A Dutch View of the “Science” of CAM 1986-2003.

Eval Health Prof. 2009 Nov 18;

Authors: Renckens CN

Between 1986 and 2003, research efforts on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) were subsidized by the Dutch government. This led to 12 academic theses and a considerable number of papers in medical journals. In our review, we have summarized the results of this research, grouped by therapeutic category (that is, acupuncture, paranormal therapies, naturopathy, manual therapies, homeopathy and anthroposophical medicine.) Of the 12 theses, four were written in Dutch, three of which were not subsequently published in peer-reviewed journals, while the fourth, on enzyme therapy, led to a number of papers in Dutch medical journals. In three instances, mildly positive findings were reported: on the efficacy of manual therapies, the use of acupuncture analgesia in surgery, and an elimination diet against migraine and tension headaches. These positive conclusions can easily be explained by methodological shortcomings (e.g., not using credible placebo-control groups); in the other nine theses, the researchers themselves had drawn negative conclusions. The Dutch government ended its financial support for CAM research in 2006.

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In the Interest of All Who Value Their Purse and Their Health: A Brief History of the “Vereniging tegen de Kwakzalverij”–Society Against Quackery–of the Netherlands.

Eval Health Prof. 2009 Nov 18;

Authors: Renckens CN

Discontentment with the massive violations of the influential Dutch Prime Minister’s (Johan Rudolf Thorbecke) health laws led to the foundation of the Dutch Society Against Quackery, in 1880. Within a few years, the Society had more than 1,100 members. Initially, quackery mostly consisted of the unauthorized practice of medicine and the peddling of industrially manufactured “secret remedies.” Since the 50s however, the energy of the society focused mainly on magnetizers, especially after they gained support from the field of parapsychology, lay manipulators of the back and herb doctors. The most important object of the society since 1980 has been the fight against the so-called alternative medicine, of which Chinese acupuncture, homeopathy, manipulative therapy, anthroposophical medicine, and naturopathy are prominent targets. Despite numerous costly lawsuits, the society still survives and is probably the oldest as well as the largest of its kind in the world.

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New Flavonoid Glycosides from Elsholtzia rugulosa Hemsl.

Molecules. 2009;14(10):4190-4196

Authors: She G, Guo Z, Lv H, She D

Elsholtzia rugulosa Hemsl. is known in China as a local herbal tea, medicinal herb and honey plant. Chemical examination of E. rugulosa led to the isolation of two new flavonoid glycosides, apigenin 4′-O-alpha-D-glucopyranoside (1) and 5,7,3′,4′-tetrahydroxy-5′-C-prenylflavone-7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2), together with nine known flavonoids. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic evidence.

Huh??  See my comments on Cureology.com

Pregnant women continue to be more seriously affected by 2009 H1N1 influenza than the general population. In the first 4 months of the H1N1 pandemic, at least 28 pregnant women have died and 100 have been admitted to the ICU.
If you are not pregnant, there are a number of options and arguments for and  against…..

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[Influence of Tripterygium wilfordii on the expression of spermiogenesis related genes Herc4, Ipo11 and Mrto4 in mice]

Yi Chuan. 2009 Sep;31(9):941-6

Authors: Huang D, Li J, He LQ

The mechanism of Tripterygium wilfordii (GTW) inhibiting productive function was studied in the male mice. The male mice were randomly divided into control group and GTW group. GTW group had been given Tripterygium wilfordii for 8 weeks. The pregnancy rate was investigated after the male mice mated with the normal female mice (1ratio2) in one week. Also the pathological changes of the male mice testis were evaluated by the optical microscope and the expression of genes related to reproduction was investigated by Gene Chip Technology 8 weeks later. The results showed pregnancy rate of GTW group was obviously decreased compared with the control mice, and no pregnancy occurred in GTW group at 8 weeks. In the testis tissues of GTW group, the spermatogenic cells in the convoluted seminiferous tubules were obviously decreased and the lumen was obstructed by large deciduous spermatogenic cells. The number of abnormal expression genes in this group was 1 932. Among them, 354 genes were related to reproduction, including 112 up-regulated and 242 down-regulated genes. Genes Herc4, Ipo11, and Mrto4, which are closely associated with spermiogenesis, were expressed irregularly. The outcome indicates that the inhibitive reproduction of Tripterygium wilfordii in the male mice is associated with the abnormal expression of spermiogenesis genes.

PMID: 19819847 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Prescription pattern of traditional Chinese medicine for climacteric women in Taiwan.

Climacteric. 2009 Dec;12(6):541-7

Authors: Yang YH, Chen PC, Wang JD, Lee CH, Lai JN

BACKGROUND: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has become more popular as a therapy for symptom relief among menopause-aged women. The aim of this study was to analyze the utilization of TCM for climacteric women in Taiwan. METHODS: The study analyzed frequency distributions among 19 379 women aged 45-55 years, recruited from a random-sampled cohort of 200 000 people from the National Health Insurance database. Data mining was conducted to explore the co-prescription patterns for finished herbal products (FHP). RESULT: There were 19 379 women aged 45-55 years in the sample; of these, 12 572 (64.9%) utilized TCM services at least once. A total of 4078 (21.0%) of the 19 379 climacteric women utilized 145 200 (79.2%) TCM visits. Of these, 39 802 (21.7%) visits were because of diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue, of which more than half were treated with acupuncture and traumatology manipulative therapies. There were 28 154 visits with FHP prescriptions because of non-specific symptoms and ill-defined conditions, and Jia-wei-xiao-yao-san was the most frequent formula. Nearly two-thirds of FHP contained more than two herbal formulae. CONCLUSIONS: Women of climacteric age in Taiwan utilized TCM more often than other age groups. To deal with multiple symptoms and/or diseases among climacteric women, new prescription patterns of combining two or more herbal formulae have evolved. Studies on safety issues and drug-herb interactions are warranted for future research.

PMID: 19905906 [PubMed - in process]

[Fresh fruit and occultism as ways to salvation: conversions in Leipzig's alternative culture at around 1900]

Med Ges Gesch. 2008;27:205-46

Authors: Bigalke B

During the time of the Wilhelmine Empire, there were multiple interdependencies between adherents of the life reform movement (vegetarians, naturopathists, nudists, etc.) and new religious movements such as esoteric groups like the theosophists in the alternative cultural milieu around 1900. These networks became visible in the form of double memberships in associations. However, there were also ambiguous affiliations, migration between groups and syncretistic beliefs without institutional belonging. The similarity between patterns of argumentation for this specific lifestyle and the congruence of chosen goals, ways and goods of salvation become particularly clear in this context. These forms of “methodical lifestyle” may lead to the development of a specific ethos or habitus (Max Weber). To illustrate these processes, this article analyses the report of a Leipzig lady who ate raw fruits and vegetables only, and examines her broader social context. Thereby the analysis will employ sociological theories of conversion to explain the case of Hedwig Bresch.

PMID: 19830961 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

One of the most prominent metabolic abnormalities in cancer cells is an increase in glucose consumption and the conversion of glucose to lactic acid (via the reduction of pyruvate for the tecchies out there) even when oxygen is present. This is known as aerobic glycolysis or the Warburg effect and may provide a plausible strategy [...]

Pomegranate juice is well known for its health beneficial compounds, which can be attributed to its high level of antioxidant activity and total polyphenol content. Our objective was to study the relationships between antioxidant activity, total polyphenol content, total anthocyanins content, and the levels of four major hydrolyzable tannins in four different juices/homogenates prepared from [...]

This AP News post came out a few months ago and deserves some commentary.  I think the article missed the boat, how about you?  Why do I think that?  I am a big believer in scientific process, but the article hits it on the head towards the end.  It is darn near impossible to use [...]