Complementary and Integrative Medicine in Pancreatic Cancer.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Pancreatic cancer has high mortality and morbidity rates, associated with the issues of typically late diagnosis and the limited effectiveness of current treatments. Patients tend to experience multiple symptoms that can include anxiety, fear, depression, fatigue, weakness, peripheral neuropathy, and abdominal pain, which reduce quality of life (QoL) and may compromise the treatment continuum. Many of those symptoms are amenable to complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) therapies as a part of supportive and palliative care. This article reviews research findings on the beneficial effect of use of CIM modalities in regard to pancreatic cancer, with emphasis on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). RECENT FINDINGS: Given the often-poor prognosis of the disease, patients with PDAC often seek integrative therapies to help manage the disease itself, to provide support through cancer treatment and its symptoms, and to provide emotional stress relief. Data is accumulating in the past few years on the potential benefits of CIM to the management of pancreatic cancer symptoms and treatment side effects, in order to augment supportive care. This data reveal that nutrition counselling; digestive enzyme therapy; microbiome support; dietary supplements; lifestyle interventions (physical activity and circadian health/sleep hygiene) appear to improve QoL of these patients through reduced symptom burden and meeting psychological needs, such as distress and fatigue. Acupuncture, mindfulness, yoga, reflexology, massage, and homeopathy may also contribute to symptom reduction, both physical and psychological, in all stages of the disease. There is supporting evidence that some CIM modalities may alleviate side effects and symptoms related to pancreatic cancer and its treatment, suggesting that practitioners might consider integrating these modalities in certain situations encountered in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Further investigation is needed to define the optimal integration of CIM into the treatment and supportive care of patients affected by pancreatic cancer.

Uptake of Recommendations for Posttreatment Cancer-Related Fatigue Among Breast Cancer Survivors.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) and psychosocial interventions are recommended management strategies for cancer-related fatigue (CRF). Randomized trials support the use of mind-body techniques, whereas no data show benefit for homeopathy or naturopathy. METHODS: We used data from CANTO (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01993498), a multicenter, prospective study of stage I-III breast cancer (BC). CRF, evaluated after primary treatment completion using the EORTC QLQ-C30 (global CRF) and QLQ-FA12 (physical, emotional, and cognitive dimensions), served as the independent variable (severe [score of ≥40/100] vs nonsevere). Outcomes of interest were adherence to PA recommendations (≥10 metabolic equivalent of task [MET] h/week [GPAQ-16]) and participation in consultations with a psychologist, psychiatrist, acupuncturist, or other complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practitioner (homeopath and/or naturopath) after CRF assessment. Multivariable logistic regression examined associations between CRF and outcomes, adjusting for sociodemographic, psychologic, tumor, and treatment characteristics. RESULTS: Among 7,902 women diagnosed from 2012 through 2017, 36.4% reported severe global CRF, and 35.8%, 22.6%, and 14.1% reported severe physical, emotional, and cognitive CRF, respectively. Patients reporting severe global CRF were less likely to adhere to PA recommendations (60.4% vs 66.7%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.82; 95% CI, 0.71-0.94; P=.004), and slightly more likely to see a psychologist (13.8% vs 7.5%; aOR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.05-1.58; P=.014), psychiatrist (10.4% vs 5.0%; aOR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.10-1.76; P=.0064), acupuncturist (9.8% vs 6.5%; aOR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.17-1.82; P=.0008), or CAM practitioner (12.5% vs 8.2%; aOR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.23-1.82; P<.0001). There were differences in recommendation uptake by CRF dimension, including that severe physical CRF was associated with lower adherence to PA (aOR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.63-0.86; P=.0001) and severe emotional CRF was associated with higher likelihood of psychologic consultations (aOR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.06-1.79; P=.017). CONCLUSIONS: Uptake of recommendations to improve CRF, including adequate PA and use of psychosocial services, seemed suboptimal among patients with early-stage BC, whereas there was a nonnegligible interest in homeopathy and naturopathy. Findings of this large study indicate the need to implement recommendations for managing CRF in clinical practice.

Fibromyalgia: A Report of 2 Cases Treated With Homeopathy.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that is characterized by widespread pain and a multitude of other symptoms, including fatigue, sleep disturbances, cognitive dysfunction, stiffness, and depressive episodes. Fibromyalgia is most common in women, though it can occur in men as well. It most often starts in middle adulthood but can occur in the teen years and in old age. Fibromyalgia has also been termed central pain amplification disorder, meaning the volume of pain sensation in the brain is turned up too high. This study has been conducted to evaluate the role of homeopathic treatment in fibromyalgia, a chronic pain disorder which a physician may come across fairly commonly in their practice. Homeopathy has demonstrated great efficacy in mitigating the symptoms of widespread pain, sleep disturbance, and fatigue, which are the most commonly reported symptoms of fibromyalgia.

Determinants of use of oral complementary-alternative medicine among women with early breast cancer: a focus on cancer-related fatigue.

BACKGROUND: Despite the questionable effectiveness of oral complementary and alternative medicine (OCAM) in relieving cancer-related symptoms, including fatigue (CRF), many patients use it aiming to improve their quality of life. We assessed factors associated with OCAM use, focusing on CRF. METHODS: Women with stage I-III breast cancer (BC) were included from CANTO (NCT01993498). OCAM use was defined as taking homeopathy, vitamins/minerals, or herbal/dietary supplements. Multivariable multinomial logistic regressions evaluated associations of CRF (EORTC QLQ-C30), patient, and treatment characteristics with OCAM use. RESULTS: Among 5237 women, 23.0% reported OCAM use overall (49.3% at diagnosis, 50.7% starting post-diagnosis), mostly homeopathy (65.4%). Mean (SD) CRF score was 27.6 (24.0) at diagnosis and 35.1 (25.3) at post-diagnosis. More intense CRF was consistently associated with OCAM use at diagnosis and post-diagnosis [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for 10-point increase 1.05 (95% Confidence interval 1.01-1.09) and 1.04 (1.01-1.09) vs. never use, respectively]. Odds of using OCAM at diagnosis were higher among older [for 5-year increase, 1.09 (1.04-1.14)] and more educated patients [college vs. primary 1.80 (1.27-2.55)]. Women with income > 3000 [vs. < 1500 euros/month, 1.44 (1.02-2.03)], anxiety [vs. not, 1.25 (1.01-1.54)], and those receiving chemotherapy [vs. not, 1.32 (1.04-1.68)] had higher odds of using OCAM post-diagnosis. CONCLUSION: One-in-four patients reported use of OCAM. More severe CRF was consistently associated with its use. Moreover, older, better educated, wealthier, more anxious women, and those receiving chemotherapy seemed more prone to use OCAM. Characterizing profiles of BC patients more frequently resorting to OCAM may help deliver targeted information about its benefits and potential risks.

Cancer-Related Fatigue-Is There a Role for Complementary and Integrative Medicine?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review aims to assess recent data on possible effective and safe complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) modalities that can be of help to patients affected by cancer that suffer from cancer-related fatigue (CRF). RECENT FINDINGS: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is one of the most common, persistent, and challenging symptoms among cancer patients and survivors. Many world-leading cancer centers incorporate CIM into routine cancer care including integrating multiple approaches to address CRF. Approaches that are supported by clinical evidence on the use of CIM during and following conventional oncology treatments are being discussed in this review. The review suggests that some CIM modalities might have a potential role in alleviating cancer-related fatigue. These modalities include acupuncture, touch therapies, nutrition, nutritional supplements, stress reduction, homeopathy, and circadian rhythm management. Additional research is still needed to better support the process of integrating CIM into a routine approach to cancer-related fatigue.

Electronic Registration in Complementary/Homeopathic Medical Practice with Identification of 'Best Homeopathic Cases': A Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Practice-based registration could identify 'general' and 'homeopathic' prognostic factors for therapeutic success in patients who seek complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)/homeopathic treatment. Identification of 'best homeopathic cases' within a database could inform clinical research and improve homeopathic practice. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of registration in daily CAM/homeopathic practice, evaluate patient-reported outcome measures and tools for identifying 'best homeopathic cases' and to make recommendations for an electronic database. METHODS: In 2015 and 2016, 25 homeopathic doctors registered details of a maximum of 20 patients each, with 6 months of follow-up (extended follow-up for 'best homeopathic cases'), in Excel or in the Homeopathic Administration and Registration Program (HARP) database. Informed consent was obtained from each patient. Patient-perceived change of main complaint was measured by a 7-point Likert scale. Best homeopathic cases were defined by treatment with one homeopathic medicine, ≥ 2 months of follow-up, result score +2 to +4 on a 9-point Likert scale by the doctor, and by changes that could be attributed to the homeopathic medicine. Association between scores for change of main complaint and scores for 'best homeopathic case' was analysed by the Kruskal gamma test. RESULTS: Three-hundred and ninety-nine patients were included. In 49.1%, the main complaint was present for ≥ 2 years. The most common diagnosis was 'fatigue' (N = 56; 14%). Major improvement in the main complaint (score +3) was reported by 22 to 26% at consecutive follow-up visits. One-hundred and ninety-six patients were treated with a single homeopathic medicine, among whom 66 'best homeopathic cases' were identified. The correlation between patient-reported changes of main complaint and assessment by the doctor was significant (gamma = 0.832; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Registration of (co-)diagnoses, chronicity, treatments and outcomes in homeopathic practice with identification of 'best homeopathic cases' is feasible, using the tools provided. A user-friendly electronic database for efficient recording is recommended.

An N-of-1 Feasibility Study of Homeopathic Treatment for Fatigue in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Cancer-related fatigue has been described as a subjective feeling of physical, emotional, and/or cognitive tiredness. Homeopathy has been widely used to treat side effects of chemotherapy. The n-of-1 design is a single-patient trial method to study a clinical condition that is either short lived and reversible or is chronic and stable. The n-of-1 design requires a washout/reset period. The feasibility of performing an n-of-1 study in homeopathy has not previously been tested. METHODS: A feasibility n-of-1 trial of individualized homeopathic treatment for fatigue in a single adult undergoing chemotherapy administered periodically was performed. For each matched pair of treatments, the participant was randomly allocated either placebo or verum for the period between treatments. For the subsequent treatment period, the opposite allocation was given. Participant and practitioner were blinded to the allocation. Ongoing conventional treatments were permitted. The ability to recruit and retain was monitored and changes in fatigue and quality of life were measured using two validated outcome measures. RESULTS: Sixty-eight patients were assessed between February 2014 and February 2015. Four patients were eligible for the study and one consented to participate. The participant enrolled in the study for six cycles of chemotherapy and completed all treatment and outcome measures. There was no improvement under homeopathic treatment compared to placebo. There were multiple confounding events such as conventional medication changes and an adverse event unrelated to therapy. CONCLUSION: Adequate recruitment was not feasible in this setting. The n-of-1 study design is feasible in this population from the perspective of the ability to complete the trial. No conclusion on the efficacy of homeopathy for this individual can be made. It is unclear as to whether multiple treatments of chemotherapy would be an appropriate clinical situation in which to apply the n-of-1 trial methodology. Future studies should pilot adaptations to this study design.

A patient reported outcome measure in homeopathic clinical practice for long-term conditions.

BACKGROUND: This study was initiated as part of a quality improvement audit process to create standards around goal setting with our patients to understand and improve outcomes of homeopathic treatment. METHOD: We used the Measure Yourself Medical Outcome Profile (MYMOP2) as a tool to assist clinicians in setting the treatment goals across a wide range of diagnoses and other complaints in routine clinical practice at the Bristol Homeopathic Hospital. The data collected from the MYMOP2 is of significance in its own right and the results are now reported in this paper. RESULTS: A total of 198 patients with a wide range of complaints attended one to five consultations with 20 homeopathic doctors. Diagnostic categories were most commonly neoplasms (16.7%), psychological (13.9%) and genitourinary complaints (12.3%), with 66.7% suffering from these problems for at least one year. The three symptoms that bothered patients the most were pain, mental symptoms and tiredness/fatigue. A paired-samples t-test using an intention-to-treat analysis showed that the MYMOP2 profile score improved from 4.25 (IQR 3.50-5.00), with a mean change of 1.24 (95% CI 1.04, 1.44) from the first to the last consultation (p<0.001). Results were statistically significant both for completers (n=91) (p<0.001) and non-completers (n=107) (p<0.001) using last-observation-carried-forward, although completers did better than non-completers (p<0.001). The overall clinical significance of improvements was at least moderate. A repeated measures ANOVA test also showed statistically significant improvements (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The MYMOP2 results add to a growing body of observational data which demonstrates that when patients with long term conditions come under homeopathic care their presenting symptoms and wellbeing often improve. Offering a low cost high impact intervention to extend the range of choice to patients and to support self-care could be an important part of the NHS.

"They Sweat for Science": The Harvard Fatigue Laboratory and Self-Experimentation in American Exercise Physiology.

In many scientific fields, the practice of self-experimentation waned over the course of the twentieth century. For exercise physiologists working today, however, the practice of self-experimentation is alive and well. This paper considers the role of the Harvard Fatigue Laboratory and its scientific director, D. Bruce Dill, in legitimizing the practice of self-experimentation in exercise physiology. Descriptions of self-experimentation are drawn from papers published by members of the Harvard Fatigue Lab. Attention is paid to the ethical and practical justifications for self-experimentation in both the lab and the field. Born out of the practical, immediate demands of fatigue protocols, self-experimentation performed the long-term, epistemological function of uniting physiological data across time and space, enabling researchers to contribute to a general human biology program.

Classical homeopathy in the treatment of cancer patients--a prospective observational study of two independent cohorts.

BACKGROUND: Many cancer patients seek homeopathy as a complementary therapy. It has rarely been studied systematically, whether homeopathic care is of benefit for cancer patients. METHODS: We conducted a prospective observational study with cancer patients in two differently treated cohorts: one cohort with patients under complementary homeopathic treatment (HG; n = 259), and one cohort with conventionally treated cancer patients (CG; n = 380). For a direct comparison, matched pairs with patients of the same tumour entity and comparable prognosis were to be formed. Main outcome parameter: change of quality of life (FACT-G, FACIT-Sp) after 3 months. Secondary outcome parameters: change of quality of life (FACT-G, FACIT-Sp) after a year, as well as impairment by fatigue (MFI) and by anxiety and depression (HADS). RESULTS: HG: FACT-G, or FACIT-Sp, respectively improved statistically significantly in the first three months, from 75.6 (SD 14.6) to 81.1 (SD 16.9), or from 32.1 (SD 8.2) to 34.9 (SD 8.32), respectively. After 12 months, a further increase to 84.1 (SD 15.5) or 35.2 (SD 8.6) was found. Fatigue (MFI) decreased; anxiety and depression (HADS) did not change. CG: FACT-G remained constant in the first three months: 75.3 (SD 17.3) at t0, and 76.6 (SD 16.6) at t1. After 12 months, there was a slight increase to 78.9 (SD 18.1). FACIT-Sp scores improved significantly from t0 (31.0 - SD 8.9) to t1 (32.1 - SD 8.9) and declined again after a year (31.6 - SD 9.4). For fatigue, anxiety, and depression, no relevant changes were found. 120 patients of HG and 206 patients of CG met our criteria for matched-pairs selection. Due to large differences between the two patient populations, however, only 11 matched pairs could be formed. This is not sufficient for a comparative study. CONCLUSION: In our prospective study, we observed an improvement of quality of life as well as a tendency of fatigue symptoms to decrease in cancer patients under complementary homeopathic treatment. It would take considerably larger samples to find matched pairs suitable for comparison in order to establish a definite causal relation between these effects and homeopathic treatment.

[Effect of oviductus rana on alleviating physical fatigue in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of oviductus rana on the alleviation of physical fatigue in rats and their mechanisms. METHODS: 64 Kunming male rats were divided into 4 groups by random: the control group and 3 oviductus rana groups, 16 mice in each group. Oviductus rana homogenates at 1, 5 and 10 times of dosage used for the adults (6 g/60 kg BW) were given by gavage for the low, medium and high dose oviductus rana groups for 21 days. The rats in the control group were given normal saline by gavage. A loaded swimming test was carried on 8 rats of each group at one hour after the last gavage. The other 8 rats in each group were swimming for 30 minutes and blood, liver and muscle samples were taken after resting for 30 minutes. Blood sugar, blood urea nitrogen and blood lactic acid, hepatic glycogen and muscle glycogen were examined. RESULTS: The swimming time insisted in the loaded swimming test in oviductus rana groups was higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); the content of blood urea nitrogen and lactic acid in the oviductus rana groups was dropped and lower than the control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); the content of blood sugar, hepatic glycogen and muscle glycogen was raised and higher than the control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: There is an effect of Oviducts Rana on alleviating physical fatigue in mice.

Attention Dysregulation in Breast Cancer Patients Following a Complementary Alternative Treatment Routine: A Double-Blind Randomized Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Breast cancer patients and survivors frequently report fatigue, emotional, and cognitive disturbances, which reduce performance at all levels of occupation and make life quality issues a considerable clinical concern. The aim of this study is to evaluate attention and emotion regulation across radiotherapy period and the possible effects of complementary alternative medicine (CAM). METHODS: Fifty-seven patients with unilateral breast cancer underwent surgery and systemic chemotherapy before participating in this double-blind randomized study. Two thirds were given CAM (n = 38) while the rest received placebo (carrier only, n = 19). Patients' attention and anxiety were physiologically tested at baseline, 2 and 4 weeks during the radiation period as well as 1-month after the end of radiation session. RESULTS: Both groups showed similar levels of anxiety with no significant differences at baseline nor post-radiotherapy. Long-term significant recovery of attention performance was observed in the CAM patients, accompanied by a similar tendency in anxiety level, measured by the eye-blink probability. CONCLUSIONS: This study physiologically validates the attention impairment reported among breast cancer survivors; also, it depicted a beneficial late-effect of a routine CAM on attention dysregulation. The suggested non-invasive physiological measures can physiologically monitor patients' psychological and cognitive well-being as well as evaluate the beneficial effect of CAM in breast cancer patients by assessing their coping ability to support the treatment plan. Thus, the results have potential clinical implications on patients' and survivors' quality of life. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NIH, NCT02890316. Registered July 2016, http://www.ClinicalTrials.gov.

Acute Toxicity, Antioxidant, and Antifatigue Activities of Protein-Rich Extract from Oviductus ranae.

The paper investigated the preparation, amino acid composition, acute toxicity, and in vitro and in vivo antioxidant, coupled with in vivo antifatigue activities of protein-rich extract of Oviductus ranae (PEOR). The results indicated that PEOR possesses high-safety property with maximum tolerated dose (MTD) higher than 20 g/kg in mice, shows weak scavenging capacities against hydroxyl, superoxide anion, and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals, as well as ferric-reducing antioxidant power in vitro, but exerts strong antioxidant effect in ethanol-induced oxidative stress mice model; it can decrease malonaldehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyl (PCO) formation and increase total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activity and glutathione (GSH) synthesis. Besides the strong in vivo antioxidant activity, PEOR in a dose of 400 mg/kg also has antifatigue effect in mice, and it can prolong the exhaustive swimming time, reduce the elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and blood lactic acid (BLA) caused by intense exercise. The in vivo activity of PEOR may be contributed by its absorbed amino acids, due to the fact that eight antioxidant amino acids and twelve glucogenic ones were found in it. This study will provide an evidence for the clinical use of PEOR as a dietary supplement for antioxidant and antifatigue in the same oral dose (400 mg/kg).

O mundo privado na UTI: análise da internação de pacientes oncológicos / The private world in the ICU: analysis of the hospitalization of oncology patientes / El mundo privado en la UCI: análisis de la hospitalización de pacientes oncológicos

O presente estudo buscou investigar a percepção que pacientes adultos de uma unidade de terapia intensiva (UTI) oncológica têm acerca da experiência de internação nesse setor. Trata-se de uma pesquisa de abordagem qualitativa e de compreensão. Sete pacientes de um hospital de câncer na região Sul do país foram pesquisados. Eles responderam a uma entrevista semiestruturada, a qual foi gravada e posteriormente transcrita, o que possibilitou o acesso às concepções prévias desses sujeitos acerca da UTI, aspectos psicológicos presentes durante a internação e concepções posteriores à experiência de internamento na unidade. Tais informações foram interpretadas por meio da análise de conteúdo. A partir dos resultados, foi possível verificar que a experiência de internação em contextos de terapia intensiva pode ser afetada, favorável ou desfavoravelmente, pelo conjunto de regras que o paciente traz consigo acerca do que é a UTI. Além disso, foi possível compreender também que os estímulos aversivos existentes nesse ambiente podem ser atenuados pela presença da família e por uma relação acolhedora e sensível com a equipe de saúde, favorecendo, assim, o repertório de enfrentamento do paciente frente a esse momento crítico de saúde.(AU)

This study aims to investigate the perception of adult patients in an oncology intensive care unit (ICU) regarding the experience of hospitalization in this sector. This is a research with a qualitative approach and understanding. Seven patients from a cancer hospital in the southern region of the country were surveyed. They answered a semi-structured interview, which was recorded and later transcribed, on the subjects' previous conceptions about the ICU, psychological aspects present during hospitalization, and conceptions subsequent to the hospitalization experience in the Unit. Such information was interpreted through content analysis. From the results, it was possible to verify that the experience of hospitalization in intensive care contexts can be affected, favorably or unfavorably, by the set of rules that the patient brings with them about what the ICU is. In addition, it was also possible to understand that the aversive stimulus existing in this environment can be attenuated by the presence of the family and by a welcoming and sensitive relationship with the health team, thus favoring the patient's coping repertoire when facing a critical moment of health.(AU)

Este estudio pretendió investigar la percepción que tienen los pacientes adultos sobre la experiencia de hospitalización en una Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos (UCI) de oncología. Se trata de una investigación con enfoque cualitativo y de comprensión. Participaron siete pacientes de un hospital oncológico en la región Sur de Brasil. Se aplicó una entrevista semiestructurada, que fue grabada y, posteriormente, transcrita, lo que permitió acceder a las concepciones previas de los sujetos sobre la UCI, los aspectos psicológicos presentes durante la hospitalización y las concepciones posteriores a la experiencia de internación en la Unidad. Dicha información se interpretó mediante análisis de contenido. A partir de los resultados, fue posible constatar que la experiencia de hospitalización en cuidados intensivos puede ser afectada favorable o desfavorablemente por el conjunto de normas que el paciente trae consigo sobre qué es la UTI. Además, se constató que los estímulos adversos existentes en este ambiente pueden mitigarse mediante la presencia de la familia y la relación acogedora y sensible con el equipo de salud, lo que favorece así el repertorio de afrontamiento del paciente ante este momento crítico de salud.(AU)

A Feasibility Pilot Trial of Individualized Homeopathic Treatment of Fatigue in Children Receiving Chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Fatigue is a major problem in children with cancer. The objective was to examine the feasibility of performing a clinical trial of homeopathic treatment for fatigue in children receiving chemotherapy. MATERIALS: This was a single-institution, open-label, pilot study. Children 2 to 18 years old, diagnosed with cancer, and receiving chemotherapy were eligible. Participants were given individualized homeopathic treatment for a maximum of 14 days. In-home or clinic assessments were conducted up to 3 times weekly. Feasibility was defined as the ability to recruit and administer homeopathy to 10 participants within 1 year. Fatigue was measured using the Symptom Distress Scale daily and the PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Module weekly. RESULTS: Between April 2012 and April 2014, 155 potential participants were identified. There were 45 eligible and contacted patients; 36 declined participation, 30 because they were not interested; 9 agreed to participate, but 1 participant withdrew prior to treatment initiation. Median length of homeopathic treatment was 10.5 (range = 6 to 14) days. All parents found homeopathic treatment to be easy or very easy to follow. CONCLUSIONS: Trials of individualized homeopathy for fatigue reduction in pediatric cancer are not feasible in this context; lack of interest was a primary reason. Alternative approaches to evaluating homeopathy efficacy are needed.

Psicoestimulantes menores consumidos por estudiantes de la Universidad San Francisco Xavier de Chuquisaca, 2019 / Minor psychostimulants consumed by students of San Francisco Xavier de Chuquisaca University, 2019

El objetivo del estudio fue determinar el consumo de psicoestimulantes en estudiante de la Universidad San Francisco Xavier de Chuquisaca. Se recolectaron los datos mediante encuestas aplicadas a 331 estudiantes. El estudio reveló el psicoestimulante de mayor consumo con 31,88% el café y la coca cola con 26,65%, en su mayoría fueron consumidos con fines académicos. En los efectos secundarios, la sed se estableció como el más frecuente en estudiantes con 30,74%, seguido por cefalea con 27,56% y el cansancio en 14,84%. Se concluye que el café se determina como psicoestimulante menor más consumido en épocas de actividad académica y la sed como el efecto secundario más frecuente.

The objective of the study was to determine the consumption of psychostimulants in a student at the San Francisco Xavier de Chuquisaca University. The data were collected through surveys applied to 331 students. The study revealed the psychostimulant with the highest consumption with 31.88%, coffee and coca cola with 26.65%, most of which were consumed for academic purposes. Regarding side effects, thirst was established as the most frequent in students with 30.74%, followed by headache with 27.56% and fatigue in 14.84%. It is concluded that coffee is determined as the minor psychostimulant most consumed in times of academic activity and thirst as the most frequent side effect.

[Study on the pharmacologic effect of propolis].

Pharmacologic effects of propolis were investigated in this article. The results suggested that propolis has pharmacologic functions in many aspects. It is a new-type medicine derived from animal in pharmacology and food both. To small mouse, propolis showed the functions of anti-fatigue and endurance to lack of oxygen. To high-blood-lipid-model mouse, it prevented increase of blood-mucus and blood lipid(TC, TG, LDL-C) (P < 0.05-0.01), but there were insignificant changes to red-blood-cell proportion (HCT) and high-density lipoprotein chelesteral (HDC-C). To small immunosuppessive-model mouse, propolis could strengthen macrophagocyte phagocytosis in the abdominal-cavity (P < 0.05), and increase the thymus-index (P < 0.05), but there were insignificant changes to the spleen-index. The LD50 > 7500 mg/kg to small mouse.