Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use among Physicians in Oriental Medicine Hospitals in Vietnam: A Hospital-Based Survey

Attitudes toward herbal medicine for COVID-19 in healthcare workers: A cross-sectional observational study

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has adversely affected working life all over the world, and the employees with the highest risk of transmission have been those in the health sector. Since there are currently no effective treatments for COVID-19, there have been numerous attempts to find alternative treatments for both the spread of the infection and its treatment. These efforts have included the use of herbal extracts to boost immunity and reduce the likelihood of contracting the infection. This study explored the attitudes of healthcare workers toward the consumption of COVID-19 herbal medicine (HM) products. This is an online, cross-sectional observational study. In total, 1335 participants were reached. It was observed that 722 (54%) of them preferred herbal treatments during the pandemic period. The attitudes of HM toward 327 (45.3%) healthcare workers and 395 (54.7%) general population participants were examined. Both groups had high rates of use of HM as a COVID-19 preventive measure (68.8 percent and 67.1 percent, respectively). While its use was higher among healthcare workers during infection (OR: 2.00, 95% CI: 1.32-3.03), its use was higher in the non-healthcare group for post-COVID problems (OR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.35-0.74). The opinion of healthcare professionals was that HM was more efficient (OR: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.19-21.15). All participants' main incentive to utilize HM was family advice (n = 194, 26.9%). A total of 90 (12.4%) participants reported side effects. Vomiting-nausea were the most typical adverse effects (38.9%). The herb most frequently utilized was ginger (54%). Healthcare workers use HM at rates that are the same as those of the general population. Both its use during infections and the idea that it is effective are more common among healthcare professionals than in the general population.

The Hexane Fraction of Bursera microphylla A. Gray Induces p21-Mediated Anti-Proliferative and Pro-Apoptotic Effects in Human Cancer-Derived Cell Lines

Bursera microphylla (BM), one of the common elephant trees, is widely distributed in the Sonoran Desert in Mexico. The Seri ethnic group in the Sonoran Desert uses BM as an anti-inflammatory and painkiller drug for the treatment of sore throat, herpes labialis, abscessed tooth, and wound healing. Dried stems and leaves of BM are used in a tea to relieve painful urination and to stimulate bronchial secretion. Furthermore, BM is used for fighting venereal diseases. To investigate the effects of the hexane fraction of resin methanol extract (BM-H) on cell growth, the acute myeloid cell line (OCI-AML3) was treated with 250, 25, or 2.5 µg/mL of BM-H. The first 2 concentrations were able to significantly decrease OCI-AML3 cell number. This reduced cell number was associated with decreased S-phase, blockade of the G₂/M phase of the cell cycle, and increased cell death. Similar results were obtained on all tested tumor cell lines of different origins. We found that blockade of the cell cycle was due to upregulation of p21 protein in a p53-independent way. Increase of p21 was possibly due to upstream upregulation of p-ERK (which stabilizes p21 protein) and downregulation of p-38 (which promotes its degradation). Regarding cell death, activation of caspase-3, but not of caspase-8 or -9, was detectable after BM-H treatment. In conclusion, these data suggest that the BM’s hexane fraction inhibited proliferation of cell lines mainly by a p21-dependent, p53-independent mechanism and promoted apoptosis through activation of caspase-3, but not caspase-8 or -9.

The Hexane Fraction of Bursera microphylla A Gray Induces p21-Mediated Antiproliferative and Proapoptotic Effects in Human Cancer-Derived Cell Lines

Bursera microphylla (BM), one of the common elephant trees, is widely distributed in the Sonoran desert in Mexico. The Seri ethnic group in the Sonoran desert uses BM as an anti-inflammatory and painkiller drug for the treatment of sore throat, herpes labialis, abscessed tooth, and wound healing. Dried stems and leaves of BM are used in a tea to relieve painful urination and to stimulate bronchial secretion. Furthermore, BM is used for fighting venereal diseases. To investigate the effects of the hexane fraction of resin methanol extract (BM-H) on cell growth, the acute myeloid cell line (OCI-AML3) was treated with 250, 25, or 2.5 µg/mL of BM-H. The first 2 concentrations were able to significantly decrease OCI-AML3 cell number. This reduced cell number was associated with decreased S-phase, blockade of G₂/M phase of the cell cycle, and increased cell death. Similar results were obtained on all tested tumor cell lines of different origins. We found that blockade of the cell cycle was a result of upregulation of p21 protein in a p53-independent way. Increase of p21 was possibly a result of upstream upregulation of p-ERK (which stabilizes p21 protein) and downregulation of p-38 (which promotes its degradation). Regarding cell death, activation of caspase-3, but not of caspase-8 or -9, was detectable after BM-H treatment. In conclusion, these data suggest that BM-H inhibited proliferation of cell lines mainly by a p21-dependent, p53-independent mechanism and promoted apoptosis through activation of caspase-3 but not caspase-8 or -9.

Integration of Traditional and Western Medicine in Vietnamese Populations: A Review of Health Perceptions and Therapies

In Vietnam, two types of traditional medicine (TM) are practiced: thuoc nam, medicine of the South, and thuoc bac, medicine of the North, both of which are largely based on herbal drugs used by different Vietnamese ethnic groups. This review presents recently published information from various databases regarding TM, especially herbal drugs, and its integration with Western medical practices outside and inside Vietnam. We first discuss the integration of traditional and modern health concepts by Vietnamese immigrants living outside Vietnam. Next, we describe native and emigrated health education and practices of pharmacy students, health professionals, and citizens living in Vietnam. Finally, we report the recent biological validation of medicinal plants and non-herbal therapies emerging from Vietnamese TM and their current and potential medical uses as identified by Western approaches. The main example described here involves utilization of the tree Artocarpus tonkinensis by the ethnic minority of Black Hmong in northern Vietnam, who use a decoction of its leaves to treat arthritis and backache without apparent adverse effects. Our comprehensive review emphasizes that, although Vietnam has a very rich collection of TM practices (particularly the use of herbal drugs), these therapies should be biologically and clinically validated with modern Western methods for optimal integration of Western and traditional medicine in global populations.

The utilization of traditional, complementary and alternative medicine for non-communicable diseases and mental disorders in health care patients in Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam

BACKGROUND

The purpose of our study was to determine the prevalence of traditional, complementary and alternative medicine (TCAM) use in patients with chronic diseases in lower Mekong countries.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted in a health care setting using a random sample of 4799 adult patients (Mean age: 52.3 years, SD = 22.7) with chronic diseases in Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand. The measure included the International Questionnaire to measure usage of complementary and alternative medicine (I-CAM).

RESULTS

The 1 year prevalence of consulting TCAM providers was 26.0%; 27.0% in Cambodia, 26.3% in Thailand, 23.9% in Vietnam. The most commonly consulted TCAM providers were the herbalist (17.3%), massage therapist (6.0%), and acupuncturist (5.5%). For all different types of TCAM providers more than 80% of participants perceived the consultation as very or somewhat helpful. The own use of herbal medicine was 41.0%, own use of vitamins 26.5% and the own use of other supplements 9.7% in the past 12 months. The most common self-help practices in the past 12 months included praying for your own health (30.1%), meditation (13.9%) and relaxation techniques (9.9%). In multivariate logistic regression analyses, older age, rural residence and having two or more chronic conditions was associated with the use a TCAM provider; being female, urban residence, residing in Vietnam and having two or more chronic conditions was associated with the use of TCAM products; and being female, older age, rural residence, higher formal education, and residing in Cambodia was associated with the use of TCAM self-help practices.

CONCLUSIONS

TCAM use is common among chronic disease patients in lower Mekong countries and is associated with several sociodemographic and disease specific factors.