BACKGROUND:Musicians are frequently affected by playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMD). Common solutions used by Western medicine to treat musculoskeletal pain include rehabilitation programs and drugs, but their results are sometimes disappointing.OBJECTIVE:To study the effects of self-administered exercises based on Tuina techniques on the pain intensity caused by PRMD of professional orchestra musicians, using numeric visual scale (NVS).DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: We performed a prospective, controled, single-blinded, randomized study with musicians suffering from PRMD. Participating musicians were randomly distributed into the experimental (n= 39) and the control (n= 30) groups. After an individual diagnostic assessment, speciifc Tuina self-administered exercises were developed and taught to the participants. Musicians were instructed to repeat the exercises every day for 3 weeks.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Pain intensity was measured by NVS before the intervention and after 1, 3, 5, 10, 15 and 20 d of treatment. The procedure was the same for the control group, however the Tuina exercises were executed in points away from the commonly-used acupuncture points.RESULTS: In the treatment group, but not the control group, pain intensity was signiifcantly reduced on days 1, 3, 5, 10, 15 and 20.CONCLUSION: The results obtained are consistent with the hypothesis that self-administered exercises based on Tuina techniques could help professional musicians controling the pain caused by PRMD. Although our results are very promising, further studies are needed employing a larger sample size and double blinding designs.
作者： 刊期： 2015年第05期
OBJECTIVE:There is increasing interest in complementary and alternative medicine generaly, and especialy by those affected by chronic diseases, such as diabetes melitus. We aimed to determine the prevalence and pattern of complementary and alternative medicine use among patients suffering from diabetes melitus in Shiraz, southern Iran. Another objective was to explore associated factors for use of complementary and alternative medicine among patients with diabetes melitus.METHODS: A 19-item semi-structured questionnaire (open- and close-ended) was administered to 239 patients with diabetes melitus in this cross-sectional study. It was carried out in two outpatient diabetes clinics afifliated with the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.RESULTS:One hundred and eighty patients (75.3%) used at least one type of complementary and alternative medicine in the last year prior to the interview. Patients with diabetes melitus who were living in a large family (≥ 5 members), not taking insulin, and believed that complementary and alternative medicine have synergistic effects with conventional medicine, were independently and signiifcantly (P values: 0.02, 0.04, and 0.01, respectively) more likely to use complementary and alternative medicine. Most of the users (97.7%) reported use of herbal preparations, and 89.4% of users did not change their medication, neither in medication schedule nor its dosage.CONCLUSION: The use of complementary and alternative medicine, especialy herbal remedies, is popular among diabetes patients in Shiraz, Iran. This use is associated with patients’ family size, type of conventional medications and their view about concomitant use of complementary and conventional medicine.
作者： 刊期： 2015年第05期
BACKGROUND: Fibromyalgia is a syndrome characterized by chronic pain, fatigue, depression, and sleep disturbances. Its primary cause is unclear. Several studies have reported decreased intracelular magnesium levels in patients with ifbromyalgia and have found negative correlation between magnesium levels and ifbromyalgia symptoms.OBJECTIVE: To gather preliminary data on whether transdermal magnesium can improve quality of life for women who have ifbromyalgia.DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: This is a patient questionnaires and survey in a fibromyalgia clinic at a tertiary medical center. Forty female patients with the diagnosis of ifbromyalgia were enroled. Each participant was provided a spray bottle containing a transdermal magnesium chloride solution and asked to apply 4 sprays per limb twice daily for 4 weeks. Participants were asked to complete the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, SF-36v2 Health Survey, and a quality-of-life analog scale at baseline, week 2, and week 4.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Questionnaire and survey scores, evaluated through intent-to-treat and per-protocol analyses.RESULTS: Twenty-four patients completed the study (mean [SD] age, 57.2 [7.6] years; white, 95%; mean body mass index, 31.3 kg/m2). With intention-to-treat analysis, Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire subscale and total scores were signiifcantly improved at week 2 and week 4 (total score, P= 0.001). Per-protocol analysis results were similar: al subscales of the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire were signiifcantly improved at week 2 and week 4 (total score,P= 0.001).CONCLUSION:This pilot study suggests that transdermal magnesium chloride applied on upper and lower limbs may be beneifcial to patients with ifbromyalgia.TRIAL REGISTRATION:ClinicalTrials.gov.ldentiifer NCT01968772.
作者： 刊期： 2015年第05期
Autophagy is a lysosome-mediated degradation process for non-essential or damaged celular constituents, playing an important homeostatic role in cel survival, differentiation and development to maintain homeostasis. Autophagy is involved in tumors as wel as neurodegenerative, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Recently, active compounds from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) have been found to modulate the levels of autophagy in tumor cels, nerve cels, myocardial cels and endothelial cels. Ischemic stroke is a major cause of neurological disability and places a heavy burden on family and society. Regaining function can signiifcantly reduce dependence and improve the quality of life of stroke survivors. In healthy cels, autophagy plays a key role in adapting to nutritional deprivation and eliminating aggregated proteins, however inappropriate activation of autophagy may lead to cel death in cerebral ischemia. This paper reviews the process and the molecular basis of autophagy, as wel as its roles in cerebral ischemia and the roles of TCM in modulating its activity.
作者： 刊期： 2015年第05期
Diabetes is a common metabolic disorder characterized by abnormaly increased plasma glucose levels. Postprandial hyperglycemia plays an essential role in development of type-2 diabetes. Inhibitors of carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes (such as α-glucosidase and α-amylase) offer an effective strategy to regulate/prevent hyperglycemia by controling starch breakdown. Natural α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitors, as wel as antioxidants from plant-based sources, offer a source of dietary ingredients that affect human physiological function in order to treat diabetes. Several research studies have investigated the effectiveness of plant-based inhibitors of α-amylase and α-glucosidase, as wel as their antioxidant activity. The aim of this review is to summarize the antidiabetic and antioxidant properties of several medicinal plants around the world. Half inhibitory concentration (IC50,for enzyme suppression) and half effective concentration (EC50, for antioxidant activity) values of less than 500 μg/mL were deifned as the most potent plant-based inhibitors (in vitro) and are expected to provide interesting candidates for herbal treatment of diabetes, as foods, supplements, or reifned drugs.
作者： 刊期： 2015年第05期
作者： 刊期： 2015年第05期
OBJECTIVE: More than one-third of colege students reported the desire for stress reduction techniques and education. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a 20-week structured self-Reiki program on stress reduction and relaxation in colege students.METHODS: Students were recruited from Stockton University and sessions were conducted in the privacy of their residence. Twenty students completed the entire study consisting of 20 weeks of self-Reiki done twice weekly. Each participant completed a Reiki Baseline Credibility Scale, a Reiki Expectancy Scale, and a Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) after acceptance into the study. The PSS was completed every four weeks once the interventions were initiated. A global assessment questionnaire was completed at the end of the study. Logs summarizing the outcome of each session were submitted at the end of the study.RESULTS: With the exception of three participants, participants believed that Reiki is a credible technique for reducing stress levels. Except for two participants, participants agreed that Reiki would be effective in reducing stress levels. Al participants experienced stress within the month prior to completing the initial PSS. There was a signiifcant reduction in stress levels from pre-study to post-study. There was a correlation between self-rating of improvement and ifnal PSS scores. With one exception, stress levels at 20 weeks did not return to pre-study stress levels.CONCLUSION: This study supports the hypothesis that the calming effect of Reiki may be achieved through the use of self-Reiki.
作者： 刊期： 2015年第05期
Recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) serotype 2, 3 and 8 vectors are the most promising liver-tropic AAV serotype vectors. Liver diseases are signiifcant problems in China. However, to date, few studies on AAV neutralizing antibodies (Nabs) were working with the Chinese population or with the rAAV3 vectors. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of Nabs in Chinese population against wild-type AAV2, AAV3 and AAV8 capsids as wel as additional two AAV3 variants. In addition, we performed a preliminary analysis to investigate the potential inlfuence of traditional Chinese medicine body constitutions on AAV Nabs. Our work demonstrated that the majority of healthy Chinese subjects were positive for AAV Nabs, with the order of AAV2 > AAV3 = AAVLK03 > AAV8. There was no difference between: 1) AAV3 and its variants; 2) male and female subjects; and 3) different age cohorts (≤ 35, 36–50, and ≥ 51 years old). People in the Qi-deifciency constitution had signiifcantly increased AAV8 Nabs than people in the Gentleness constitution. Our studies may have impact on the future clinical design of AAV-based gene therapy in the Chinese population.
作者： 刊期： 2015年第05期
作者： 刊期： 2015年第05期
BACKGROUND:Subjective discomforts in a preclinical range are often due to imbalanced autonomic nervous system activity, which is a focus of craniosacral therapy. OBJECTIVE:The aim of this work was to determine any changes in heart rate variability (HRV) in a study on craniosacral therapy. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: This is a quasi-experimental (controlled) study with cross-over design. In a private practice, measurements were performed on 31 patients with subjective discomforts before and after a control and an intervention period. HRV was determined using a device that requires a measuring time of 140 s and electrode contact only with the ifngertips. Main PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: HRV change under the inlfuence of a deifned one-time intervention (test intervention) with craniosacral therapy versus control (deifned rest period). RESULTS:Standard deviation of all RR-intervals (ms) and total power of RR-interval variability in the frequency range (ms2) were together interpreted as an indicator of test subjects’ autonomic nervous activity and as a measure of their ability to cope with demands on their health. Neither of these parameters increased during the control period (P>0.05), whereas during the test intervention period there was an increase in both (P<0.05, P<0.01). Nevertheless, interactions between treatment and the increase were statistically not signiifcant (P>0.05). No changes were observed in the low frequency/high frequency ratio (sympathetic-vagal balance) in the course of the control or the test intervention period (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Craniosacral treatment had a favourable effect on autonomic nervous activity. This in itself is an interesting result, but further research will be needed to distinguish speciifc effects of craniosacral therapy technique from less speciifc therapist-client interaction effects.
作者： 刊期： 2014年第03期
There is an increasing interest and popularity of Chinese herbal medicine worldwide, which is accompanied by increasing concerns about its effectiveness and potential toxicity. Several ingredients, such as polyphenolic compounds berberine, flavonoids, and curcumin, have been studied extensively by using various animal models. Effectiveness of treatment and amelioration of metabolic syndromes, including insulin resistance and dyslipidemia, has been demonstrated. This review summarizes the major checkpoints and contributing factors in regulation of exogenous and endogenous lipid metabolism, with particular emphasis centered on triglyceride-rich and cholesterol-rich lipoproteins. Available experimental evidence demonstrating the lipid-lowering effect of berberine, lfavonoids and curcumin in cell culture and animal models is compiled, and the strengths and shortcomings of experimental designs in these studies are discussed.
作者： 刊期： 2014年第03期
For thousands of years, moxibustion has been used for various diseases in China and other Asian countries. Despite the recent surge in Chinese herbal studies, few randomized controlled trials have been conducted on this modality, possibly due to the lacking of suitable double blinding methodology. This is a review of extant sham moxa devices and an introduction to a recently developed device that needs further validation.
作者： 刊期： 2014年第03期
Liver fibrosis is a primary cause of liver cirrhosis, and even hepatocarcinoma. Recently, the usage of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) has been investigated to improve liver ifbrosis. It has been reported that the differentiation, proliferation and migration of MSCs can be regulated by traditional Chinese medicine treatment;however, the mechanisms are still unclear. In this article, the authors review the characteristics of MSCs such as multidirectional differentiation and homing, and its application in animal experiments and clinical trials. The authors also list areas that need further investigation, and look at the future prospects of clinical application of MSCs.
作者： 刊期： 2014年第03期
To meet community demands with optimal Chinese and conventional medical treatment, the University of Hong Kong is promoting integrative medicine by developing Chinese medicine programmes that train students of both Western and Chinese medicine. The programmes emphasize multi-disciplinary training and interaction between the two therapeutic approaches, enabling students to establish reliable, consistent, and respectful mutual cooperation in their future careers.
作者： 刊期： 2014年第03期
作者： 刊期： 2014年第03期
作者： 刊期： 2014年第03期
OBJECTIVE:To compare the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), including dietary supplements, by individuals with and without features of metabolic syndrome (FeMS).METHODS:Using a cross sectional study design, information was obtained by self-administered questionnaires from 300 university individuals. FeMS was deifned as any individuals self-reporting at least one of the clinical diagnoses of diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or obesity. Finally, two categories were created for cross tabulation, and individuals with and without FeMS were compared.RESULTS:Of the 192 individuals completing the study, 39%(n=76) were currently using or had used CAM therapies in the past 12 months. Individuals with FeMS (n=54, 28%) were more likely (P<0.05) to use different types of CAM therapies, in particular dietary and herbal supplements, aromatherapy and massage therapy compared to individuals without FeMS (n=138, 72%).CONCLUSION: Individuals with FeMS were more likely to use CAM, particularly supplements. Doctors need to properly inquire about and understand their patients’ supplement use, especially if CAM therapies are used in conjunction with conventional medications.
作者： 刊期： 2014年第03期
BACKGROUND:Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is considered an important complementary therapy with beneifcial effects for cancer patients. Elderly patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are a complex patient group with increasing co-morbidity and shrinking physiological reserve, and may derive substantial beneift from the supportive aspects of TCM. Researchers from Shanghai Longhua Hospital found that qi and yin deficiency is a common syndrome in patients with stage III or IV lung cancer. This project was designed to study the combination of single-agent chemotherapy with TCM methods of beneifting qi and yin in elderly patients with advanced NSCLC.METHODS AND DESIGN:This is a double-blind controlled, multi-center, and prospective study with randomly selected participants from elderly NSCLC patients in China. Seventy-six patients who meet the inclusion criteria will be allocated into two groups, which will receive treatments of 3-week single-agent chemotherapy with TCM or placebo for four cycles. Progression-free survival (PFS) is the primary end point, and the secondary end points are overall survival, objective response rate, time-to-progression, and quality of life (EORTC QLQ-LC43, and TCM syndrome score). Meanwhile, other end points such as toxicity, side effects and safety of the treatments wil be assessed.DISCUSSION:Results from this study may provide evidence on the effectiveness, and parameters for the usage of single-agent chemotherapy combined with or without TCM on PFS of elderly patients with NSCLC.TRIAL REGISTRATION:ClinicalTrials.gov. (Identiifer:NCT01780181).
作者： 刊期： 2014年第03期
OBJECTIVE:The stable quality of Chinese herbal medicines is a critical factor for their reliable clinical efficiency. An improved liquid-liquid extraction procedure and a liquid chromatographic method were developed to simultaneously analyze five anthraquinones (aloe-emodin, rhein, emodin, chrysophanol and physcion) in a Chinese traditional hospital preparation, Fuyankang mixture, in order to quantitatively control its quality in a more effective way.METHODS: A more economical and repeatable extraction procedure based on conventional liquid-liquid extraction technique was developed and used to extract ifve marker components in Fuyankang mixture. These anthraquinones were separated in less than 20 min on a C18 column with methanol and 0.1%phosphoric acid (88:12, v/v) as mobile phase. The method was validated for speciifcity, precision, spiked recovery and stability.RESULTS: Compared to conventional liquid-liquid extraction, the improved liquid-liquid extraction was found to be more effective for simultaneous extraction of anthraquinones from an aqueous Chinese herbal preparation, especially for hydrophobic compounds. The improved extraction method was successful y applied to determine the content of ifve marker components in Fuyankang mixture by the means of reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography.CONCLUSION:The improved extraction procedure may be suitable for routine quality control of Fuyankang mixture and other traditional preparations at city-level hospitals in China.
作者： 刊期： 2014年第05期
OBJECTIVE:Use of cisplatin, a conventional anticancer drug, is restricted because it generates strong hepatotoxicity by accumulating in liver. Therefore its anticancer potential can only be fully exploited if its own toxicity is considerably reduced. Towards this goal, ethanolic extract of the plant, Boldo (Peumus boldus), known for its antihepatotoxic effects, was used simultaneously with cisplatin, to test its ability to reduce cisplatin’s cytotoxicity without affecting its anticancer potential. METHODS: The cytotoxicity of Boldo extract (BE) and cisplatin, administered alone and in combination, was determined in three cancer cell lines (A549, HeLa, and HepG2) and in normal liver cells (WRL-68). Drug-DNA interaction, DNA damage, cell cycle, apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP, ΔΨ) were also studied. Hepatotoxicity and antioxidant activity levels were determined by alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase and glutathione assays in mice. The cytotoxicity of related proteins was tested by Western blotting. RESULTS:Co-administration of BE and cisplatin increased viability of normal cells, but had no effect on the viability of cancer cells. Boldo protected liver from damage and normalized different antioxidant enzyme levels in vivo and also reduced ROS and re-polarized MMP in vitro. Bax and cytochrome c translocation was reduced with caspase 3 down-regulation. Further, a drug-DNA interaction study revealed that BE reduced cisplatin’s DNA-binding capacity, resulting in a reduction in DNA damage. CONCLUSION: Results indicated that a low dose of BE could be used beneifcial y in combination with cisplatin to reduce its toxicity without hampering cisplatin’s anticancer effect. These ifndings signify a potential future use of BE in cancer therapy.
作者： 刊期： 2014年第05期
OBJECTIVE: Solanum xanthocarpum Schrad.&Wendl. (Solanaceae) is present in many Ayurveda compound formulations including Chavanaprasha and Dasamoolarishta. The whole plant is used in conditions such as inflammation, constipation and promoting conception in females. In the present study, we carried out different tests to evaluate the effect of aqueous extract of Solanum xanthocarpum (SXE) in postmenopausal syndrome.METHODS: The study was carried out in bilaterally ovariectomized one-month-old Wistar rats (40-50 g). Bilaterally ovariectomized (OVX) Wistar rats were divided into four groups (n=6) receiving different treatments, consisting of a vehicle (distilled water), aqueous extract of Solanum xanthocarpum at two different doses (200 and 400 mg/kg) administered orally daily for 90 d and standard drugβestradiol at a dose of 1 mg/kg administered subcutaneously biweekly for 90 d. Estrogenic activity was assessed by vaginal corniifcation, sexual behavior, serum estradiol and uterine weight to body weight ratio. Antiosteoporotic activity was assessed on the basis of biomechanical and biochemical parameters followed by histopathological studies, and antidepressant activity was assessed by forced swim test.RESULTS:SXE showed presence of steroids. At the dose of 200 mg/kg, it signiifcantly improved all the parameters of sexual behavior (P<0.01), caused vaginal corniifcation, and increased serum estradiol and uterine weight (P<0.01). It also significantly improved all the parameters of bone strength as well as depression (P<0.01). Histopathology of bones conifrmed the above ifndings. CONCLUSION:The study indicated that SXE may provide an effective treatment in the prevention of postmenopausal symptoms.
作者： 刊期： 2014年第05期
作者： 刊期： 2014年第05期
