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NCCAM Featured Content

September Is Healthy Aging Month
Fri, 29 Aug 2008 16:00:00 -0500
The older population is growing rapidly, and the aging of the "baby boomers," born between 1946 and 1964 (and who begin turning age 65 in 2011), will accelerate this growth. Healthy Aging Month was designed to focus national attention on the positive aspects of growing older. Many older Americans use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to improve their health and maintain wellness. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) conducts and supports research on many conditions associated with aging and provides information on how to be an informed consumer.
Paying for CAM Treatment
Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:00:00 -0500
If you are using (or thinking about using), you may have financial questions about paying for treatment. This fact sheet answers some frequently asked questions on this topic. To find out more about any topic or resource that is mentioned. What are some questions to ask about paying for CAM treatment? Some questions to ask a CAM practitioner or his office staff are: What does the first appointment cost? What do followup appointments cost? How many appointments does someone with my condition typically need? Are there any additional costs (such as for tests, equipment, or supplements)? If you have a health insurance plan, some other questions are: Do you accept this insurance? What has your experience been with coverage by this insurance company for my condition? Do I file the claim forms, or do you take care of that? If it would be difficult for you to pay the full fee at each visit, you can ask: Could you arrange a payment plan over time? Do you offer a sliding-scale fee? (Sliding-scale fees are determined by people's income and ability to pay.)
Executive Summary of Meditation for Health Purposes Workshop
Wed, 13 Aug 2008 14:00:00 -0500
The purpose of the meeting was to articulate potential goals and directions for research on the mechanisms and efficacy of meditation practices for a variety of health concerns. Experts from a range of disciplines and with a wide range of involvement in the field of meditation research were asked to critically examine the current state of science on meditation for health, and to identify existing or potential intersections and contributions from their fields to further this area of science. This group developed a set of critical questions and approaches that could better inform future research in this area.

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine - current issue

eCAM: Early Harvest
Cooper, E. L. Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0000

Second World Ayurveda Congress (Theme: Ayurveda for the Future)--Inaugural Address: Part II
Mashelkar, R. A. Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0000

Can Vitex Agnus Castus be Used for the Treatment of Mastalgia? What is the Current Evidence?
Carmichael, A.R. Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0000
There have been many treatments suggested for the management of mastalgia; one of these is the fruit extract of Vitex Agnus castus L. commonly known as Agnus castus, an extract of a deciduous shrub native to Mediterranean Europe and Central Asia. It is postulated that A. castus suppresses the stress-induced latent hyperprolactinemia which is a release of supra-physiological levels of prolactin in some patients in response to stressful stimuli. It is postulated that A. castus could be effective in the treatment of cyclical mastalgia by inhibiting the release of excess prolactin by blocking Dopamine-2 receptor type on pituitary. The adverse events following A. castus treatment are mild and reversible. The aim of this review is assess the efficacy of A. castus in the treatment of mastalgia. Data from randomized and non-randomized studies regarding the efficacy and safety of A. castus is reviewed in a systematic fashion. It is concluded that A. castus can be considered as an efficient alternative phytotherapeutic agent in the treatment of mastalgia.

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine - Latest articles

Pharmacokinetic and metabolic effects of American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) in healthy volunteers receiving the HIV protease inhibitor indinavir
Adriana SA Andrade, Craig Hendrix, Teresa L Parsons, Benjamin Caballero, Chun-su Yuan, Charles W Flexner, Adrian S Dobs and Todd T Brown Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0000
Background: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use is prevalent among HIV-infected patients to reduce the toxicity of antiretroviral therapy. Ginseng has been used for treatment of hyperglycemia and insulin resistance, a common side effect of some HIV-1 protease inhibitors (PI). However, it is unknown whether American ginseng (AG) can reverse insulin resistance induced by the PI indinavir (IDV), and whether these two agents interact pharmacologically. We evaluated potential pharmacokinetic interactions between indinavir and AG, and assessed whether AG improves IDV-induced insulin resistance. Methods: After baseline assessment of insulin sensitivity using the insulin clamp technique, healthy volunteers received IDV 800 mg q8 h for 3 days and then IDV and AG 1g q8h for 14 days. IDV Pharmacokinetics and insulin sensitivity were assessed before and after AG co-administration. Results: There was no difference in the IDV area-under-the-curve after the co-administration of AG, compared to IDV alone (n=13). Although insulin-stimulated glucose disposal per unit of insulin (M/I) decreased by an average of 14.8 +/- 5.9% after 3 days of IDV (from 0.113 +/- 0.012 to 0.096 +/- 0.014 mg/kgFFM/min per muU/ml of insulin, p=0.03, n=11), M/I remained unchanged after co-administration of IDV and AG. Conclusions: IDV decreases insulin sensitivity, which is unaltered by AG co-administration. AG does not significantly affect IDV pharmacokinetics.
Kihi-to, a herbal traditional medicine, improves Abeta(25-35)-induced memory impairment and losses of neurites and synapses
Chihiro Tohda, Rie Naito and Eri Joyashiki Sat, 16 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0000
Background: We previously hypothesized that achievement of recovery of brain function after the injury requires the reconstruction of neuronal networks, including neurite regeneration and synapse reformation. Kihi-to is composed of twelve crude drugs, some of which have already been shown to possess neurite extension properties in our previous studies. The effect of Kihi-to on memory deficit has not been examined. Thus, the goal of the present study is to determine the in vivo and in vitro effects of Kihi-to on memory, neurite growth and synapse reconstruction. Methods: Effects of Kihi-to, a traditional Japanese-Chinese traditional medicine, on memory deficits and losses of neurites and synapses were examined using Alzheimer's disease model mice. Improvements of Abeta(25-35)-induced neuritic atrophy by Kihi-to and the mechanism were investigated in cultured cortical neurons. Results: Administration of Kihi-to for consecutive 3 days resulted in marked improvements of Abeta(25-35)-induced impairments in memory acquisition, memory retention, and object recognition memory in mice. Immunohistochemical comparisons suggested that Kihi-to attenuated neuritic, synaptic and myelin losses in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and striatum. Kihi-to also attenuated the calpain increase in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. When Kihi-to was added to cells 4 days after Abeta(25-35) treatment, axonal and dendritic outgrowths in cultured cortical neurons were restored as demonstrated by extended lengths of phosphorylated neurofilament-H (P-NF-H) and microtubule-associated protein (MAP)2-positive neurites. Abeta(25-35)-induced cell death in cortical culture was also markedly inhibited by Kihi-to. Since NF-H, MAP2 and myelin basic protein (MBP) are substrates of calpain, and calpain is known to be involved in Abeta-induced axonal atrophy, expression levels of calpain and calpastatin were measured. Treatment with Kihi-to inhibited the Abeta(25-35)-evoked increase in the calpain level and decrease in the calpastatin level. In addition, Kihi-to inhibited Abeta(25-35)-induced calcium entry. Conclusion: In conclusion Kihi-to clearly improved the memory impairment and losses of neurites and synapses.
Mapping patterns of complementary and alternative medicine use in cancer: an explorative cross-sectional study of individuals with reported positive "exceptional" experiences
Johanna Hok, Carol Tishelman, Alexander Ploner, Anette Forss and Torkel Falkenberg Fri, 08 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0000
Background: While the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among cancer patients is common and widespread, levels of commitment to CAM vary. "Committed" CAM use is important to investigate, as it may be associated with elevated risks and benefits, and may affect use of biomedically-oriented health care (BHC). Multiple methodological approaches were used to explore and map patterns of CAM use among individuals postulated to be committed users, voluntarily reporting exceptional experiences associated with CAM use after cancer diagnosis. Method: The verbatim transcripts of thirty-eight unstructured interviews were analyzed in two steps. First, manifest content analysis was used to elucidate and map participants' use of CAM, based on the National Center for Complementary Medicine (NCCAM)'s classification system. Second, patterns of CAM use were explored statistically using principal component analysis. FindingsThe 38 participants reported using a total of 274 specific CAM (median=4) consisting of 148 different therapeutic modalities. Most reported therapies could be categorized using the NCCAM taxonomy (n=224). However, a significant number of CAM therapies were not consistent with this categorization (n=50); consequently, we introduced two additional categories: Spiritual/health literature and Treatment centers. The two factors explaining the largest proportion of variation in CAM usage patterns were a) number of CAM modalities used and b) a category preference for Energy therapies over the categories Alternative Medical Systems and Treatment centers or vice versa. DiscussionWe found considerable heterogeneity in patterns of CAM use. By analyzing users' own descriptions of CAM in relation to the most commonly used predefined professional taxonomy, this study highlights discrepancies between user and professional conceptualizations of CAM not previously addressed. Beyond variations in users' reports of CAM, our findings indicate some patterns in CAM usage related to number of therapies used and preference for different CAM categories.

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