جستجوی مقالات مرتبط با کلیدواژه "complementary therapies" در نشریات گروه "پزشکی"

Apitherapy has emerged as both a conventional and alternative treatment effective against COVID-19-related symptoms.

This study aimed to determine the types, frequency, and amount of apitherapy products that late adolescents use before and during the pandemic.

The study employed a cross‐sectional, descriptive, and comparative design. Using stratified random sampling, 3307 late adolescents aged 17 - 21 were included. Data were collected through a questionnaire on demographic characteristics and apitherapy products. Descriptive statistics and paired sample t-tests were used for data analysis, with effect size calculated using Cohen’s d method.

Half of the participants (n = 1595, 48.2%) had never heard of “apitherapy” before, while those who had heard mentioned honey (35.6%), pollen (25.5%), propolis (14.9%), royal jelly (11.3%), bee venom (8.4%), and bee bread (4.3%). They reported using these products to “boost their immune systems”, “prevent respiratory infections/reduce cough”, and “reduce nausea and vomiting”. Late adolescents consumed significantly more honey (t = -15.683, P < 0.001, effect size = 0.35), pollen (t = -11.111, P < 0.001; effect size = 0.44), and propolis (t = -15.302, P < 0.001, effect size = 0.45) during the pandemic than before. They primarily examined labels before purchasing (36.4%) and believed that products approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry should be purchased (63.3%).

This study underscores the popularity of apitherapy among late adolescents. Further surveys are recommended to better understand young people's apitherapy habits and provide valuable data for healthcare practitioners combating the pandemic.

Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) is the most prevalent cause of vaginal infection among women. This study aimed to summarize the evidence related to the effectiveness of medicinal plants as an alternative therapy for the management of BV.

PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Medline PubMed were systematically searched. Moreover, we searched Google Scholar to explore the possible effects of herbal treatments on BV in women of childbearing age up to 2022. All randomized clinical trials investigating the effects of medicinal plants as oral or vaginal monotherapy or in combination for BV treatment in women of childbearing age were included in this systematic review.

In total, 20 studies comprising 2685 participants were included in our review. The results show that combinations of herbal medicines such as Prangos ferulacea, Berberis vulgaris, Myrtus communis, and Quercus Brantii with metronidazole can have better results in the treatment of BV. Moreover, the main results show that some medicinal plant products alone such as Forzejehe (Tribulus terrestris + Myrtus communis + Foeniculum vulgare + Tamarindus indica), Zataria multiflora, and Calendula officinalis had therapeutic effects similar to metronidazole. Propolis and Brazilian pepper tree (Schinus) were effective in the treatment of BV, but they have less therapeutic effect than metronidazole.

To reduce the complications caused by chemical treatments and also the resistance of patients to these treatments, it seems necessary to use supportive treatments along with chemical drugs after the necessary approvals have been obtained.

Obesity involves complex pathological mechanisms. Multi-herbal formulations targeting diverse pathways may provide synergistic therapeutic benefits. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-obesity effects of a standardized multi-herbal formulation (GUTAC), consisting of Glycyrrhiza glabra, Urtica dioica, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Artemisia persica and Camellia sinensis.

Obesity was induced in male Wistar rats (n= 30) via a high-fat diet (HFD) for three months. Subsequently, the rats were divided into three groups (n= 10 per group): (1) HFD alone, (2) HFD with GUTAC, and (3) standard diet (SD) with GUTAC, for an additional three months. Key parameters such as body mass index (BMI), blood biomarkers, and histopathological changes in the liver and kidney were evaluated.

BMI was significantly lower in both the HFD+GUTAC and SD+GUTAC groups compared to the HFD group (P< 0.05). Notably, the SD+GUTAC group exhibited a more pronounced BMI reduction, indicating that combining GUTAC with a standard diet yields greater benefits than its combination with a high-fat diet. GUTAC treatment significantly reduced blood glucose levels (P= 0.0013), liver enzyme activity (AST and ALT), and improved lipid profiles, including total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and triglycerides, compared to the HFD group (all P< 0.05). Furthermore, GUTAC enhanced renal function markers (BUN and creatinine) and mitigated hepatic steatosis, as evidenced by histological analysis.

The standardized multi-herbal GUTAC formulation demonstrated significant anti-obesity, hypolipidemic, hepatoprotective, and renoprotective effects in a rat model. These benefits are likely mediated by the bioactive compounds’ modulation of lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, and inflammatory pathways. These findings highlight GUTAC's potential as a multi-target therapeutic strategy for obesity, warranting further exploration in human clinical trials.

Statement of the Problem: 

Considering side effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), herbal medicine including Urtica dioica might help reduce the pain.

The present study aimed to compare the effects of premedication with essential oil of Urtica dioica and ibuprofen on post-endodontic pain.

The present randomized clinical trial study was conducted on 60 patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis of mandibular first or second molars. The patients were randomly assigned to three groups (n=20) for premedication with 400 mg ibuprofen, 400 mg essential oil of Urtica dioica (Netonal; Barij, Iran), and placebo. The medications were taken 30 minutes prior to the procedure. The patients’ pain score was recorded before the intervention and treatment onset (Time1 or T1), after the intervention prior the treatment onset (10 minutes after anesthetic injection) (T2), upon completion of treatment (T3), and at 8 (T4), 12 (T5), and 24 hours after endodontic treatment (T6) using a visual analog scale (VAS) and Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale (WBS), and compared. Data were analyzed by Chi-square test, one-way and repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), kruskal-wallis test, and LSD post-hoc test using IBM SPSS statistics version 21 with significance value of p< 0.05.

The pain score was not significantly different among the three groups at T1, T2 and T3 according to both scales (p> 0.05). On the other hand, significantly lower pain scores were recorded in ibuprofen and Urtica dioica groups at 8, 12, and 24 hours after treatment compared with the placebo group (p< 0.001). The pain score was not markedly different between the ibuprofen and Urtica dioica groups (p> 0.05).

It seems that analgesic effect of premedication with leaf extract of Urtica dioica is the same as ibuprofen. Further studies are warranted to find the optimal dosage of Urtica dioica for widespread use.

Today, due to the challenging treatment of pressure injuries, the preferred approach is prevention and care. One preventive measure is the use of specialized dressings, although very few studies have explored this area.

This study aimed to investigate the impact of using aloe vera and honey on the prevention of pressure injuries among elderly patients admitted to an intensive care unit in Qazvin, Iran, in 2022.

In this randomized, single-blind clinical trial, 90 elderly patients at moderate to high risk of developing pressure ulcers were divided into three groups. Each group received a different preventive dressing on their sacral area twice a day for one week: The first group received aloe vera gel, the second group received honey, and the third group received plain gauze. Data were collected using a demographic information checklist, the Braden scale for predicting pressure injury risk, and a pressure injury grading tool. The data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistical tests and statistical software.

The mean Braden scale scores for patients in the aloe vera, honey, and simple dressing groups were 10.83 ± 1.41, 10.40 ± 1.52, and 10.30 ± 1.55, respectively (P = 0.40). Ten patients developed pressure injuries (0 in the aloe vera group, 3 in the honey group, and 7 in the simple dressing group). A statistically significant difference was found in the occurrence of pressure injuries between the aloe vera and honey groups compared to the control group (P = 0.015).

The study revealed that aloe vera preventive dressing had a significant and favorable effect on pressure injury prevention. Further studies are recommended to validate these findings.

Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) in women under 40 leads to infertility and psychological distress. Timely diagnosis of POI is vital to prevent progression to ovarian failure. Chinese herbal medicine has shown efficacy in treating the subclinical stage of POI, aligning with the preventive approach of Chinese medicine.

Case report: 

A 29-year-old with subclinical POI received exclusive herbal medicine treatment. After six months, she achieved spontaneous conception, with an anti-mullerian hormone level of 0.41 ng/mL and follicle-stimulating hormoneat 14.96 mIU/mL. Ultrasound revealed increased antral follicle count post-treatment. Without assisted reproductive technology, she delivered a healthy full-term baby.

Successful subclinical POI treatment with Chinese herbal medicine resulted in a safe, spontaneous pregnancy. This case underscores diagnostic challenges in POI, emphasising the necessity of adhering to criteria. Despite the lack of guidelines, Chinese herbal medicine shows promise for follicular growth in POI. Valuable insights contribute to learning points, emphasising the potential for natural conception without assisted reproductive technology as an indication of the efficacy of integrative approaches in subclinical POI management.

Gastrointestinal disorders are one of the most common conditions among people in many societies. On the other hand, evidence shows that the prevalence of usage of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has increased in recent years to treat many chronic and acute conditions, which might be due to testimonies of the safety, effectiveness, and affordability of CAM. In Persian medicine (PM), medical barley water (MBW) has been known as a helpful remedy for treating some digestive illnesses. This study aimed to review the properties of MBW in Avicenna’s Canon of Medicine for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. So, Avicenna’s Canon of Medicine was reviewed with keywords related to this remedy. Furthermore, various databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and SID, were searched with the keywords “barley water," “non-alcoholic beer," and “alcohol-free beer." This study showed that Avicenna’s Canon of Medicine recommends MBW for the treatment of various gastrointestinal disorders. Avicenna prescribed barley water for the treatment of bowel obstruction disease, bowel mass, intestinal ulcers, and jaundice. Oral consumption of MBW was the most frequently used method for disease improvement. Meanwhile, recent studies have also shown the therapeutic effects of non-alcoholic beer in the treatment of various disorders, such as gastrointestinal inflammatory disease, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, possibly due to its anti-inflammatory effect. Given the high importance of MBW in Avicenna’s Canon of Medicine, the results of this review and recent clinical studies can introduce MBW as an effective and less harmful gastrointestinal drug. We suggest conducting further clinical trials to assess the effectiveness of MBW in managing gastrointestinal conditions.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) poses a significant health challenge in both developing and developed nations, with unparalleled morbidity, mortality, and economic tolls. Primary prevention of CVD through lifestyle modifications has been emphasized to address this issue. Yoga, an ancient practice dating back thousands of years with roots in the Harappan and Mohenjo-Daro civilizations, offers a potential solution. Hatha yoga, which includes physical movements and breathing techniques, is the most commonly practiced form today. The health benefits of yoga have recently gained attention and are being researched globally. Yoga is beneficial in both primary and secondary prevention of diseases, particularly CVD and its risk factors.
This review aims to explore the physiology of yoga, recent studies on its effect on the prevention and control of CVD, and the clinical implications of these findings.

Urinary retention is a postoperative problem that causes pain and discomfort for patients, even when catheters are used. The potential role of magnetic therapy in treating postoperative urinary retention through acupuncture points remains uncertain. This research aims to assess the impact of magnetic therapy on urinary retention in patients undergoing surgery.

This single‑blind clinical trial study was conducted in a recovery department within an operating room and subsequently in the Surgery Department of Amin Hospital. The study took place in Isfahan in 2022, with a sample of 64 patients selected using a simple random sampling method and divided equally into two groups. In the intervention group, magnet plates were applied, while the control group received iron plates at seven specific points for duration of 35 ± 5 minutes. Demographic information, the type of urinary excretion, the duration of urinary retention, and the volume of excreted urine were recorded using a researcher‑made checklist for both intervention and control groups. These data were compared and subjected to descriptive and analytical statistical analysis.

Among the participants (N = 64), the majority were male (N = 37, 57.80%), and the mean age was 40.17 years. The Chi‑square analysis revealed no significant difference between the intervention and control groups in terms of the type of urinary excretion (p </em>= 0.106). However, the Mann–Whitney U‑test demonstrated significant difference between the two groups regarding the duration required to eliminate urinary retention and the volume of excreted urine (F2,41 = 62 and F1,76 = 62; p </em>< 0.001).

The use of a novel approach involving magnetic therapy applied to acupuncture and reflexology points has been shown to reduce the time required for the first urination and increase the volume of urine in post‑surgery patients.

Treatments for acute bronchitis is usually a supportive care to relieve upper respiratory symptoms. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Plantago major syrup (PMS) on cough severity in acute bronchitis.

Patients (20-75 years-old) referred to the clinic of infectious diseases in Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Babol, Iran with a complaint of cough and the Bronchitis Severity Scale (BSS) ≥5 entered the study. The patients randomly received PMS or placebo 30 ml/day for 10 days. Patients were visited before treatment and on days 5 and 10 after treatment. The primary outcome was BSS score and secondary outcome was the life quality that was measured by means of the Persian version of the Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ) at the first visit and on the 10th day.

Of the 121 patients diagnosed with acute bronchitis, 80 eligible patients (42.87±11.75 years-old) were randomly divided into PMS and placebo groups. The BSS score in the PMS group after 10 days was significantly lower than that of the placebo group (P=0.001). Frequency of cough (P=0.001), sputum production (P=0.005), and chest wall pain (P=0.008) were significantly lower in the PMS group than in the placebo group. In terms of quality of life, all items, including psychological, physical, and social domains, as well as total scores, were altered significantly in the PMS group compared to placebo. During monitoring of side effects, no significant adverse effects were stated in either group. 

The study indicates the palliative effects of PMS in relieving the symptoms of acute bronchitis and improving quality of life.

The culture of practicing massage therapy in Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM) dates back more than a thousand years. In this article, the authors have tried to evaluate sports massage as a culture while reviewing massage in TPM texts. The types of massage, their functions, and their effects are presented in this study. There is also a brief comparison of the effects of sports massage in current studies. Today, massage has become a widely popular complementary medicine approach. Every year, 18 million Americans receive massages. There are different types of massage in various complementary medicine schools, such as Tuina massage (in Traditional Chinese Medicine) and abhyanga (in Ayurveda), which are related to Chinese and Indian medicine, respectively. In addition, modern therapeutic methods, such as chiropractic and Osteopathy, have their roots in massage.Massage is used in Traditional Persian Medicine under the titles of Dalk (to rub) and Ghamz (to squeeze). In Traditional Persian Medicine, massage serves as both a preventive and therapeutic measure for a variety of health conditions.

 Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the most common mental ailment. Moreover, it is one of the most incapacitating medical conditions. Although antidepressant medication has traditionally been the mainstay of treatment, adjunctive therapy may provide therapeutic advantages that reduce the severity of depression.

 An experiment using randomization and control groups was undertaken. A total of forty-eight individuals diagnosed with severe depressive illness and undergoing antidepressant medication were selected and randomly assigned to either get traditional Thai massage (TTM) treatment, consisting of 90-minute sessions twice a week for eight weeks, or to be part of the control group, which continued with their regular daily activities. The main assessment tools used were the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), the Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S), and the Khon Kaen University Depression Inventory 14 (KKU-DI-14). Secondary outcomes, such as blood pressure (BP) and quality of life measured by The EuroQol-5D-5L (EQ-5D-5L), were assessed both before and after the first therapy, as well as at the last session at the 8th week.

 The TTM group showed a statistically significant decrease in the HAM-D score within the eighth week of therapy compared to the control group (5.14 points, 95% confidence interval=2.92 to 7.37 points, P<0.001).

 These findings suggest that combining TTM with antidepressant medication may effectively reduce depression scores and improve quality of life scores.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) includes a wide range of treatments that are gaining acceptance among the public. It is increasingly being recognized as a viable option for treating various diseases with minimal side effects. Common avenues of this therapy include herbal medicine, acupuncture, physical exercise, aromatherapy, dietary therapy, and homeopathy etc. Macrophages are highly heterogeneous cells that play multiple regulatory roles. Practices such as herbal medicine, acupuncture, physical exercise, aromatherapy and dietary therapy exert curative effects by modulating the polarization status and the secretory phenotype of macrophages directly. Furthermore, herbal medicine, acupuncture, and physical exercise influence the crosstalk between macrophages and other types of cells, including cancer cells and T cells. Mechanistically, herbal medicine and acupuncture produce curative effects in diverse diseases, including inflammatory diseases and tumors, mainly by influencing the phosphorylation of signaling proteins in macrophages. Therefore, targeting macrophages offers theoretical support for advancing the scientific understanding of this therapy and aids in identifying potential therapeutic options. Hence, in this review, we systematically summarize the different regulations of macrophages in herbal medicine, acupuncture, physical exercise, aromatherapy, dietary therapy and homeopathy, and further highlight the therapeutic potential of targeting macrophages in complementary and alternative medicine.

Sexual dysfunction is one of the most prevalent complaints in men over 50 years old, which can negatively affect marital life and self-esteem. Consumption of oral drugs has various limitations, and they have serious interactions with other oral agents.

In this review article, the main traditional Persian medicine (TPM) sources were reviewed for topical suggestions for the treatment of men with sexual dysfunction. In addition, the herbal medicines and their constituents were reviewed in electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Sciences.

In TPM sources, various agents in oil, decoction, dry powder, suppository, and enema preparations are suggested to treat decreased libido, premature ejaculation, and erectile dysfunction. These preparations often include volatile agents that enhance percutaneous absorption. Accordingly, the literature review suggested that the mechanisms of these remedies could be related to enhancing the regional blood flow to the genitalia, inducing venous smooth muscle relaxation and increasing the tonicity of pelvic floor muscles.

TPM suggestions in treating sexual dysfunction in men can ignite new ideas for further research based on the proposed mechanisms of action.

Traditional medicine refers to a set of indigenous or acquired health care practices outside the mainstream health care system in any country. A wide range of people use traditional and complementary medicine in Iran, and due to its ancient Persian origin, it is known as Persian Medicine (PM). PM is used for a wide range of people and diseases because it comprises various treatment strategies. Thus, the familiarity of healthcare providers with it seems essential for them.

This quasi-experimental study was conducted to investigate the effect of PM education on the knowledge, attitude, and practice of medical sciences students in Iran. In this study, an educational intervention on knowledge, attitude, and practice of Persian medicine was conducted on medical sciences students in the fifth-largest region of health education in Iran. The data were collected from 99 medical sciences students. The knowledge of these participants was evaluated and compared before and after the courses by a questionnaire scored using 5-point Likert scale.

The mean score of selected students was 25.28 before starting the course, but after completing the course, their mean score of knowledge changed significantly and reached 31.03. Although, after the course, the use and attitude of theseparticipants increased, these rises were statistically significant in a few items.

Overall, the findings of our study indicated that this course had a practical impact on medical science students’ knowledge, practice, and attitude toward PM. Accordingly, this course will improve the insight of future healthcare providers about PM.

Sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) can affect fertilization rate and embryo development, making it a useful measure for assessing male fertility. Available evidence supports the association between high sperm DNA fragmentation and poor outcomes, with regard to natural conception. Several treatment options are being adopted with varying degrees of success. Some of the commonly used treatment options are the intake of oral antioxidants, varicocele repair, and techniques like micromanipulation- based sperm selection and use of testicular sperm for intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

Studies have shown that around 29% of couples depend on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) modality for the treatment of infertility. However, there is a lack of substantial evidence regarding its efficacy in treating various aspects of infertility in couples. The current case report is about a 44 year-old male patient with infertility, who has a known diagnosis of sex chromosome abnormalities. Meanwhile, the SDF study reports indicated the presence of chromosomal abnormalities. This patient was treated exclusively with Ayurveda therapy aimed towards qualitative improvement in reproductive tissues (Shukra Dhatu as per Ayurveda). Patient was assessed periodically for changes in chromosomal abnormality. After four months of treatment, the evaluations demonstrated the presence of completely normal chromosomes.

This case study indicates the potential of Ayurveda therapy in treating cases of male infertility caused by DNA fragmentation. Furthermore, observations and systematically designed clinical trials are warranted to establish a stronger level of evidence before making further clinical recommendations.