Alternative therapies in health and medicine
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Altern Ther Health Med · Mar 2018
Analgesic Effects of Diluted Bee Venom Acupuncture Mediated by δ-Opioid and α2-Adrenergic Receptors in Osteoarthritic Rats.
Context • Pain from osteoarthritis is associated with peripheral nociception and central pain processing. Given the unmet need for innovative, effective, and well-tolerated therapies, many patients, after looking for more satisfactory alternatives, decide to use complementary and alternative modalities. The analgesic mechanism of subcutaneous injections of diluted bee venom into an acupoint is thought to be part of an anti-inflammatory effect and the central modulation of pain processing. ⋯ The analgesic effects of the BVA were not decreased by the antagonist pretreatments for the μ- or κ-opioid receptors or for the α1- or β-adrenergic receptors. The ST-36-BVA-induced analgesia was inhibited by the antagonist pretreatments for the δ-opioid receptor and the α2-adrenergic receptor. Conclusion • The ST-36 BVA treatment exerted an analgesic effect on CIOA-induced pain through the partial involvement of the δ-opioid and α2-adrenergic receptors.
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Altern Ther Health Med · Mar 2018
Potential Facilitators and Barriers to Awareness of N-of-1 Trials for Physicians in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Context • N-of-1 trials are multiple crossover trials with randomized and blinded methods, conducted with a single participant to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a therapy. They can be a helpful tool for enriching clinical research for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), but the approach has gained little traction in TCM. Information is needed before supporters of the trials can pursue a change to that status. ⋯ Conclusions • The results highlight the possible interest of TCM clinicians in the methods of N-of-1 trials; meanwhile, the study's data stress the need for appropriate medical education and recommendations based on available evidence. Further efforts in the area should emphasize the benefits for patients and funders. The training is necessary in TCM clinical practice to improve the evidence quality of studies on TCM.