Concept Of Traditional Medicine Research Articles

Qi, Yin, and Yang: Traditional Medicine Concepts of Acupuncture

<p>Acupuncture is a traditional treatment from China with historical roots going back centuries. It uses the method of fine needles inserted into the skin at acupoints located along the body's meridians. The main concepts that govern this treatment are Yin and Yang, as well as the flow of vital energy known as Qi. The acupuncture treatment method was first discovered in China in ancient times and has been continuously developed. Today, acupuncture has become one of the standard therapies in China, along with herbs and massage techniques. Acupuncture treatment has preventive and curative purposes and is considered more economical and practical in the healthcare system. The concept of Yin and Yang is essential in acupuncture treatment. It reflects the balance and duality of the human body and nature. Acupuncture points are considered to have Yin or Yang properties, and needles on these points aim to restore the balance of energy in the body. In addition, acupuncture treatment also aims to optimize the flow of Qi, the vital energy that flows throughout the body. When the flow of Qi is obstructed or unbalanced, this can lead to health problems. Acupuncture today is still beneficial as an adjunctive treatment method for pain, primarily when conventional medicine does not provide adequate results. This research aims to analyze how Qi, Yin, and Yang affect the healing process in the human body. In this research, the literature study method is used to explore Qi, Yin, and Yang in the context of acupuncture treatment. The results of this research help us better understand how the concepts of Yin, Yang, and Qi are applied in acupuncture treatment and how they work in the human body.</p>

The perspectives of traditional and modern medicine on the nature of hot and cold foods

A better understanding of traditional medicine requires a more accurate comprehension of the philosophy and culture in which traditional medicine is rooted. From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, the effects of foods on human health are inseparable from temperament, mind, body, and environmental factors. The links between these components may not be explained clearly in modern medicine [1]. This article aims to review perspective of traditional and modern medicine on the nature of hot-cold food, to explain more clear the concepts of traditional medicine in this subject, subsequently to promote its global applicability.

The Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacology, Toxicity, and Applications of Corydalis saxicola Bunting: A Review.

Background: Corydalis saxicola Bunting (CSB) is a perennial herb belonging to genus Corydalis (Papaveraceae), called “Yan-huang-lian” in the Chinese folk. Traditionally, it is used to treat acute conjunctivitis, corneal pannus, acute abdominal pain, hemorrhoidal bleeding, haematochezia, swelling, hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver cancer based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) concepts. Purpose: This review aims to summarize and analyze the pharmacokinetics, pharmacological and toxicological properties of CSB and its extracts; to highlight the relevance of modern pharmacology to traditional pharmacology; also to assess its therapeutic potential. Methods: CSB related literatures were searched and screened from databases including PubMed, Web of Science and CNKI. The selected literatures provided reliable source identification evidences. Results: In traditional medicine concepts, CSB has the effects of clearing away heat and detoxification, eliminating dampness, relieving pain, and stopping bleeding. Its modern pharmacology includes hepatoprotective, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antibacterial, anti-oxidative effects. Further, some pharmacological effects support its traditional uses. The CSB total alkaloids (CSBTA) are the main constituents isolated from this plant, and they exert the major of the pharmacological effects. Toxicological studies have shown that the toxicity of CSBTA is mild and reversible in rodents and beagle dogs. Conclusion: Although the present study summarizes the botany, phytochemistry, pharmacokinetics, pharmacology, toxicity, and applications of this plant, it is still necessary to systemically evaluate the chemistry, safety and parameters related to drug metabolism of the extracts or compounds from this plant before or in clinical trials in the future. Meanwhile, cancers and inflammatory-related diseases may be new research directions of this ethnomedicine.

Kajian Nilai dan Konsep Pengobatan Tradisional Pada Lontar Usada Yeh

Usada yeh is essentially a usada lontar that contains the types of diseases, methods of treatment using water and mantras, and various other upakara facilities. In Usada yeh, the composition and order of the dasaksara were known as the primary basis for using the usada treatment. The purpose of this study was to analyze the value and concept of traditional medicine in usada yeh lontar. This study was employed descriptive qualitatively using an ethnomedicine approach. The data were analyzed through content analysis of lontar usada yeh and in-depth interviews with a pangusadha and academics in Hinduism. The finding indicated that: The values contained was the value of theological education in the form of the teachings of divinity and worship of Tri Purusa (Parama Shiva, Sada Shiva, and Shiva), and the value of health education, such as knowledge about various diseases, treatment methods, knowledge of usada mantram and means based on Shivaistic concepts through tantric teachings. The concept of usada yeh traditional medicine was based on an understanding of the composition and sequence of dasaaksara, in the form of treatment for all kinds of diseases using several means, namely water, mantram, drops, herbal medicine, spray, powder, usug, sesayut, caru, daksina, and other rituals. Moreover, usada yeh could be implemented by combining any type of wood tree. In conclusion, the values and concepts of traditional medicine in lontar usada yeh are centered on water, mantram and ingredients made from natural ingredients and other rituals.

Incorporation of complementary and traditional medicine in ICD-11

Traditional medicine (TM) is practiced in various forms in over 180 countries. Despite this, health information systems on TM are limited. Consistent with this, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) international classification for diseases (ICD) has not to date included TM concepts. This is now changing, as the WHO has endorsed the reflection of TM paradigms in the new 11th Revision of ICD (ICD-11). Although some countries have had national Traditional Medicine classification systems for many years, information from such systems has not been standardized nor been made available globally. By including TM within the ICD, international standardization will be possible allowing for measuring, counting, comparing, formulating questions and monitoring over time. ICD-11 is a classification system for the twenty-first century, and it now provides an opportunity for interested users to integrate the coding of diagnostic concepts from both TM and Western Medicine. This paper describes the new TM classification in ICD and demonstrates through coding examples how to code TM concepts alongside Western Medicine concepts.

The Association of Hot/Cold Status of Temperament with Depression and Hopelessness Scores in Females

Introduction: One of the basic concepts of traditional medicine (TM) is temperament (mizaj), which plays an important role in diagnosis and treatment of diseases. In TM, depression and hopelessness were assumed to be related with coldness of temperament. To verify this assumption, the current study was design to examine the association of depression and hopelessness with hot/cold status of temperament in females. Methods: The sample included 340 healthy females from Fars province, southern Iran. Depression and hopelessness scores were measured using Beck’s depression inventory and Beck’s hopelessness scales, respectively. Participants’ hot/cold status of temperament were determined using a self-reported temperament identification scale which classified the volunteers’ temperament into three groups including warm, temperate and cold. One way analysis of variance and the post-hoc Bonferoni test were applied for comparison between the study groups. Results: According to the result, the mean of depression and hopelessness scores in cold group were significantly higher than that of warm group (for depression: p < 0.01, for hopelessness: p < 0.01). Discussion: The results of this study revealed the association of depression and hopelessness scores with coldness of temperament which support the theoretical principles of TM concerning the correlation of coldness with less positive modes. Conclusion: As the conclusion, based on the data of this study, depression and hopelessness scores appear to be affected by the temperament. These findings therefore may promise to take advantage of traditional medicine in the prevention and treatment of mental disorders.

Traditional Medicine Goes Global

AbstractThe concept of traditional medicine, for all its multifaceted roots, achieved global prominence only during the Cold War era in the wake of massive decolonization. While developments within...

Understanding adaptogens: The action that evades us

Adaptogens are among the most common class of herbal medicines prescribed by herbalists today, and the term is rapidly disseminating into the wider community. Yet, despite the ubiquitous use of adaptogens in clinical practice, there is very little research available which clearly defines the mechanism of action. Although definitions have been proposed, no single definition has been agreed upon by researchers. It appears that the polyvalent action of adaptogens cannot be measured from a conventional pharmacological paradigm of single receptor-based perception of drug action, when adaptogens likely have a multi-targeted action on multiple receptor sites. The multi-target action has been a limiting factor in the progression of clinical trials as the most appropriate method to measure adaptogens remains unknown. Adaptogen is a key concept in Western herbal medicine, with roots spanning more than a century. Bridging the gap between clinical use of this concept and clinical data is long overdue. For this to happen, steps need to be taken to initiate the process of standardisation of the term, as is being seen with other traditional medicine concepts being formalised by the World Health Organization (WHO). This begins with consensus on the definition and a thorough examination of the mechanism of action from a broader pharmacological perspective.

Rouh/Qi before and after production; basic concept of life

Any cells in the world has life at the level of microsystem or macro system which based on concept of traditional medicine like Persian Medicine PM and Traditional Chinese Medicine TCM formed by elements Wetness Coldness Warmness and Dryness in PM and Blood Yin Yang and Qi in TCM Any interactions among these four elements lead to production of Rouh PM and Qi TCM Rouh Qi is source of viability of cell human animal plants and so on In our previous basic studies the overall meaning of Rouh Qi and other elements was described clearly In this report there is an effort to focus more than before on mechanism and outcome of Rouh Qi production

Traditional Medicine Based Drug Development

Currently few of traditional medicines have been developed by blending basic sciences and technologies up to the clinical usage. In future standard traditional medicine based botanical therapeutics will be important in biomedicine developments due to economic background in most parts of the world. Today there are many basic experimental research have being doing for plant based materials. But very limited data can be founded for evidence based use of those experimented plant materials in clinical setup. Therefore this is the high time for develop effective evidence based traditional medicine system in the world. This can be done by evaluating traditional medicine remedies for their pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, stability, shelf life and toxicity par with current standards. Challenge of reproducibility and consistency of herbal remedies can be achieved by developing standard assay markers and chemiinformatic approaches. Further conventional concepts of clinical research design methods may not be adequate when evaluating and conducting clinical trials for traditional medicine. Therefore needs to identifying traditional medicine concepts and develop research strategies for achieve full benefits of these medicine systems. Further there is need to develop and validate a range of parameters applicable to modern and traditional medicines in the light of basic sciences like biochemistry and molecular biology.

Understanding the modifiable health systems barriers to hypertension management in Malaysia: a multi-method health systems appraisal approach.

BackgroundThe growing burden of non-communicable diseases in middle-income countries demands models of care that are appropriate to local contexts and acceptable to patients in order to be effective. We describe a multi-method health system appraisal to inform the design of an intervention that will be used in a cluster randomized controlled trial to improve hypertension control in Malaysia.MethodsA health systems appraisal was undertaken in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, and poorer-resourced rural sites in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah. Building on two systematic reviews of barriers to hypertension control, a conceptual framework was developed that guided analysis of survey data, documentary review and semi-structured interviews with key informants, health professionals and patients. The analysis followed the patients as they move through the health system, exploring the main modifiable system-level barriers to effective hypertension management, and seeking to explain obstacles to improved access and health outcomes.ResultsThe study highlighted the need for the proposed intervention to take account of how Malaysian patients seek treatment in both the public and private sectors, and from western and various traditional practitioners, with many patients choosing to seek care across different services. Patients typically choose private care if they can afford to, while others attend heavily subsidised public clinics. Public hypertension clinics are often overwhelmed by numbers of patients attending, so health workers have little time to engage effectively with patients. Treatment adherence is poor, with a widespread belief, stemming from concepts of traditional medicine, that hypertension is a transient disturbance rather than a permanent asymptomatic condition. Drug supplies can be erratic in rural areas. Hypertension awareness and education material are limited, and what exist are poorly developed and ineffective.ConclusionDespite having a relatively well funded health system offering good access to care, Malaysia's health system still has significant barriers to effective hypertension management.DiscussionThe study uncovered major patient-related barriers to the detection and control of hypertension which will have an impact on the design and implementation of any hypertension intervention. Appropriate models of care must take account of the patient modifiable health systems barriers if they are to have any realistic chance of success; these findings are relevant to many countries seeking to effectively control hypertension despite resource constraints.

The Intersection of Culture and Science in South African Traditional Medicine

Traditional African medicine often carries with it a perception and stigma of being irrational and ungrounded in scientific method in academia. One reason for this common prejudicial view of traditional African medicine is the failure to effectively interpret African traditional medicine concepts, as these are often metaphorical descriptions of the biological and psychological effects of plants or combinations of them used in the traditional medicine preparations. When translated into other languages such as English, these metaphorical descriptions of medicinal plant use can seem to incorrectly reflect mysticism and/or superstition with no scientific basis. This difficulty in interpreting cultural descriptions of medical phenomena, together with the fact that there are hardly any academic papers engaging the science of South African traditional medicine in the biological sciences, is an indication of the disconnection between the humanities studies and the biomedical studies of South African traditional medicine. This paper investigates some popular examples of spiritual plant use in traditional South African medicine using phytopharmacological studies together with anthropological fieldwork methods, demonstrating the empirical basis for use of some plants in divination (by producing clarity of thought or dreams). The examples also reveal the phytochemical and biomedical foundations of the South Bantu speaking traditional healers’ explanations of why and how various spiritually used plants have medicinal value. The challenge for scientists (such as botanists) is to effectively translate and interpret cultural and language based descriptions of spiritual medicinal plant use made by indigenous peoples while recognizing and discarding cultural prejudices that prevent a more comprehensive and integrated understanding of the science that intersects and forms the basis of many, though not all, cultural healing practices.

PRIMARY QUALITIES IN PHYTOTHERAPY AND TRADITIONAL MEDICINES

Objectives: The significance of principles of traditional medicines in research protocols are emphasized by World Health Organization. Primary qualities, traditionally referred to as “hot”, “cold”, “dry” and “wet”, are fundamental concepts of many medical traditions of antiquity such as Persian, Chinese, Greek, and Indian. In Humoral-based traditional medicines, these qualities are regulating factors and act in dynamic balance to maintain health. Therefore, understanding of the primary qualities of body humors and drugs is decisive for treatment, self-care and prevention of diseases in many traditional medicines. The main goals of this study are to consider the relationships among primary qualities and botanical or phytochemical profiles of the traditional Iranian Medicinal herbs.Method: A number of 489 medicinal plants were accommodated with proposed scientific names and the corresponding primary qualities were extracted from Old Persian pharmacopeias. Based on literatures, two data sets screened for statistical study. To ensure consistency and similarity of screened samples, they were examined by Chi-square (I‡2) test. Influences of botanical families on primary qualities were studied by screening of 339 plants in 29 botanical families tested with I‡2 test. In the second stage, major phytochemicals of 192 herbs were categorized based on existence of 23 groups of phytochemicals and a model based on traditional medicine concepts was made using logistic regression.Results: Statistical outcomes revealed that although a few botanical families tend to correlate in specific primary qualities, most others displayed no significant relationship. The proposed phytochemical model was able to estimate the relationship between primary qualities and phytochemical classes in more than 77% of the cases. The findings were in accordance with literatures.Conclusion: The botanical family classification is not an empirically acceptable indicator of primary qualities in medicinal plants. On the other hand, phytochemical profile of a plant is an authentic indicator of primary qualities.

The Infrastructure of the Integrative Human Body; Qi/Dameh, Qi Movement/ Rouh and Zheng/Mezadj - Scientific Base

From the perspective of concepts in traditional medicine the human body is divided into a visible and an invisible part. The latter is the infrastructural part of the body and is a portion which is less noticed than the visible part. The visible portion is formed of several organs. Similarly the invisible part is formed of several infrastructures. Qi was reported in our previous report as one of these infrastructures. In this report, we attempt to identify and describe the other portions such as the free flow of qi, photon (qi) emission, qi movement, Zheng and the holistic view of the human body in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). In addition, there is a basic similarity between the terminology of TCM and Iranian Traditional Medicine (ITM). Accordingly, this report uses this similar terminology of ITM/TCM. In this regard, the basic terminology of ITM such as Dameh (Bokhar) Rouh and Mezadj (Temperament) (Body picture) will be discussed parallel to TCM terminology. We claim that this is the first time in the history of medical literature that a hypothetical discussion has included the descriptions of both TCM and ITM infrastructural concepts.

Application of signs of dying identified in traditional Chinese, Tibetan, and modern Western medicine in terminal care

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to promote culturally sensitive hospice care by understanding the concepts of approaching death in traditional Chinese and Tibetan medicine. Materials and MethodsWe searched for information on signs of dying in Western medicine using MEDLINE and the Cochrane Library Database. We conducted in-depth interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire with six traditional Chinese medical doctors qualified to practice both Western and Chinese medicine. A literature review of Chinese and Tibetan medicine included an analysis of the classical textbooks of these traditional medicine systems. The literature was analyzed using qualitative analysis software. ResultsWestern medicine uses physiologic phenomena to describe signs of dying, while traditional Chinese medicine believes that signs of dying can be summarized as different symptom complexes and can be used to predict disease prognosis. Tibetan medicine views dying as a complex and interdependent process in which the patient’s body and mind simultaneously disintegrate. Traditional Chinese and Tibetan medicine pay more attention to the observable signs of disease. ConclusionsIn Taiwan, Western medicine is the main treatment option delivered during hospice care, but many patients and families are still influenced by traditional medicine concepts. The understanding of traditional medicine can provide culturally sensitive care for terminally ill patients of different cultures.

General prevention, PPPM concepts in traditional medicine, individualised exercise training

General prevention, PPPM concepts in traditional medicine, individualised exercise training

Traditional medicine: a global perspective

The stated purpose of this book is to provide health-care workers with concise information about traditional medicine concepts and practices to help them provide culturally competent care. It is a multi-authored book that contains ten chapters describing health-care traditions throughout the world. The introduction is written by editor Steven Kayne, who is an honorary consultant pharmacist to Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital and an Honorary Lecturer in complementary and alternative medicine at the University of Strathclyde’s School of Pharmacy. Kayne served as an advisor to the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Traditional Medicine. He has written a book on complementary and alternative medicine. The strength of the book is its summaries of healing traditions that are not readily available elsewhere. The chapters on the Columbian Amazon tropical forest, Africa and the Pacific provide detailed descriptions of local traditions and practices that reflect the authors’ extensive field work. The chapter on European folk medicine is an interesting historical survey of traditional healing practices. The monograph on traditional Jewish medicines traces health-care practices from biblical sources to the present use of chicken noodle soup and matzoh balls. The review of North American medicine (Chapter 3) includes an extensive guide advising conventional practitioners how to approach Native American patients in a culturally sensitive and non-confrontational manner. The reviews of traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurveda and other Asian traditions provide standard information that is readily available elsewhere. The book’s major shortcoming is that it provides a cultural context for caregivers but it ignores the biomedical context. In Chapter 1 it promotes the belief that herbal medicines can be used in a safe and effective manner. The medicinal use of botanical extracts is plausible because they may contain pharmacologically-active chemicals. However, the extracts are not standardized for biological activity, they may contain toxic quantities of heavy metals and may be adulterated with drugs. Although the adverse effects of folk remedies have not been studied in a systematic manner, data concerning their toxicity is mounting. For example, African folk remedies are a frequent cause of renal and hepatic damage.1–3 In one study, patients admitted to South African hospitals with acute renal failure following the use of folk remedies had a 41% mortality rate.3 It has been estimated that one-third of cases of acute renal failure in Africa are caused by folk medicines. Botanical remedies prepared from Aristolochia plants have been used throughout the world for many centuries. In the early 1990s it was reported that herbal remedies made from these plants caused renal failure and malignancies of the urothelial tract. These problems are caused by aristolochic acids, genotoxic mutagens that form covalent adducts with DNA.4–6 Despite well-publicized warnings, a decade later the Uganda Natural Chemotherapeutic and Research Laboratory announced a programme to evaluate the use of Aristolochia elegans for treatment of malaria.7 Furthermore, in 2009 epidemiologists in China, Taiwan reported a dose-dependent relationship between the consumption of herbal products containing aristolochic acids and urinary tract cancers.8 Kayne suggests in Chapter 3 that the ban in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on the import and sale of plants that may contain aristolochic acids is “another example of the government restricting consumers’ choice”. Plants will continue to be a source of new therapeutic agents but, in view of their unregulated status, uncertain efficacy and potential toxicity, the risk/benefit ratio of herbals is unfavourable and their use as medicines should be discouraged.9 The practices of most herbalists and traditional healers are based on tradition. They have little familiarity with medical literature and they may, understandably, resent the intrusion of conventional medicine into their domain. In recent decades, many publications have emphasized the importance of educating conventional practitioners to interact sensitively with healers and patients from diverse cultures. However, those concerns have not been balanced, in this book or elsewhere, by recognizing the need to protect patients from the hazards of folk remedies. The World Health Organization should take a more active role in facilitating communication between biomedical scientists, public health authorities and traditional healers. In summary, the book provides concise accounts of a variety of healing traditions but it presents a misleading account of the benefits and safety of folk remedies. The enduring value of healing traditions is in their emphasis on moderation in lifestyle and the psychological benefits of ritual interactions between healer and patient. However, the risks and benefits of traditional therapies should be evaluated by current scientific standards, and they should not be promoted in the name of cultural competence. Cultural competence requires that caregivers become familiar with the beliefs and values of patients to provide sensitive care. It does not require endorsement of unsound and potentially dangerous therapies.

Traditional medicine: a global perspective

The stated purpose of this book is to provide health-care workers with concise information about traditional medicine concepts and practices to help them provide culturally competent care. It is a multi-authored book that contains ten chapters describing health-care traditions throughout the world. The introduction is written by editor Steven Kayne, who is an honorary consultant pharmacist to Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital and an Honorary Lecturer in complementary and alternative medicine at the University of Strathclyde’s School of Pharmacy. Kayne served as an advisor to the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Traditional Medicine. He has written a book on complementary and alternative medicine. The strength of the book is its summaries of healing traditions that are not readily available elsewhere. The chapters on the Columbian Amazon tropical forest, Africa and the Pacific provide detailed descriptions of local traditions and practices that reflect the authors’ extensive field work. The chapter on European folk medicine is an interesting historical survey of traditional healing practices. The monograph on traditional Jewish medicines traces health-care practices from biblical sources to the present use of chicken noodle soup and matzoh balls. The review of North American medicine (Chapter 3) includes an extensive guide advising conventional practitioners how to approach Native American patients in a culturally sensitive and non-confrontational manner. The reviews of traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurveda and other Asian traditions provide standard information that is readily available elsewhere. The book’s major shortcoming is that it provides a cultural context for caregivers but it ignores the biomedical context. In Chapter 1 it promotes the belief that herbal medicines can be used in a safe and effective manner. The medicinal use of botanical extracts is plausible because they may contain pharmacologicallyactive chemicals. However, the extracts are not standardized for biological activity, they may contain toxic quantities of heavy metals and may be adulterated with drugs. Although the adverse effects of folk remedies have not been studied in a systematic manner, data concerning their toxicity is mounting. For example, African folk remedies are a frequent cause of renal and hepatic damage.1–3 In one study, patients admitted to South African hospitals with acute renal failure following the use of folk remedies had a 41% mortality rate.3 It has been estimated that one-third of cases of acute renal failure in Africa are caused by folk medicines. Botanical remedies prepared from Aristolochia plants have been used throughout the world for many centuries. In the early 1990s it was reported that herbal remedies made from these plants caused renal failure and malignancies of the urothelial tract. These problems are caused by aristolochic acids, genotoxic mutagens that form covalent adducts with DNA.4–6 Despite well-publicized warnings, a decade later the Uganda Natural Chemotherapeutic and Research Laboratory announced a programme to evaluate the use of Aristolochia elegans for treatment of malaria.7 Furthermore, in 2009 epidemiologists in China, Taiwan reported a dose-dependent relationship between the consumption of herbal products containing aristolochic acids and urinary tract cancers.8 Kayne suggests in Chapter 3 that the ban in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on the import and sale of plants that may contain aristolochic acids is “another example of the government restricting consumers’ choice”. Plants will continue to be a source of new therapeutic agents but, in view of their unregulated status, uncertain efficacy and potential toxicity, the risk/ benefit ratio of herbals is unfavourable and their use as medicines should be discouraged.9 The practices of most herbalists and traditional healers are based on tradition. They have little familiarity with medical literature and they may, understandably, resent the intrusion of conventional medicine into their domain. In recent decades, many publications have emphasized the importance of educating conventional practitioners to interact sensitively with healers and patients from diverse cultures. However, those concerns have not been balanced, in this book or elsewhere, by recognizing the need to protect patients from the hazards of folk remedies. The World Health Organization should take a more active role in facilitating communication between biomedical scientists, public health authorities and traditional healers. In summary, the book provides concise accounts of a variety of healing traditions but it presents a misleading account of the benefits and safety of folk remedies. The enduring value of healing traditions is in their emphasis on moderation in lifestyle and the psychological benefits of ritual interactions between healer and patient. However, the risks and benefits of traditional therapies should be evaluated by current scientific standards, and they should not be promoted in the name of cultural competence. Cultural competence requires that caregivers become familiar with the beliefs and values of patients to provide sensitive care. It does not require endorsement of unsound and potentially dangerous therapies. ■

Integration of the Holistic Concept of Traditional Medicine and the Partial Character of Modern Medicine

Integration of the Holistic Concept of Traditional Medicine and the Partial Character of Modern Medicine

Antioxidant and mitochondrial protective effects of silibinin in cold preservation–warm reperfusion liver injury

Aim of the study Silybum marianum (milk thistle) is a Mediterranean plant that has been used since Greco-Roman times to treat liver ailments. Silibinin, the most active hepatoprotective constituent of the plant's seed, possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. We thus assessed its protective potential in liver transplantation injury. Materials and methods Rat livers were isolated and preserved during 24 h at 4 °C in University of Wisconsin (UW) solution alone (control), UW containing 100 μM silibinin or UW containing vehicle (ethanol). Livers were then reperfused at 37 °C for 1 h with Krebs–Henseleit solution supplemented with 20% erythrocytes. Results Compared to control, cold preservation and warm reperfusion promoted lipid peroxidation (+40%) and superoxide anion generation (+147%), while attenuating reduced glutathione (−23%), mitochondrial ATP content (−57%) and respiratory control ratio (RCR; −37%). Preservation done in presence of silibinin improved parameters affected by preservation and reperfusion. In fact, silibinin promoted an increase of ATP and RCR by, respectively, 39 and 16% and decreased oxidative stress to values observed in livers never preserved nor perfused. Conclusions In conclusion, silibinin shows promise in protecting the liver from cold preservation/warm reperfusion damages. Moreover our study suggests that concepts of traditional medicine have the potential to be transposed successfully in the context of modern medical interventions such as liver transplantation surgery.