Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine

To investigate the anticancer activities of Chinese leek (Allium tuberosum Rottler; [CL]).

Fresh CL was extracted and reconstituted in phosphate-buffered saline. The in vitro antiproliferation activities of the extract were tested with two murine cancer cell lines and four human cancer cell lines. The in vivo anticancer effects were tested in C57BL mice with lung metastases of B16-F10 melanoma. The mice were inoculated with B16-F10 melanoma cells by intravenous (IV) injection on day 1. CL extract was given on days 6–8 by either IV injection or oral gavage. The lung metastases were examined on day 16.

The extract inhibited the in vitro growth of all six cancer cell lines studied. The dose-response curves were sigmoidal with IC₅₀ (50% inhibition concentrations) in the range of 2.5–13.0 mg of raw material per milliliter for the six cancer cell lines. At the CL concentration of 8–100 mg of raw material per milliliter, all the cells underwent apoptosis, and no live cells were left after being exposed to CL for 4–6 hours. Typical apoptosis-specific cell morpholog changes were observed under a microscope. The induction of cancer cell apoptosis by CL extract was further verified by the DNA ladder assay. Treatment with a daily oral dose of the extract (equivalent to 2.5 or 12.5 mg of raw material per gram of body weight) reduced the B16-F10 melanoma lung metastatic colonies in mice by 40% (p < 0.03). IV injection of the extract (equivalent to 1.25 or 6.25 mg of raw material per gram of body weight) did not show any effect.

CL extract inhibited cancer cell growth and induced apoptosis in vitro. Oral administration of CL extract significantly reduced lung metastases in the present animal model.

To evaluate the potential of using tea extracts as complementary mouthwash and to test the comparative efficacy of two commercial samples.

A randomized controlled trial with 30 healthy human volunteers was carried out. The subjects were randomly assigned to 5 groups of 6 subjects per group. The ability of Ndu tea^® (from Cameroon) and Lipton^® tea (from Nigeria) to reduce colony forming units (CFU) in the liquid expectorated after 60 seconds of gargling from the mouth of the volunteers at 5 and 60 minutes were evaluated. These were compared to the values obtained from bank water and Minty Brett^® (thymol 0.047%), a standard antiseptic.

University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria.

Thirty healthy human volunteers (18 males and 12 females, between 22–30 years of age) who met the eligibility requirement of being nonsmokers and not taking any other antimicrobial agent were selected for the study.

Relative to the bank water, the results indicated that the hot water extract of both teas significantly (p < 0.05) reduced CFU per milliliter in the liquid expectorated after gargling at both 5 and 60 minutes. Minty Brett showed higher activity than both tea extracts; however, unlike Minty Brett both extracts still reduced the CFU per milliliter at time 60 minutes (an indication of longer duration of activity). The combination of the tea extracts with sodium lauryl sulfate (1.2% w/v), a surfactant and emulsifier, significantly increased the antimicrobial activity relative to each tea alone. Comparatively, the activity of Ndu tea was found to be slightly higher than that of Lipton tea but this was not significant (p < 0.05).

Lipton and Ndu tea extracts potently reduced the CFU per milliliter. This activity was potentiated by sodium lauryl sulfate. Although Minty Brett had more potent antimicrobial activity, both tea extracts have longer duration of activity. The results indicate the potential usefulness of tea extracts as a complementary mouthwash.

The aim of this study was to describe the knowledge and practices of traditional healers in relation to the management of patients with urethral/vaginal discharge.

Eighty (80) traditional healers, 54 from an urban and 26 from a rural setting in Zambia, who attend to patients with urethral/vaginal discharge, were interviewed using a semistructured questionnaire.

All of the traditional healers had knowledge of urethral/vaginal discharge being a symptom of a sexually transmitted disease (STD) and that individuals get the infection through sexual relations with infected persons. The healers were all able to cite other symptoms associated with urethral/vaginal discharge. The treatment the healers used was mostly herbal preparations in the form of roots or powders administered orally to induce diarrhea, vomiting, and diuresis. Patients were not allowed to combine traditional and biomedical therapies. Almost half of the healers did apply some biomedical practices in the management of patients with urethral/vaginal discharge, such as history taking and examination of patients before diagnosis and prescription. The healers also advised patients to avoid sex while on treatment and to avoid reinfection by remaining with one partner and using condoms. Some healers advised their patients to bring their sexual partners for consultation.

Because traditional healers attend to patients with STDs, both in rural and urban areas, efforts should be made to promote cooperation between traditional and biomedical health care providers, so that treatment of patients and their partners could be improved. Traditional management that concurs with biomedical practices could thus be a starting point for discussion and cooperation.

The purpose of this study was to make a preliminary assessment of the botánica as a culturally appropriate health care option for Latinos in the United States.

Closed-ended interviews were carried out using a questionnaire with 26 customers of a botánica located in a primarily urban Mexican American community in the United States.

Sample gender was predominantly female with an average age of 38 years and income in the range of $15,000–$29,999 per year. Most participants were married (16), had children (17), and most (22) had formal education. Products purchased at the botánica included herbs, religious amulets, and other products. Although botánicas are commonly believed to provide remedies only for folk illnesses, the participants in this study reported seeking remedies primarily for somatic illnesses.

The respondents used the services of conventional health care providers interchangeably with the botánica, making the botánica an important health care resource for Latinos in the United States. Further research should be carried out to better understand the role of botánicas in health care delivery.