti-cancer effects in CRC cells and may serve as a potential adjunctive treatment option for this disease.

There are fifteen species of Datura, a perennial shrub-like herb, with Datura alba (D. alba) being the most important medicinal plant because of its therapeutic and aesthetic uses. Pharmaceutical goods use fresh seeds, fresh leaves, roots, dried leaves, dried mature seeds and fruits of D. alba. Seed proteins are the plant component most often overlooked for use in complementary and alternative medicine, even though all plant parts have nearly identical therapeutic properties and effects. This results from a deficiency of knowledge on the components of proteins. The current study is to extract proteins from D. alba plant seeds in order to show data that will identify few major enzymes in the whole protein extract. The protein chemistry techniques, such as gel electrophoresis and chromatography, have been applied for seed protein analysis. After extraction of seed proteins in PBS (pH 7.4) buffer, the chromatography using DEAE Sephacryl (macroprep) resin, SDS-PAGE, zymography and biochemical tests were performed. There were three distinct peaks identified by the chromatographic separation. Protein bands were visible in the reduced and non-reduced SDS-PAGE analysis, while the results of substrate zymography indicated the presence of proteases and phospholipases. Strong antioxidant activity and antibiofilm activity on MRSA were also observed in the D. alba seeds proteins. Enzymatic and biochemical activities were observed with the protein extract obtained from the seeds of D. alba. Fractions of the proteins were also active and showed separation of protein components on the basis of ionic strength.

Complementary therapies for multiple sclerosis: Scoping review with evidence gap map.

Foot reflexology as a complementary therapy for improving lactation and alleviating post-cesarean pain: A randomized controlled study.

Reiki and Therapeutic Touch are complementary therapies sometimes used in palliative and end-of-life care. To examine the available evidence regarding the effects of Reiki and Therapeutic Touch, compared to usual care, in palliative and end-of-life care. Systematic review registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251059364; May 23, 2025). MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched for English-language studies published between 2013 and 2024. Eligible studies included patients receiving palliative care who underwent Reiki and/or Therapeutic Touch compared with usual care. Any primary study design was eligible. Risk of bias was assessed and findings synthesized narratively. Nine studies involving 415 participants were included: five mixed-methods studies, three randomized controlled trials, and one qualitative cross-sectional study conducted in North America (n = 6) and Europe (n = 3). Cancer was the predominant diagnosis. Risk of bias raised some concerns in randomized trials and was moderate to high in qualitative and non-randomized designs. Some studies reported improvements in symptoms (pain, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and stress), and in quality-of-life domains (sleep, relaxation, energy, hope, and emotional well-being). Qualitative findings described perceived relaxation, comfort, and emotional support. Reporting of harms was limited; only one study monitored adverse events and reported one serious event considered potentially related to the intervention. Evidence regarding Reiki and Therapeutic Touch in palliative and end-of-life care remains limited and heterogeneous. The very low certainty of evidence precludes firm conclusions regarding their effectiveness. Further well-designed studies are needed to clarify their potential role in palliative care.

Emesis gravidarum is a common symptom ranging from discomfort to prolonged vomiting, affecting approximately 50-60% of pregnant women. The potential impacts of emesis gravidarum on pregnant women include decreased appetite, which can lead to malnutrition and dehydration, which can be dangerous for both mother and fetus. Data from the Baiturrahman Community Health Center in Banda Aceh City indicates that in 2024, 187 pregnant women (85.7%) experienced emesis gravidarum. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of ginger water infusion on the management of emesis gravidarum in the Baiturrahman Community Health Center's working area in Banda Aceh City in 2025. The research method used was a quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest approach with a purposive sampling technique with a sample size of 30 pregnant women with emesis gravidarum in the Baiturrahman Community Health Center Work Area, Banda Aceh City. The time of this research was conducted on April 22 to May 8, 2025 with univariate and bivariate analysis with paired t-test. The results showed that before giving ginger, most of them experienced emesis gravidarum in the moderate category, namely 23 people (76.7%), while after giving ginger, most of them experienced emesis gravidarum in the mild category, namely 25 people (83.3%). Before being given ginger water infusion, the average emesis gravidarum score was 8.43, while after being given ginger water infusion, the average score became 4.73 with a decrease of 3.70 and a p-value of 0.000 < 0.05, so there is an effect of giving ginger water infusion on emesis gravidarum. It is hoped that health workers will implement the administration of ginger water as a complementary therapy in treating emesis gravidarum and also provide counseling about the benefits of ginger water for pregnant women.

The design and validation of a complementary yoga therapy module based on patient-reported survey outcomes for migraine headache.

Clickbait or Truth? Analyzing the Relationship between misinformation and engagement on TikTok regarding epilepsy treatment.

Mistletoe extract is a widespread complementary therapy mainly used for quality-of-life improvement in cancer patients. Advanced pancreatic cancer is associated with poor quality of life and better therapies for symptomatic relief are highly needed. MISTRAL aimed to assess the impact of mistletoe extract on quality of life, body weight, observed costs and blood biomarkers in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. MISTRAL was an investigator-initiated, phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, superiority, multicenter, clinical trial with a nested biomarker study. Registration EudraCT 2014-004552-64, NCT02948309. At 9 oncology centers, 290 participants were randomized to standard treatment (palliative chemotherapy or best supportive care) plus subcutaneous mistletoe extract or placebo. Main inclusion criteria were advanced pancreatic cancer, performance status 0-2, main exclusion criteria neuroendocrine pancreatic tumor. EORTC-QLQ-C30, EORTC-QLQ-PAN26, body weight, cost parameters and biomarkers were assessed from baseline up until 9 months. No statistically significant differences for quality of life and weight were evident between treatment arms. Parameters for observed costs for supportive and inpatient care (days at hospital, parenteral nutrition infusions, nutritional supplement drinks, number of visits of palliative home care teams, symptom-relieving medication) were similar in both arms. Thus, calculation of costs was not performed. No effect on explored biomarkers (differential blood count, lymphocyte subpopulations, C-reactive protein, albumin and Ca19-9) was found except for a statistically significant increase of eosinophils in the mistletoe arm without association to clinical effect. Since no benefit was observed, there is no clinical reason to recommend mistletoe extract in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

Acupuncture-like transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for patients with irritable bowel syndrome: Pilot mixed-methods study.

Resveratrol, a natural polyphenol with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, has been proposed as an adjunctive agent in periodontal therapy. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of resveratrol in controlling periodontal inflammation and alveolar bone loss in preclinical and clinical studies. A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Electronic databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Lilacs, Wiley, ScienceDirect) were searched up to October 2025, complemented by manual searches of periodontal journals. Eligible studies included in vivo animal experiments and randomised clinical trials assessing the impact of resveratrol on periodontal outcomes. Three reviewers independently performed study screening, data extraction, and risk-of-bias assessment using SYRCLE and Cochrane tools. Twenty-two studies met the inclusion criteria, including 16 preclinical and 6 clinical studies. In animal models, resveratrol consistently reduced alveolar bone loss (7.09% to 60.60%) and improved inflammatory and oxidative stress markers. Clinical trials reported variable but generally positive effects, including reductions in probing pocket depth, bleeding index, and plaque index, and improvements in clinical attachment level. Several studies also showed decreased systemic or local inflammatory cytokines. Clinical evidence remains limited by small sample sizes, methodological heterogeneity, and short follow-up periods. No clinical study evaluated radiographic bone loss. Preclinical studies suggest that resveratrol has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and bone-protective effects, but clinical evidence is limited and heterogeneous. Resveratrol may be considered as an adjunct to nonsurgical periodontal therapy, particularly in aggressive periodontitis but further well-designed trials are needed to determine optimal dosage, duration, and delivery route to support its potential as a complementary therapy for periodontitis.

Hyperpigmented skin lesions are a frequent reason for dermatology consultation in darker skin types. Many conditions share similar clinical appearances, making it difficult to distinguish benign from potentially serious disorders on examination alone. The objectives of this study were to describe the clinical profile and histopathological patterns of hyperpigmented skin lesions in a South Indian population and to assess clinicopathological correlation across major diagnostic categories. This cross-sectional study included 82 consecutive patients with clinically evident hyperpigmented lesions who underwent skin biopsy in a tertiary care center. Detailed sociodemographic, clinical, and exposure data were recorded. Biopsies were evaluated for epidermal changes, interface pattern, pigment incontinence, dermal inflammatory pattern, and melanophages. Patients had a wide age range (mean: 41.8 years) with a slight female predominance. Lesions were generally chronic; nearly half were symptomatic and commonly involved the trunk and face. Preceding inflammatory dermatoses, moderate-to-high sun exposure, cosmetic use, fairness creams, topical steroid application, and alternative medicine use were frequent. In this cohort, hyperpigmented lesions were largely driven by interface-related dermal pigmentation and postinflammatory change. Clinical diagnosis was generally reliable for lichenoid disorders and nevi but less accurate for postinflammatory hyperpigmentation and melasma, highlighting the continuing need for biopsy in equivocal or high-risk pigmented lesions and for attention to modifiable exposure-related triggers.

Sleep disturbance is one of the most common complaints experienced by perimenopausal women due to hormonal changes. Menopause exercise is a complementary therapy that may help improve sleep quality through regular physical activity. Objective: To determine the effect of menopause exercise on sleep quality among perimenopausal women at PMB Rama Agustina. Methods: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a one-group pretest-posttest approach. A total of 30 perimenopausal women were selected using purposive sampling. Sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The intervention consisted of menopause exercise conducted for four weeks. Data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test. Results: The mean sleep quality score decreased from 10.23 before the intervention to 6.37 after the intervention, with a mean difference of 3.86 points. The Wilcoxon test showed a p-value of 0.000 (p<0.05). Conclusion: Menopause exercise had a significant effect on improving sleep quality among perimenopausal women at PMB Rama Agustina.

Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental condition with long-term consequences for children's learning, participation, and well-being. Although evidence from high-income settings shows that families often navigate fragmented and poorly coordinated supports, little is known about how support systems operate in Latin America from caregivers' perspectives. This study describes support pathways for children with DLD in Santiago, Chile, focusing on how families access, experience, and sustain supports across health and education services. We conducted an interpretive qualitative study using semi-structured narrative interviews with nine primary caregivers of children aged 6-9 years with a formal diagnosis registered as Specific Language Impairment (SLI) in the Chilean system (administratively aligned with DLD). Interviews were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, guided by sensitising concepts from care pathways and therapeutic itineraries to examine temporal transitions, institutional interactions, and meaning-making. Caregivers' narratives described support pathways as dynamic and non-linear, shaped by interactions between family interpretations, institutional gatekeeping, and structural constraints. Three interconnected stages were identified: (1) initial suspicion and early help-seeking, marked by uncertainty, uneven professional guidance, and trial-and-error navigation; (2) diagnosis and entry into specialised services, in which Special Language Schools functioned as key gateways to diagnostic confirmation and sustained support; and (3) primary education, characterised by discontinuities in intensity, communication, and coordination when support shifted to School Integration Programs (PIE). Across stages, weak intersectoral coordination, socioeconomic barriers to complementary private therapy, and COVID-19-related disruptions accumulated over time, positioning caregivers as informal coordinators of care. Diagnosis also operated as a sociocultural and administrative credential for access to services. In Santiago, DLD support pathways rely heavily on education-sector gateways and caregiver-mediated coordination within a mixed and weakly articulated system. Policies should strengthen early guidance and referral mechanisms, institutionalise coordination between primary care, language schools, and primary education, and reduce inequities by ensuring continuity and adequate intensity of supports without dependence on families' resources.

Trust in national healthcare systems is associated with health behaviour and patient outcomes. Individuals with high trust are more likely to participate in preventive services and adhere to medical advice, whereas low trust is linked to poorer health, reduced service use, and lower patient satisfaction. Despite extensive research on interpersonal trust in healthcare professionals, cross-national evidence on public trust in healthcare systems remains limited. This study examines levels of trust in 30 healthcare systems and identifies sociodemographic, attitudinal and experiential predictors associated with low trust. The analysis draws on nationally representative data from the 2021 International Social Survey Programme, including 40,392 respondents aged 18 and older across 30 countries. Trust was dichotomised as high versus low trust. Multilevel logistic regression models with random intercepts at the country level were applied to account for data clustering. Individual level predictors included sociodemographic characteristics, health status, political orientation, attitudes toward vaccination and alternative medicine, perceptions of doctors, perceived inequalities in access, personal experiences with access barriers, and satisfaction with the last medical visit. At country level, the Corruption Perceptions Index was used. Trust showed wide variation across countries, peaking in Scandinavian nations and remaining comparatively low in countries such as Poland, Suriname, and Russia. Logistic regression indicates that a high level of trust is associated with low levels of corruption at country level. Younger respondents and women were more likely to report low trust. Poor self-rated health emerged as one of the strongest predictors of low trust. Negative attitudes toward vaccination and voting for extreme political parties were also associated with low trust. Furthermore, both personal experiences of access barriers and perceptions of unequal access were associated with a higher likelihood of low trust. Respondents dissatisfied with their last medical treatment and those with generally negative views of doctors showed markedly lower trust in the healthcare system. Trust in national healthcare systems is associated with a broad set of individual and contextual factors. These findings highlight multiple potential leverage points for strengthening trust, ranging from improving doctor-patient interactions to addressing structural inequalities in healthcare access.

Intermittent fasting has increasingly been incorporated into complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) strategies for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The extent to which weekly fasting frequency dictates glycemic outcomes is well-noted; however, the distinct clinical benefit of increasing Sunnah fasting adherence to two days weekly remains an unresolved question in diabetes management. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of Monday-only Sunnah fasting versus combined Monday and Thursday Sunnah fasting on Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG) among patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). This research is a pre-experimental employing a within-subject exploratory pilot comparison with a single-group pre-post design involving 50 participants selected through purposive sampling, with data analyzed using the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test (p < 0.05). The results demonstrated that most participants (84%) were between 43 and 54 years of age, and the majority were female (56%). practicing Sunnah fasting twice weekly (Monday and Thursday) resulted in significantly lower average FBG (186,67 mg/dL) compared to fasting only once a week on Mondays (202.28 mg/dL), statistically significant reduction in FBG (Z= -2.660, p= 0.008; r= 0.37, Cohen’s d= 0.79). The study suggests that practicing Sunnah fasting twice weekly offers a more favorable impact on fasting blood glucose control for T2DM patients than fasting only once a week.

Background: Lateral epicondylitis (“tennis elbow”) is a painful condition of the lateral epicondyle, affecting adults aged 35–55. Treatment aims to relieve pain and restore function through rest, medications, and physiotherapy. Acupuncture emerges as a safe complementary therapy that reduces pain, restores balance, avoids medication-related side effects, and provides rapid symptom improvement while addressing underlying causes. Objective: To investigate the effect of acupuncture in lateral epicondylitis’ treatment in adults. Design: Integrative review. Setting: Studies conducted in clinical and hospital settings, identified from major databases including PubMed, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL. Subjects: Adult patients diagnosed with lateral epicondylitis. Studies involving nonadults, comorbidities, or nonacupuncture interventions were excluded. Intervention: Acupuncture alone or in combination with other therapies. Main Outcome Measures: Pain intensity, arm function, and safety/tolerability. Results: The database search retrieved 1114 articles, of which 16 met the inclusion criteria. Article screening was performed in Rayyan by two blinded researchers, with discrepancies resolved by consensus. Data were systematically extracted using a standardized protocol. Acupuncture consistently improved pain and arm function in the short and medium term, often performing as well as or better than conventional treatments, with fewer adverse effects. Combination approaches offered additional functional benefits. Randomizations: Not applicable. Blinding: Not applicable for the review; however, individual studies were assessed for blinding during quality appraisal. Conclusions: Acupuncture appears to be an effective and safe complementary therapy for managing lateral epicondylitis in adults, although long-term outcomes and study quality remain variable. Registration and Funding: Not registered; no specific funding reported.

Iridology is an alternative diagnostic practice that claims to identify systemic diseases and organ dysfunction through visual inspection of iris features, including pigmentation patterns, crypts, furrows, and discolorations. Despite its continued presence within complementary and alternative medicine, iridology has not been incorporated into mainstream medical practice. This review critically examines iridology from an ophthalmologic perspective, addressing its historical origins and epistemological foundations, proposed mechanisms, biological plausibility, and clinical evidence. A systematic appraisal of the available literature, including the most recent government-commissioned evidence evaluation, demonstrates a consistent lack of diagnostic accuracy, reproducibility, and pathophysiological rationale. The ethical and clinical implications of iridology use are discussed, with particular attention to the risk of delayed diagnosis and patient misinformation. Based on the totality of evidence, iridology cannot be supported as a diagnostic or screening tool in ophthalmology or general medicine.

Wallerian degeneration (WD) is a secondary neuropathological process following cerebral infarction, characterized by axonal degeneration that exacerbates motor and swallowing dysfunction. Involvement of the bilateral brachium pontis is extremely rare, and no specific treatments are currently available. A 60-year-old Chinese female got acute pontine infarction (day 0) manifesting as left limb weakness. Nineteen days later (day 19), she developed sudden-onset dysarthria, dysphagia, and bilateral lower limb weakness. Brain MRI (day 19) showed high signal on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), slightly high signal on T2-weighted imaging (T2WI), slightly low signal on T1-weighted imaging (T1WI), and low signal on apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps in the bilateral brachium pontis-consistent with early WD. The patient received acupuncture treatment (once daily for 5 consecutive days, day 20d to day 24) targeting neural functional recovery. Objective assessments (Barthel Index, Modified Rankin Scale, muscle strength grading, and Water Swallowing Test) were performed at baseline, post-treatment, and 6-month follow-up. Post-treatment, the patient's dysarthria, dysphagia, and lower limb weakness resolved (muscle strength improved from Grade IV to Grade IV + , Barthel Index increased from 75 to 95). Sustained recovery was confirmed at 6-month follow-up with no symptom recurrence. This case suggests that acupuncture may be a promising complementary therapy for alleviating neurological symptoms associated with early WD of the brachium pontis. However, due to the limitations of a single case report, further controlled studies are needed to validate its efficacy.