Quote of the day:'Do not wait for the last judgment. It takes place every day. '
Albert Camus (1913 - 1960)
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NEWS from The Journal of Chinese Medicine summarises recent research in acupuncture, Chinese medicine and lifestyle.
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Below are a few of our recent news items and titles of all items in the current news
Latest News
ACUPUNCTURE REGULATES HORMONES DURING IVF PREPARATION
American researchers have investigated the effects of acupuncture on serum cortisol and prolactin in IVF patients undergoing drug-induced ovarian hyperstimulation. Sixty-seven women were randomised to receive either IVF alone or IVF plus acupuncture, according to protocols derived from randomised controlled trials. Serum levels of cortisol and prolactin were measured and synchronised with medication stimulation days of the IVF cycle. Cortisol levels in the acupuncture group were significantly higher on IVF medication days 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, and 13 compared with controls. Prolactin levels in the acupuncture group were significantly higher on IVF medication days 5, 6, 7, and 8 compared with controls. The authors conclude that there appears to be beneficial regulation of cortisol and prolactin in the acupuncture group during the medication phase of the IVF treatment, with a trend toward more normal fertile cycle dynamics. (Changes in serum cortisol and prolactin associated with acupuncture during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation in women undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer treatment. Fertil Steril. 2008 Dec 30. [Epub ahead of print]).
ACUPUNCTURE IN LABOUR IMPROVES BABIES’ CONDITION AT BIRTH
Researchers in Denmark have compared acupuncture with transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) and analgesic medication for pain relief during labour. 607 healthy women in labour at term were randomised to receive acupuncture, TENS or analgesics. Pain scores were comparable in all groups, but use of pharmacological and invasive methods was found to be significantly lower in the acupuncture group. Acupuncture was not found to influence the duration of labour or the use of oxytocin. Mean Apgar score (a method for assessing the health of newborn infants) at five minutes and umbilical cord pH value (which measures the level of oxygenation if the infant’s blood) were significantly higher among infants in the acupuncture group compared with infants in the other groups. (Acupuncture as pain relief during delivery: a randomized controlled trial. Birth. 2009 Mar;36(1):5-12).
ACUPUNCTURE BETTER THAN PILLS FOR INSOMNIA
A systematic review of studies of acupuncture for insomnia, including papers published in both English and Chinese, has been carried out by researchers in Hong Kong. Twenty RCTs met the inclusion criteria. The majority of RCTs concluded that traditional needle acupuncture (TNA) was significantly more effective than benzodiazepines for treating insomnia, with mean effective rates for acupuncture and benzodiazepines being 91% and 75%, respectively. TNA also appeared to be better at improving sleep than sleep hygiene counselling and sham acupuncture. Standardised and individualised acupuncture were found to have similar effective rates. The authors point out methodological shortcomings in the studies reviewed and highlight the need for large scale, high-quality trials. (Traditional needle acupuncture treatment for insomnia: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Sleep Med. 2009 Mar 18. [Epub ahead of print]).
TCM HERBS EFFECTIVE FOR ASTHMA
Evidence supporting the use of TCM in asthma treatment in is increasing. Two American authors have reviewed promising TCM interventions for asthma and explored their mechanisms of action. Possible mechanisms at work include anti-inflammation, inhibition of airway smooth muscle contraction, and immunomodulation. One of the authors has recently presented some preliminary results from a clinical trial at a conference. Her team studied the effects of an anti-asthma herbal medicine intervention (ASHMI) consisting of three-herbs (Gan Cao, Ku Shen, and Ling Zhi), which has been shown to improve asthma symptoms. ASHMI was found to reduce total immunoglobulin (Ig)E levels in patients with allergic asthma. Suppression of IgE by ASHMI was tested in human myeloma cells. The most effective ratio of the three herbs was found to be 3:9:20. The three-herb combination lowered total IgE levels, from 850 to 500 kU/L. Ku Shen alone was found to suppress IgE production by approximately 95%. (Efficacy and mechanisms of action of traditional Chinese medicines for treating asthma and allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2009 Feb;123(2):297-306; quiz 307-8. 2009 American Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology (AAAAI) Annual Meeting: Abstracts 131).
The following NEWS items are published in JCM 90
ACUPUNCTURE WORKS FOR HEADACHES
ACUPUNCTURE COST-EFFECTIVE FOR ALLERGIC RHINITIS
DOES ACUPUNCTURE RELIEVE PAIN?
ACUPUNCTURE REDUCES POSTOPERATIVE PAEDIATRIC PAIN
ACUPUNCTURE DELAYED EFFECT IN KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS
ACUPUNCTURE FOR ASSISTED REPRODUCTION
ACUPUNCTURE REGULATES HORMONES DURING IVF PREPARATION
ACUPUNCTURE FOR MENOPAUSAL HOT FLUSHES
ACUPUNCTURE IN LABOUR IMPROVES BABIES’ CONDITION AT BIRTH
ACUPUNCTURE SHORTENS LABOUR
ACUPUNCTURE FOR WEIGHT LOSS
ACUPUNCTURE BETTER THAN PILLS FOR INSOMNIA
ACUPUNCTURE HELPS OPIATE WITHDRAWAL
ACUPUNCTURE FOR SPINAL CORD INJURIES
AURICULAR ACUPUNCTURE IMPROVES SHORT SIGHTEDNESS
ACUPRESSURE AT HE-7 HELPS WITH INSOMNIA
SHAM ACUPUNCTURE AS GOOD AS TRUE ACUPUNCTURE
AND WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE BRAIN, ANYWAY?
PATIENTS' DIVERSE EXPERIENCES OF ACUPUNCTURE
‘HEAD ZONES’ = MU AND SHU POINTS?
CHILLI PLASTER REDUCES POSTOPERATIVE PAIN
MULTIPLE DISEASE FIGHTING ACTIVITIES OF SCUTELLARIA
TCM HERBS EFFECTIVE FOR ASTHMA
GREEN TEA PREVENTS BOWEL CANCER
GREEN TEA INCREASES EXERCISE WEIGHT LOSS
TEA CONSUMPTION CUTS DIABETES RISK
DIET DRINKS ASSOCIATED WITH DIABETES
THINKING INCREASES CALORIE INTAKE
MEDITERRANEAN DIET PROTECTS AGAINST COGNITIVE DECLINE
DIET AND EXERCISE REDUCE CANCER
NATURE BENEFITS THE BRAIN
MILD OBESITY TAKES YEARS OFF YOUR LIFE
TELLY WATCHING DOUBLES ASTHMA RISK
HRT SHRINKS THE BRAIN
FERTILITY DRUGS INCREASE CANCER RISK
TAI CHI IMPROVES BALANCE AFTER STROKE
PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL OUTCOMES OF QIGONG
EASTERN APPROACHES TO ENHANCING WOMEN'S SEXUALITY
BMJ TAKES OVER ACUPUNCTURE JOURNAL
ACUPUNCTURE GETS RARE TORTOISE MOVING FASTER
DARK CHOCOLATE MAY HELP WEIGHT LOSS
NASAL PROBIOTICS FOR OTITIS MEDIA
PLEASE SIR MAY I HAVE SOME MORE X-RAY VISION CARROTS?
A RECENT STUDY UNDERTAKEN AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY HAS DISCOVERED A SIMPLE WAY TO GET PMS = PRE-MENSTRUAL SHOPPING
FERTILE WOMEN MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO BEING CHATTED UP
FEMALE HORMONES LINKED WITH UNFAITHFULNESS
IT’S THE UREAL THING
