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INTRODUCTION: Infectious diseases present public health challenges worldwide. An emerging integrative approach to treating infectious diseases is using nanoparticle (NP) forms of traditional and alternative medicines. Advantages of nanomedicine delivery methods include better disease targeting, especially for intracellular pathogens, ability to cross membranes and enter cells, longer duration drug action, reduced side effects, and cost savings from lower doses. METHODS: We searched Pubmed articles in English with keywords related to nanoparticles and nanomedicine. Nanotechnology terms were also combined with keywords for drug delivery, infectious diseases, herbs, antioxidants, homeopathy, and adaptation. RESULTS: NPs are very small forms of material substances, measuring 1-100 nanometers along at least one dimension. Compared with bulk forms, NPs' large ratio of surface-area-to-volume confers increased reactivity and adsorptive capacity, with unique electromagnetic, chemical, biological, and quantum properties. Nanotechnology uses natural botanical agents for green manufacturing of less toxic NPs. DISCUSSION: Nanoparticle herbs and nutriceuticals can treat infections via improved bioavailability and antiinflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory effects. Recent studies demonstrate that homeopathic medicines may contain source and/or silica nanoparticles because of their traditional manufacturing processes. Homeopathy, as a form of nanomedicine, has a promising history of treating epidemic infectious diseases, including malaria, leptospirosis and HIV/AIDS, in addition to acute upper respiratory infections. Adaptive changes in the host's complex networks underlie effects. CONCLUSIONS: Nanomedicine is integrative, blending modern technology with natural products to reduce toxicity and support immune function. Nanomedicine using traditional agents from alternative systems of medicine can facilitate progress in integrative public health approaches to infectious diseases.
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The public health and individual risks of inappropriate antibiotic prescribing and conventional over-the-counter symptomatic drugs in pediatric treatment of acute otitis media (AOM) and upper respiratory infections (URIs) are significant. Clinical research suggests that over-the-counter homeopathic medicines offer pragmatic treatment alternatives to conventional drugs for symptom relief in children with uncomplicated AOM or URIs. Homeopathy is a controversial but demonstrably safe and effective 200-year-old whole system of complementary and alternative medicine used worldwide. Numerous clinical studies demonstrate that homeopathy accelerates early symptom relief in acute illnesses at much lower risk than conventional drug approaches. Evidence-based advantages for homeopathy include lower antibiotic fill rates during watchful waiting in otitis media, fewer and less serious side effects, absence of drug-drug interactions, and reduced parental sick leave from work. Emerging evidence from basic and preclinical science research counter the skeptics' claims that homeopathic remedies are biologically inert placebos. Consumers already accept and use homeopathic medicines for self care, as evidenced by annual US consumer expenditures of $2.9 billion on homeopathic remedies. Homeopathy appears equivalent to and safer than conventional standard care in comparative effectiveness trials, but additional well-designed efficacy trials are indicated. Nonetheless, the existing research evidence on safety supports pragmatic use of homeopathy in order to "first do no harm" in the early symptom management of otherwise uncomplicated AOM and URIs in children.
La salud pública y los riesgos individuales de la receta inapropiada de antibióticos y de los fármacos sintomáticos sin receta tradicionales en el tratamiento pediátrico de la otitis media aguda y de las infecciones de las vías respiratorias superiores son importantes. La investigación clínica indica que los fármacos homeopáticos sin receta ofrecen alternativas pragmáticas de tratamiento a los fármacos tradicionales para el alivio de los síntomas en niños con otitis media agua o infecciones de las vías respiratorias superiores sin complicaciones. La homeopatía es un completo sistema de medicina alternativa y complementaria que lleva utilizándose 200 años en todo el mundo y, aunque controvertida, ha demostrado ser segura y eficaz. Numerosos estudios clínicos demuestran que la homeopatía acelera el alivio temprano de los síntomas en las enfermedades agudas con un riesgo muy inferior a los enfoques farmacéuticos tradicionales. Las ventajas basadas en las pruebas para la homeopatía incluyen unas tasas de relleno de antibióticos inferiores durante la espera con vigilancia en la otitis media, menos efectos secundarios y de menor gravedad, ausencia de interacciones entre los fármacos y reducción de los permisos laborales por enfermedad de los padres. Las pruebas que surgen a partir de la investigación científica básica y preclínica desmienten las afirmaciones de los escépticos que indican que los remedios homeopáticos son placebos biológicamente inertes. Los consumidores ya aceptan y utilizan fármacos homeopáticos para su propio cuidado, según lo prueban los gastos anuales en Estados Unidos con un consumo de 2900 millones de dólares en remedios homeopáticos. La homeopatía parece corresponderse y ser más segura que la atención tradicional estándar en los ensayos comparativos de eficacia, pero se indica la realización de ensayos adicionales sobre eficacia bien diseñados. No obstante, las pruebas existentes derivadas de la investigación sobre seguridad apoyan el uso pragmático de la homeopatía para, en primer lugar, «no causar daño¼ en la gestión y tratamiento tempranos de los síntomas de la otitis media aguda y las infecciones de las vías respiratorias superiores sin complicaciones en niños.