Objective

Hawai'i is an ethnically diverse island state with a high rate of both traditional healing (TH) and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use. The aim of this project was to assess TH and CAM use within the pediatric oncology population in Honolulu and improve the delivery of culturally competent care.

Methods

A 9-item survey was distributed to all pediatric oncology patients at Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children for 3 months. The survey inquired about patient ethnicity, TH practices, CAM practices and perception of cultural competence of the care received. Descriptive statistics were calculated for the survey items. Qualitative analysis was done with participant comments to identify themes.

Results

Sixty-two surveys were completed. TH was used by 39% of the respondents in the home, and 10% in the hospital (top method was traditional foods). CAM was used by 27% of the respondents in the home, and 68% in the hospital (top method was healing touch). Ninety-seven percent of the respondents reported receiving culturally competent care. Areas for improvement included language services and dietary choices.

Conclusion

CAM and TH are used frequently by pediatric oncology patients in Hawai'i, and the vast majority of patients and families felt that the care they received was culturally competent.

Objective

Integrative medicine refers to ongoing efforts to combine the best of conventional and evidence-based complementary therapies. While this effort for collaboration is increasing, traditional complementary and alternative medicine (TM-CAM) remains poorly integrated into the current healthcare system of Ghana. At present, it is not clear if practitioners of mainstream medicine favor integrative medicine. The present study, therefore, sought to explore the perceptions of conventional healthcare professionals on integrative medicine.

Methods

A qualitative design composed of semi-structured interviews was conducted with 23 conventional healthcare professionals comprising pharmacists, physicians, nurses and dieticians from two quasi-government hospitals in Accra, Ghana.

Results

Participants' knowledge of TM-CAM was low, and although they perceived alternative medicine as important to current conventional healthcare in Ghana, they expressed anxieties about the potential negative effects of the use of TM-CAM. This paradox was found to account for the low levels of use among these professionals, as well as the low level of recommendation to their patients. The practitioners surveyed recommended that alternative medicine could be integrated into mainstream allopathic healthcare in Ghana through improving knowledge, training as well as addressing concerns of safety and efficacy. These findings are discussed under the themes: the knowledge gap, the paradox of TM-CAM, experience of use and prescription, and guided integration. We did not observe any differences in views among the participants.

Conclusion

The conventional healthcare professionals were ready to accept the idea of integrative medicine based on knowledge of widespread use and the potential role of TM-CAM products and practices in improving healthcare delivery in the country. However, to achieve an institutional integration, practitioners' understanding of TM-CAM must be improved, with specific attention to issues of safety, regulation and evidence-based practice of TM-CAM products and services in Ghana.

Objective

To assess the effect of human biofield therapy, an integrative medicine modality, on the development of tumors and metastasis, and immune function in a mouse breast cancer model.

Methods

Mice were injected with 66cl4 mammary carcinoma cells. In study one, mice received biofield therapy after cell injection. In study two, mice were treated by the biofield practitioner only prior to cell injection. Both studies had two control groups of mock biofield treatments and phosphate-buffered saline injection. Mice were weighed and tumor volume was determined. Blood samples were collected and 32 serum cytokine/chemokine markers were measured. Spleens/popliteal lymph nodes were isolated and dissociated for fluorescent-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis of immune cells or metastasis assays in cell culture.

Results

No significant differences were found in weight, tumor size or metastasis. Significant effects were found in the immune responses in study one but no additional effects were found in study two. In study one, human biofield treatment significantly reduced percentage of CD4⁺CD44loCD25⁺ and percentage of CD8⁺ cells, elevated by cancer in the lymph nodes, to control levels determined by FACS analysis. In the spleen, only CD11b⁺ macrophages were increased with cancer, and human biofield therapy significantly reduced them. Of 11 cytokines elevated by cancer, only interferon-γ, interleukin-1, monokine induced by interferon-γ, interleukin-2 and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 were significantly reduced to control levels with human biofield therapy.

Conclusion

Human biofield therapy had no significant effect on tumor size or metastasis but produced significant effects on immune responses apparent in the down-regulation of specific lymphocytes and serum cytokines in a mouse breast cancer model.

Objective

This study investigated the aphrodisiac activity of aqueous extract of Anthonotha macrophylla leaves (AEAML) in female Wistar rats.

Methods

Thirty female rats were assigned into five groups of six animals each, such that rats in groups A, B, C, D and E received orally 1 mL of distilled water only, 5.7 mg/kg body weight (BW) of Exus Ginseng (a polyherbal formulation), 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg BW of AEAML, respectively. After 1 h of treatment, female sexual behaviour parameters were monitored for 30 min. Luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E) and testosterone were also determined using standard methods.

Results

Six secondary metabolites were detected in AEAML with alkaloids (13.00 mg/L) being the highest. AEAML at 25 and 50 mg/kg BW significantly (P<0.05) increased the darting frequency, hopping frequency, lordosis frequency, anogenital grooming, genital grooming and licking behaviour, whereas the darting latency, hopping latency and lordosis latency decreased (P<0.05) in a manner comparable with Exus Ginseng. The 25 and 50 mg/kg BW of AEAML increased (P<0.05) the serum concentrations of FSH, LH and E, like Exus Ginseng, whereas testosterone content was not altered (P>0.05). The 100 mg/kg BW of AEAML did not alter (P>0.05) the sexual behaviour parameters, serum FSH, LH and E contents, whereas testosterone content increased significantly. The ovarian histology of the animals treated with Exus Ginseng, AEAML at 25 and 50 mg/kg BW revealed developing and ruptured follicles with numerous corpora lutea in the stroma, whereas the 100 mg/kg BW of AEAML produced fewer follicles and corpora lutea.

Conclusion

The enhanced proceptive, receptive and orientation components of the female sexual behaviour by the 25 and 50 mg/kg BW of AEAML confers sexual invigorating potential on the plant. This study thus justifies the folkloric claim of the plant as a female aphrodisiac.