BACKGROUND: Ayurveda represents the traditional medicine system of India. Since mechanistic details of therapy in terms of current biology are not available in Ayurvedic literature, modern scientific studies are necessary to understand its major concepts and procedures. It is necessary to examine effects of the whole Ayurvedic formulations rather than their "active" components as is done in most current studies.
Dietary caloric restriction (CR) is the only intervention conclusively and reproducibly shown to slow aging and maintain health and vitality in mammals. Although this paradigm has been known for over 60 years, its precise biological mechanisms and applicability to humans remain unknown. We began addressing the latter question in 1987 with the first controlled study of CR in primates (rhesus and squirrel monkeys, which are evolutionarily much closer to humans than the rodents most frequently employed in CR studies).
?yurveda, the science (ved) of life (ayu), owing its origin to Veda, the oldest recorded wisdom of human civilization written in 3500 BCE, contains extensive knowledge of various diseases and their therapeutic approaches. It essentially relied on nature and the immune system of an individual, and therapeutic interventions were introduced only to augment the immune system. ?yurveda had eight specialties, including psycho-neuroscience (a combination of psychology, clinical psychology and psychiatry) and a unique promotive therapy encompassing nutrition, rejuvenation and geriatrics.
Brahmi Rasayan, an Ayurvedic preparation, was studied in mice and rats for its effects on the central nervous system at oral doses ranging between 1 and 30 g/kg. Observational screening in mice was carried out following a multiparametric check list. The test material was studied for its effect on pentobarbitone hypnosis, motor co-ordination, tail-withdrawal reaction time, electroshock, chemoconvulsions, haloperidol-induced catalepsy and conditioned avoidance response. The test material exhibited a sedative effect and significantly prolonged the hypnotic action of pentobarbitone.
Postnatal depression is a serious and debilitating condition. Due to the perceived stigma of mental illness, the incidence of it is underreported and many mothers refuse psychiatric help either assuming postnatal depression to be normal or because of the potential consequences of having a psychiatric history. Community practitioners who are in contact with new mothers may welcome additional interventions which can enhance the supportive care they give to these women.
Pentobarbitone-induced hypnosis test was used as an animal model to explore the role of BR-16A, a polyherbal formulation in sleep. Pentobarbitone produces quick sleep latency (onset) and prolongation of total sleep time (duration). Sleep latency and total sleep time were used as a parameters for the evaluation. BR-16A potentiated the effect of triazolam (0.1 mg/kg, ip) and alprazolam (0.25 mg/kg, ip). Melatonin (5.0 mg/kg, ip) and zolpidem (0.5 mg/kg, ip) did not produce any significant effect on sleep parameters.
One primary reason patients go to emergency departments is for pain relief. Understanding the physiologic dynamics of pain, pharmacologic methods for treatment of pain, as well CAM therapies used in treatment of pain is important to all providers in emergency care. Asking patients about self-care and treatments used outside of the emergency department is an important part of the patient history. Complementary and alternative therapies are very popular for painful conditions despite the lack of strong research supporting some of their use.
The effect of detoxification on Strychnos nux-vomica seeds by traditional processing with aloe and ginger juices (B), by frying in cow ghee (C), and by boiling in cow milk (D) was investigated. The ethanolic extracts of these samples were subjected to spontaneous motor activity (SMA), pentobarbitone-induced hypnosis, PTZ induced convulsions, diazepam-assisted protection, and morphine-induced catalepsy. All samples reduced SMA and inhibited catalepsy.
Postnatal depression is a serious and debilitating condition. Due to the perceived stigma of mental illness, the incidence of it is underreported and many mothers refuse psychiatric help either assuming postnatal depression to be normal or because of the potential consequences of having a psychiatric history. Community practitioners who are in contact with new mothers may welcome additional interventions which can enhance the supportive care they give to these women.
AIM: Attitudes and practice concerning complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) are currently an area of considerable importance. However, little is known about the overall importance of CAM in groups of health care professionals. Therefore, the primary objective was to analyse the knowledge about and use of CAM in an ethnically diverse student population at the London School of Pharmacy. METHODS: A questionnaire was administered to students (264 completed questionnaires, response rate: 59.1%) and in-depth interviews were carried out with a sample of seven students.
