Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine

Plant and animal-derived products are crucial components in complementary and alternative medicine. Although modern medicine has provided numerous innovations and advancements, these often fail to reveal new and dependable, inexpensive treatments nor real cures that are relatively free of adverse side effects. We present evidence that hirudotherapy, which utilizes leeches, improves certain diseases, including osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis, a disease in joints, could benefit from use of medicinal peptides found in leech saliva, components of its immune system...

Herbal medicines have been played an important role in the human civilization since very ancient time as a food, cloth, medicine and other aspects. Some of the important drugs in the modern medicine were derived from the natural sources such as aspirin, digitalis, quinine, vincristine, vinblastine etc. Hispidulin (4', 5, 7-trihydroxy-6-methoxyflavone) is a flavones derivative found in plant such as Grindelia argentina, Arrabidaea chica, Saussurea involucrate, Crossostephium chinense, Artemisia and Salvia species...

Ferula asafoetida Linn. is a main source of asafoetida, a strong, tenacious and sulfurous odor, and oleo-gum resin of medicinal and nutritional importance. Asafoetida has been consumed as a spice and a folk medicine for centuries. Recent studies have shown several promising activities particularly relaxant, neuroprotective, memory enhancing, digestive enzyme, antioxidant, antispasmodic, hypotensive, hepatoprotective, antimicrobial, anticarcinogenic, anticancer, anticytotoxicity, antiobesity, anthelmintic and antagonistic effect...

Curcumin is a natural anti-inflammatory agent that has been used for treating medical conditions for many years. Several experimental and pharmacologic trials have demonstrated its efficacy in the role as an anti-inflammatory agent. Curcumin has been shown to be effective in treating chronic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, Alzheimer's and common malignancies like colon, stomach, lung, breast, and skin cancers. As treatments in medicine become more and more complex, the answer may be something simpler...

AIM: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of 50 and 100 mg doses of green cumin essential oil on glycemic and inflammatory indices in patients with diabetes type II. METHOD: In this randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial, subjects were divided into three groups after selecting them randomly according to the inclusion criteria: 1 - Cuminum cyminum capsule (100 mg/day,n = 33), 2 - C. cyminum capsule (50 mg/day, n = 33), and 3 - placebo (n = 33)...

INTRODUCTION: Reflexology is the systematic practice of applying some pressure to particular points on the feet and hands to impact on health of related parts of the body. OBJECTIVE: To explore the practitioners' perspectives of reflexology in Malaysia. METHODS: Data was collected using face-to-face semi-structured interviews with practitioners in Malaysia. The interviews were conducted in the Malay language and recorded. Interview conversations were translated and transcribed verbatim...

INTRODUCTION: The progressive increase in dyslipidemia and physical inactivity are considered to be major risk factors for the onset of non communicable diseases. Awareness of body constitution plays a vital role to regularise optimum health. The present study was planned to evaluate the effect of yoga practices on lipid metabolism with reference to specific body constitution (Prakriti). METHODS: A self-as-control study was conducted on 36 male healthy volunteers between age group of 30-58 years...

Mechanisms of antioxidant and apoptosis induction may be involved in the management of cancer by medicinal plants. Aim of the study was designed to evaluate anticancer activity of the methanolic extract of Cordia dichotoma leaves (MECD) against a human prostate carcinoma cell line, PC3. Flavonoid content was determined by colorimetric principle and antioxidant activity by various in vitro assays. MTT, DCFH-DA and DAPI staining assays were performed for the evaluation of cytotoxicity, analysis of induction of apoptosis and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) activity level by MECD against human prostate carcinoma cell line, PC3...

Rising popularity of phytomedicines in various diseased conditions have strengthened the significance of plant-research and evaluation of phytoextracts in clinical manifestations. Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb., a medicinal plant, known for its anti-oxidant and anti-diabetic activity is a rich source of phytochemicals with antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic activities. However, its possible role in diabetic complications is not evaluated yet. The present study explores the possible role of alcoholic extract of heartwood of P...

This study aims to determine the incretin effects of Urena lobata leaves extract on the structure and function of rats islet β-cells. This study utilizes male Sprague-Dawley rats divided into 2 control group and 3 test group (n = 5). Diabetic rats were induced with High Fructose Diet (HFD) and single dose intraperitoneal streptozotocin 25 mg/kg bw. Aqueous leaves extract of U. lobata was prepared by decoction methods and administrated orally with doses of 250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg bw for 4 weeks then incretin effect was evaluated by measuring serum GLP-1, insulin, and blood glucose levels...

BACKGROUND: Medicinal plants constitute a natural reservoir for medicines worldwide. They serve mainstream therapeutics and are central in folklore medicine. In case of Adenium obesum (Lav, Apocynaceae), indigenous people of Oman use it for the treatment of venereal diseases, wounds, skin diseases, headaches, muscle pain as well as joint pain; yet, the active ingredients have not been classified. To screened the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of an identified compound that we isolated from the highest active chloroform extract...

The TLC profiles of intra- and inter-day precision for Piper betle L. (PBL) folium methanol extract was studied for their peak marker recognition and identification. The Numerical chromatographic parameters (NCPs) of the peak markers, the hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) and the principal component analysis (PCA) were applied to authenticate the PBL. folium extract from other Piper species folium extract and to ensure the antifungal activity quality of the PBL essential oil. The spotted extract was developed with the mobile phase of toluene: ethyl acetate; 93:7, (v/v)...

Hydro-distilled essential oil (EO) from the leaves of the western Mediterranean and Moroccan endemic plant Tetraclinis articulata was analyzed by GC/MS and examined for its acute toxicity on mice, in order to establish the safe doses. Furthermore, the anti-Inflammatory activity was evaluated based on carrageenan and trauma induced rats paw edema and the antioxidant potential has been investigated using different methods including DPPH radical-scavenging assay, Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and Ferric-reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP)...

With an objective to develop Complementary and Alternative Medicine for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy, the present study investigated the protective effects of methanolic extract of Punica granatum leaves (MPGL) in streptozotocin-induced diabetic nephropathy. Diabetic nephropathy has become a leading cause of end stage renal failure worldwide. P. granatum, due to its anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities may retard the progression of diabetic nephropathy. In this study, diabetes was induced by a single injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 45 mg/kg, i...

Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown aetiology is a significant public health problem in Sri Lanka. The final report by the WHO mission recommended regulation of herbal medicines containing aristolochic acid, which is an established nephrotoxin. The use of Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) has a history of more than 2500 years in Sri Lanka. Aristolochia species are rarely used in Ayurveda and traditional medicine in Sri Lanka. Before regulating the analysis of herbal preparations using Aristolochia, collecting data from CAM practitioners regarding the use of Aristolochia is necessary...

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Since time immemorial, complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) have played a significant role in human health care. CAM is known to have a strong reputation and reliability within every culture to provide basic health care treatment for patients. CAM acts as a better therapeutic option in human being for treating various diseases and improving quality of life with apt consideration to the economic aspects. Acupressure, one of the known CAM, originated in ancient China is based on the principal of acupoints activation across the meridians which correct the imbalance between Qi...

Recently, resistance exercises performed on an unstable surface have become part of athletic training and rehabilitation. Accordingly, their role in performance and health-oriented strength training has increasingly emerged as a matter of interest to researchers and conditioning specialists. A more pronounced activation of stabilizing muscles is assumed to be the main feature of instability resistance exercises. This assumption has been proven by EMG studies, which have highlighted significantly greater electromyographic activity of trunk-stabilizing muscles during exercises under unstable as compared to stable conditions...

In spite of incredible advances in modern science, technology and allopathic medicine a large we are unable to provide quality healthcare to all. Traditional medicine particularly herbal medicine considered as a major healthcare provider around the globe particularly in rural and remote areas. A large section of people depends on such medicine for their primary healthcare mainly in underdeveloped or developing countries. Indian traditional medicinal system like Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani has a very rich history of their effectiveness; modern research also acknowledged the importance of such medicine...

In recent years, several drugs have been developed deriving from traditional products and current drug research is actively investigating the possible therapeutic roles of many Ayruvedic and Traditional Indian medicinal therapies. Among those being investigated is Turmeric. Its most important active ingredient is curcuminoids. Curcuminoids are phenolic compounds commonly used as a spice, pigment and additive also utilized as a therapeutic agent used in several foods. Comprehensive research over the last century has revealed several important functions of curcuminoids...