Prevalence Of Herbal Medicine Use Research Articles

A Mini Review of the Literature with a Special Focus on India on the Prevalence of Indian Traditional Medicine (ITM) use During Pregnancy

Background: Although pregnancy has been an integral part of women’s lives for millennia, not all women have found the process comfortable. About 65 percent of women in India consume Indian traditional herbs during pregnancy. Herbal medicines are used nowadays by up to half of the world's population. Phytomedicines isolated from plants contain a wide variety of bioactive components that can have both negative and positive effects. Many herbal plants, such as Sage (Salvia fruticosa), golden cotula (Matricaria aurea), anise (P. anisum), peppermint (Mentha aquatica), and cumin (Cuminum cyminum), etc., are used in pregnancy. To minimize the adverse effects, the use of Indian traditional medicine can be the best possible alternative. Objective: Regarding the usage of herbal medicines in India, there are large research gaps and a lack of a regulatory framework. This article aims to highlight the most common traditional Indian remedies used by pregnant women, along with their uses and any possible interactions between herbal remedies and prescription drugs. Method: Several databases, including the WHO guidelines, PubMed, Bentham Science, Elsevier, Springer Nature, Wiley, and Research Gate, were used to compile the data for the article following a thorough analysis of the various research findings connected to pregnancy and herbs for pregnancy care. Result: An overview of the use of herbal medicine is given in this review, along with information on its limitations and general safety. The prevalence of herbal medicine use during pregnancy in India is then discussed, along with the uses, adverse effects, side effects, and efficacy of the most popular herbal medications. Conclusion: The use of herbal medicine during pregnancy is a common phenomenon. The outcomes of this study showed Indian Traditional medicines are known to have numerous advantages that can be helpful during or after pregnancy, including raising milk production, reducing nausea, easing labor pains, reducing morning sickness, or reducing flatulence, however, some herbal remedies have the potential to be teratogenic, poisonous, and abortive, especially during the first trimester of pregnancy because the active components of some medicinal plants can cross the placental barrier and get to the foetus. To determine the safety of taking herbal medications, studies, especially clinical trial trials, must be conducted.

Indigenous herbal medicine use and its associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care at public health facilities in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of indigenous herbal medicine use and its associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care (ANC) at public health facilities...

Prevalence and associated factors of herbal medicine use among patients living with chronic disease in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundComplementary use of medicinal plants with prescribed drugs is becoming more widespread concern among people with chronic disease like cancer, HIV/AIDS, diabetes and hypertension. Consequently, the purpose of this review was to determine the prevalence and associated factors of herbal medicine use among patients suffering from chronic disease. MethodsThis systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted by searching articles from Cochrane library, Google scholar, PubMed and African journal online. Data was extracted using Microsoft excel format and imported in to Stata software version 11 (Stata Corp LLC, TX, USA) for analysis. Statistical heterogeneity across the studies was investigated using Cochran's Q chi-square test at the significance level of <0.05 and the I2 index. A random-effects model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence of herbal medicine use. ResultsOur systematic search yielded a total of 17,665 records from four databases (Google scholar (12,800), PubMed (3835), Cochrane library (30) and African journal online (12). The pooled estimate of herbal medicine use among patients with chronic disease in Ethiopia is found to be 56.94% (95% CI: 49.75, 64.12, P < 0.001). Being female (POR = 2.06, 95% CI = 1.55, 2.75, I2 = 10.0%), rural residence (POR = 2.80, 95% CI = 1.42, 5.52, I2 = 89.1%), duration of the disease greater than 5 years (POR = 6.42, 95% CI = 4.188, 9.84, I2 = 48.3%) and having complication (POR = 4.65, 95% CI = 3.75, 5.77, I2 = 0.0%) were factors associated with herbal medicine use among patients living with chronic disease. ConclusionThe study found a high prevalence of herbal medicine use among patients living with chronic disease. Being female, rural residence, duration of disease greater than 5 years and having complication were factors that are significantly associated with herbal medicine use. The prevalence of herbal medicine use among persons with chronic disease in Ethiopia presents significant implications for healthcare practice. Healthcare professionals need to adopt a patient-centered strategy that promotes open, judgment-free discussions about herbal medicine usage. Prospero registrationCRD42024498817.

The Use of Herbal Medicines Among Cancer Patients.

Background and objective The use of herbal medicines has been increasing among cancer patients, as a way to control cancer and treatment-related symptoms; however, many patients are reluctant to disclose this use to their medical practitioners. The fact that oncological treatments have a narrow therapeutic margin, associated with the lack of control and clinical evidence concerning these supplements, makes medication-herbal interactions a reality.These interactions could lead to increased toxicity or a decreased effectiveness of oncological treatment. In light of this, we aimed to assess the prevalence of herbal medicine use in a patient population at a Portuguese central hospital: Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Ocidental. Materials and methods Patients with breast, prostate, or colorectal cancer diagnosesbetween August 2022 and July 2023 and undergoing oncological treatmentwere included. Data were collected through a surveyduring their first appointment, as well as by consulting the patients' clinical files. An interaction evaluation was carried out to assess potential medication-herbal interactions. Finally, a statistical analysis was performed to identify predictive factors for the use of herbal medicines. Results Among the 65 patients included in the study, 52% were females, and the median age of the cohort was 65 years. Breast cancer was the most prevalent diagnosis and the majority of the patients were undergoing palliative treatment. We found that 46% of patients used herbal medicines regularly: to strengthen the immune system, detoxification of the body, and treat insomnia and constipation. A medication-herbal interaction was found in 37% of the cases, the most frequent being doxorubicin-vitamin C, through an antioxidant mechanism. The univariable analysisfailed to show any predictive factors associated with the use of herbal medicines. Conclusions This study sheds light on herbal medicine use among cancer patients and the reality of medication-herbal interactions. There is an urgent need for further research and evidence-based medical protocols regarding herbal medicine use, especially incomplex cases such as cancer patients, to provide better and safer care.

Prevalence and Predictors for use of Herbal medicine in the treatment of Infertility in a secondary Health facility in South-South Nigeria.

Infertility is one of the major medical problems seen in the Gynaecology clinic. Herbal medicine (HM) has become one of the treatment options used to circumvent infertility problems. This study aims to explore the prevalence and predictors for HM use in the management of infertility in our region. The method used was a cross-sectional study of 117 women attending the infertility clinic at Central Hospital Agbor, Delta State, Nigeria. The interviewer administered a questionnaire comprised of socio-demographic characteristics, infertility-related aspects, and information on herbal medicine usage. The main outcome measure was the Prevalence of HM use for infertility treatment and the possible predictors. Analysis was done using SPSS version 22. The mean age of participants was 34.1 with a standard deviation of 6.66 years. The minimum age of participants was 23 years while the maximum age was 48 years. The prevalence of HM use was 79.9%. The factors that were significantly associated with the use of HM were marital status (p 0.033), history of primary infertility (0.026) and having used HM for the management of other ailments (0.000). Women who were married and having fertility issues were more likely to seek alternative methods like the use of HM. The prevalence of use of HM among participants attending the fertility clinic was high at 79.9%. We recommend that health professionals should enquire about the use of HM as this may help in educating the patients about the health risks of using HM. There is a need to explore the potential benefits and risks of HM use.

Prevalence of herbal and traditional medicine in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 20-year studies

BackgroundThe widely accepted prevalence of traditional medicine (TM) in Ethiopia was about 80 %, of which 95 % were sourced from plants. The purpose of this study was to update knowledge of the prevalence of herbal medicine or TM in Ethiopia and describe the characteristics of the population mostly relying on herbal medicine or TM to inform health policy-makers.MethodsPubMed, Google Scholar, Hinari, Scopus, and the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) were searched. The methodological quality of each included study was assessed using the quality assessment checklist for prevalence studies. Meta-analysis was conducted using STATA version 17, and the heterogeneity between studies was assessed using I2 test statistics based on the random effect model. Forest and funnel plots were used to present the data. Subgroup analysis was done by the study population, region, and setting.ResultsThirty-six studies with a total of 16,288 participants met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis of the study revealed that the prevalence of herbal medicine use in Ethiopia is 46 % (95 % CI, 37–54 %), with significant heterogeneity among the studies (I2 = 99.19 %). Egger’s test for publication bias of herbal medicine use revealed significant results (Egger, P = 0.002) which indicates possible missing of small sample size studies. The prevalence of TM use in Ethiopia is 65 % (95 % CI, 52–77 %) with significant heterogeneity among the studies (I2 = 99.18 %). Egger’s test for publication bias of TM use revealed non-significant results (Egger, P = 0.275). The subgroup analysis by the study setting and the region revealed variability amongst the studies. Community-based studies and Oromia National Regional State showed higher prevalence. By population type, a higher prevalence of TM use was observed amongst children and lowest amongst malaria suspects.ConclusionsThe current study revealed that TM/herbal medicine utilization remained an important source of primary healthcare in Ethiopia. In comparison to the commonly reported prevalence of TM/herbal medicine, there is a considerable decline in TM/herbal medicine prevalence. High TM/herbal medicine use tendency during pregnancy necessitates safety studies to optimize the utilization.

Prevalence of Herbal Use for Obstetrics Purposes in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, Saudi Arabia

ObjectivesThere are insufficient data on the prevalence of women’s use of herbal medicines in the Almadinah community. The main goal of this study was to determine the prevalence of herbal medicine use during pregnancy, childbirth, and after delivery in Almadinah, Saudi Arabia, and the factors influencing their use. MethodsThis cross-sectional study included pregnant women at Almadinah city primary healthcare centres. Using a five-part short questionnaire, a multistage sampling technique was used to randomly select 170 women. Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests were used to evaluate the categorical results. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. ResultsOf the 170 participants, 41.2%, 30.6%, and 48.2% used herbs during pregnancy, childbirth, and after delivery, respectively. The most popular herbs used during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period were mint, cinnamon, and fenugreek, respectively. Herbal medicine was primarily used to preserve well-being, stimulate and accelerate childbirth, and disinfect women. Herbal usage during pregnancy was associated with older age, whereas its use during birth was associated with higher educational level, distance from Primary health-care centers (PHCCs), and number of clinic visits. Herbal use was significantly higher during childbirth among homemakers and those with more children. ConclusionsHerbal medications were used by 41% of pregnant women, 44% of them stating that their physicians didn’t mind. The importance of healthcare practitioners’ awareness of the safety and efficacy of herbal medicines should be emphasised in medical education. The current study highlights the purposes of using herbal medications among women in Almadinah Almunawwarrah, Saudi Arabia, as well as the factors that influence it.

Herbal medicine use among pregnant women at antenatal clinic in Ethiopia

BackgroundHerbal medicines are raw or processed plant-derived ingredients. Their use during pregnancy may contributed to several adverse effects that could be lethal to the mother and their unborn children. AimsThis study aims to assess the prevalence of herbal medicine use and associated factors among pregnant women at Woldia General Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (WGCSH) in Ethiopia. SamplesThe sample size in this study was 272. MethodsA facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 270 pregnant mothers from March 2 to April 2, 2021, at WGCSH in the antenatal care clinic. A standardized, structured questionnaire-based interviewer was used to collect the socio-demographic variables; obstetrics variables; and other related variables for this study. The prevalence of herbal medicine use and associated factors were determined using descriptive and logistic regression analysis, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant. ResultsThe prevalence of herbal medicine use in this study was 22.6%. Most of the pregnant women used Ocimum lamiifolium and Rutachalepensis. The use of herbal medicines during pregnancy in rural areas was higher than in urban areas (OR 2.51; 95% CI 1.35–3.54). The place of residence (AOR 3.66; 95% CI 1.83–4.74), perception of needing to use herbal medicine (AOR 2.20; 95% CI 4.99–9.86), stage of pregnancy (AOR 2.56; 95% CI 1.16–9.36), distance from the health facility (AOR 2.90; 95% CI 1.52–12.65), and previous use of herbal medicine (AOR 3.23; 95% CI 2.74–7.56) were significantly associated with herbal medicine use. ConclusionsNearly one-fourth of pregnant mothers at WGCSH used herbal products and preparations.

Predictors of herbal medicine use in Ashanti Region of Ghana

ObjectiveTo determine the predictors of herbal medicine use among adults in Ashanti Region of Ghana. MethodA cross sectional study design was employed to obtain data from 910 adults using a questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the predictors of herbal medicine use. ResultsMajority of the respondents (73.7%) had used herbal medicine within 1 year prior to the survey. Living in a district (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2893, CI: 1.646 −5076, p < .001) and being older than 20 years were the factors that predicted use of herbal medicine. The other predictors included having the opinion that herbal medicines work very well (AOR= 6.072, CI: 3.237 – 11.386, p < .001) or work somehow (AOR= 3.525, CI: 1.885 – 6.591, p < .001), and having the belief that one could definitely (AOR= 5.084, CI: 2.952 – 8.754, p < .001) or maybe (AOR= 2.034, CI: 1.186 – 3.487, p = .01) use herbal medicine with ease. ConclusionsThe study observed a high prevalence of herbal medicine use in the Ashanti region of Ghana particularly among those living in the districts and those older than 20 years of age. Predictors of herbal medicine use include positive perception of efficacy and ease of use. This highlights a need for public engagement via all forms of media on the possible implications of the safety and efficacy of herbal medicines.

Predictors of Herbal Medicine Use amongst Adults with Type 2 Diabetes in an Urban Setting in Cameroon

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is currently a major global public health burden associated with elevated blood glucose. The use of herbal medicine in the management of type 2 diabetes is currently on the rise both in developed and developing countries. This study sets out to determine the prevalence of herbal medicine use and to identify the factors associated with herbal medicine use amongst type 2 diabetes patients. Methods: A community based cross-sectional study involves 123 adults living with type 2 diabetes (90 males and 30 females), mean age 58.7 ± 9.5 years in the Bamenda III health district of the North West Region of Cameroon. Data on the different types of herbs used, frequency and mode of herbal medicine use as well as reasons for using herbal medicines in the management of T2DM were assessed using a structured questionnaire. Anthropometric and diabetes related measurements were carried out following standard procedures. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the independent predictors of herbal medicine use. Results: The prevalence of herbal medicine use was 24.4% (n = 30) amongst which 37.4 % used both herbs and orthodox medicine. A higher proportion of diabetic males used herbal medicines compared to females and this difference was significant (X2 = 5.243, p X2 = 10.75, p = 0.005). The most commonly used herbs were Vernonia amygdalina leaves (19.10%), Aloe vera (13.48%), Mangifera indica leaves (11.24%) including its bark and Carica papaya leaves (8.99%). Bivariate analysis indicated that being male (OR 2.8, 95% CI, 1.14 -6.79) and having attained secondary/tertiary education (OR 13.2, 95% CI, 1.6 - 29.9) were significantly (p 0.05) associated with herbal medicine use. Multivariate analysis revealed that having attained secondary /tertiary education (OR 10.5, 95% CI, 1.30 - 35.23) was an independent predictor of herbal medicine use in the study population. Conclusion: This study has demonstrated that amongst T2DM patients in Cameroon having attained secondary/tertiary education positively influences the use of herbal medicine in the management of T2DM.

Factors influencing the use of herbal medications during pregnancy at Public Health Center, Indonesia.

There has been an increase in the usage of herbal remedies, particularly among pregnant women, across the globe. The prevalence of herbal medicine use during pregnancy ranged from 54.3% to 96.6% in the region studied, indicating a rising trend in the use of herbal medicine during pregnancy. Cold and flu symptoms and stomach problems were the most prevalent reasons people turned to this drug. This study's samples were pregnant women in the working area of Ciwaruga Public Health Center, which has eight villages. The samples were taken using a proportional simple random sampling technique until 96 respondents were obtained. The percentage of moms who took herbal medication was the primary outcome variable, and participants were chosen for the research using a systematic sampling procedure. A digital database was used to store quantitative data that had been coded. The factors significantly associated with the use of herbal medicines during pregnancy were perception (OR 2.18; CI 1.02-4.66), having ever used herbal medicines during a previous pregnancy (OR 3.87; CI 1.46-10.25), and healthy reproductive is other reasons (OR 7.98; CI 4.45-14.30). Pregnant women in the Ciwaruga Public Health Center area often turn to herbal remedies, which may indicate a lack of access to mainstream medical treatment. They believe that herbal medications are useful and that using them during a prior pregnancy is linked.

Herbal medicine use in Thai patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and its association with glycemic control: A cross-sectional evaluation

IntroductionHerbal medicine has been integrated into Thai culture for many centuries. However, studies on using herbal medicine in combination with antidiabetic agents for glycemic control in managing diabetes are limited. Herein, we aimed to assess the use of herbal medicines with different dosages of antidiabetic agents and their association with glycemic control in Thai patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). MethodsThis hospital-based study included 739 patients with T2DM who consecutively visited four district hospitals in Thailand. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect patient-specific information, including hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels. Chi-square and logistic regression analyses were used to assess associations and predictors, respectively. ResultsThe prevalence of herbal medicine use was 37.5% (n = 264); 70.5% of the patients received information about herbal medicine usage for glycemic control from their relatives and friends, and 21 herbal plants were consumed in combination with their prescribed antidiabetic drugs. The use of herbal medicine was associated with the patients’ educational level (p = 0.001), income (p < 0.001), and duration of diabetes (p < 0.001). Good glycemic control (HbA1c < 7.0%) was associated with the use of bitter gourd in combination with 500 mg/day of the antidiabetic drug metformin (adjusted odds ratio = 8.33, 95% confidence interval = 1.04–66.49, p = 0.046). These patients were 2.92 times more likely to have good glycemic control than those who relied solely on 500 mg/day of metformin (adjusted OR = 2.921, 95% CI = 1.227–6.952, p = 0.015). ConclusionsThe prevalence of herbal plant use was associated with different variables, including age, BMI, T2DM duration, and metformin dosage. Among the 21 herbal plants, the consumption of bitter gourd with 500 mg/day of metformin was associated with good glycemic control.

Herbal Medicine (HM) among pharmacy professionals working in drug retail outlets in Asmara, Eritrea: knowledge, attitude and prevalence of use

BackgroundGlobally, the usage of herbal medicines (HMs) is increasingly growing in treating and preventing various ailments. Although, HMs play a vital role in healthcare, concerns have been raised over their safety. Since pharmacy professionals are at the right position to provide patients with evidence-based information on herbals, they should be knowledgeable enough on the subject matter. Thus, the aim of the study was to assess the knowledge, attitude and prevalence of HMs use and its associated factors among pharmacy professionals.MethodAn analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among pharmacy professionals working in drug retail outlets in Asmara (the capital city of Eritrea). A census design was employed and data were collected through face-to-face interview. Data were entered and analyzed using Census and Survey Processing System (version-7.2) and IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (version 26), respectively. Descriptive and analytical statistics including Mann-Whitney U test/Kruskal-Wallis test and logistic regression were employed. P-values less than 0.05 were considered as significant.ResultsA total of 50 pharmacy professionals (90.9% response rate) were enrolled in the study. Majority of them (62%) were males and two-thirds had a bachelor’s degree. The overall median (Interquartile range, IQR) knowledge score was found to be 24 (12.16) out of 100 with a minimum score of 8 and maximum score of 53. Generally, the median (IQR) attitude score was 70.4 (4.2) out of 100. Majority (78%) of them had used HM for self-treatment. Only religion was found to be a significant determinant of knowledge on indication of HMs (p = 0.015), while attitude score was independent of the potential determining factors. Moreover, prevalence of use was significantly associated with pharmacy ownership (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) =14.44, 95%Confidence Interval (CI): 1.67, 124.52) as well as with the percentage attitude score (AOR = 0.632, 95%CI: 0.41, 0.96) at multivariable level.ConclusionGenerally, the overall knowledge score of pharmacy professionals was low. However, they possessed positive attitude towards herbal medicines. Besides, there was prevalent usage of herbal medicine for self-treatment. This outcome triggers the need for educational courses and workshops centered on herbal medicine.

Health system factors influencing traditional herbal medicine use during pregnancy amongst women in Mpigi District, Central Uganda.

An estimated 80% of the population in developing countries is dependent on traditional medicine for their health needs, including use during pregnancy despite limited knowledge of potential side effects including teratogenicity. Controlling use of traditional medicines during pregnancy requires understanding the driving factors. This study aimed at determining the health system factors that influence traditional herbal medicine use during pregnancy in a Ugandan setting. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 315 post-partum women obtained by random sampling from post-natal clinics of health facilities in Mpigi District after informed consent. We carried out concurrent triangulation by conducting two focused group discussions of 10 post-natal mothers each, and four Key informant interviews. Quantitative Data analysis involved descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis. Qualitative data was analyzed by thematic content analysis and presented as narratives. Prevalence of herbal medicine use during pregnancy was 79% (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 68.1% - 86.9%), mainly consumed through oral route (96%). Costly health care adjusted Prevalence Ratio (aPR) 1.61 (95% CI 1.02-2.53), p-value 0.042, and presence and influence of Traditional Birth Attendants aPR 1.21(95% CI 1.05-1.41), p-value 0.011 were significantly associated with use of traditional herbal medicines during pregnancy. Use of traditional herbal medicines is driven by the high costs of quality health care and influence from Traditional Birth Attendants. Innovations in health financing should be promoted and Traditional Birth Attendants should be sensitized and incorporated in the mainstream health care system as community referral agents.

Herbal medicines use and associated factors among pregnant women in Debre Tabor town, north West Ethiopia: a mixed method approach

BackgroundUse of herbal medicines during pregnancy has been increase in many developing and developed countries. In spite of the studies done on herbal medicine, no study has addressed use of herbal medicine among pregnant women in Debre Tabor Town. Hence, the major aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of herbal medicine use and associated factors.MethodsA community based explanatory sequential mixed methods was employed. The quantitative method used cross-sectional study design with a sample size of 267 women, also 12 participants in a group for focus group discussion and 6 in-depth interviews from focus group were included for a qualitative part using a purposive sampling technique. The data were coded and entered into Epidata 4.2.0.0 and analysis was done using SPSS version 25, while thematic analysis was used for qualitative data. Bivariate and multivariate logistic analyses were used to assess associations between dependent and independent variables.ResultsNinety-five (36.3%) of pregnant women used herbal medicine during pregnancy. Prior use of herbal medicine (AOR: 3.138; 95% CI: 1.375, 7.162), unable to read & write (AOR: 9.316; 95% CI: 2.339, 37.101), presence of health problems (AOR: 3.263; 95% CI: 1.502, 7.090), drug availability (AOR: 9.872; 95% CI: 4.322, 22.551) and distance to the health facilities (AOR 6.153; 95% CI 2.487, 15.226) were significantly associated with use of herbal medicine. Only 5(5.3%) of herbal medicine users disclosed their herbal medicine use to their healthcare providers. Zingiber officinale, Eucalyptus globulus, Rutachalepensis, Linumusitatissimum, and Moringa stenopetala were the most commonly used herbal medicines by pregnant women.ConclusionsThe use of herbal medicine during pregnancy is a common practice and significantly associated with educational status, prior use of herbal medicine, presence of health problems, drug availability and distance to the health facilities. Since there was high prevalence and low disclosure rate of herbal medicine use, it should be ensured that physicians/midwives establish a good level of communication with pregnant women.

Abstracts from Society for Acupuncture ResearchPandemics, Pain, &amp; Public Health:Roles and Relevance of Traditional East Asian MedicineJune 14–17, 2021

Abstracts from Society for Acupuncture ResearchPandemics, Pain, &amp; Public Health:Roles and Relevance of Traditional East Asian Medicine<i>June 14–17, 2021</i>

Use of herbal medicine for diabetes mellitus in adults from the central–western region of Mexico

ObjectiveThis study aims to assess the prevalence of herbal medicine (HM) use and factors influencing HM usage including the identification of the main plants consumed by patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in central-western Mexico. DesignA total of 1862 patients with diabetes were surveyed in public and private hospitals in four states (Guanajuato, Jalisco, Michoacan, and San Luis Potosi) of the central-western region of Mexico. The chi-square test was used to assess associations between HM use and demographic characteristics, such as glucose levels, presence of complications and comorbidities, as well as the selected therapy to treat T2DM. ResultsThe prevalence of HM use (59.2%) in patients with T2DM was mainly associated with education level (p = 0.001), time of diagnosis of T2DM (p = 0.004), presence of complications (p < 0.001) and comorbidities (p = 0.018) and the use of insulin (p < 0.001). These patients report a higher consumption of herbal medicine compared to those on glycemic control (p < 0.001). The most frequently used medicinal plants to treat T2DM were nopal (54.9%), moringa (26.7%), and aloe (22.1%). ConclusionThe prevalence of HM use to treat T2DM in west-central Mexico is high (59.2%) and its consumption is mostly carried out without the recommendation of a health professional (91.9%). The use of HM increases mainly when the patient uses insulin, during complications of the disease or in patients with an inadequate glycemic control.

Prevalence and associated factors of herbal medicine use among adult diabetes mellitus patients at government hospital, Ethiopia: An institutional-based cross-sectional study

BackgroundDiabetes mellitus (DM) is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. Thus, this study aimed to assess the prevalence and factors associated with HM use among DM patients MethodsA hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 395 diabetic patients visiting the diabetes care service of Debre Tabor General Hospitalfrom August 1 to September 28, 2020. Interview guided self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. ResultsOut of 395 diabetic patients, 231(58.5%) participants were used herbal medicine. The most dominant herbal products used were M.stenoptela (53.2%), N. sativa (42.0%), Z. officinale (32.5%), A. sativum (20.8%), A. vera (13.4%), P.gracilis(10.4%), T.schimperi(7.5%), V. amygdalina (5.2%), T. foenumgraecum(3.5%),and D.penninervum(2.2%).The odds of HM use in female participants were 1.98 times (AOR=1.98, 95% CI=1.72, 3.25) higher compared to male participants. The odds of HM use among participants who develop DM complications were 1.77 times (AOR=1.77, 95% CI=1.03, 2.83) higher than in participants without DM complications. The odds of HM use among participants with a family history of DM were 2.89 times (AOR=2.89, 95% CI=1.42, 3.19) higher than in participants without a family history of DM. ConclusionThe prevalence of herbal medicine use among diabetic patients was high. Educational level, gender, residence, educational level, duration of DM, presence of DM complication, and family history of DMwere the independent predictors' of HM use.

Prevalence of the Use of Herbal Medicines among Patients with Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background Although herbal medicines are used by patients with cancer in multiple oncology care settings, the magnitude of herbal medicine use in this context remains unclear. The purpose of this review was to establish the prevalence of herbal medicine use among patients with cancer, across various geographical settings and patient characteristics (age and gender categories). Methods Electronic databases that were searched for data published, from January 2000 to January 2020, were Medline (PubMed), Google Scholar, Embase, and African Index Medicus. Eligible studies reporting prevalence estimates of herbal medicine use amongst cancer patients were pooled using random-effects meta-analyses. Studies were grouped by World Bank region and income groups. Subgroup and meta-regression analyses were performed to explore source of heterogeneity. Results In total, 155 studies with data for 809,065 participants (53.95% female) met the inclusion criteria. Overall, the pooled prevalence of the use of herbal medicine among patients with cancer was 22% (95% confidence interval (CI): 18%–25%), with the highest prevalence estimates for Africa (40%, 95% CI: 23%–58%) and Asia (28%, 95% CI: 21%–35%). The pooled prevalence estimate was higher across low- and middle-income countries (32%, 95% CI: 23%–42%) and lower across high-income countries (17%, 95% CI: 14%–21%). Higher pooled prevalence estimates were found for adult patients with cancer (22%, 95% CI: 19%–26%) compared with children with cancer (18%, 95% CI: 11%–27%) and for female patients (27%, 95% CI: 19%–35%) compared with males (17%, 95% CI: 1%–47%). Conclusion Herbal medicine is used by a large percentage of patients with cancer use. The findings of this review highlight the need for herbal medicine to be integrated in cancer care.

Prevalence and correlates of complementary and alternative medicine use among diabetic patients in a resource-limited setting

BackgroundThe use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) among diabetic patients is rising to manage diabetes mellitus (DM) and its complications. The burden of DM in developing countries coupled with a high prevalence of CAM use and its associated risks among diabetic patients. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence and predictors of CAM use among DM patients. MethodsDiabetic patients visiting the diabetic clinics of Debre Tabor governmental hospital were invited to participate in a cross-sectional study. Interview guided self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Descriptive statistics like, frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and median were conducted for each of the questions entered in order to detect outliers and validate data entry. Independent sample ‘t’ test and ANOVA were used to test continuous variables and Chi-square test was used to compare categorical variables. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were computed to identify associated factors (sex, age, religion, marital status, residence, employment status, educational level, monthly income, duration of DM, presence of DM complication, and family history of DM) of CAM use. ResultsOut of 422 diabetic patients invited to participate in this study, a total of 395 completed the survey questionnaire with a response rate of 93.6%. The use of CAM was reported by 73.7% of diabetic patients. Patients' average age was 48.7 ± 12.6 years, with 53.2% females and 52.4% married. The odds of CAM use among older diabetic patients were higher compared to younger diabetic patients (AOR: 1.92; CI: 1.75–3.17). Compared to not married, married diabetic patients had higher odds of using CAM (AOR: 2.01; CI: 1.36–4.25). The odds of CAM use among respondents who develop diabetic complications were higher than patients without diabetic complications (AOR: 1.94; CI: 1.50–4.36). The odds of CAM use among respondents with a family history of DM were higher than participants without a family history of DM (AOR: 2.53; CI: 1.27–2.75). Among CAM users, 54.3% used CAM as a complementary treatment along with conventional medicine. Traditional healers (38.8%) were the most frequently reported source of recommendation about CAM use. The majority of CAM users 172 (59.1%) didn't disclose CAM use for their health care professionals. ConclusionThe prevalence of herbal medicine use among diabetic patients was high. Age, marital status, residence, family history of DM, presence of diabetic complications, and duration of DM were found to be strong predictors of CAM use among diabetic patients. A rigorous struggle by the government, healthcare professionals, and educational institutions is required to increase the safe use of CAM by diabetic patients and to integrate modern diabetic treatment modalities with CAM therapies.