The effect of plantain syrup on heavy menstrual bleeding: A randomized triple blind clinical trial.

Given the importance of heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB), we investigated the effect of plantain syrup on HMB. This randomized clinical trial was performed on 68 women with HMB who were referred to the traditional medicine clinics of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. The intervention group received placebo capsule and plantain syrup, whereas the control group received mefenamic acid capsule and placebo syrup in the first 5 days of menstruation for three menstruation cycles. Patients were asked to complete pictorial blood assessment chart one cycle before the intervention and three intervention cycles. Hemoglobin was measured at the beginning and at the end of the study. The results showed that the bleeding duration and severity diminished in both groups. No significant difference was observed between two groups in severity of bleeding after intervention (Cohen's d = .24), but duration of bleeding in mefenamic acid group was reduced significantly in comparison with plantain group (Cohen's d = .57). Although mean hemoglobin alterations in mefenamic acid group had a significant difference before and after the intervention, there was no significant difference between the two groups in mean hemoglobin alterations postintervention. Plantain syrup could be suggested as a complementary treatment for HMB, but further studies are required.

Effect of a functional food (vegetable soup) on blood rheology in patients with polycythemia.

OBJECTIVE: Key hemorheological variables are associated with several life-threatening diseases including cardio-cerebro-vascular diseases. A diet can influence the blood rheological variables. To compare the effectiveness of a vegetable soup on blood viscosity (BV), hematocrit (Hct), plasma fibrinogen, lipid profile, fasting blood sugar (FBS), and blood osmolarity in patients with polycythemia in comparison to a control group. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This randomized controlled trial study was conducted at Isar health clinics in Mashhad, Iran, during a 7-month period. Forty male participants (35 to 60 years old) with polycythemia, but without underlying diseases, were included. They randomly assigned to two groups and either received diet/phlebotomy or phlebotomy alone, for 6 weeks. The data were analyzed by SPSS version 16 using parametric tests. RESULTS: A significant reduction in BV at 30s (p ≤ 0.001), BV at 40s (p ≤ 0.001), BV at 50s (p ≤ 0.001), Hct (p ≤ 0.001), plasma fibrinogen (p ≤ 0.001), total cholesterol (p<0.01), LDL-cholesterol (p<0.01), VLDL-cholesterol (p ≤ 0.001), HDL-cholesterol (p ≤ 0.01), osmolarity (p ≤ 0.001), and FBS (p ≤ 0.001) was observed in diet recipients. Following the intervention, there was a significant decrease in triglyceride (intervention group, p<0.05; control group, p<0.05), in both groups. CONCLUSION: This trial showed that the plant-based food used in this study could improve blood rheology.

Effect of diet on blood viscosity in healthy humans: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Increased whole blood viscosity is associated with increased risk of morbidity and mortality of several life-threatening diseases, including cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. The effect of diet on human health has been indicated in many studies, and a health dietary pattern can reduce the incidence of several chronic diseases. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this systematic review was to assess the effect of diet on blood viscosity and related parameters such as haematocrit (HCT). METHODS: This systematic review was carried out in 2017. MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched from inception to 2 May 2017. We selected and included randomized clinical trials (RCTs) in the study. The inclusion criteria were articles that describe the effect of any types of local and traditional diet on blood viscosity in apparently healthy individuals. RESULTS: Three randomized controlled trials were included in this systematic review. Different diets were used in the included trials. In one study, ingested dried-bonito broth (DBB) for four weeks, significantly reduced the blood passage time in the intervention group from 55.4±3.4 to 47.6±2.0 sec (mean ± SEM, p<0.05) compared with no significant change in the placebo group. Another study has shown significantly increased blood fluidity score in a vegetarian group in contrast to the control group after six weeks. In the last study, plasma viscosity was significantly decreased in a group which used onion-olive-oil capsules compared to the placebo group, with a highly significant difference between the two groups (p=0.0015). CONCLUSIONS: Our components of food diets may decrease blood viscosity in health status. Better and expanded methodology may improve our results.

Effect of Persian Medicine Remedy on Chemotherapy Induced Nausea and Vomiting in Breast Cancer: A Double Blind, Randomized, Crossover Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is a side effect, and has negative effect on quality of life and continuation of chemotherapy. Despite new regimen and drugs, the problems still remain and standard guidelines, effective treatment and supportive care for refractory CINV are still not yet established. Persian medicine, the old Iranian medical school, offer Persumac (prepared from Rhus Coriaria and Bunium Persicum Boiss). OBJECTIVE: The specific objectives were to assess the effect of Persumac on the number and severity of nausea and vomiting in refractory CINV in acute and delayed phase. METHODS: This randomized, double blind, crossover clinical trial study was carried out on 93 patients with breast cancer and refractory CINV, who received outpatient high emetogenic chemotherapy in Imam Reza hospital, Mashhad, Iran from October 2015 to May 2016. The study has three stages: in stage I patients received a questionaire and completed it after chemotherapy. In stage II they were randomly divided into intervention group with Persumac and control group with placebo (lactose were used). In stage III, wash out and crossover was conducted. Both groups in all stages received standard antiemetic therapy for CINV. The following were set as the inclusion criteria of the study: female, Age ≥18 years, clinical diagnosis of breast cancer, history of refractory CINV, normal blood tests and at least three courses of chemotherapy remaining. Exclusion criteria of this study were: Total or upper abdominal radiation therapy along with chemotherapy, drugs/therapy for nausea and vomiting not prescribed in this study, hypersensitivity to Sumac or Bunium Persicum, use of sumac and Bunium Persicum in seven days prior to the intervention, clinical diagnosis of digestion disorders, non-chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting, milk allergy, loss of two consecutive or three intermittent doses of Persumac or placebo. Outcomes were gathered by Persian questionnaire. Number and severity of nausea and vomiting was measured with a self-reporting tool; visual analog scale. RESULTS: Demographic data and other characters in both groups have no significant diffrence. Eighty of 93 eligible patients in stage I completed the study and in stage II, eleven declined participation for stage III (crossover). P value of carry over, period and treatment effects demonstrated that they had not affected the results before and after crossover. The mean severity of nausea in acute phase was in stage I: 4.83 ± 1.40, stage II: 4.54 ± 2.0 and stage III: 4.15 ± 0.92 in sequence AB (first Persumac and then placebo in crossover), and in sequence BA (first placebo and then Persumac in crossover) was respectively 4.83 ± 1.40, 4.54 ± 2.0, 4.15 ± 0.92 with p value of carry over effect: 0.03 and period effect: 0.22. Except for severity of nausea in acute phase, the mean number and severity of nausea and vomiting scores significantly decreased in acute and delayed phase of CINV. CONCLUSION: Persumac may control the refractory CINV. The implicable and clinical importance of this research is that another option exists for refractory CINV. Higher doses, different cancers, patients with more various features, and more complete methodology and tools can provide appropriate designs for new research on this topic. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was registered at the Clinical Trials.gov ID: NCT02787707. FUNDING: This study is part of a Ph.D. thesis and under grant; No: 930735 of Research Chancellery of MUMS.

Nausea and vomiting in Iranian Traditional Medicine based on Avicenna's viewpoint.

BACKGROUND: Nausea and vomiting decrease one's quality of life significantly, and, despite various treatments, they are still uncontrollable, especially in acute illness. Perhaps it would be useful to search for new concepts and therapies for dealing with these issues at other medical schools. The aim of this research was to elucidate the causes of nausea and vomiting in Iranian Traditional Medicine (ITM) based on Avicenna's viewpoint in The Book of "Canon of medicine". METHODS: We reviewed the Canon of Medicine and other reference textbooks of ITM to get the experts' viewpoints, such as Kamel-al-Sanaeh, Al-Havi, and Zakhireh-kharazmshahi, and we searched PubMed, Scopus, Embase, ISI and Science Iranian Database (SID) in November and December 2014 using keywords. RESULTS: Basic terms associated with nausea and vomiting in ITM are Gha'y (vomiting), Tahavo'a (retching), Gathayan (nausea), and Taghallob-al-nafs (continuous nausea). Different factors can induce these problems with direct or indirect change in the quantity/quality of humors in the body's systems or the stomach. Treatments are based on the correction of humors and modifications of lifestyle. ITM has recommended medicinal herbs for severe nausea and vomiting. For example, they may be effective in treating chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). CONCLUSION: ITM suggests that almost the nausea and vomiting associated with almost all major diseases originate from abnormalities in either the quantity/quality of humors. The gold standard for managing nausea and vomiting is lifestyle modifications with attention to responsible humors. Some therapeutic protocols in ITM may be applicable today. Perhaps redefining the diseases and updating the expression of these concepts and approaches can lead to the development of complementary and alternative treatments for nausea and vomiting.