Complementary Medical Practices Research Articles

Ayurvedic Herbal Medicines: A Literature Review of Their Applications in Female Reproductive Health.

Ayurveda, an ancient holistic and personalized healing system originating from the Indian subcontinent, has been gaining increasing attention as a complementary and alternative medical practice for treating various health conditions, including those related to women's reproductive well-being. This comprehensive literature review examines a wide array of experimental and clinical studies exploring the diverse facets of Ayurvedic interventions in addressing issues such as menstrual irregularities, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), infertility, and menopausal symptoms. The paper specifically focuses on discussing the available data regarding the efficacy of Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum), ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), ginger (Zingiber officinale), cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum), turmeric (Curcuma longa), and Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus), which have traditionally been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries. The synthesis of literature not only highlights the potential benefits of these Ayurvedic interventions, but also critically assesses the methodological rigor of existing studies, identifying research gaps, and proposing directions for future investigations. While acknowledging the need for further rigorous research and clinical trials, the review emphasizes the benefits of collaborative and integrative healthcare. This review aims to serve as a valuable resource for healthcare practitioners, researchers, and individuals seeking holistic and natural alternatives for female reproductive health management.

Phytonano particles for the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Review

A metabolic syndrome that poses a life-threatening risk is diabetes mellitus. The prevalence of diabetes has increased dramatically during recent decades. Although several therapeutic strategies have been tried, the danger and occurrence continue unabated. Several tiny compounds produced from plants have been suggested to combat type 2diabetes and its related vascular problems by a variety of therapeutic objectives. Additionally, these phytochemicals' enhancing biocompatibility increases the desire to use them in therapeutic negotiations. Poor pharmacokinetics, however, because the clinical relevance of these phytochemicals is mostly constrained by their biological properties as drugs for treatment. Several pharmaceutical initiatives have been made to improve adherence and treatment effectiveness. The use of nanotechnology in this context has been demonstrated to be the most effective strategy for increasing compliance and clinical effectiveness. Due to the following, hyperglycemia either insufficient or resistant insulin secretion. The number of instances of diabetes mellitus is rising quickly in India, where it already affects more than 40 million people, or about 9% of the population.20% of the world's diabetes population. The usage of oral medications helped the type2DM patients receives treatment. Agents that lower blood sugar and insulin. But none of these treatments are particularly effective, and have negative impacts been mentioned. The researchers have relocated to a different location to help them other complementary medical practices. Folk medicines, often known as "traditional medicines," include extracts from various phytoconstituents. The management and control of diabetes mellitus has been greatly assisted by the use of medicinal herbs. This article gives a careful and current outline of the utilization of phytochemical Nano formulations in the treatment of diabetes and its ramifications. The impacts of nanosizing on pharmacokinetic, biopharmaceutical and remedial profiles of plant-determined little particles, for example, curcumin, resveratrol, naringenin, quercetin, apigenin, baicalin, luteolin, rosmarinic corrosive, berberine, gymnemic corrosive, emodin, scutellarin, catechins, thymoquinone, ferulic corrosive, stevioside, and others have been talked about exhaustively in this review.

<i>AYUSH</i> in Oral Health and Diseases: An Overview

"AYUSH” is an abbreviated form for Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy. These are the indigenous complementary and alternative medical practices used in India. Oral diseases are significant global health ailments and greatly influence the general life quality. Compromised oral health is connected with numerous systemic chronic diseases. Oral healthcare professionals face many challenges in the management of dental conditions. It is essential for oral healthcare professionals to be abreast of Complementary and Alternative Medicine modalities, as there is a growing need for the amalgamation of these traditional systems with conventional, science-based Dentistry for the holistic management of oral diseases. The present paper highlights the AYUSH medicine systems that can be comprehensively integrated into modern oral healthcare.

« Il est urgent de contrer le développement de la médecine intégrative et de sauver la vraie médecine ». Analyse critique de dix arguments rationalistes sceptiques

ContextThe debate about unconventional healthcare practices and their possible integration into conventional medical care presents an inexhaustible subject of polemics and controversy, particularly in France. In this debate, some prefer to openly deny its complexity in favor of simplistic rhetoric: these are the pro- and anti-unconventional medicine activists. Their radical rhetoric provides an ideal realm of discussion in which to analyze the cognitive shortcuts and other reasoning biases they employ. An initial analysis of the arguments put forth by the antis reveals an asymmetry in the use of the critical thinking they claim: the latter is applied to so-called “pseudo-medicine” and very little to their “rationalist” arguments. MethodIn this article, we have chosen to compensate for this shortcoming by providing a critical analysis of the 10 most common “rationalist sceptic” arguments used by opponents of complementary medical practices put forth in the press and media. Given the caricatural nature of certain skeptical positions, we have chosen to use satire and caricature ourselves for didactic purposes. Each of the 10 arguments is presented as follows: 1) a summary of the radical assertion being defended, followed by 2) the partial arguments or rhetorical strategy put forward to justify it, and 3) the counterarguments which are more or less deliberately kept silent. ResultsWe present a short caricatural summary of this argument: “Breaking news in the field of health care! Wired therapies are attempting to invade real medicine! We, rationalist physicians and defenders of true medicine, are concerned about the development of integrative medicine in France. We are sending this 10-point skeptical rationalist argument to the entire medical community and health professionals in order to put a stop to the development of integrative medicine and protect real medicine from heretics. We challenge every health care professional to take a stand; scientific medicine represents Good, because the Truth is on our side and the evidence guides our steps. If there were any evidence in favor of complementary and integrative medicine, we would be aware of it. In fact, these proponents are nothing more than charlatans whose claims are groundless. Let's be serious and proud to be Cartesian, because our country still stands up to all these would-be crooks. This proposal is based on the values of critical thinking, which aims to fight against misinformation in medicine and more generally in science. We have endeavored, as much as possible, to anticipate the objections that might be raised against our arguments.” We then analyze each argument separately. DiscussionIn the last part of our article, we analyze in greater detail the main cognitive biases used in the 10 arguments cited, drawing on the tools of metacognition: confirmation bias, framing bias and overconfidence bias. We discuss the limits of our work, which does not claim to be free of bias and is open to constructive, well-argued criticism. We make it clear that, despite its misleading appearances, our work is in no way a plea for alternative health care practices that challenge conventional medicine, nor is it an attack on conventional medicine, nor a diatribe against scientific skepticism. ConclusionWe argue for symmetrical training in critical thinking and metacognition among health professionals. Questioning and distancing oneself, without relativism, are indeed the best allies in such controversial debates. Uncertainty should be an integral part of the process of scientific knowledge, which is no longer conceivable in the binary and overly simplistic opposition between ignorance and certain knowledge, by overcoming both an acritical positivism and a radical scientific relativism.

International college students’ perceptions on complementary and alternative medical practices

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the complementary and alternative medicinal (CAM) choices of international college students in the U.S. Participants A total of 192 international college students participated in this study. Methods Participants completed a survey with demographic and background information, such as gender, age, years living in the U.S., country of origin, cultural and religious influences on health decision-making, CAM usage, and the Complementary and Alternative Medicine Beliefs Inventory (CAMBI). Results Results showed that there was a significant difference in CAMBI scores and age groups with those in the age groups of 20–29 and 30+ having higher CAMBI scores than those in the 18–19 age group. Participants had high scores on the CAMBI. Conclusion Overall, participants showed a wide range of CAM usage with most participants indicating a need for CAM options on university campuses.

Uses of Papaya Leaf and Seaweed Supplementations for Controlling Glucose Homeostasis in Diabetes.

Studies from laboratory animal models and complementary medical practices have implied that nutrients from special plants or herbs contain antidiabetic, antioxidant, anti-obese, anti-hypertensive, and anti-inflammatory properties. Seaweed and tropical papaya, which are widely available in Asian and Pacific countries, have been used as home remedies for centuries. The bioactive extracts from these plants contain vitamins A, C, B and E complexes, as well as polysaccharides, phenolic compounds, essential fatty acids, flavonoids, saponins, fucoidan, and phlorotannin. In this review, the authors examine the pathogenesis of diabetes characterized by hyperglycemia due to the dysregulation of glucose homeostasis, antidiabetic/antihyperglycemic seaweed or/and papaya derived bioactive phytochemicals and their proposed mechanisms of action in the management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). The authors also propose combining papaya and seaweed to enhance their antidiabetic effects, leveraging the advantages of herb-to-herb combination. Papaya and seaweed have demonstrated antidiabetic effects through in vitro assays, cellular models, and animal studies despite the limited clinical trials. Nutraceuticals with antidiabetic effects, such as secondary metabolites isolated from seaweed and papaya, could be combined for a synergistic effect on T2DM management. However, the application of these compounds in their purified or mixed forms require further scientific studies to evaluate their efficacy against diabetes-related complications, such as hyperlipidemia, elevated free radicals, pro-inflammatory molecules, insulin insensitivity, and the degeneration of pancreatic beta cells.

Green tea silver nanoparticles improve physiological motor and cognitive function in BALB/c mice during inflammation

Information on the basic changes associated with green tea small molecules in acute inflammation is deficient. The purpose of the study was to characterize and establish the effects of green tea silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) following inflammation in BALB/c male mice. In this study, green tea silver nitrate nanoparticles were characterized and the extract were made up to constitute high (100%), medium (10%), and low (1%) concentrations for administration. Acute inflammation was induced in groups I–V of the experimental rodents by injecting 0.5 ml/kg of fresh egg albumin on the subplantar surface of the right hind paw and animals were monitored for 36 h. Group I–III were administered 100%, 10%, 1% green tea nanoparticles extract while group IV was given diclofenac. Group V was the positive control while group VI was the negative control that received the vehicle. Paw edema was measured at a 2 h interval for 3 days, while the pain was assessed by measuring the locomotion activity using the voluntary wheel running and the anxiety-like behavior. Hypersensitivity was measured through the temperature sensation experiment and a non-linear regression analysis was done. Here, synthesized green tea AgNPs registered an absorbance band at 460 nm, phytochemicals due to presence of organic functional groups of OCO of oxycarbons, of CC of a conjugate alkene, CO of a stretching bond of a secondary alcohol. The silver green tea nanoparticles were spherical, covered by a slimy layer, capped and stable. Green tea AgNPs significantly decreased temperature hypersensitivity in BALB/c male mice and this demonstrated their protective effects. Low concentrations of green tea nanoparticles inhibited edema thus mimicking effects of diclofenac, however, the percentage of inhibition was highest in medium and high silver-tea nanoparticles concentrations demonstration the importance of concentration in therapeutics. Anxiety was lowest in BALB/c male mice treated with high concentrations of silver green tea nanoparticles, and this led to increased locomotory activity in mice. Green tea AgNPs have strong anti-inflammatory effects at high concentrations. Concentrations of green tea AgNPs modulated basic sensory and motor behaviors in BALB/c male mice demonstrating their importance in complementary and integrative medical practice.

Lycopene augments and enhances anti-oxidant/antibacterial efficiency of ethanolic leaf extract of Helianthus annuus over multidrug-resistant bacterial isolates

Lycopene, the potential antioxidant naturally occurring in red carotenoid pigment is found in many fruits and vegetables. In this work, antioxidant power and antimicrobial potentials of lycopene against the multidrug-resistant (MDR) Streptococcus agalactiae (S. agalactiae) and Streptococcus pyogenes (S. pyogenes) were studied when added to ethanolic leaf extracts of Helianthus annuus (H. annuus). Supplementation of the lycopene along with ethanolic leaf extract of H. annuus indicates a 30 % enhancement in the antioxidant activity by 2, 2-Diphenyl-1-Picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay and reduction of 24 % reactive oxygen species (ROS) in human fibroblast cells under calcium stress compared to leaf extract alone. The antibacterial activity of the leaf extract + lycopene showed improved bacterial inhibition as low as 40 and 70 μg of the leaf extract compared with extract alone against S. pyogenes and S. agalactiae respectively. Taken together, the observations show that the natural anti-oxidant, lycopene, when added to the extract enhanced the antibacterial activity at lower concentrations which could possibly reduce the larger dose as observed in alternative or complementary medical practices.

Cancer in sub-Saharan Africa: a Lancet Oncology Commission.

In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), urgent action is needed to curb a growing crisis in cancer incidence and mortality. Without rapid interventions, data estimates show a major increase in cancer mortality from 520 348 in 2020 to about 1 million deaths per year by 2030. Here, we detail the state of cancer in SSA, recommend key actions on the basis of analysis, and highlight case studies and successful models that can be emulated, adapted, or improved across the region to reduce the growing cancer crises. Recommended actions begin with the need to develop or update national cancer control plans in each country. Plans must include childhood cancer plans, managing comorbidities such as HIV and malnutrition, a reliable and predictable supply of medication, and the provision of psychosocial, supportive, and palliative care. Plans should also engage traditional, complementary, and alternative medical practices employed by more than 80% of SSA populations and pathways to reduce missed diagnoses and late referrals. More substantial investment is needed in developing cancer registries and cancer diagnostics for core cancer tests. We show that investments in, and increased adoption of, some approaches used during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as hypofractionated radiotherapy and telehealth, can substantially increase access to cancer care in Africa, accelerate cancer prevention and control efforts, increase survival, and save billions of US dollars over the next decade. The involvement of African First Ladies in cancer prevention efforts represents one practical approach that should be amplified across SSA. Moreover, investments in workforce training are crucial to prevent millions of avoidable deaths by 2030. We present a framework that can be used to strategically plan cancer research enhancement in SSA, with investments in research that can produce a return on investment and help drive policy and effective collaborations. Expansion of universal health coverage to incorporate cancer into essential benefits packages is also vital. Implementation of the recommended actions in this Commission will be crucial for reducing the growing cancer crises in SSA and achieving political commitments to the UN Sustainable Development Goals to reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases by a third by 2030.

Knowledge and experiences of complementary and alternative medical practices among patients presenting to an orthopedic clinic: A cross-sectional study

This study aimed to determine the level of knowledge about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practices and the frequency of CAM use and treatment among patients who presented to an orthopedic outpatient clinic. Patients who presented to the orthopedics outpatient clinic of Dr. Abdurrahman Yurtaslan Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital between February 1 and April 1, 2020, were invited to participate in this study. A questionnaire containing 11 questions about 14 different CAM approaches, designed to determine patients’ knowledge of and attitudes toward each of these practices, was administered by the responsible physician through face-to-face interviews. A total of 359 patients were included in the study, the mean age was 49.0 ± 16.1 years and 240 (66.9%) were women. Of the 455 individuals who were considered eligible for the study, 96 refused to participate. The majority of the participants (78.8%) stated that they knew of at least one CAM approach. The most common sources of information were families or friends (54.1%). Of the participants, 30.6% had previously received at least one CAM treatment. About half of the participants (52.6%) stated that they would consider using the methods that they had heard of. The three most commonly known and applied methods were cupping, leech therapy, and acupuncture, respectively. Only 36.4% of the treatments were applied by health professionals. Almost all patients presenting to the orthopedics outpatient clinic had some knowledge of CAM approaches and more than half of them stated that they received such treatments. Health professionals should be aware that society is interested in these practices, regardless of professional support or opposition. All patients presenting to outpatient clinics should be asked about their usage of CAM methods, and the potential interactions of patients’ treatments with CAM practices should be considered.

The Pharmacological Action of Common Herbal Remedies

Acceptance of the clinical efficacy and tolerance of herbal remedies by practitioners of conventional, Western medicine is strongly dependent on unambiguous and reproducible evidence, particularly their pharmacological action. A single conventional drug generally has one dominant pharmacological mode of action which accounts for its therapeutic efficacy, whereas a herbal remedy because of the various active agents it contains, generally influences several biochemical and/or physiological systems present in the body. Identifying this therefore poses several challenges. They are much more complex, and the active components of a herbal remedy may act synergistically or interact in other ways. Although the need to determine modes of action has not been a primary concern of complementary healthcare practitioners, there is increasing pressure to elaborate objectively on their pharmacological action. In response, there has been an encouraging, and escalating, release of scientific data documenting the mode of action of many herbal remedies. Some we know about in considerable detail; of others we have an inkling; but for the vast majority the’ modes of action remain to be elucidated. This brief review, based on a survey of the available scientific and clinical literature, examines the modes of action of several therapeutic herbs which are being increasingly used, whether informally or as part of complementary or integrative medical practice. It examines a major category of sub stances, the adaptogens, and the various chemical forms it embraces, such as the saponins and triterpenes. The herbs with modulate the immune system, for instance garlic, turmeric and St John’s Wort, are likewise surveyed, as are the alkaloids and botanical anti-inflammatory agents. Herbs which exert pharmacological action via their nitric oxide regulatory properties are listed, as are those which provide essential micro-nutrients, such as vitamins and certain minerals. The review concludes with comment on the importance of understanding herbal remedy modes of action as a positive step to their wider adoption in the modern-day therapeutic armamentarium.

An account of alternative and complementary medicine and its scope in a clinical scale

Background: Alternative medicine is the practice of using alternative therapies as treatment modalities and complementary medicine is their inculcation with conventional medical practices. The purpose of this article was to judge people’s perception of these practices and assess societal attitude towards alternative and complementary medical practices.Methods: A survey was conducted among non-medical professionals to assess their attitude towards alternative medicine. They were asked questions with multiple choices to choose from in order to grade their attitude towards and comprehension of alternative and complementary medicine. The questions were designed in a way so as to demand responses ranging from their last visit to an alternative medical therapist to their reason for their visit and their experience.Results: It was observed that most people surveyed were aware of the difference between conventional and complementary medicine but usually visited an alternative therapist without consulting their physician. It was documented that most people were misguided about the actual benefits of complementary medical practices and a majority of the surveyed population chose either alternative medicine or conventional medicine but very few were willing to integrate the two.Conclusions: Alternative medicine is extremely beneficial when used in tandem with conventional medicine and provides numerous benefits. Its use and propagation however must be strictly monitored in order to prevent quackery and the spread of misconceptions regarding its effects.

The role of alternative and complementary medical practices in vaccine hesitancy among nurses: A cross-sectional survey in Brittany

IntroductionGiven today's increasing calling into question of vaccination, we have studied possible connections between alternative and complementary medical practices (CAM) and vaccine hesitancy (VH) among nurses. MethodOurs was a cross-sectional study by self-administered online questionnaire addressed to a panel of nurses in Brittany. After adjustment for other proximal and distal determinants of VH, we examined the impact of CAM use. ResultsMultivariate logistic regressions confirmed the existence of a link between CAM and VH. While trust in medical institutions seems to have an important role, CAM use appears largely independent of VH. ConclusionAssociation between CAM and VH in nurses raises the question not only of their training with respect to these alternative practices, but also of the role of medical institutions in the training of practitioners availing themselves of the latter.

Analysis of the relationship between the use of traditional and complementary medical practices and health literacy levels in individuals with type II diabetes mellitus

Analysis of the relationship between the use of traditional and complementary medical practices and health literacy levels in individuals with type II diabetes mellitus

Knowledge level and attitude towards complementary and alternative treatment methods among medical students: a cross-sectional survey study in Turkey

Objective People often use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) methods in Turkey, but reliability of the application of these methods is controversial. Considering the role of medical students (i.e. physician candidates) in sustainable health, their perspectives on CAM methods are important. This report explores the level of knowledge, experience, and preferences for the use of CAM methods among medical school students. Material and Methods A survey about the use of CAM and interest in CAM methods was applied to 101 first-year and 87 fifth-year medical school students. The binary and multinomial logistic regression models were used for statistical analysis. Results Sixteen percent of the first-year and 9% of the fifth-year students were familiar with “The Regulation on Traditional and Complementary Medical Practices” published by the Ministry of Health of Turkey in 2014. While participants reported the most familiarity with acupuncture treatment, they were the most unfamiliar with prolotherapy among all CAM methods. Seeking advice from a licensed physician before applying CAM methods was the general agreement among the participants. Interest in learning and practicing hypnosis was the highest-rated CAM method among the participants. Conclusions Increasing knowledge and awareness of CAM methods by including them into the medical curriculum would be essential for the correct use of CAM methods.

Emerging Role of Integrative Medicine in Hematologic Malignancies: a Literature Review and Update on Current Trends in Complementary Medical Practices in Hematologic Cancers.

This review discusses the emerging role of integrative hematology. It reinforces the growing interest of CAM among patients, and the importance of provider knowledge and participation in discussions with patients about the subject. The main question asked in this review, "Is there evidence for the use of integrative medicine practices in the field of malignant hematology?" is answered by examining current research and providing relevant summaries. Data suggests that practices such as meditative movement, exercise, nutrition and supplements and touch therapy can be used for symptom alleviation, preventive measures, and novel treatment development. Integrative hematology is a needed part of complete patient care, and it is the role of providers to be knowledgeable and open to ensure patients are engaging in practices that are evidence-informed and safe. More studies are needed in the field in order to make concrete and robust recommendations.

Regulation of health professions in Ontario: self-regulation with statutory- based public accountability

The paper explores the model of regulation of health professionals in Ontario, Canada; a self-regulation model built around a detailed statutory scheme. The core of the paper consists of a discussion of Ontario’s Regulated Health Professions Act and of the key components of 26 specific health profession acts that have been enacted under its umbrella. The paper explores the role of the regulatory colleges, the role of the Ministry of Health in determining scope of practice and other components of medical practice, and the disciplinary and appeal procedures. Some other specific issues are also briefly touched upon, such as the integration into the profession of internationally trained physicians, and the government’s role in ensuring access to specialists across the province. A final section looks at the challenges and the limitations of the Ontario model, through a number of health professions-related controversies that reveal gaps in self-regulation, including: failure to set and enforce proper educational and practice standards in specific areas; failure to conduct timely investigations into potential misconduct by professionals; and failure to question professionals in a position of power. The paper also discusses briefly the implications of recognizing through legal regulation some alternative and complementary medical practices, and the challenge of regulating indigenous health care practitioners. It concludes that the primary limitations of the regulatory model arise on account of professional self-interest and power-relations impacting procedural issues, and the complexity of the regulatory model that may potentially undermine quality control.

Exploring Traditional Chinese Medicine in Alberta: Challenges and opportunities

Integrative medicine is commonplace across the world, but in North America, it is considered a complement, rather than a mainstay of health care delivery. In Canada, where conventional Western medicine dominates modern health practices, we explore the progress, challenges, and opportunities of complementary medical practices, in particular Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in the province of Alberta. We provide a TCM policy framework and maturity model as tools to assess the overall state of TCM practices and apply them in an Albertan context. While Alberta has made significant progress in developing capacity, competence, and accountability within TCM practices, the maturity of its practices may be considered to be in their infancy compared to more developed Chinese jurisdictions and some other Canadian provinces. We highlight significant gaps and barriers that limit the potential for complementary medicine to become part of mainstream health care as safe, effective, and quality health care choices, and discuss possible next steps.

Conducting an Integrative Health Interview

Complementary medicine incorporates the use of non-evidence-based complementary modalities into conventional (Western) medicine. Alternative medicines are approaches that are used in place of conventional medicine. Integrative medicine is the synthesis of conventional medical treatments with "evidence-based" complementary medical practices. When complementary approaches are incorporated into mainstream health care, it is called integrative health (IH). Among children and adults, IH is common despite not all therapies being safe and/or effective. Clinicians have suboptimal knowledge of their patients' IH use because, in part, they do not know what questions to ask and/or do not have a standard intake form to collect an IH history, as recently demonstrated by an American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology membership survey. To address this unmet need, a group of Complementary and Alternative Practice in Allergy Committee members and interprofessional collaborators reviewed the existing literature to locate IH history forms that could assist in identifying patients' IH use. When none was located, the group created 3 templates for the systematic collection and documentation of IH practices: 2 general screening surveys that could be given to patients to complete before an appointment and a third template that provides the clinician with open-ended questions to help uncover IH practices in culturally diverse patient populations. Specialists, already acknowledged as skillful interviewers, can expand their patient-centered expertise by developing their own IH competencies.

The Pharmacological Action of Common Herbal Remedies

Acceptance of the clinical efficacy and tolerance of herbal remedies by practitioners of conventional, Western medicine is strongly dependent on unambiguous and reproducible evidence, particularly their pharmacological action. A single conventional drug generally has one dominant pharmacological mode of action which accounts for its therapeutic efficacy, whereas a herbal remedy because of the various active agents it contains, generally influences several biochemical and/or physiological systems present in the body. Identifying this therefore poses several challenges. They are much more complex, and the active components of a herbal remedy may act synergistically or interact in other ways. Although the need to determine modes of action has not been a primary concern of complementary healthcare practitioners, there is increasing pressure to elaborate objectively on their pharmacological action. In response, there has been an encouraging, and escalating, release of scientific data documenting the mode of action of many herbal remedies. Some we know about in considerable detail; of others we have an inkling; but for the vast majority the’ modes of action remain to be elucidated. This brief review, based on a survey of the available scientific and clinical literature, examines the modes of action of several therapeutic herbs which are being increasingly used, whether informally or as part of complementary or integrative medical practice. It examines a major category of sub stances, the adaptogens, and the various chemical forms it embraces, such as the saponins and triterpenes. The herbs with modulate the immune system, for instance garlic, turmeric and St John’s Wort, are likewise surveyed, as are the alkaloids and botanical anti-inflammatory agents. Herbs which exert pharmacological action via their nitric oxide regulatory properties are listed, as are those which provide essential micro-nutrients, such as vitamins and certain minerals. The review concludes with comment on the importance of understanding herbal remedy modes of action as a positive step to their wider adoption in the modern-day therapeutic armamentarium.