The Nobel Prize in medicine draws from Traditional Chinese Medicine for malaria therapy.

The Nobel Prize in medicine draws from Traditional Chinese Medicine for malaria therapy.

The 2015 Nobel Prize in medicine has been awarded to three scientists from China, Ireland, and Japan.

One half of the prize is shared by William Campbell of Drew University and Satoshimura of Kitasato University for their work on “a novel therapy against infections caused by roundworm parasites.”

The other half goes to Dr Youyou Tu of the China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine for her discovery of “a novel therapy against malaria.”  Dr Tu was the lead discoverer of powerful malaria drug artemisinin. In giving her the prize, the Nobel Prize committee has recognized the role ancient knowledge can play in the modern world.

During the Vietnamese  war with the Americans there was a second front in the battle to fight malaria. The parasite that caused the disease had developed resistance against chloroquine, which was commonly used as treatment. So, in desperation, they turned to China’s leader, Mao Zedong, for help.

Mao’s turned the search into a military project and so more than 500 scientists were involved. One group screened some 40,000 known chemicals to find a malaria drug whilst the other turned to traditional medicine literature and searched for “secret cures” in Chinese villages.

Those working with traditional medicine literature succeeded, but it was no easy task.

Tu described the challenge in 2011 in the journal Nature; "We investigated more than 2,000 Chinese herb preparations and identified 640 hits that had possible antimalarial activities. More than 380 extracts obtained from 200 Chinese herbs were evaluated against a mouse model of malaria. However, progress was not smooth, and no significant results emerged easily".

The first hint of success came when an ancient text described a method of using qinghao, or sweet wormwood, to extract artemisinin. After five years, in 1972, Tu had found a method to successfully extract the drug from the plant.

Tu’s team volunteered to be the first patients to deem the drug’s safety and test it on themselves, only then could they proceed to larger trials.

At the end of the Vietnam war, the project that found the drug was disbanded even though Tu had managed to publish her results widely by the 1980s, the development of the drug languished.

It took nearly 30 years for the World Health Organization (WHO) to endorse the drug. The reasons behind the delays are not clear, but most likely caused by  of political instability and malaria afflicting mostly the poor perhaps and that there was no development incentive for multinationals.

Though it took time, Tu’s method showed other Chinese researchers how to capitalize on the ancient knowledge the ancient scrolls and in oral traditions and this is not the first time with compounds drawn from Chinese traditional medicine such as huperzine  (Huperzia serrata or toothed clubmoss and in TCM Qian Ceng Ta/Jin Bu Huan)  which treats memory dysfunction and paeoniflorin (Paeonia lactiflora or Chinese peony and in TCM Shaoyao) which treats cardiovascular disease.

The Nobel Prize committee said that the researchers’ breakthroughs have had an enormous impact on improved human health and reduced suffering. All three researchers extracted naturally occurring chemicals that became crucial drugs against diseases that affect hundreds of millions around the world. The prize is a nod to the fact that nature still has a lot to offer in terms of medicine.

Tu’s award has special significance. She is only the 12th woman among the 210 Nobel laureates in medicine. It is also an acknowledgement of advances in Chinese science, which has rarely been recognized by the Nobel committee.

Tu is the first Chinese scientist to win the prize for medicine and only the third Chinese citizen to win a science Nobel.

If you would like to discuss your health issues or arrange an appointment please contact me.

Jason is an Acupuncturist and Tai Chi & Qi Gong Sifu in Sale, Manchester, England.

Acupuncture versus Gabapentin for Hot Flushes/Flashes Among Breast Cancer Survivors: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial results.

Acupuncture versus Gabapentin for Hot Flushes/Flashes Among Breast Cancer Survivors: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial results.

Published in the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2015

Acupuncture appears to be more efficacious than oral medication (Gabapentin) for the treatment of hot flashes/flushes in breast cancer survivors. According to a new trial that compared Acupuncture, Placebo Acupuncture, Gabapentin, and a Placebo Pill.

The University of Pennsylvania's associate professor of family medicine Jun James Mao, MD, Philadelphia, and colleagues tested the treatments in 120 women who were breast cancer survivors. The women were experiencing hot flushes/flashes at least twice a day.

The 120 women were randomly placed in 4 groups, 30 each and received either real Acupuncture or an inactive placebo pill, 32 women received placebo Acupuncture, and 28 women received Gabapentin.

Acupuncture had the greatest effect on overall hot flush/flash scores at 8 weeks, when all interventions ended, followed by placebo acupuncture and then gabapentin.

At 24 weeks, 16 weeks after treatments ended, acupuncture was still associated with the greatest reduction in hot flushes/flashes.

However even those who had placebo Acupuncture or placebo pills had steeper drops in hot flush/flash scores at 24 weeks than those who took gabapentin.

"The placebo effects for both acupuncture and drugs are quite intriguing, as they both seem to persist over time," reports Dr. Mao . "The magnitude of the placebo effect for acupuncture is bigger than for the drug."

To be fair its not a massive trial but it is well constructed given the limitations of funding for Acupuncture research and it ties in well with the research being conducted at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center / Harvard Medical School Program in Placebo Studies.  As with all medical research, more is always needed but this research ads to my own clinical observations when treating hot flushes/flashes.

Hot flushes are the most common symptom of the menopause and not all women will experience hot flushes going through the menopause, but most do. Three out of every four menopausal women have hot flushes. They’re characterised by a sudden feeling of heat which seems to come from nowhere and spreads through your body. They can include sweating, palpitations, and a red flush (blushing), which vary in severity from woman to woman.

Some women only have occasional hot flushes which don’t really bother them at all, while others report 20 hot flushes a day, that are uncomfortable, disruptive and embarrassing.
Hot flushes usually continue for several years after your last period,  however they can carry on for many years.  The most likely cause is hormone changes affecting the body’s temperature control.

And just in case you wanted to know the medical definition for a hot flush/flash is:  A vasomotor symptom of the climacteric characterized by sudden vasodilation with a sensation of heat!

If you would like to discuss your health issues or arrange an appointment please contact me.

Jason is an Acupuncturist and Tai Chi & Qi Gong Sifu in Sale, Manchester, England.

https://jhsacupuncture.co.uk/back-neck-muscle-pain

Back, Neck and Muscle pain, can Acupuncture help?

Reported on the BBC – The UK economy is slowly recovering, but the country’s workforce is in considerable pain. See the full article here

In this report the BBC state that Almost 31 million days of work were lost last year due to back, neck and muscle problems and according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the the ONS’s Labour Force Survey, found that musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions, which include a large range of bone, joint and muscle complaints, accounted for more prolonged absences than any other ailment!

Although the United Kingdom’s workforce, along with other countries  that have lost or given up their manufacturing base, has largely swapped heavy manual labour for sitting in offices. MSKs have been the primary cause of absenteeism for the past five years, and we in the UK have one of the highest rates in Europe.  The Work Foundation estimates that employees suffering from bone, joint and/or muscle pain cost the EU’s economies 240bn euros (£200bn) each year.  So why have MSK complaints persisted?

“Sitting is the new smoking,” explains Prof Steve Bevan, director of the Centre for Workforce Effectiveness at the Work Foundation.”The more sedentary you are the worse it is for your health.”

Early detection

Once symptoms do occur, we in the UK are slow to react. A two-year trial in Madrid showed that by assessing and treating 13,000 workers with MSKs who had been off for five days or more, their temporary work absence was reduced by 39% in the long term.  The Work Foundation estimates that more than 60,000 Britons would be available for work if the Madrid tactics were replicated in the UK.

However, even the more careful among us are at risk of MSKs, and the workplace may have little to do with it.

“People forget how common musculoskeletal problems are,” Prof Anthony Woolf, a rheumatologist at the Royal Cornwall Hospital. 

Indeed, alarm bells have been ringing for some time over the impact of musculoskeletal diseases.  In 2000, then-UN Secretary General Kofi Annan launched the Bone and Joint Decade at the World Health Organization in Switzerland, an initiative designed to reduce the number of MSKs around the globe.  Not much has changed since. A study by medical journal The Lancet,  Global Burden of Disease Study 2010 – published in 2012, found that musculoskeletal conditions were the second greatest cause of disability in the world, affecting over 1.7 billion people worldwide.

How can Acupuncture help?

MSK pain is generally seens as Qi/Xua Stagnation or Bi Syndrome which may be due to Injury/Trauma, Pathogenic Qi Invasion or disease within the ZangFu, all of which probably makes no sense to anyone not trained in Chinese Medicen so here is a quick overview:

Qi/Xua Stagnation – The rough translation here is Energy (Qi or Yang)/Blood (Xua or Yin) stagnation which basically means something has happened to stop the normal flow of the essential Qi and or Blood in an area of the body and is generally caused by injury/trauma.  This stagnation can lead to many different types of pain in any area of the body and if untreated can lead to disease within the ZangFu (Yin/Yang Organs) due to the impairment of natural energy flow.

Bi Syndrome – Painful Obstruction is a very difficult subject in Asian Medicine as it can cover any part of the body and is generally, but not always, connected with a pathogenic invasion of Qi (which in its self is a difficult concept for the western mind), but normally will have some of the following associated:

• Invasion of Wind, Cold and Damp or Wind, Heat and Damp in the Meridians
• Weakness of the body due to Yang Deficiency
• Qi and Blood Deficiencies due to childbirth or long term illness causing Wei Qi Deficiency
• Overstraining, hence weakening the body
• A Yang excess constitution, a Yin Deficient constitution or long standing Wind-Cold-Damp, stagnation may turn into Heat Bi

Disease within the ZangFu – ZangFu translates as Yin/Yang Organs within the body.  If the ZangFu are diseased then then the energy within the meridians will not flow correctly and this may lead to Qi/Xua stagnation and hence pain.

With all the above I would used a combination of Acupuncture, Moxibustion, Tui Na Massage or Acupressure and Qi Gong exercise, depending on the exact diagnosis I may use Fire Cupping and I would hope to see improvement in 4 to 6 sessions.

Here are some fact sheets related to MSK conditions:

• Sciatica
• Sports Injuries
• Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)
• Osteoarthritis
• Fibromyalgia
• Facial pain or temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder
• Persistent (chronic) pain
• Back Pain

Its also worth noting that you can have treatment and continue with your pain medication until such time as you agree with your Doctor that you can reduce or stop however you should always tell your Acupuncturist all the medication you are taking.

If you would like to speak to me or arrange an appointment please contact me

Tai Chi for patients with Parkinson’s disease

http://jhsacupuncture.co.uk/tai-chi-balance-patients-parkinsons-disease

There have been, for some time now, reports that Tai Chi has a positive effect for people who suffer from Parkinson's disease and from a teaching perspective I can understand how this would be true but I wanted to see if there was any peer reviewed literature that would support this.

So here are a few articles I have found that provide some quantatitive evidence to the positive effects that Tai Chi can bring to people with Parkinson's disease.

Effects of Tai Chi on balance and fall prevention in Parkinson's disease: a randomized controlled trial.

A Chinese research team has found that Tai Chi can improve balance and decrease fall risks in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Seventy-six patients with PD took part in 60 minutes of Tai Chi form three times a week for 12 weeks. The control group received no intervention.

The balance of subjects in the TC group was found to improve more than those in the control group.

During six-month follow-up, eight (21.6%) patients in the Tai Chi group experienced falls, compared to 19 (48.7%) patients in the control group.

Effects of Tai Chi on balance and fall prevention in Parkinson's disease: a randomized controlled trial. Clinical Rehabilitation 2014 Feb 11th.

 

Tai Chi Exercise can Improve the Obstacle Negotiating Ability of People with Parkinson's Disease: A Preliminary Study.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of Tai Chi based exercise on dynamic postural control during obstacle negotiation by subjects with mild or moderate Parkinson's disease (PD).

Twelve subjects (mean age, 65.3±6.1?years) diagnosed with idiopathic PD were enrolled for this study.

All the subjects were tested a week before and 12 weeks after the initiation of the TC exercise. In the test, they were instructed to negotiate an obstacle from the position of quiet stance at a normal speed. They were trained with TC exercise that emphasized multidirectional shift in weight bearing from bilateral to unilateral support, challenging the postural stability, three times per week for 12 weeks.

Center of pressure (COP) trajectory variables before and after TC exercise were measured using two force plates.

A comparison of the results between pre- and post-intervention showed a statistically significant improvement in anteroposterior and mediolateral displacement of COP.

Twelve weeks of TC exercise may be an effective and safe form of stand-alone behavioral intervention for improving the dynamic postural stability of patients with PD.

Journal of Physical Therapy Science 2014 Jul;26(7):1025-30. doi: 10.1589/jpts.26.1025. Epub 2014 Jul 30.

 

 

Tai Chi for improvement of motor function, balance and gait in Parkinson's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Recently, several studies assessed the effectiveness of Tai Chi for Parkinson's disease (PD), but the role of Tai Chi in the management of PD remained controversial. Therefore, the purpose of this systematic review is to evaluate the evidence on the efficacy of Tai Chi for PD.

Six English and Chinese electronic databases, up to April 2014, were searched to identify relevant studies. The risk of bias in eligible studies was assessed by Cochrane Collaboration's tools. The primary outcomes were motor function, balance and gait in individuals with PD. Standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of random-effect model were calculated. And heterogeneity was assessed based on the I2 statistic.

7 randomized controlled trials and 1 non-randomized controlled trial were eligible. 

The aggregated results suggested that Tai Chi showed beneficial effects in improving motor function (SMD, -0.57; 95% CI -1.11 to -0.04; p?=?0.03), balance (SMD, 1.22; 95% CI 0.80 to 1.65; p<0.00001) and functional mobility (SMD, 1.06; 95% CI 0.68 to 1.44; p<0.00001) in patients with PD, but not in improving gait velocity (SMD, -0.02; 95% CI -0.58 to 0.54; p?=?0.94), step length (SMD, -0.00; 95% CI -0.57 to 0.56; p?=?0.99), or gait endurance (SMD, 0.53; 95% CI -0.07 to 1.12; p?=?0.08). Comparing with other active therapies, however, Tai Chi only showed better effects in improving balance (SMD, 0.74; 95% CI 0.38 to 1.10; p<0.0001).

Tai Chi should be a valid complementary and alternative therapy for PD, especially in improving motor function and balance. However, more studies with long follow-up are warrant to confirm the current finding of Tai Chi for PD.

Public Library of Scienc One. 2014 Jul 21;9(7):e102942. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0102942

For the full article click here

Therapeutic effects of Tai Chi in patients with Parkinson's disease

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of a 12-week program of therapeutic Tai Chi on the motor function and physical function of idiopathic Parkinson's disease patients (PDs).

The participants were 22 clinically stable PDs in Hoehn-Yahr stages 1-2 randomly assigned to a therapeutic Tai Chi group (TTC, N = 11) or a control group (CON, N = 9). Two subjects in control group did not complete the study for personal reasons. Tai Chi was performed three days a week (60?min/session). Motor symptoms by the UPDRS were assessed, and tests of physical function were administered before and after the 12-week trial.

The Tai Chi group, as compared to the control group, showed changes in the mentation, behavior, mood, and motor scales of the UPDRS (P < 0.05, P < 0.01, resp.), with no significant main effects on the activities of daily living scale (ADL).

However, there was a significant interaction between the time and intervention group on ADL (P < 0.05). There were no significant main effects for any of the physical function variables. There were significant interaction effects in balance and agility (P < 0.05, resp.). Conclusions.

This study showed that TTC training had modest positive effects on the functional status of Parkinson's disease patients.

ISRN Neurology. 2013 Oct 31;2013:548240. doi: 10.1155/2013/548240

 

Tai Chi classes are run at the Hope Centre on Monday and Friday click here for more details

Treating Sciatica with Acupuncture and Acupressure (Tui Na)

http://jhsacupuncture.co.uk/treating-sciatica-acupuncture-acupressure

One of the most common complaints I see in my clinic is Sciatica and Sciatic type pain.  Generally patients will present when they are unsatisfied by the progress they are making with Western Medical treatment or they wish to reduce the amount of pain medication they are taking.  My rule of thumb is that you should see a good reduction in pain within 4 to 6 sessions at my clinic but you must continue with any medical advice or treatment unless you talk to your Doctor first.

Sciatica is generally used as a catch all term for a set of  symptoms  that can include; pain, which can be caused by general compression or irritation of one of five spinal nerve roots of each sciatic nerve or by compression or irritation of the left or right or both sciatic nerves leading to  lower back pain, buttock pain, and numbness, pain or weakness in various parts of the leg and foot, a “pins and needles” sensation, or tingling and difficulty moving or controlling the leg, numbness, muscle weakness and loss of tendon reflexes.

Typically, symptoms only manifest on one side of these body but can be on both sides in some cases and typically the pain will radiate above the knee, but every person will exhibit a unique set of presentations.

When you attend my clinic you will first have a full medical history taken and then I will ask a number of diagnostic questions and I will look at your tongue, take your pulse and palpate the area involved (please wear lose clothing).  I will then discuss with you my diagnosis and findings and hopefully answer any questions you have.  With your agreement we will start the treatment which will most likely included Tui Na (acupressure) massage, heat (either with a TDP Lamp or Moxa/Moxibustion) and Acupuncture, all of which is included in the first consultation and should last about 90 minuets.

In Traditional East Asian Medicine sciatica can have many causes  but it is most likely related  or caused by an imbalance to one of the zang-fu organs or meridians or an invasion of one of the six pathogenic factors into the body, meridians or organs.  No matter what the underlying cause I will try to give you an explanation that you understand and feel free to ask any questions.

Serious pain in your life has many consequences to your mood, sleep, family life, work and appetite and the sooner you get some relief the better, and don’t get me wrong I think that oral pain medication can have a dramatic effect on pain and its power should not be underestimated or ignored.  Your Doctor has your best interests at heart and will use the tools the tools they have to help you but in some cases it will not help, just as in some cases my treatments may not help, there is no guarantee but my clinical experience is that the majority of patients will see a reduction in their levels of pain over the first few sessions.

If you would like to make an appointment or to discuss your condition please don’t hesitate to contact me.

For the up to date research on this subject please see the BAcC (British Acupuncture Council) website here.

How acupuncture can help

There is now a body of research to show that acupuncture is significantly better than no treatment and also at least as good, if not better than, standard medical care for back pain.  There is less specific research on acupuncture for sciatica, but there is evidence to suggest that it may provide some pain relief (Wang 2009, Chen 2009, Inoue 2008, Wang 2004).

Acupuncture can help relieve back pain and sciatica by:

• stimulating nerves located in muscles and other tissues, which leads to release of endorphins and other neurohumoral factors, and changes the processing of pain in the brain and spinal cord (Pomeranz 1987, Zhao 2008).
• reducing inflammation, by promoting release of vascular and immunomodulatory factors (Kavoussi 2007, Zijlstra 2003).
• improving muscle stiffness and joint mobility by increasing local microcirculation (Komori 2009), which aids dispersal of swelling.
• causing a transient change in sciatic nerve blood flow, including circulation to the cauda equine and nerve root. This response is eliminated or attenuated by administration of atropine, indicating that it occurs mainly via cholinergic nerves (Inoue 2008).
• influencing the neurotrophic factor signalling system, which is important in neuropathic pain (Dong 2006).
• increasing levels of serotonin and noradrenaline, which can help reduce pain and speed nerve repair (Wang 2005).
• improving the conductive parameters of the sciatic nerve (Zhang 2005).
• promoting regeneration of the sciatic nerve (La 2005)

Acupuncture as a treatment for back pain

http://jhsacupuncture.co.uk/acupuncture-as-a-treatment-for-back-pain

Acupuncture as a treatment for back pain

Most people will suffer from back pain at some point in their lives, it’s the UK’s leading cause of disability and one of the main reasons for work-related sickness absence in the UK affecting more than 1.1 million people in the UK, with 95% of patients suffering from problems affecting the lower back costing the NHS and community care services more than £1 billion each year*.

Most lower back pain is caused not by serious damage or disease, but by sprains, muscle strains, minor injuries, or a pinched or irritated nerve. It can also occur during pregnancy, or because of stress, viral infection or a kidney infection.

Can acupuncture can help?

Research has demonstrated that acupuncture is significantly better than no treatment and at least as good as (if not better than) standard medical care for back pain.  Acupuncture appears to be particularly useful as an addition to conventional care especially in  patients with more severe symptoms and for those wishing to avoid analgesic or pain management drugs. There is some evidece to suggest that it may help back pain in pregnancy and I have certainly seen evidence within my clinic to substantiate this.

Acupuncture can help back pain by:

• Providing pain relief – by stimulating nerves located in muscles and other tissues, acupuncture leads to release of endorphins and other neurohumoral factors and changes the processing of pain in the brain and spinal cord
• Reducing inflammation – by promoting release of vascular and immunomodulatory factors
• Improving muscle stiffness and joint mobility – by increasing local microcirculation, which aids dispersal of swelling and bruising.
• Reducing the use of medication for back complaints
• Providing a more cost-effective treatment over a longer period of time
• Improving the outcome when added to conventional treatments such as rehabilitation exercises
• The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines on best practice now recommend that GPs offer a course of 10 sessions of acupuncture as a first line treatment for persistent, non-specific low back pain*

*National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence clinical guideline 88 – Low back pain.www.nice.org.uk/CG88

Here are some articles on this subject:

There was an interesting article in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) regarding acupuncture for lower back pain, you can read the full article here.

National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) – Effectiveness of acupuncture and standard care for pregnant women with lower back pain 

Acupuncture News March/April 2014

I thought I would start a monthly round up of Acupuncture News from around the world, or as much as I can find, so here it is:

http://jhsacupuncture.co.uk/acupuncture-news-april-2014

Chinese medicine could become available on the NHS

Jeremy Hunt indicates that health service may look at integrating traditional Chinese cures with Western medical techniques.  The Health Secretary indicated that the health service could look at integrating traditional Chinese medicines with Western medical techniques.

See the articles in the Telegraph and the Daily Mail

*Note:  Some observers suggest that using Chinese medicine could add to the pressure on endangered species and this is entirely correct, but there are herbal alternatives that does not use animal organs and these should be embraced by any herbal practitioner.  There is also a worry about impurities in herbal medicine and I can totally appreciate this, I have see the quality of some herbs that are offered in high street chains and some private clinics and I would not touch them with a barge pole.  This is why I practice 4 of the 5 branches of Chinese Medicine namely Acupuncture, Massage, Qi Gong and Tai Chi and I do not practice herbal remedies.  If you do take herbal remedies make sure your practitioner is properly qualified, regulated and insured.

Using traditional acupuncture to help manage diabetes

Source: Diabetes update
Date/Issue: Spring 2014

Using traditional acupuncture to help manage diabetes
Complementary therapies can support a patient in dealing with long-term conditions such as Type 2 diabetes. Mark Bovey, Research Manager of the British Acupuncture Council, explains what acupuncture has to offer to someone with diabetes and shares the experiences of some patients who have benefited from this traditional practice.

See the full pdf article here

Tried and tested: acupuncture at The Seven Heavens Clinic, Finsbury Park

Source: wahanda
Date/Issue: 06 March 2014

Tried and tested: acupuncture at The Seven Heavens Clinic, Finsbury Park.  Prickly as it might sound, acupuncture is steadily becoming one of the most popular and talked about ways to relax the mind, body and soul, with a whopping 2.3 million acupuncture treatments carried out each year in the UK.

Read the full item on the wahanda website

Couch potato culture

New study by British Acupuncture Council shows risk in back pain epidemic caused by unhealthy habits and sedentary lifestyles

See the full article here

Well that’s the round up of all the news, hope your all well and happy

Jason