health

Dietary herbal supplements with phenylephrine for weight loss.: J Med Food. 2006;9(4):572-8 Authors: Greenway F, de Jonge-Levitan L, Martin C, Roberts A, Grundy I, Parker C

This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a dietary herbal supplement containing citrus aurantium and phenylephrine in the treatment of obesity. Two pilot studies enrolled healthy subjects with body mass indexes 25-40 kg/m(2) to similar 8-week weight loss programs. Safety was assessed by physical examination and laboratory tests at screening and 8 weeks. The first pilot study randomized eight subjects to citrus aurantium (herbal phenylephrine) or placebo. Body composition by DEXA scan, waist circumference, and resting metabolic rate (RMR) were measured at baseline and 8 weeks. Food intake and appetite ratings were measured at baseline and week 2. The second pilot study randomized 20 subjects to two 2-hour RMR tests a week apart after phenylephrine (20 mg) or placebo followed by phenylephrine (20 mg) three times a day for 8 weeks. In the first pilot study, the citrus aurantium group gained 1.13 +/- 0.27 (mean +/- SEM) kg compared with 0.09 +/- 0.28 kg in the placebo group (P < .04). RMR at baseline rose more in the citrus aurantium group, 144.5 +/- 15.7 kcal/24 hours, than the placebo group, 23.8 +/- 28.3 kcal/24 hours (P < .002), but not at 8 weeks. DEXA, waist circumference, food intake, and hunger ratings were not different. In the second pilot study, the phenylephrine group lost 0.8 +/- 3.4 kg in 8 weeks (not significant), and RMR increased more in the phenylephrine group (111.5 +/- 32.6 vs. 37.4 +/- 22.7 kcal/24 hours, P = .02). There were no significant safety issues in either study. Although no toxicity was seen, these pilot studies suggest phenylephrine is not efficacious for weight loss.

Health effects of exposure to herb dust in valerian growing farmers.: Ann Agric Environ Med. 2005;12(2):247-52 Authors: Skorska C, Golec M, Mackiewicz B, Gora A, Dutkiewicz J

The aim of the present study was to determine the health status of farmers cultivating valerian (Valeriana officinalis L.) and occupationally exposed to dust from this plant. A group of 75 valerian growing farmers were examined. As a reference group, 50 urban dwellers, not exposed to any kind of organic dust were examined. All people were interviewed for the presence of work-related symptoms and subjected to physical and spirometric examinations. Skin prick tests were conducted with 4 microbial antigens associated with organic dust and 3 herbal extracts, precipitin tests with 12 microbial antigens and 4 herbal extracts and tests for specific inhibition of leukocyte migration with 4 microbial antigens. 30.7 % of the valerian farmers reported occurrence of work-related symptoms. No significant differences were found between the spirometric values in the group of valerian farmers and the reference group. Valerian farmers showed a low frequency of positive skin reactions to all tested antigens (0-4.0 %), not significantly greater compared to reference group. The frequency of positive precipitin reactions to the antigen of Gram-negative bacterium Pantoea agglomerans was very high in valerian farmers (45.5 %) with 3-fold concentrated sera and significantly greater compared to the reference group (p < 0.001). The positive precipitin response of valerian farmers to other microbial and herbal antigens was much lower or absent and did not show any difference compared to reference group. In the test for specific inhibition of leukocyte migration, the highest frequencies of positive reactions in valerian farmers were noted with Pantoea agglomerans and Saccharopolyspora rectivirgula (15.0 % each), in both cases significantly greater compared to reference group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the farmers growing valerian showed a moderate frequency of work-related symptoms and low reactivity to most microbial and herbal allergens. They exhibited an increased immunologic response to Gram-negative bacterium Pantoea agglomerans which appears to be the most important risk factor associated with valerian dust.

The Sh-h-h-h Project: nonpharmacological interventions.: Holist Nurs Pract. 2005 Nov-Dec;19(6):263-6 Authors: Robinson SB, Weitzel T, Henderson L

Promoting rest and sleep is integral to the profession of nursing. The Sh-h-h-h Project, a nonpharmacological program designed to enhance rest and sleep, was implemented on a hospital medical unit. Nursing assistants provided patients with various modalities to improve sleep, including back rubs, warm drinks, blankets warmed in a blanket warmer, aromatherapy, relaxation music, and earplugs. Additional interventions were taken to reduce noise. The outcomes of the Sh-h-h-h Project are reported here, with patients indicating improved sleep quality and quantity.

Comparative randomised active drug controlled clinical trial of a herbal eye drop in computer vision syndrome.: J Indian Med Assoc. 2005 Jul;103(7):397-8 Authors: Chatterjee PK, Bairagi D, Roy S, Majumder NK, Paul RCh, Bagchi SCh

A comparative double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial of a herbal eye drop (itone) was conducted to find out its efficacy and safety in 120 patients with computer vision syndrome. Patients using computers for more than 3 hours continuously per day having symptoms of watering, redness, asthenia, irritation, foreign body sensation and signs of conjunctival hyperaemia, corneal filaments and mucus were studied. One hundred and twenty patients were randomly given either placebo, tears substitute (tears plus) or itone in identical vials with specific code number and were instructed to put one drop four times daily for 6 weeks. Subjective and objective assessments were done at bi-weekly intervals. In computer vision syndrome both subjective and objective improvements were noticed with itone drops. Itone drop was found significantly better than placebo (p<0.01) and almost identical results were observed with tears plus (difference was not statistically significant). Itone is considered to be a useful drug in computer vision syndrome.

Human Endogenous Microbial Ecosystems: The Next Frontier

Presented by: David A. Relman, M.D., Stanford University

Aired date: 10/27/2005 3:21:00 PM Eastern Time

Cannabis and tobacco smoke are not equally carcinogenic:

More people are using the cannabis plant as modern basic and clinical science reaffirms and extends its medicinal uses. Concomitantly, concern and opposition to smoked medicine has occurred, in part due to the known carcinogenic consequences of smoking tobacco. Are these reactions justified? While chemically very similar, there are fundamental differences in the pharmacological properties between cannabis and tobacco smoke. Cannabis smoke contains cannabinoids whereas tobacco smoke contains nicotine. Available scientific data, that examines the carcinogenic properties of inhaling smoke and its biological consequences, suggests reasons why tobacco smoke, but not cannabis smoke, may result in lung cancer.