History Of Medicine Research Articles

Greek Material Clothed in Islamic Garb: Ḥunayn Ibn ‘Isḥāq’s Fī Manāfi’ al-’Adā’

The Greek version of Claudius Galen’s On the Usefulness of the Parts [Περὶ χρησέως μορίων: Peri chrēséōs moríōn], an important book in terms of both the history of medicine and theology, has survived to this day. This work by Galen was translated into Arabic under the name Fī Manāfi’ al-’Adā’ by Ḥunayn Ibn ‘Isḥāq in Baghdad in the 9th century during the translation movement in the Islamic civilization. This article aims to observe the changes Ḥunayn made in the text by generally focusing on specific terms and phrases. Particularly, this will be achieved by comparing the English translation of Galen’s Greek original work with its Arabic translation. And this will be specifically accomplished by drawing attention to Ḥunayn’s method and approach of translation in adapting Galen’s work On the Usefulness of the Parts to Islamic culture. It is clear that the term “Islamic culture” encompasses a vast array of concepts. However, for the purposes of this article, our focus will be on Islam’s robust monotheistic principles, its rejection of pagan notions, and the unique phrases that can be traced back to the Qur’ān. Elvira Wakelnig described this translation approach as a method wherein the “Greek material was clothed in Islamic garb”. The reason for choosing this particular book stems from the fact that its topic is closely related to rational theology and it has arrived to us in a complete form in both its original Greek language as well as in its Arabic translation made by Ḥunayn.

The effect of modified Qiyuan paste on mice with low immunity and sleep deprivation by regulating GABA nerve and immune system

BackgroundLow immunity and sleep disorders are prevalent suboptimal health conditions in contemporary populations, which render them susceptible to the infiltration of pathogenic factors. LJC, which has a long history in traditional Chinese medicine for nourishing the Yin and blood and calming the mind, is obtained by modifying Qiyuan paste. Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo has been shown to improve the immune function in sleep-deprived mice. In this study, based on the traditional Chinese medicine theory, LJC was prepared by adding D. officinale Kimura et Migo to Qiyuan paste decoction.MethodsIndicators of Yin deficiency syndrome, such as back temperature and grip strength, were measured in each group of mice; furthermore, behavioral tests and pentobarbital sodium-induced sleep tests were performed. An automatic biochemical analyzer, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit, and other methods were used to determine routine blood parameters, serum immunoglobulin (IgG, IgA, and IgM), cont (C3, C4), acid phosphatase (ACP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels in the spleen, serum hemolysin, and delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) levels. In addition, serum levels of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate (Glu) were detected using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Hematoxylin–eosin staining and Nissl staining were used to assess the histological alterations in the hypothalamus tissue. Western blot and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the expressions of the GABA pathway proteins GABRA1, GAD, GAT1, and GABAT1 and those of CD4+ and CD8+ proteins in the thymus and spleen tissues.ResultsThe findings indicated that LJC prolonged the sleep duration, improved the pathological changes in the hippocampus, effectively upregulated the GABA content in the serum of mice, downregulated the Glu content and Glu/GABA ratio, enhanced the expressions of GABRA1, GAT1, and GAD, and decreased the expression of GABAT1 to assuage sleep disorders. Importantly, LJC alleviated the damage to the thymus and spleen tissues in the model mice and enhanced the activities of ACP and LDH in the spleen of the immunocompromised mice. Moreover, serum hemolysin levels and serum IgG, IgA, and IgM levels increased after LJC administration, which manifested as increased CD4+ content, decreased CD8+ content, and enhanced DTH response. In addition, LJC significantly increased the levels of complement C3 and C4, increased the number of white blood cells and lymphocytes, and decreased the percentage of neutrophils in the blood.ConclusionsLJC can lead to improvements in immunocompromised mice models with insufficient sleep. The underlying mechanism may involve regulation of the GABA/Glu content and the expression levels of GABA metabolism pathway-related proteins in the brain of mice, enhancing their specific and nonspecific immune functions.Graphical

Leader of pathophysiology: on the 70th birthday of professor Vasily N. Tsygan

May 12, 2024, marked the 70th birthday of the Honored Scientist of Russia, corresponding member and honorary doctor of the Kirov Military Medical Academy, Prof. Vasily N. Tsygan. He is a brilliant embodiment of the traditions of academic scientific schools, having gone from being a member and chairman of the Military Scientific Society of Cadets and Students to an adjunct to the deputy head of the academy for scientific work. After graduating from the academy with a gold medal and serving 3 years in the military, Vasily N. Tsygan entire subsequent scientific, pedagogical, and organizational activity has been connected with the academy. The topic of his candidate dissertation, related to changes in homeostasis in mechanical trauma, and performing special assignments from the command in Afghanistan and in the zone of the counter-terrorist operation in the Chechen Republic determined a crucial vector of research into the extreme impacts on the human body during military professional activity. V.N. Tsygan contributed to the study of immunophenotyping problems, the modern concept of molecular remission in oncohematology, and immunodeficiency in various types of pathology and methods for their correction. He is an experienced organizer of science and many large international scientific events. His activities involved the study of the history of Russian medicine, relations with the Nobel Committee, and defending the priority of Russian scientists. V.N. Tsygan’s contribution to the creation and development of the Military Medical Academy journals, where he worked for decades as executive secretary and deputy editor-in-chief, is invaluable. The Academy, the Ministry of Defense, the Academy of Medical Sciences, and the state have highly appreciated the merits of Prof. V.N. Tsygan, honoring him with state and departmental awards, prizes, and honorary titles.

The founder of the Kazan neurological school, Professor L.O. Darkshevich and his influence on the development of neurology and neuromorphology in Yekaterinburg

The article is dedicated to a world-famous scientist, a major clinician, teacher and public figure, one of the founders of the Kazan neurological school, Professor Liverii Osipovich Darkshevich, who occupies a prominent place in the history of Russian medicine. July 17, 2023 marked the 165th anniversary of his birth. Liverii Osipovich was the chairman of the Kazan Society of Doctors and, together with Professor V.M. Bekhterev in 1893 participated in the creation of the society of neuropathologists and psychiatrists in Kazan. On his initiative, in 1901, the “Diary of the Society of Kazan Doctors” was reorganized into the monthly “Kazan Medical Journal”, and Liverii Osipovich became its first editor-in-chief. In Kazan, he organized the first clinic in Russia for people who abuse alcohol, where he often gave popular lectures. The article highlights the main stages of the life and work of Professor L.O. Darkshevich, his significant contribution to the development of neurology and neuromorphology, reflects his professional and personal qualities. The influence of this outstanding doctor and scientist on the development of neurology and neuromorphology in Yekaterinburg has been studied and shown.

Shift Work: The Hospital in Histories of Architecture and Medicine

Shift Work: The Hospital in Histories of Architecture and Medicine

History of science, technology, environment, and medicine in India (ed.) by Suvobrata Sarkar, London-New York: Routledge, South Asia Edition, 2022. Pp. XXI + 328. Price Rs. 1595

History of science, technology, environment, and medicine in India (ed.) by Suvobrata Sarkar, London-New York: Routledge, South Asia Edition, 2022. Pp. XXI + 328. Price Rs. 1595

Rabbit Spleen and Medicinal Herbs: Animal Infectious Diseases, Grassroots Communes, and the State in Maoist China

summary: This article explores how Mao-era China responded to major epizootic and zoonotic diseases. It foregrounds a series of patterns in fighting contagious animal diseases—lockdowns, quarantines, disinfection, mass animal vaccination, mass education, and prioritizing the treatment of infected animals over mass culling—which were together called the Comprehensive Prevention and Treatment (CPT). Shedding light on this understudied topic in the fields of the history of medicine and of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the author argues that it was not the central or provincial governments but rather local communes that led the effort to protect livestock from animal infectious diseases. This article critically demonstrates how the story of the CPT highlights the resilience of communal actors as well as the possibilities and limitations of the Maoist ideal of self-reliance.

This Month in Aerospace Medicine History: June.

This Month in Aerospace Medicine History: June.

Book review: Suvobrata Sarkar, ed., History of Science, Technology, Environment, and Medicine in India

Book review: Suvobrata Sarkar, ed., History of Science, Technology, Environment, and Medicine in India

The potential therapeutic applications and mechanisms of action of Cryptomphalus aspersa (snail) extracts in dermatology and wound healing

Cryptomphalus aspersa, commonly known as the garden snail, has emerged as a promising therapeutic agent in the fields of dermatology and wound healing. This review explores the diverse therapeutic applications and underlying mechanisms of action of Cryptomphalus aspersa extracts. With a rich history in traditional medicine and growing scientific evidence supporting their efficacy, snail extracts offer multifaceted benefits including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, collagen-stimulating, and immunomodulatory activities. In dermatology, snail extracts have shown promise in managing conditions such as acne vulgaris, atopic dermatitis, photoaging, and hyperpigmentation, while also demonstrating efficacy in promoting wound healing in various types of wounds, including full-thickness and chronic wounds. Mechanistically, snail extracts modulate inflammatory pathways, neutralize oxidative stress, stimulate collagen synthesis, and regulate immune responses, contributing to their therapeutic effects. While the potential of Cryptomphalus aspersa extracts is vast, further research and clinical trials are warranted to establish their efficacy and safety profiles for specific dermatological conditions and wound types. Overall, Cryptomphalus aspersa extracts represent a novel and promising approach in dermatology and wound healing, offering a natural and multifaceted solution for improving skin health and promoting tissue repair.

A review on the neuroprotective potential of tamarindus indica: evidence from preclinical studies done between 2016 to 2023

Neurological disorders like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease present substantial challenges globally. Despite advancements in health sciences, effective treatments for neurodegenerative conditions remain elusive. Tamarindus indica, a tropical tree with a rich history in traditional medicine, holds promise as a potential neuroprotective agent due to its diverse phytochemical composition. This narrative review aims to evaluate Tamarindus indica's neuroprotective potential by systematically analyzing studies published in English Language retrieved from PubMed, Scopus databases, and Google Scholar. The algorithm ("Tamarindus indica" OR "tamarind") AND (Brain OR neuroprotect* OR behavioural OR neurodegenerative diseases OR Alzheimer's OR Parkinson's) was run on the two databases and search engine on the 2nd of October 2023 without any filters. Tamarindus indica, possesses phytochemicals such as flavonoids, alkaloids, and tannins, contributing to its medicinal properties. Despite its medicinal significance, caution is advised regarding the toxicity of certain components like seeds and potential allergic reactions. Nevertheless, research indicates its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, mainly attributed to its flavonoids content, suggesting neuroprotective effects that could mitigate oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, neuroinflammation and neuroexcitotoxicity, which are pivotal factors in neurodegeneration. While promising, a comprehensive understanding of Tamarindus indica's mechanisms, clinical applications, and safety profile is warranted. Further investigation is essential to unlock its therapeutic potential in combating neurodegenerative diseases. Tamarindus indica stands as a hopeful natural resource, necessitating continued exploration to harness its neuroprotective properties for improved neural health.

Outlier analysis for accelerating clinical discovery: An augmented intelligence framework and a systematic review.

Clinical discoveries largely depend on dedicated clinicians and scientists to identify and pursue unique and unusual clinical encounters with patients and communicate these through case reports and case series. This process has remained essentially unchanged throughout the history of modern medicine. However, these traditional methods are inefficient, especially considering the modern-day availability of health-related data and the sophistication of computer processing. Outlier analysis has been used in various fields to uncover unique observations, including fraud detection in finance and quality control in manufacturing. We propose that clinical discovery can be formulated as an outlier problem within an augmented intelligence framework to be implemented on any health-related data. Such an augmented intelligence approach would accelerate the identification and pursuit of clinical discoveries, advancing our medical knowledge and uncovering new therapies and management approaches. We define clinical discoveries as contextual outliers measured through an information-based approach and with a novelty-based root cause. Our augmented intelligence framework has five steps: define a patient population with a desired clinical outcome, build a predictive model, identify outliers through appropriate measures, investigate outliers through domain content experts, and generate scientific hypotheses. Recognizing that the field of obstetrics can particularly benefit from this approach, as it is traditionally neglected in commercial research, we conducted a systematic review to explore how outlier analysis is implemented in obstetric research. We identified two obstetrics-related studies that assessed outliers at an aggregate level for purposes outside of clinical discovery. Our findings indicate that using outlier analysis in clinical research in obstetrics and clinical research, in general, requires further development.

Decentring histories of science diplomacy: cases from Asia.

This special issue brings together a diverse set of cases from Asia with the aim of decentring established historical narratives about science diplomacy. With a critical perspective bringing together the bodies of literature in the fields of the History of Science, Technology and Medicine (STM) and critical Asian Studies, we argue that these cases foreground a geopolitical history with multiple forms of sovereignty-often contested ones-and a range of political institutions and actors that enables us to revisit science diplomacy as a means for understanding the relationship between science and international affairs. In doing so, the articles in this issue consciously eschew the normative 'centring' of superpowers or Western imperial powers as the primary actors, focusing instead on the agency and subjectivity of actors within Asia, many of whom were prominent in their respective local contexts. Additionally, we argue that the cases presented here, which examine issues from across science, technology, medicine and the environment, collectively demonstrate the further need for the 'science' in 'science diplomacy' to be interpreted more broadly, incorporating as it does many aspects of human engagement with the material world.

Identification and Pathogenicity of Pestalotioid Species on Alpinia oxyphylla in Hainan Province, China.

Alpinia oxyphylla is a traditional Chinese medicinal plant with a medicinal history of more than 1700 years. Ring leaf blight (RLB) disease, caused by pestalotioid species, is an important disease of A. oxyphylla, seriously affecting the yield and quality of its fruits. The causal agent of RLB disease has not been systematically identified or characterized yet. In this study, thirty-six pestalotioid strains were isolated from the leaves and stems of A. oxyphylla that was collected from six cities of Hainan province, China. Based on the multi-locus phylogeny (ITS, tef-1α and tub2) and morphological characteristic analyses, seventeen species belonging to three genera (Neopestalotiopsis, Pestalotiopsis and Pseudopestalotiopsis) were identified, and six new species (N. baotingensis, N. oblatespora, N. olivaceous, N. oxyphylla, N. wuzhishanensis and N. yongxunensis) were described. Pathogenicity tests revealed that strains of Neopestalotiopsis species caused more severe ring leaf blight on A. oxyphylla than strains of Pestalotiopsis and Pseudopestalotiopsis under wounded inoculation conditions.

'Who can tell me what potable water means?' The assessment of water quality in debates over hydraulic infrastructure in nineteenth-century Italy.

How water is perceived and represented has an impact on the relationships between a given society and its water infrastructure. Historians have identified a shift in the perception of water during the nineteenth century, which was connected to the development of chemistry. From an understanding based in Hippocratic medicine and natural history that treated it as an infinite variety of substances, water eventually became understood as a simple compound consisting of oxygen and hydrogen. This resulted in the abstraction of water from its social and environmental contexts, with consequences for the way water was managed. This article aims to demonstrate that such a view gives a mistaken intellectual coherence to a fragmented and conflicted process, which involved continuities, an adaptation of old frameworks to new social priorities, and fine changes in scientific thinking and practices. This paper examines the scientific and political debates concerning water infrastructure, surveys and analyses on water quality, medical reports and political measures in nineteenth-century Italy. Ultimately, the reduction of 'waters' to 'water' in Italy was more about determining who had the authority to assess water quality in the process of creating and stabilizing new power relations between the public and the private spheres than about the abstraction of water from its social and environmental contexts.

Anti-mitotic Activity of Methanolic Extract of Thevetia peruviana fruits

Thevetia peruviana plant, a member of the Apocynaceae family, has a long history in traditional medicine for treating various ailments such as amenorrhea, malaria, jaundice, hemorrhoids, constipation, headaches, and skin issues. It contains significant amounts of cardiac glycosides in both its roots and seeds, which are known for their cytotoxic effects similar to digoxin. Given its potential toxicity and widespread use, current research is focused on assessing the antimitotic properties of the methanolic extract derived from the fruits of Thevetia peruviana. In the pursuit of potential pharmaceutical findings from plants, the antimitotic properties of the extracts were investigated through the Allium cepa assay. The findings indicated a noteworthy decrease in the mitotic index of root tips compared to the control, with the degree of mitotic suppression escalating alongside the concentration of the extracts. Therefore, the study suggests that the methanol extract derived from T. peruviana fruit has notable inhibitory and mitodepressive impacts on cell division in Allium cepa L. meristems. Keywords: Thebetia peruviana, Anti-mitotic Activity, Allium cepa assay, mitotic index

Does an Aspirin a Day Take the MASLD Away?

Although aspirin is deeply rooted in the most ancient history of medicine, the mechanism of action of this drug was only identified a few decades ago. Aspirin has several indications ranging from its long-known analgesic and antipyretic properties to the more recently discovered antithrombotic, chemopreventive and anti-eclampsia actions. In addition, a recent line of research has identified aspirin as a drug with potential hepatologic indications. This article specifically focuses on the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease/nonalcoholic metabolic dysfunction fatty liver disease/metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (NAFLD/MAFLD/MASLD) field. To this end, the most recently published randomized controlled trial on aspirin for non-cirrhotic MASLD is summarized and discussed. Moreover, previous epidemiologic evidence supporting the notion that aspirin exerts antisteatotic and antifibrotic hepatic effects, which may result in the primary prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma, is also addressed. Next, the putative mechanisms involved are examined, with reference to the effects on adipose tissue and liver and sex differences in the action of aspirin. It is concluded that these novel findings on aspirin as a "hepatologic drug" deserve additional in-depth evaluation.

History at the heart of medicine.

With a focus on the challenges of today and tomorrow in the critical medical humanities the role of history is often overlooked. Yet history and medicine are closely intertwined. Right now, with the surfacing of knotty problems such as changing demographics, chronic pain, loneliness and Long Covid - and the consequent necessity to change directions and policies - history seems more urgent than ever. However, historians of medicine have sometimes been reticent to play a role in medicine and policymaking. The recent and welcome development of the critical medical humanities has intervened in medicine in important ways, but often without clear engagement with the history of medicine. In this letter, we make a renewed case for coherence and collaboration between history of medicine, medicine, and medical humanities, emphasising the continuity and links between all three. The skills and focus of the historian of medicine bring crucial historical context to the table, enabling better understanding of medical collecting, new imaginative futures, profound critiques of key medical concepts, and understandings of the body through time. By emphasising what historians can do for medicine and medical humanities, we call for building historical work into how medicine, illness and health are understood now and in the future. We suggest three potential roles for historians: keepers of memories, conversation partners, and futurist thinkers.

Concluding conversation: decentring science diplomacy.

Gordon Barrett (GB): Research Associate, Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of Manchester, UK (special issue co-editor).

On Seeing Long Shadows: Is Academic Medicine at its Core a Practice of Racial Oppression?

Suggestions that academic medicine is systemically racist are increasingly common in the medical literature. Such suggestions often rely upon expansive notions of systemic racism that are deeply controversial. The author argues for an empirical concept of systemic racism and offers a counter argument to a recent suggestion that academic medicine is systemically racist in its treatment of medical trainees: Anderson et al.'s(Academic Medicine, 98(8S), S28-S36, 2023) "The Long Shadow: a Historical Perspective on Racism in Medical Education." Contra the authors of "The Long Shadow," the author argues that racial performance disparities in medical education cannot be validly attributed to racism without careful empirical confirmation; he further argues that standards of assessment in medical education cannot be properly deemed racist merely because minority trainees are disproportionately disadvantaged by them. Furthermore, the history of medicine and society in the Anglo-European West is not, as argued by the authors of "The Long Shadow," best viewed as one long tale of racial oppression culminating in the present day pervasive racism of academic medicine in the United States. Racism is a deplorable stain on our history and our present but it is not the historical essence of Christianity, European civilization, Western medicine, or contemporary academic medical institutions.