Geneology International

Tag: Medicine

  • Can we treat strokes with alternative medicine?

    Can we treat strokes with alternative medicine?

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    • The stroke therapy sector is expected to access a price of US$15 billion by 2027

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    • Algernon Prescription drugs, a drug-repurposing business, is investigating the use of DMT, an established psychedelic drug, for stroke treatment method

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    • Algernon options to be the very first business globally to pursue DMT for stroke in humans

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    Adverts and PSAs about strokes aim on what the regular particular person requires to glimpse for: facial drooping, arm weak point, and speech troubles.

    But what the ordinary person doesn’t know about strokes is even far more troubling.

    According to the Centers for Condition Management and Prevention (CDC), almost 800,000 men and women endure strokes every year in the United States — the global selection is about 15 million — indicating on average, someone has a stroke every single 40 seconds and somebody dies of a stroke every single four minutes.

    Of all those millions of strokes, about 87 per cent are ischemic, this means they are brought on by a blockage of blood flow to the mind — the other individuals are hemorrhagic, prompted by bleeding in the mind. Treating ischemic strokes normally consists of blood thinners that should be administered inside 3 several hours of the mind injury with the purpose of clearing the blockage and minimizing mind destruction.

    This can only be completed as soon as the kind of stroke is confirmed as a result of a CT scan, and because of to its time sensitive mother nature, only a small percentage of stroke sufferers acquire this sort of treatment.It is a person point to end further injuries from stroke, nevertheless, and very yet another to repair service damage that has by now been triggered by it.

    “If you could deal with sufferers inside of that 3-hour window or before the CT scan, and it’s supporting, it would be a blockbuster drug.” — Christopher J. Moreau, CEO, Algernon Pharmaceuticals Inc.

    That’s the goal of Algernon Prescribed drugs (CSE: AGN | OTCQB: AGNPF | XFRA: AGW).

    The company is poised to start out scientific trials early in 2022 on the use of N, N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a psychedelic compound recognized as “The Spirit Molecule,” to handle people who have endured ischemic strokes.

    As a clinical phase drug-repurposing corporation that seems to be for new programs for medication that are already accredited and considered protected, Algernon is researching the use of sub-hallucinogenic amounts of DMT to promote the re-development of brain cells in stroke clients, states its CEO, Christopher Moreau, who has additional than 30 yrs of senior management expertise in private and publicly traded organizations, together with a robust background in biotechnology investigate.

     

    Pre-medical trials exhibit guarantee for stroke clients

    A investigation paper posted in Elsevier in May perhaps 2020, titled “N,N-dimethyltryptamine minimizes infarct size and improves useful restoration next transient focal brain ischemia in rats,” showed that DMT aided with rewiring, mobile advancement and building new connections, or neuroplasticity and neurogenesis.

    The paper’s results also confirmed development of cells when DMT was utilized, and the animal testing demonstrated that therapy generated in rats that had been subjected to strokes showed smaller sized places of useless brain cells and faster restoration of motor purpose.

    Extra not long ago, Moreau notes, Charles River Laboratories done pre-scientific research for Algernon at its facility in Finland, researching no matter whether neurons exposed to diverse sub-hallucinogenic concentrations of DMT for an hour would show symptoms of progress, anything scientists in other places, which include Prof. David Olson of the University of California, experienced earlier noticed. The final result? The cortical neurons that have been subjected to DMT confirmed a 40 for each cent improve in growth compared to control samples.

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    Analysis and treatment method are crucial factors in guaranteeing a patient’s restoration.
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    The goal of these research, Moreau states, is to recognize a blood focus (dose) and exposure time to concentrate on in the company’s Section 1 analyze to improve the neuroplastic outcomes of DMT without the need of triggering hallucinations.

     

    Medical trials are set to start in the new yr

    That the sought after results take position without the need of causing psychedelic consequences is vital for Algernon, Moreau states, noting that prior drugs becoming tested for stroke that induced hallucinations in individuals were being not state-of-the-art. Just after struggling a mind damage, which normally leads to a feeling of confusion, sending an individual on a psychedelic journey could be problematic.

    Whilst DMT is a managed substance in most nations around the world. there is, on the other hand, openness in some destinations to checking out its therapeutic qualities. In the United Kingdom, for instance, authorities regulators gave the go-forward to the 1st medical trial employing a psychedelic drug to treat melancholy this 12 months.

    Also in the U.K., Algernon filed a scientific information assembly ask for with the Medicines and Healthcare Items Regulatory Agency to perform medical stroke studies utilizing DMT and described that they received optimistic feed-back from the agency.

    With its software to carry out clinical trials established for Q4 of this 12 months, Algernon has planned two phases of exploration: Stage 1, which is to start off in January 2022, will investigate security and dose of DMT treatments Period 2 will moreover analyze the use of DMT for acute stroke patients and as a supplemental therapy for patients as they begin their treatment article stroke.

    Future analysis may perhaps also study whether or not DMT can be utilized in cure for hemorrhagic strokes, and that will rely on regardless of whether the drug is demonstrated to not maximize a patient’s blood pressure or heart charge. Though this has been shown to be the situation in Dr. Rick Strassman’s study (creator of the e-book “DMT – Spirit Molecule” and Algernon guide), Algernon would like to validate this facts in their Section 1 review at many dose amounts.

    Algernon’s goal is to be equipped to treat stroke individuals as swiftly as probable — probably through IV in an ambulance — this means this kind of procedure would not be dependent on a CT scan.

    “If you could deal with people in just that a few-hour window or prior to the CT scan, and it is encouraging,” Moreau suggests, “it would be a blockbuster drug.”

     

    Key leadership additional to Algernon’s board

    Moreau is optimistic about the study and bullish on the company’s leadership, in particular two fairly latest additions to its board of administrators.

    Dr. Mark Williams, a director, was a co–founder of the Algernon Prescription drugs drug repurposing method and was the company’s chief scientific officer until eventually before this 12 months. He has a lot more than 15 several years of experience in drug and medical product enhancement, has authored several patents, and has skills in taking firms from the discovery course of action to Phase 2 trials.

    The other new board member is chairman and director Harry J. F. Bloomfield, a law firm, Harvard MBA, and philanthropist who has served on various public and private boards, such as that of Miraculins Inc., a professional medical diagnostic company exactly where he also served as chairman.

    “We’ve experimented with to encompass ourselves with excellent health-related and scientific consultants who are residing and respiratory this room, and with Administrators who can specifically effects the company with their track record and experience” Moreau suggests, noting, “I assume we ended up lucky to have equally be part of.”

    With that assistance at the top and its medical trials on the speedy horizon, Algernon is perfectly-positioned to build benefit for investors.

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    Early action in stroke cure allows avoid brain destruction.
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    Significant global market for stroke cure

    “I feel we have a very remarkable and special business design,” he states. “In the drug world, repurposing a drug that has a acknowledged protection historical past and attempting to look into it to find out if it has new opportunity uses, it is incredibly expense efficient. And the drug can be brought to the sector in less than five years, in comparison to 13 several years for a new chemical entity — and it retains all of the exact likely as a new drug.”

    And while DMT isn’t the only drug Algernon is looking into — it is also investigating ifenprodil as a possible procedure for coughs and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a condition that causes scarring of the lungs — the psychedelic is squarely targeted at a large and developing market.

    Strokes are high-priced, and not just to the many folks who put up with long-phrase incapacity as a consequence. Stroke-associated expenditures totalled nearly U.S. $46 billion between 2014 and 2015 by yourself in the U.S., suggests the CDC, a selection that involves overall health treatment and drugs expenses as nicely as skipped get the job done.

    On the likely revenue aspect, the stroke cure current market was valued at around U.S. $8 billion in 2018 and is projected to attain a worth of about U.S. $15 billion by 2027.

    “We’re in a pretty fantastic posture,” Moreau states. “And we are setting up to move into our Period 1 DMT stroke trial in January, 2022.”

    For a lot more details on Algernon Pharmaceuticals, visit its web-site below.

     

    Make guaranteed to adhere to Algernon on social media for the most recent information:

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  • Dr Ryan Shelton Shares The Truth Behind Naturopathic Medicine

    Dr Ryan Shelton Shares The Truth Behind Naturopathic Medicine

    Image by Nataliya Vaitkevich from Pexels

    Naturopathic medication is a department of
    substitute drugs that takes advantage of purely natural products and therapies to endorse,
    manage, and restore wellness. It was produced in North The united states by medical professionals who
    were being dissatisfied with what they supplied their individuals. Naturopathic
    doctors declare to diagnose all conditions from pores and skin rashes to cancer, though
    there is tiny proof for this assertion. In this web site write-up, Dr Ryan Shelton will discover
    the truth guiding naturopathic medication, these kinds of as its efficiency, how it is
    practiced, and much more!

    Naturopathic
    Drugs is a Holistic, Natural Strategy to Healthcare

    Naturopathic medicine is a holistic, natural
    tactic to health care     that focuses on avoiding and dealing with disorder by making use of
    organic therapies. It was formulated in North The usa
    by health professionals who had been dissatisfied with the treatment options they available their
    patients. Though naturopathy has been practiced for about 200 several years now, its
    health-related education courses are nevertheless accredited as non-extensive four-year
    doctoral levels. The profession is dependent on 19th-century European practices.
    There are now no standard licensing prerequisites or certification
    processes that allow anyone to get in touch with them selves a naturopath despite not owning
    any official education qualifications associated to regular allopathic medicine.

    Naturopaths
    Exercise a Selection of Normal Solutions and Therapies

    A naturopathic medical doctor is trained in diet,
    homeopathy, botanical medication, life-style counseling,
    and so forth. They do not prescribe prescription drugs or surgical procedure as they believe these treatment options
    only mask indications and don’t address root brings about. To be certified as a
    naturopath, you will have to comprehensive an accredited four-year doctoral diploma system
    from a single of the seven schools recognized by The Council on Naturopathic
    Healthcare Education (CNME). Nonetheless, it can take up to six many years thanks to their
    extensive curriculum that consists of more than 500 didactic hrs and extra than
    2000 medical instruction several hours, together with supervised practical experience with various
    various varieties of patients.

    Naturopaths
    comply with the Guidelines and Recommendations set by their States

    Each condition has its legal guidelines and laws
    about who can phone by themselves a naturopathic health practitioner, which is why it is finest
    to check with your particular well being authority just before selecting on working with one particular as
    they may not be lawfully permitted to follow in your specific area. Naturopathy isn’t
    identified federally     or inside of all states both, so if you are seeking for
    insurance reimbursement, this won’t materialize possibly.
    Though some persons don’t thoughts shelling out out-of-pocket fees without getting
    coverage, many others want comprehensive coverage for their treatment options. Nevertheless,
    unfortunately, that does not generally utilize in this article except you have a supplemental
    policy like a overall health cost savings account.

    Natural
    Solutions and Therapies Really should be Employed in Addition to Typical Allopathic
    Medicine

    Even however naturopathic drugs is
    acknowledged for its natural therapies, therapies, etcetera., it should really nevertheless be employed
    alongside common allopathic solutions of procedure as well. Naturopathy
    does not have the same amount of scientific proof which is obtainable about other
    varieties of health care. As a result, there are some considerations about how this profession
    operates when left on its have without having any supervision from a medical doctor
    specializing in conventional medication, which can lead to unsafe benefits if
    not thoroughly qualified or educated. While most typical doctors are not even
    skilled sufficient to apply naturopathy them selves, they know what herbs perform
    finest with specific disorders primarily based on accessible scientific investigation details.

    The Long term of
    Naturopathic Medication

    There is continue to a ton more investigation wanted
    about naturopathy, which is why it has not turn into the most well-liked sort of
    procedure in North America, but that doesn’t necessarily mean there aren’t any benefits
    related with this form of medicine possibly. It has been shown to give
    relief for some sorts of persistent conditions like Lyme ailment, joint soreness, and so forth.
    It can also aid improve your immune system as properly so if you are wanting for an
    option selection to regular allopathic treatment plans, then most likely going
    down this route could possibly be suitable up your alley. On the other hand, remember that natural
    therapies aren’t generally safe or effective dependent on what they are employed for
    since not every thing performs equally nicely when working with various health and fitness circumstances.

    With the advancement of technological know-how arrives new options to
    encourage wellness and avert illness prior to it even comes about by using normal
    solutions, therapies, etcetera. Whilst there are nevertheless some people today who aren’t
    convinced that this form of drugs can deliver efficient benefits, you have
    other folks who really feel differently about it which is why naturopathic medical professionals are
    gradually earning their way into the mainstream as extra men and women are becoming knowledgeable
    of the rewards associated with this variety of remedy. It’s been revealed to
    present aid from significant problems like Lyme illness, joint ache, and so on., and
    can also assistance increase your immune technique.

    The real truth is that naturopathic drugs
    is no a lot more successful than other solutions. Physicians are experienced to do the exact
    matter, but they have a healthcare degree and prescribe medication if required.
    Naturopaths may possibly be capable to assistance you with your simple health requires at initially, but
    all of us must see an real health practitioner when we require one. If you’re searching for
    normal possibilities or want an individual who believes in holistic remedy
    strategies, then browsing a naturopath could perform out well for you.

  • A Preliminary Report on Herbal Medicine Use Among Patients Hospitalize

    A Preliminary Report on Herbal Medicine Use Among Patients Hospitalize

    Introduction

    Globally, herbal medicines use has been reported as a common practice both in the prevention and treatment of diseases.1–3 This is especially common with diseases with high mortality, morbidity or those without conventional therapy that cure the disease. Previous studies in Uganda report that more than 60{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of the population depended on traditional medicine before the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.4 Due to the high mortality associated with the second wave of COVID-19, this practice is likely to have increased.

    Many factors have been identified as drivers of herbal medicine use. In many parts of the world, users have reported that herbal remedies are safe, effective, and are cheap.1,5 In Uganda, easy access, and cultural familiarity as well as the higher number of traditional health practitioners compared to health-care professionals are some of the common factors influencing this practice.4,6 A recent study in Uganda reported that media has increased the use of herbal medicines in the treatment and prevention of COVID-19.7 However, there is limited information concerning the level of herbal medicine use among hospitalized COVID-19 patients and the reasons why they resort to this practice even with the existence of conventional supportive treatment and vaccines.

    Although some studies have reported the role of combining herbal remedies with westernized medicine in the treatment of COVID-19,8 the side effects of these remedies are not well studied. This is in addition to the wide variation in the types of herbal medicines on the market which may wrongly influence their use. Various studies have documented harmful consequences of herbal remedies including hepatotoxicity and allergies, which may be worsened by confounders such as self-medication.1,9 The continued use of herbal medicines without question may lead to long-term health consequences for both the individual and the government.

    The Uganda National Drug Policy and Authority Statute (1993) gives the National Drug Authority (NDA) a mandate to regulate herbal medicine use including approving of all manufacturers. During the pandemic, several manufacturers have hit the market with herbal medicine products, but only a few of these are approved by the NDA and little has been done to regulate their practice.10 This study, therefore, aimed to determine the prevalence of and factors associated with herbal medicine use among hospitalized patients at the two large COVID-19 treatment units in Uganda.

    Methods

    Study Design and Setting

    An observational, cross-sectional study was conducted between July and August 2021 in two large CTUs in Kampala, Uganda, namely, Mulago National Referral Hospital CTU and Namboole Stadium CTU. These are the main referral CTUs in the country with bed capacities of over 30,000 beds catering for a diverse range of patients from all over the country. The CTUs run daily, seeing both patients referred from other health facilities across the country as well as patients who are being followed up routinely.

    Study Population

    We approached all patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in the two-largest CTUs in the country. Eligible participants were those confirmed to have COVID-19 and aged 18 years and above. Respondents with a known history of impaired mental capacity to provide coherent and reliable information, critically ill in the absence of a reliable caretaker were excluded.

    Sample Size Calculation

    The sample size was calculated using the Kish Leslie formula for cross-sectional studies where the estimated sample size at 95{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} confidence interval was 384 participants. To cater for non-response associated with critically ill, unable to provide information or absence of caretakers, 10{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of the estimated sample size was added leading to a final sample size of 422 participants.

    Questionnaire Development

    The questionnaire was divided into three major sections: socio-demographic characteristics (age, gender, tribe, religion, education level, employment status, occupation, residence), herbal medicine use assessment (prevalence, and reasons for herbal medicine use), and factors associated with herbal medicine use with both open and closed-ended questions.

    Measurements

    The questions asked were modified from the International Questionnaire to Measure Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (I-CAM-Q); which aims to comparably assess the use of CAM internationally.11

    Data Analysis and Management

    Fully completed questionnaires were extracted from KoBo Toolbox® and exported to a Microsoft Excel 2016 for cleaning and coding. The cleaned data was exported to STATA 16 (StataCorp LLC, College Station, Texas, USA) for analysis. Numerical data were then summarized as means and standard deviations or median and range as appropriate. Categorical variables were summarized as frequencies and relative percentages. To assess the association between independent variables with herbal medicine use, chi-square test or Fishers’ exact test (for categorical variables) and Mann-Whitney U-test (for continuous variables) were used at bivariate analysis. All independent variables with p < 0.2 at bivariate analysis were included in the multivariable logistic regression models to adjust for confounders. A p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

    Ethics

    The study was performed according to the Declaration of Helsinki, after obtaining approval from Mulago Hospital Research and Ethics Committee (Approval number MHREC 2097). Consent forms were given to respondents before the initiation of the study.

    COVID 19 Precautions

    The study was conducted following the Ministry of Health and the National COVID-19 task force guidelines of Uganda.

    Results

    Characteristics of the Participants

    The study was terminated early because of a significant reduction in the number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and the closure of one of the CTUs. Of the anticipated 422 participants, we recruited 108 (25.6{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}). Of the 108 participants, 58 (53.7{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}) were female, with a median age of 38 (range: 20–75) years. Majority of the participants were from central Uganda (70.4{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}, n = 76) and were Christians (66.7{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}, n = 72), more than one-third attained tertiary level of education (37.7{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}, n = 40). More than half were employed (56.5{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}, n = 61) and were married (52.8{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}, n = 57). Forty-nine (45.4{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}) participants had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Majority were on COVID-19 treatment (86.9{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}) and more than half were getting their treatment from Namboole CTU (58.3{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}, n = 53). Table 1 summarizes the socio-demographic characteristics of participants.

    Table 1 Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Participants

    Herbal Medical Use

    Of the 108 participants, 58 (57.3{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}) ever used herbal medicine and the majority had used herbal medicine in the past 12 months (71.9{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}, n = 41). Of those that had used herbal medicines in the past 12 months, 35 (85.4{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}) had used before a diagnosis of COVID-19, and 15 (36.6{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}) continued to use even while on treatment for COVID-19 (Figure 1). Their doctors or nurses asked almost half of the participants about herbal medicine (49.5{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}, n = 53), and the majority reported some improvement after using herbal medicine (80.7{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}, n = 46). Table 2 summarizes the use of herbal medicine by the participants. Of those that were using herbal medicines, efficacy, accessibility, and affordability were the frequently reported as the reasons for their use (n = 35, 60.3{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}), (n = 14, 24.1{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}) and (n = 14, 24.1{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}), respectively (Figure 2A). Gastrointestinal disturbances such as diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, and vomiting were the most commonly reported side effects associated with the use of herbal medicines (Figure 2B).

    Table 2 Herbal Medicine Use Among the Participants

    Figure 1 Herbal medical use before and after diagnosis of COVID-19 in the last 12 months. ε represents the total number of patients who had used herbal medicines in the last 12 months before this survey.

    Figure 2 (A) Reasons for use of herbal medicines among COVID-19 patients. (B) Common side effects of herbal medicines reported.

    Table 3 summarizes factors associated with herbal medicine use among the participants at bivariate analysis. Vaccination status (p = 0.004), level of education (p = 0.002), and accessibility of the herbalists vs conventional treatment (p < 0.001). Table 4 summarizes factors associated with herbal medicine use among the participants at multivariable logistic regression: being vaccinated (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 3.1, 95{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} CI: 1.4–6.8, p = 0.005) and having attained a tertiary level of education (aOR: 6.2, 95{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} CI: 1.7–23.1, p = 0.006), as well as the accessibility of the herbalists (aOR: 31.2, 95{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} CI: 3.7–263.2, p = 0.002).

    Table 3 Bivariate Analysis for Socio-Demographic Factors Associated with Herbal Medical Use

    Table 4 A Multivariable Logistic Regression Showing Predictors of Use of Herbal Medical Use

    Discussion

    In the current study, the prevalence of herbal medicine use was found to be 57.3{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}. All participants who reported to have used herbal medicines started to use before hospital-based treatment a third of whom continued to use even after initiation of COVID-19 treatment. This finding was consistent with the results of a cross-sectional online survey among Vietnamese adults that found nearly half of the respondents to use herbal medicine for common illnesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.12 However, studies from Saudi Arabia report rather a higher prevalence (>90{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}) of herbal medicines use in the management of COVID-19 and other conditions.1,5,13 This big difference in the prevalence could be explained by the fact that our study assessed herbal medicine use among virologically confirmed patients, unlike the Saudi Arabian study whose participants reported to have used herbs for boosting their immunity and to improve general health and not to cure infection.13 However, a finding of herbal medicine use of more than half in our study is concerning given limited evidence supporting efficacy and safety of herbal medicines. In fact, previous studies in Uganda assessing herbal medicine use have reported a comparatively high prevalence.6,14,15 Easy access, affordability, cultural familiarity, and the unfavorable doctor–patient ratio in Uganda are the major factors leading to increased herbal medicine use.4

    Being vaccinated, having attained a tertiary level of education, as well as the accessibility of the herbalists were found to be significantly associated with herbal medicines in this study. This finding corroborates with the results of a study conducted in Vietnam which reported higher levels of income, urban dwellers, and higher levels of education to be more likely to use herbal medicines in the management of COVID-19.12 Although studies from other countries have reported a predilection of females towards herbal medicine use,12,16 this was not the case in our study. Our study revealed that participants who were vaccinated against COVID-19 continued to use herbal medicine for prevention and treatment. Notably, still, our participants believed that herbal medicines were safe and effective corroborating findings reported by Nguyen et al, in which nearly 70{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of participants considered herbal medicines safe and effective.12 With limited research evidencing the efficacy, mode of action, and toxicity profiles of the common herbal medicines on market, the population is at great risk of drug-herbal medicine interactions, drug resistance, and unexplained adverse reactions. Efforts should be directed towards further studies to understand the role of herbal remedies in patient management and public awareness to guide their utilization.

    To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study in sub-Saharan Africa to assess the use of herbal medicine among COVID 19 patients hospitalized in treatment centers. Previous studies on herbal medicine use in Uganda and other sub-Saharan countries have focused on populations with HIV, hepatitis, and hypertension and there is a paucity of literature on the prevalence and rationale of herbal medicine use among patients with COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa.17,18 Findings from this study provide documented evidence on herbal medicine use among the population of COVID-19 patients, which will be used to promote public awareness, and knowledge of proper use of herbal therapies and contribute to the National Drug Authority’s objective to regulate the use of herbal medicine in Uganda. This information can also be used to promote activities to bring about improved communication between patients and health workers about herbal medicine use.

    Limitations

    Several limitations were taken into consideration as we interpreted these results. First, the study employed a non-random sample. Participation in the study was voluntary and no information was available about the characteristics of those who did not participate. Secondly, the cross-sectional design of our study does not allow for a causal interpretation of the results. Thirdly, the CTUs employed were geographically situated in town and this could have limited access to populations in rural areas who could have reflected different study findings. However, despite these limitations, this is the first study in Uganda assessing the prevalence of herbal medicine use and its associated factors among hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

    Conclusion

    The use of herbal medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic is a widespread practice among the general population in Uganda amidst unpublished evidence of their safety and efficacy. Continuous public health awareness is suggested on the different natural remedies and further studies on the role of herbal medicine in patient management are recommended.

    Data Sharing Statement

    The data used to support the results of the research are available from the corresponding author upon request.

    Acknowledgments

    The authors would like to acknowledge administrative support from Mulago National Referral hospital, Namboole COVID-19 Treatment Unit, and Kiruddu Referral Hospital.

    Author Contributions

    All authors made substantial contributions to conception and design, acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data, took part in drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content, agreed to submit to the current journal, gave final approval to the version to be published, and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

    Funding

    Research reported in this publication was supported by the Fogarty International Center of the National Institutes of Health, US Department of State’s Office of the US Global AIDS Coordinator and Health Diplomacy (S/GAC), and President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) under Award Number 1R25TW011213. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

    Disclosure

    The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest for this work.

    References

    1. Alkhamaiseh SI, Aljofan M. Prevalence of use and reported side effects of herbal medicine among adults in Saudi Arabia. Complement Ther Med. 2020;48:102255.

    2. Laelago T, Yohannes T, Lemango F. Prevalence of herbal medicine use and associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care at public health facilities in Hossana Town, Southern Ethiopia: facility based cross sectional study. Arch Public Health. 2016;74(1):1–8.

    3. Rashrash M, Schommer JC, Brown LM. Prevalence and predictors of herbal medicine use among adults in the United States. J Patient Exp. 2017;4(3):108. pmc/articles/PMC5593261. doi:10.1177/2374373517706612

    4. De Coninck J. Promoting herbal medicine in Uganda – ICH NGO Forum [Internet]. The status of traditional medicine; 2016 [cited September 14, 2021]. Available from: http://www.ichngoforum.org/promoting-herbal-medicine-uganda/. Accessed November 5, 2021.

    5. Aljofan M, Alkhamaiseh S. Prevalence and factors influencing use of herbal medicines during pregnancy in Hail, Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study. Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J. 2020;20(1):e71–6. doi:10.18295/squmj.2020.20.01.010

    6. Nyeko R, Tumwesigye NM, Halage AA. Prevalence and factors associated with use of herbal medicines during pregnancy among women attending postnatal clinics in Gulu district, Northern Uganda. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2016;16(1). pmc/articles/PMC5053208. doi:10.1186/s12884-016-1095-5

    7. Musoke P, Nantaayi B, Ndawula Kato R. Fear of COVID-19 and the media influence on herbal medication use in Uganda: a cross-sectional study. Risk Manag Healthc Policy. 2021;14:3965s–75. doi:10.2147/RMHP.S332325

    8. Ang L, Song E, Lee HW, Lee MS. Herbal medicine for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Clin Med. 2020;9(5):1583.

    9. Oreagba IA, Ogunleye OJ, Olayemi SO. The knowledge, perceptions and practice of pharmacovigilance amongst community pharmacists in Lagos state, south west Nigeria. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2011;20(1):30–35. doi:10.1002/pds.2021

    10. Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (control) Act. National Drug Policy and Authority Act (Chapter 206) | Ulii [Internet]. National Drug Policy and Authority Act; 2016 [cited September 14, 2021]. Available from: https://ulii.org/akn/ug/act/statute/1993/13/eng{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}402016-02-15#sec_5. Accessed November 5, 2021.

    11. Quandt SA, Verhoef MJ, Arcury TA. Development of an international questionnaire to measure use of complementary and alternative medicine (I-CAM-Q). J Altern Complement Med. 2009;15(4):331–339. doi:10.1089/acm.2008.0521

    12. Nguyen PH, De Tran V, Pham DT, Dao TNP, Dewey RS. Use of and attitudes towards herbal medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study in Vietnam. Eur J Integr Med. 2021;44:101328. doi:10.1016/j.eujim.2021.101328

    13. Abdullah Alotiby A, Naif Al-Harbi L. Prevalence of using herbs and natural products as a protective measure during the COVID-19 pandemic among the Saudi population: an online cross-sectional survey. Saudi Pharm J. 2021;29(5):410–417. doi:10.1016/j.jsps.2021.04.001

    14. Auerbach BJ, Reynolds SJ, Lamorde M, et al. Traditional herbal medicine use associated with liver fibrosis in Rural Rakai, Uganda. PLoS One. 2012;7(11):e41737. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0041737

    15. Langlois-Klassen D, Kipp W, Rubaale T. Who’s talking? Communication between health providers and HIV-infected adults related to herbal medicine for AIDS treatment in western Uganda. Soc Sci Med. 2008;67(1):165–176. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2008.02.027

    16. Lam CS, Koon HK, Chung VC-H, Cheung YT. A public survey of traditional, complementary and integrative medicine use during the COVID-19 outbreak in Hong Kong. PLoS One. 2021;16(7):e0253890. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0253890

    17. Kloos H, Mariam DH, Kaba M, Tadele G. Traditional medicine and HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia: herbal medicine and faith healing: a review. Ethiop J Health Dev. 2013;27(2):141–155.

    18. Liwa AC, Smart LR, Frumkin A, Epstein HA, Fitzgerald DW, Peck RN. Traditional herbal medicine use among hypertensive patients in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review. Curr Hypertens Rep. 2014;16(6):437.

  • An alternative medicine’s expansion beyond the Himalayas

    An alternative medicine’s expansion beyond the Himalayas

    When 51-yr-aged Bishwa Nath Oli visited Swayambhu’s department of Phende Clinic in February this yr, he wasn’t completely confident of what to hope. At the time, Oli experienced from unpleasant gout triggered by high uric acid levels, a healthcare situation that he experienced for just about ten many years. Just after seeking different treatment method strategies to stabilise his uric acid levels and failing to do so, Oli’s buddy proposed checking out Phende Clinic and consulting with Dr Tenjing Dharke Gurung, Alternative Medicine.

    “After various consultations with Dr Tenjing and having his medicines for pretty much 6 months, my uric acid stabilised, and my pain was totally absent,” mentioned Oli in the course of a single of his regular visits to the clinic a couple of months in the past. “Since the treatment method wholly worked on me, I have been suggesting close friends and family members who put up with from identical wellbeing ailments to stop by Phende Clinic and give Sowa Rigpa a check out.”

    Sowa Rigpa is a traditional clinical method that dates again more than 2,000 several years and is seriously affected by Buddhist philosophy. Sowa Rigpa healers are customarily known as amchis, but several of them these times use the title medical professional prior to their names. In certain mountainous districts of Nepal and India, the clinical technique is superior recognized as the ‘Amchi process of medicine’. Even though in several areas of the entire world, it is better recognized as traditional Tibetan medication. Aside from Nepal’s mountainous districts, Sowa Rigpa, normally translated into English as ‘the science of healing’, is broadly practised in India, Bhutan, China, and Mongolia.

    For hundreds of years, for the people residing in Nepal’s mountainous districts, this professional medical process was the only accessible health care technique. But in the very last few many years, as additional persons from the region commenced migrating to towns like Kathmandu and Pokhara in the hopes of far better employment and training opportunities, a handful of Sowa Rigpa clinics started off operating in these cities to cater to the diaspora. In the previous couple of a long time, however, the amount of Sowa Rigpa clinics in these towns has improved, but a substantial number of clients that these clinics cater to are from communities that did not traditionally rely on the professional medical technique.

    The very first registered Sowa Rigpa clinic in the region was Kunphen Ausadhalaya, established in 1973 and positioned in Chhetrapati, Kathmandu.

    “The royal palace invited renowned Amchi Kunsang Phentok to Kathmandu to treat the then King Tribhuwan who was suffering from chronic liver ailment. Amchi Kunsang productively treated the late king, and which is how the initial registered Sowa Rigpa clinic in the country came into becoming,” explained Dr Nyima Tsering Nepali, who is just one of the two Sowa Rigpa doctors at present working at Kunphen Ausadhalaya. “In these days, the the greater part of individuals who came to our clinic ended up Kathmandu’s elites and individuals linked with the royal palace and people today from Nepal’s mountainous districts who had migrated to Kathmandu. But a large amount has transformed in the very last couple a long time. These days, folks from throughout the country and foreigners residing in Nepal visit our clinic.”

    Sowa Rigpa physicians like Dr Gurung and Dr Nepali are educated to diagnose individuals employing a variety of diagnostic methods. “Some of the most widespread procedures Sowa Rigpa doctors use to analyse patients are by analyzing their pulse, tongue, and urine,” claimed Dr Gurung. “The medicines are all made employing goods that are found in character and subsequent the system’s generations-old custom.”

    It was 2012 when Dr Gurung founded Phende Clinic in Swoyambhu. For the 1st two years, most of his sufferers have been persons from the indigenous communities of Nepal’s mountainous districts. Every single the moment in a whilst, says Dr Gurung, folks from other communities would appear to the clinic searching for health care.

    “But a great deal has modified in the last handful of years. At my clinic in Swoyambhu, I see an regular of 80 clients, and all-around 70 percent of them are from communities in the hills and Tarai location of the state, each of which did not historically rely on Sowa Rigpa,” claimed Dr Gurung.

    This rising acceptance of Sowa Rigpa as a medical procedure amid individuals from across the place inspired Dr Gurung to open branches of Phende in Dharan, Jhapa, Syangja, and Pokhara.

    Section of the rationale the clinical process has been steadily getting popularity seems to be its efficacy and affordability. Saraswati Rashmi Shakya, a college student of Buddhist Studies, particulars her practical experience with Sowa Rigpa above 4 several years with The Article as “I had a harrowing issue of thyroid for which I sought treatment from a number of hospitals all over Kathmandu. The medications that I had been approved simply just exacerbated my psychological condition, as I would often experience down and dejected just after having it. Until, of course, I identified Sowa Rigpa, and it substantially enhanced my situation. While I had to be individual with the general course of action, it was unquestionably well worth it in the finish.” Shakya statements to have been introduced to this practice by 1 of her buddies finding out to grow to be an amchi in India. Her remedy, nonetheless, began at Chhetrapati’s Gentlemen-Tsee-Khang, which operates various branches of Sowa Rigpa clinics in Nepal. The main Sowa Rigpa medical doctor of Males-Tsee-Khang’s Chhetrapati branch is Dr Dhindup Tsering Tamang Lama (Daniel).

    Dr Daniel started out his exercise in 2018 right after graduating from Gentlemen-Tsee-Khang (Sowa-Rigpa) Tibetan Medical and Astro School in Himachal Pradesh, India. All a few doctors the Article talked to for the tale analyzed Sowa Rigpa in India.

    Until eventually 2016, Nepal did not have a focused university-affiliated Sowa Rigpa university and that’s the purpose why, say Sowa Rigpa medical professionals the Post talked to, several went to examine at Sowa Rigpa institutes in India.

    “We knew that if we had been to protect and advertise Sowa Rigpa in Nepal, it is essential to have a focused federal government-recognised instructional institute in the country so Nepal can generate experienced and very well-experienced Sowa Rigpa health professionals proper here in the region. Right after yrs of really hard work, Sowa Rigpa Worldwide College, an affiliate of Lumbini Buddhist University, opened in February 2016. It is the only institute in Nepal to supply a Bachelor’s degree in Sowa Rigpa Medication [BSM],” claimed Dr Gurung, who also serves as the college’s director.

    In accordance to Dr Nepali, who serves as the higher education principal, the institute has been ready to bring in worldwide pupils from Bhutan, Finland, India, Spain, and England. “In the past, only persons from Himalayan communities would research to turn into Sowa Rigpa health professionals, but this is no for a longer time the case. We not only have worldwide students but also nearby college students from non-Himalayan neighborhood backgrounds. This is an encouraging sign,” explained Dr Nepali. “The university is a not-for-earnings organisation and the most important purpose is to present excellent instruction to our college students. We also deliver attractive scholarships to deserving pupils. For the first 4 and a 50 percent several years, our learners go through arduous academic coaching, and in the remaining calendar year, they intern at recognised Sowa Rigpa clinics.”

    Even so, the term-of-mouth publicity that served proliferate Sowa Rigpa, as properly as its usefulness, has actually bolstered its believability and overall reputation.

    Even though Sowa Rigpa has permeated further than the Himalayan communities of Nepal only in the very last couple many years, it is nicely worthy of noting that this custom had taken root in the Western environment a long time before. This procedure of medication has also pervaded many sections of India above the past two decades. With the Indian federal government bolstering the infrastructures by incorporating Sowa Rigpa in just educational establishments and hospitals, this practice has steadily been making its way into the mainstream.

    Stewart Mushet, a Scottish based mostly in Malaysia, who sought Sowa Rigpa procedure through a friend’s referral, urges absolutely everyone to strategy it with an open up head. “People normally tend to understand organic treatment as becoming like an antithesis to Western medicines. I would strongly recommend anybody in search of Sowa Rigpa to break out of that binary contemplating. You can follow your clinically recommended medicines when at the same time getting Sowa Rigpa medicines as properly,” explained Mushet. “Sowa Rigpa is not a competitiveness towards Western medications, but rather a complementary treatment method.”

    At his clinic in Chhetrapati, Dr Nepali sees dozens of people daily. “The greater part of the people who appear to our clinic are all those with persistent non-communicable disorders this sort of as diabetes, hypertension, thyroid, arthritis, etcetera. Supplied that Sowa Rigpa clinics have never promoted their services, it surprises me to see people from these varied components of the state come and seek professional medical treatment method at our clinic. Those from economically marginalised backgrounds can also get free-of-value medical care at our clinic if they furnish a letter from the area authorities stating their circumstance,” mentioned Dr Nepali. “As Sowa Rigpa medical professionals, we are experienced to look at our occupation as an altruistic endeavour exactly where the most important objective is to relieve people’s sufferings, which is the main of Buddha’s teachings. As the folks of the land the place Buddha was born, we ought to shield and market this one of a kind professional medical technique.”

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  • IncellDx’s Chronic COVID Treatment Center Partners with ARISE MD Integrative Medicine & Surgery to Evaluate Novel Therapeutic Approach to Chronic COVID

    IncellDx’s Chronic COVID Treatment Center Partners with ARISE MD Integrative Medicine & Surgery to Evaluate Novel Therapeutic Approach to Chronic COVID

    SAN CARLOS, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–IncellDx’s Chronic COVID Treatment Center (CCTC) (www.covidlonghaulers.com) and ARISE™ MD Integrative Medicine & Surgery announced today a new partnership to evaluate CCR5 antagonists and statins as a potential therapeutic treatment approach for chronic COVID, also known as long COVID or post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC).

    In a randomized, placebo controlled trial led by co-Investigator Adam Miller, MD, CEO, Medical Director, ARISE, a combination of maraviroc, a CCR5 antagonist, and a commonly administered statin, atorvastatin, will be evaluated for its efficacy in alleviating PASC symptoms.

    In the trial, under an Enriched Enrollment Randomized Withdrawal (EERW) design, patients who experience symptomatic improvement with maraviroc and atorvastatin in an open label phase will enter a second phase and be randomized to continue active treatment or placebo.

    The study aims to support clinical approaches developed by IncellDx’s Chronic COVID Treatment Center, which has enrolled more than 12,000 patients and published multiple articles on the application of precision medicine and biomarkers to determine the underlying pathways involved in PASC.

    “At CCTC, we provide consultation to physicians across the country who are treating patients with chronic COVID,” said internist and physician Eric Osgood MD, physician, CCTC. “We are excited to partner with Dr. Miller to further evaluate the clinical observation that a biomarker-driven, precision medicine approach can result in improvement of long COVID symptoms as well as resolution of abnormal cytokine profiles that may be the underlying cause of this condition. In continuing to advance new research into diagnostic criteria and clinical approaches to treatment, we aim to provide lasting symptom alleviation in patients with PASC.”

    “Based on outcomes we observe in long COVID patients being treated under the CCTC program protocol, we believe this condition can be objectively assessed and that addressing immune disruption from PASC may be central to its treatment,” said Dr. Miller. “Through this study, we aim to assess whether reducing the activity of CCR5 in the body with the use of CCR5 antagonists can play an important role in treatment of long COVID. We’ll also be evaluating the potential for the IncellDx Long Hauler Index, or LHI, to provide important diagnostic information about this condition that can inform treatment. We’re very excited about the potential of this study to validate clinical application of IncellDx’s LHI and a novel combination therapeutic approach leveraging already commonly used medicines.”

    About IncellDx

    IncellDx is a precision medicine company advancing novel diagnostics and prognostics to better understand and treat infectious disease and cancer. The company’s innovative technology platform enables simultaneous cell classification and single cell analysis of proteomic and genomic biomarkers. The company launched the Chronic COVID Treatment Center to apply precision medicine approaches to evaluate, characterize and more effectively address chronic COVID.

    About the Long Hauler Index

    The Long Hauler Index or LHI was developed and patented by IncellDx to provide an objective method of identifying patients suffering from long COVID or PASC. The LHI assesses cytokines and chemokines believed to cytokine storm conditions and chronic COVID patients (often referred to as COVID “long haulers”).

  • Prenatal & postpartum fitness tips

    Prenatal & postpartum fitness tips

    Confused on what exercises you can do when you’re pregnant or postpartum? Certified personal trainer and new mom Sarah Bowmar has the answers, Heal Me Healthy.

    Whether you’re in your first trimester or are postpartum, there is a lot of information on the Internet for new moms. How to exercise during your pregnancy is just one of the places where you can get lost in what you can and can’t do.

    “Unfortunately, there’s a lot of bad, free information out there,” said Sarah Bowmar, Certified Personal Trainer and CEO of Bowmar Nutrition and Apex Protein Snacks.

    Bowmar recently gave birth to a baby girl, so she understands how complicated it can be for women to know what’s safe with their workouts during pregnancy.

    RELATED: Should pregnant women get a COVID-19 vaccine?

    “Just more and more research is coming out from the American College of Gynecology that actually says remaining active while pregnant results in a healthier baby, it results in less complications during actual birth, it results in less C-sections,” said Bowmar about the health benefits for continuing to workout when you’re pregnant.

    However, Bowmar also said she knows there are extenuating circumstances where some women are bedridden or they are carrying multiples and they can’t remain as active. So be sure to check with your doctor before you start any type of workout routine when you’re pregnant.


    There’s a lot of stress as a new mom- your world completely changes in the blink of an eye. Josh has been the best dad in the world (I hate using the world help because he isn’t helping, he is a parent too, he just can’t do a lot of the things that baby needs right now but he does as much as he can).

    If you are currently pregnant, Bowmar recommends walking every day. She said it helps with swelling, and your overall balance.

    “I think the most important thing women struggle with while pregnant and during their postpartum journeys is the core,” Bowmar said. “Your abs do start to separate and there’s no way around that. But what we can do when pregnant is try to prevent any excess stretching.”

    Bowmar says to do exercises that focus on your public floor health and lower abs.

    Once you’ve given birth to your baby, Bowmar recommends starting with walking for exercise and waiting for the six week mark to do anything more.

    “It’s just about rebuilding your strength,” said Bowmar.

    RELATED: New US dietary guidelines: No candy, cake for kids under 2

    Even at five months postpartum, Bowmar said there are still some exercises that she can’t do like split squats and some other squat variations. She recommends listening to your body at all times.

    For a free “Pregnancy & Postpartum Fitness Guide” visit www.sarahbowmar.com. For workout videos, follow her on Instagram @sarah_bowmar.

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