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NCCAM Featured Content

NIH Announces Five Botanical Research Centers
Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:19:18 -0500
Studies of the safety, effectiveness, and biological action of botanical products are major focuses for the five dietary supplement research centers selected to be jointly funded by the Office of Dietary Supplements and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, two components of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The NIH's National Cancer Institute is co-supporting two of the five centers.
Comments Invited On NCCAM's Draft Strategic Plan
Mon, 30 Aug 2010 16:42:19 -0500
Throughout the year-long strategic planning process, NCCAM is seeking input from its stakeholders through many different channels, including both in-person and Web-based meetings and workshops and through other online vehicles. We particularly encourage input from the public and will be offering several opportunities for people to contribute their thoughts and feedback. The draft Strategic Plan has be posted for comment. Comments will be accepted between August 30 and September 30, 2010.
In the News: Creatine
Thu, 26 Aug 2010 10:25:17 -0500
Creatine is a naturally occurring compound in the body made from amino acids that supplies energy to muscles. Creatine is also found in meat and fish. The use of creatine supplements by athletes became popular in the 1990s as a way to reportedly enhance athletic performance and build lean muscle mass. Today, creatine remains one of the more widely used supplements by athletes, particularly among adolescents.Recently, there have been reports of contaminated creatine supplements. Side effects of creatine and interactions with other medications also have been reported. People who are using or are considering using dietary supplements, including creatine, should discuss this decision with their health care provider.

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine - current issue

eCAM: Retaining an International Perspective
Cooper, E. L.
Yoga Practice for the Management of Type II Diabetes Mellitus in Adults: A systematic review
Aljasir, B., Bryson, M., Al-shehri, B. The effect of practicing yoga for the management of type II Diabetes was assessed in this systematic review through searching related electronic databases and the grey literature to the end of May 2007 using Ovid. All randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) comparing yoga practice with other type of intervention or with regular practice or both, were included regardless of language or type of publication. Each study was assessed for quality by two independent reviewers. Mean difference was used for summarizing the effect of each study outcomes with 95% confidence intervals. Pooling of the studies did not take place due to the wide clinical variation between the studies. Publication bias was assessed by statistical methods. Five trials with 363 participants met the inclusion criteria with medium to high risk of bias and different intervention characteristics. The studies’ results show improvement in outcomes among patients with diabetes type II. These improvements were mainly among short term or immediate diabetes outcomes and not all were statistically significant. The results were inconclusive and not significant for the long-term outcomes. No adverse effects were reported in any of the included studies. Short-term benefits for patients with diabetes may be achieved from practicing yoga. Further research is needed in this area. Factors like quality of the trials and other methodological issues should be improved by large randomized control trials with allocation concealment to assess the effectiveness of yoga on diabetes type II. A definitive recommendation for physicians to encourage their patients to practice yoga cannot be reached at present.
Physiological Adjustments to Stress Measures Following Massage Therapy: A Review of the Literature
Moraska, A., Pollini, R. A., Boulanger, K., Brooks, M. Z., Teitlebaum, L. Use of massage therapy by the general public has increased substantially in recent years. In light of the popularity of massage therapy for stress reduction, a comprehensive review of the peer-reviewed literature is important to summarize the effectiveness of this modality on stress-reactive physiological measures. On-line databases were searched for articles relevant to both massage therapy and stress. Articles were included in this review if (i) the massage therapy account consisted of manipulation of soft tissues and was conducted by a trained therapist, and (ii) a dependent measure to evaluate physiological stress was reported. Hormonal and physical parameters are reviewed. A total of 25 studies met all inclusion criteria. A majority of studies employed a 20–30 min massage administered twice-weekly over 5 weeks with evaluations conducted pre-post an individual session (single treatment) or following a series of sessions (multiple treatments). Single treatment reductions in salivary cortisol and heart rate were consistently noted. A sustained reduction for these measures was not supported in the literature, although the single-treatment effect was repeatable within a study. To date, the research data is insufficient to make definitive statements regarding the multiple treatment effect of massage therapy on urinary cortisol or catecholamines, but some evidence for a positive effect on diastolic blood pressure has been documented. While significant improvement has been demonstrated following massage therapy, the general research body on this topic lacks the necessary scientific rigor to provide a definitive understanding of the effect massage therapy has on many physiological variables associated with stress.

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine - Latest Articles

Polyphenols of Camellia sinenesis decrease mortality, hepatic injury and generation of cytokines and reactive oxygen and nitrogen species after hemorrhage/resuscitation in rats
Mark LehnertHenrik LindZhi ZhongRobert SchoonhovenIngo MarziJohn Lemasters Tue, 24 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0000
Background: : Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) are produced during hemorrhagic shock and resuscitation (H/R), which may contribute to multiple organ failure. The AIM of this study was to test the hypothesis that green tea (Camellia sinenesis) extract containing 85% polyphenols decreases injury after H/R in rats by scavenging ROS and RNS.MethodS: Female Sprague Dawley rats were given 100 mg polyphenol extract/kg body weight or vehicle 2 h prior to hemorrhagic shock. H/R was induced by two protocols: 1) withdrawal of blood to a mean arterial pressure of 40 mm Hg followed by further withdrawals to decrease blood pressure progressively to 28 mm Hg over 1 h (severe), and 2) withdrawal of blood to a sustained hypotension of 40 mm Hg for 1 h (moderate). Rats were then resuscitated over 1 h with 60% of the shed blood volume plus twice the shed blood volume of lactated Ringer's solution. Serum samples were collected at 10 min and 2 h after resuscitation. At 2 or 18 h, livers were harvested for cytokine and 3-nitrotyrosine quantification, immunohistochemical detection of 4-hydroxynonenol (4-HNE) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein expression. Results: : After severe H/R, 18-h survival increased from 20% after vehicle to 70% after polyphenols (p<0.05). After moderate H/R, survival was greater (80%) and not different between vehicle and polyphenols. In moderate H/R, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) increased at 10 min and 2 h postresuscitation to 345 and 545 IU/L, respectively. Polyphenol treatment blunted this increase to 153 and 252 IU/L at 10 min and 2 h (p<0.01). Polyphenols also blunted increases in liver homogenates of TNFalpha (7.0 pg/mg with vehicle vs. 4.9 pg/mg with polyphenols, p<0.05), IL-1beta (0.80 vs. 0.37 pg/mg, p<0.05), IL-6 (6.9 vs. 5.1 pg/mg, p<0.05) and nitrotyrosine (1.9 pg/mg vs. 0.6 pg/mg, p<0.05) measured 18 h after H/R. Hepatic 4-HNE immunostaining indicative of lipid peroxidation also decreased from 4.8% after vehicle to 1.5% after polyphenols (p<0.05). By contrast, polyphenols did not block increased iNOS expression at 2 h after H/R. CONCLUSION: Polyphenols decrease ROS/RNS formation and are beneficial after hemorrhagic shock and resuscitation.
Protective effects of a gastrointestinal agent containing Korean red ginseng on gastric ulcer models in mice
Atsushi OyagiKenjirou OgawaMamoru KakinoHideaki Hara Wed, 18 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0000
Background: Korean red ginseng (KRG) is a ginseng that has been cultivated and aged for 4-6 years or more, and goes through an extensive cleaning, steaming and drying process. KRG contains more than 30 kinds of saponin components and has been reported as having various biological properties, such as anti-fatigue action, immune restoration, and neurovegetative effect. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of a KRG-containing drug (KRGCD) on gastric ulcer models in mice. Methods: Stomach ulcers were induced by oral ingestion of hydrochloride (HCl)/ethanol or indomethacin. Treatment with KRGCD (30, 100, and 300 mg/kg, p.o.) occurred 1 hr before the ulcer induction. Effect of KRGCD on anti-oxidant activity and gastric mucosal blood flow with a laser Doppler flowmeter in mice stomach tissue was evaluated. Results: KRGCD (100 and 300 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly decreased ethanol- and indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer compared with the vehicle-treated (control) group.KRGCD (100 and 300 mg/kg) also decreased the level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) and increased gastric mucosal blood flow compared with the control group. Conclusions: These results suggest that the gastroprotective effects of KRGCD on mice ulcer models can be attributed to its ameliorating effect on oxidative damage and improving effect of gastric mucosal blood flow.
Maca (L. meyenii) for improving sexual function: a systematic review
Byung-Cheul ShinMyeong Soo LeeEun Jin YangHyun-Suk LimEdzard Ernst Fri, 06 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0000
Background: Maca (Lepidium meyenii) is an Andean plant of the brassica (mustard) family. Preparations from maca root have been reported to improve sexual function. The aim of this review was to assess the clinical evidence for or against the effectiveness of the maca plant as a treatment for sexual dysfunction. Methods: We searched 17 databases from their inception to April 2010 and included all randomised clinical trials (RCTs) of any type of maca compared to a placebo for the treatment of healthy people or human patients with sexual dysfunction. The risk of bias for each study was assessed using Cochrane criteria, and statistical pooling of data was performed where possible. The selection of studies, data extraction, and validations were performed independently by two authors. Discrepancies were resolved through discussion by the two authors. Results: Four RCTs met all the inclusion criteria. Two RCTs suggested a significant positive effect of maca on sexual dysfunction or sexual desire in healthy menopausal women or healthy adult men, respectively, while the other RCT failed to show any effects in healthy cyclists. The further RCT assessed the effects of maca in patients with erectile dysfunction using the International Index of Erectile Dysfunction-5 and showed significant effects. Conclusion: The results of our systematic review provide limited evidence for the effectiveness of maca in improving sexual function. However, the total number of trials, the total sample size, and the average methodological quality of the primary studies were too limited to draw firm conclusions. More rigorous studies are warranted.

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