ISSN:1075-5535    

DOI:10.1089/acm.1998.4.1-1

出版商:Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.    

年代:1998

数据来源: MAL

ISSN:1075-5535    

DOI:10.1089/acm.1998.4.1-5

出版商:Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.    

年代:1998

数据来源: MAL

ISSN:1075-5535    

DOI:10.1089/acm.1998.4.1-7

出版商:Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.    

年代:1998

数据来源: MAL

摘要:

ABSTRACTAt least 100 cases of extensive interstitial fibrosis of the kidneys were observed in Belgium in women who had followed a weight-loss regimen that included the use of Chinese herbs. The possible relation between the renal disease and these Chinese herbs was investigated. It was shown that the prescribed Chinese herb calledStephania tetrandrawas, in fact, inadvertently replaced by another Chinese herb, namelyAristolochia fangchiin the powdered extracts delivered in Belgium and in France. The development of renal disease in about 100 patients exposed to the so-calledStephania tetrandrastresses the need for more stringent control of herbal medicine.

ISSN:1075-5535    

DOI:10.1089/acm.1998.4.1-9

出版商:Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.    

年代:1998

数据来源: MAL

ISSN:1075-5535    

DOI:10.1089/acm.1998.4.1-15

出版商:Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.    

年代:1998

数据来源: MAL

摘要:

ABSTRACTObjectives:Chinese medicine is growing in popularity and offers an important alternative or complement to biomedical care, but little is known of who uses it or why they purchase it. This article reports the first in-depth, large-scale (n575) survey of United States acupuncture users.Design:An anonymous mixed quantitative-qualitative survey questionnaire assessed user demographics, Chinese medicine modalities used, complaints, response to care, other health-care used, and satisfaction with care in six general-service clinics in five states.Results and Conclusions:The user demographic picture was of mid-age, well-educated, employed, mid-income patients. They sought care for a wide variety of conditions; top uses were for relief of musculoskeletal dysfunction, mood care, and wellness care. A large majority reporteddisappearanceorimprovementof symptoms, improved quality of life, and reduced use of selected measures including prescription drags and surgery. Respondents reported utilizing a wide array of practices in addition to Chinese medicine, while also expressing extremely high satisfaction with Chinese medicine care. The evidence indicates that these respondents behave as astute consumers within a plural health care system. Part II (in press) details reasons given for satisfaction and situates respondent attitudes within a larger sociocultural framework.

ISSN:1075-5535    

DOI:10.1089/acm.1998.4.1-17

出版商:Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.    

年代:1998

数据来源: MAL

摘要:

ABSTRACTObjectives:To investigate whether stimulation of the auricular sympathetic acupuncture point would affect the mean maximum amplitude of evoked sudomotor responses.Design:A placebo-controlled trial. Two types of controls were used: no acupuncture and acupuncture of an alternatenon-sympathetic nervous systemrelated (ie, a non-sympathetic, placebo) point. Subjects were included in either the placebo or the test group. Each subject would have one session of acupuncture and one session without acupuncture, the acupuncture was applied in either the first or the second session. Initially, each group was unaware in which of the two sessions they would receive acupuncture (cross-over design). Each individual was unaware of which group they were to participate in.Settings/location:A quiet, sealed room with a constant temperature, in the research department of the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic.Subjects:Thirty-eight asymptomatic male, white volunteers (18 to 40 years old).Interventions:The two groups underwent two electrodermal response (EDR) recording sessions, at an interval of 5 weeks. During each session, they were also presented with eight stimuli, each of which was designed to stimulate the sympathetic nervous system. In each session, subjects either received auricular acupuncture (AA) or did not.Outcome measures:The maximum amplitude of the EDR for each stimulus.Results:AA at the non-sympathetic, placebo point significantly increased EDR both with respect to the individual stimuli (p0.05 to0.001) and for the pooled data (p0.0001). AA to the sympathetic point produced no significant change in EDR for either individual stimuli (prange0.8 to0.1) or for the pooled data (p>0.8). A significant difference was found between the results from placebo and sympathetic point stimulated groups during AA for 2 of the 8 stimuli (p<0.05), and for the pooled data from all 8 stimuli (p0.0006).Conclusion:Stimulation of the sympathetic AA point significantly decreased the stimulus-evoked EDR when compared with an AA stimulation to a non-sympathetic (placebo) point. However, it did not significantly alter EDR compared with no treatment. This implies that the increase in response as a result of inserting the needles was negated by placing the electrodes in the AA sympathetic point. Consequently, one might surmise that there may be a specific action of AA in respect to hyperhidrosis resulting from an increase in sympathetic activity.

ISSN:1075-5535    

DOI:10.1089/acm.1998.4.1-29

出版商:Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.    

年代:1998

数据来源: MAL

摘要:

ABSTRACTMany dental and periodontal diseases are largely a question of bacterial etiology. Dental caries develop due to an increase of strongly acidogenic and aciduric gram-positive bacteria while common forms of periodontal disease are linked to anaerobic gram-negative bacteria in subgingival plaque. Many plants and plant-derived antimicrobial components are used in folklore therapeutics for the treatment of periodontal disorders and for the purposes of oral hygiene. Some have been evaluated for possible use in modern medicine, while thousands of other potentially useful plants have not been tested. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of screening for antibacterials isolated from plants with activity against three representatives of oral streptococci. We developed and tested the following methodologies: (1) Extraction of antibacterial components from plants; (2) Assays for antibacterial activity; (3) Chromatographic methods for initial analysis of compounds of interest. The screening process for plant antimicrobials consisted of extraction of plant material and assay of antibacterial activity using a spotting test with the selected oral streptococci as indicator strains. In addition, we developed chromatographic procedures that allow characterization and optimization of initial isolation steps. Depending on the indicator microorganisms used, the screening assay can target additional pathogens including other streptococci (group A and B, and pneumococci) and periodontal pathogens such asPorphyromonas. Also, we noted that the activity of some extracts varied against different oral bacteria. Our conclusion, supported by extensive data, was that the screening for antimicrobials from plants is a feasible approach to the identification of natural compounds with antimicrobial properties against dental pathogens.

ISSN:1075-5535    

DOI:10.1089/acm.1998.4.1-39

出版商:Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.    

年代:1998

数据来源: MAL

ISSN:1075-5535    

DOI:10.1089/acm.1998.4.1-47

出版商:Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.    

年代:1998

数据来源: MAL

摘要:

ABSTRACTForty percent of general practitioners in the Netherlands practice homeopathy. With over 100 homeopathic medical schools, homeopathy is practiced in India along with conventional Western medicine in government clinics. In Britain, 42% of general practitioners refer patients to homeopaths. Two recent meta-analyses of homeopathy both indicate that there is enough evidence to show that homeopathy has added effects over placebo. Against this evidence is a backdrop of considerable scientific scepticism. Homeopathic remedies are diluted substancessome are so diluted that statistically there are no molecules present to explain their proposed biological effects (ultra-high dilutions or UHDs). Without knowledge of the evidence, most scientists would reject UHD effects because of their intrinsic implausibility in the light of our current scientific understanding. The objective of this article is to critically review the major pieces of evidence on UHD effects and suggest how the scientific community should respond to its challenge. Such evidence has been conducted on a diverse range of assaysimmunologic, physiological, behavioral, biochemical, and clinical in the form of trials of homeopathic remedies. Evidence of UHD effects has attracted the attention of physicists who have speculated on their physical mechanisms. Included is a critique of several experiments that form the Benveniste affair which was sparked by a publication inNaturethat advocated the existence of UHD effects of anti-immunoglobulin E (IgE) on human basophils, and is the paradigm example of how a controversial phenomenon can split the scientific community. It is argued that if the phenomenon was uncontroversial, the evidence suffices to show that UHD effects exist. However, given that the observations contradict well-established theory, normal science has to be abandoned and scientists need to decide for themselves what the likelihood of UHD effects are. Bayesian analysis describes how scientists ought rationally to change their prior beliefs in the light of evidence. Theories by Kuhn and Lakatos indicate that whether UHD effects are proved or not depends on the beliefs and behaviors of scientists in their communities. This article argues that there is as yet insufficient evidence to drive rational scientists to a consensus over UHD effects, even if they possessed knowledge of all the evidence. The difficulty in publishing high-quality UHD research in conventional journals prevents a fair assessment of UHD effects. Given that the existence of UHD effects would revolutionize science and medicine, and given the considerable empirical evidence of them, the philosophies of science tell us that possible UHD effects warrant serious investigation by conventional scientists and serious attention by scientific journals.

ISSN:1075-5535    

DOI:10.1089/acm.1998.4.1-49

出版商:Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.    

年代:1998

数据来源: MAL