Tag: artichoke

Herbal Medicine Research blog – September 2016

It’s been a little while since I’ve written a research blog but here are some research articles that have interested me recently.

1. A new trial is currently taking place in Australia, where young adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are being given water hyssop (Bacopa monnieri) instead of pharmaceutical drugs.

2. A follow up study in Brazil has confirmed that using Calendula can both prevent and treat radio dermatitis for patients undergoing radiotherapy.

3. A new analysis of mistletoe has shown that it could be used to treat arthritis and liver disease as well as to reduce blood pressure and reduce tumour growth.

4. Ginger and artichoke have been found recently to increase gastric motility, in the treatment of functional dyspepsia.

5. New research has confirmed the link between exercise and improved cognition and mood.

6. Onion juice has been found to lower cholesterol in a new study.

7. A new study in China has shown that medicinal mushrooms have a direct action on reducing cancer cells, rather than simply boosting the immune system to fight cancer.

8. Seaweed could be the answer to reducing obesity, a new study has shown as seaweeds change processes in the gastrointestinal tract.

Herbal Medicine and Health Research – April 2014

This month the following research on herbs and health has caught my eye.

1. Statins have been in the news a lot in the last month but this particular quote from Dr Rita Redberg, Director of Women’s Cardiovascular Services at the University of California San Francisco Medical Center, really summed it up for me.

 “In my practice, I believe that the evidence supports the use of statins for secondary prevention, and I tend to follow those guidelines. For primary prevention, I don’t think that the data show that the benefits outweigh the risks.

I believe for primary prevention, we are talking about healthy people. Healthy people are those who feel well even if they have risk factors. Many people have risk factors for heart disease, but when I read the data, I think the best way to prevent heart disease in healthy people is to help them develop a healthy lifestyle, including a Mediterranean-style diet and regular exercise. I am very aggressive at every visit in reminding people of the importance of exercise. I think it is the best medicine in terms of reducing heart disease risk, prolonging life, and improving quality of life — which is a winning combination — along with not smoking.”

2. A new study in the USA has found an increased risk of Ovarian cancer in women with endometriosis, however the study looked at specific groups of women with endometriosis which could lead to bias in the study. More on endometriosis in my next blog.

3. A small UK study found that lavender essential oil diffused at night in a care home aided sleep and relaxation in patients with dementia.

4. Many people are concerned with drug side effects but often taken NSAID (non steroidal anti- inflammatory) such as aspirin and paracetamol without realising the damage they can do to liver, kidneys and stomach lining when taken regularly. A US analysis just finished which showed that the 7 million people surveyed took at least one NSAID type drug.

5. With an increase in the legalisation of medical marijuana in the USA, a new survey of Drs said they would welcome the legalisation and would recommend it to patients.

6. A new study has shown that artichoke extract has a beneficial effect on balancing blood sugar levels.

This month in research – September 13

This month I have found the following research particularly interesting.

Blueberry1. A 300g portion of blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) has been found to protect DNA from damage, in a study in men.

2. Korean ginseng (Coreanica ginseng) has been found to improve erectile dysfunction in men, when taken for 8 weeks.

3. There have been several studies showing that artichoke (Cynara scolymus) can reduce cholesterol levels and protect against heart disease, this new study has highlighted the lipid lowering properties, backing up the earlier research on its use in reducing cholesterol levels.

4. Walnuts (Juglans regia) have been shown to reduce the growth of prostate cancer in a new laboratory study.

5. A new study of the phytochemicals within Cinnamon (Cinnamom verum) has found it  protects neurons which could see it used in neurodegenerative disease such as Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease and dementia.

6. Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) has long been used as both a treatment and preventative for migraines. A new report shows that its use as a preventative for migraines is backed up pharmacologically and it could be taken long term.

7. A component of Baical skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis) has been shown to reduce colon cancer in laboratory studies.

8. A new five step plan to help patients cope with pain is being used in USA.

9. Chaste tree berry (Vitex agnus castus) has recently been studied for its use to treat migraines as part of premenstrual syndrome with good results.

10. A new report shows that an external preparation of comfrey root (Symphytum officinale) has been used effectively to treat painful joints and muscles, from sports injuries to degenerative arthritis.