Efficacy of the plantago major L. syrup on radiation induced oral mucositis in head and neck cancer patients: A randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION: Oral mucositis is a complication of radiation therapy in cancer patients. We designed a trial to evaluate efficacy of plantago major on symptoms of radiation induced mucositis in cancer patients. METHODS: In this randomized double blind, placebo-controlled trial 23 patients received plantago major syrup as intervention group and 23 patients received placebo syrup as control group for 7 weeks. Outcome measures were severity of mucositis according to WHO scale and severity of patients' pain assessed by visual analogue scale. RESULTS: Severity of mucositis were significantly lower in intervention group compared to placebo group (p value<0.05). Also patients in intervention group experienced significantly less pain compared to placebo group during radiotherapy period (p value<0.05) CONCLUSION: Plantago major L syrup was effective on the reduction of the symptoms of radiation induced mucositis in patients with head and neck cancers.

The Effect of Viola Odorata L. Oil for Fever in Children: A Randomized Triple-blinded Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Finding non-systemic antipyretic option in cancer patients who simultaneously receive several other drugs seems be logical. This study was designed to evaluate complementary therapy with Viola odorata L. oil for fever control in febrile neutropenic children. METHODS AND MATERIALS: In a randomized placebo controlled clinical trial, 41 febrile children were divided into two groups. Children in the active drug group received viola oil (20 drops) to be rubbed on the peripheral margin of the patient umbilicus. Primary outcome measure of the study was the mean axillary temperature in the 30, 60, and 240 minutes after the intervention. RESULTS: The mean temperature reduced significantly in the viola group after 30 minutes of administration (p =0.005), while there was no significant change in the placebo group (p =1.00). The number of patients who received paracetamol as the rescue treatment was significantly lower in the viola group than that in the placebo group (5 vs. 17, p =0.001). CONCLUSION: The results of our study showed the safety and efficacy of complementary therapy with Viola odorata L. oil for fever control in febrile neutropenic children during hospital course.

Insomnia in Traditional Persian Medicine

Insomnia is a common complaint in outpatient clinics. It usually affects quality of life neg-atively, especially in severe cases. Nowadays, routine medical interventions comprise pharmacological approaches and cognitive behavioral therapy. Common medications used by afflicted patients are not competent enough in addition to their annoying side effects. It would naturally denote the need for considering novel strategies for treating insomniac patients. Approach to insomnia in traditional Persian medicine (TPM) has been cited in a scrutinized manner focusing on its main causes. Accordingly, its treatment is tailored based on the constitution of the patient, intensity of the disease, and type of the cause. In this paper we have discussed the causes of insomnia, diagnostic approach, and various medical interventions proposed in valid sources of TPM.

Green Urine in Traditional Persian Medicine: Differential Diagnosis and Clinical Relevance.

The color of urine is an important factor in urine examination, which can help physicians differentiate various diseases. Today, it is known that certain dyes, drug intoxications, and diseases can induce green urine discoloration. In the view of traditional Persian medicine, which is based on humoral medicine, green urine discoloration is generally referred to the dominance of coldness in the body. In fact, it is considered to be a result of a special kind of humoral imbalance and fluid depletion or retention in the human body. Persian scholars believed that green urine could be an indicator of intoxication or a predictor of an imminent spasm or convulsion in pediatric patients. Further investigations could result in finding new diagnostic scales of urine color based on the teachings of traditional Persian medicine.

Avicenna's View on Optimal Daily Water Intake.

BACKGROUND: Fluid intake is an essential factor in having a normal homeostasis. However, proper amount of daily water intake in a healthy individual is controversial. There is a prevalent thought that we all have to drink eight glasses of water daily, however, it lacks enough supportive evidence at least for healthy individuals. Here, we try to clarify this topic from the perspective of Avicenna and traditional Persian medicine (TPM). METHODS: The most important traditional Persian medical encyclopedia, Al-Qanun fil-Tibb (Canon of Medicine), was reviewed. Furthermore, Medline, EMBASE, Scopus, IranMedex, and Science Iranian Database (SID) focusing on the keywords "traditional medicine", "water intake", "fluid'', and "complementary and alternative medicine" were reviewed to find relevant information. RESULTS: Avicenna believed that the demand for daily water is not the same in different individuals. The determinant variables mentioned in his book, The Canon of Medicine, comprises mizaj (temperament), health status, age, sex, season, place, habits, occupation, etc. He believed that water in extra amount quenches the hararat-e-ghariezi, which is the basal internal heat to convey normal homeostasis and metabolism in the body. CONCLUSION: Several factors determine the actual need of any person to drink water. Consequently, recommending a specific amount of daily water intake for all is illogical. Moreover, important recommendations of TPM sages on an appropriate amount of water intake should be considered to prevent associated disorders.

Porosity and Health: Perspective of Traditional Persian Medicine.

BACKGROUND: The authors of this manuscript aimed to show the importance of porosity and condensation in health according to traditional Persian medicine (TPM) with consideration of new evidence in conventional medicine. METHODS: Cardinal traditional medical and pharmacological texts were searched for the traditional terms of takhalkhol (porosity) and takassof (condensity) focused on preventive methods. The findings were classified and compared with new medical findings. RESULTS: According to traditional Persian medicine, porosity and condensity are the two crucial items that contribute to human health. Somatotype is a taxonomy based on embryonic development, which may be considered in parallel with porosity and condensation. However, these terms are not completely the same. There are many causes for acquired porosity comprising hot weather, too much intercourse, rage, starvation, and heavy exercises. In general, porosity increases the risk of diseases as it makes the body organs vulnerable to external hot and cold weather. On the other hand, the porose organs are more susceptible to accumulation of morbid matters because the cellular wastes cannot be evacuated in the normal way. There are some common points between traditional and conventional medicine in the context of porosity and condensity. The relation between diet and somatotype is an example. CONCLUSION: Condensity and porosity are the two basic items cited in the TPM resources and contribute to health maintenance and disease prevention of body organs. Creating a balance between these two states in different body organs, strongly contributes to disease prevention, treatment and diminishing chronic diseases period. Choosing proper modality including diet, drug therapy, and manual therapy depends on the amount porosity and stiffness of the considered organ and the preferred porosity of the affected organ keeping in a normal healthy state.

Optimal fluid intake in daily diet: Avicenna's view.

Adequate daily water consumption is an important factor of keeping regular homeostasis. However, the best quantity of daily water consumption for a healthy individual is not virtually stated in the literature. Despite the dearth of evidence-based recommendations, it is commonly thought that ingesting eight glasses of water a day is good for a healthy person. Avicenna had a unique viewpoint. He believed that daily water intake depended on numerous elements together with age, intercourse, body temperament, season, occupation and various internal and external elements. He also cited a few essential and useful measures regarding proper water consumption, which have additionally been emphasized in Islamic hadiths.

DRY CUPPING IN CHILDREN WITH FUNCTIONAL CONSTIPATION: A RANDOMIZED OPEN LABEL CLINICAL TRIAL.

BACKGROUND: As a common disease in pediatrics, constipation poses a high burden to the community. In this study, we aimed to investigate the efficacy of dry cupping therapy (an Eastern traditional manipulative therapy) in children with functional constipation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and twenty children (4-18 years old) diagnosed as functional constipation according to ROME III criteria were assigned to receive a traditional dry cupping protocol on the abdominal wall for 8 minutes every other day or standard laxative therapy (Polyethylene glycol (PEG) 40% solution without electrolyte), 0.4 g/kg once daily) for 4 weeks, in an open label randomized controlled clinical trial using a parallel design with a 1:1 allocation ratio. Patients were evaluated prior to and following 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks of the intervention commencement in terms of the ROME III criteria for functional constipation. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two arms regarding demographic and clinical basic characteristics. After two weeks of the intervention, there was a significant better result in most of the items of ROME III criteria of patients in PEG group. In contrast, after four weeks of the intervention, the result was significantly better in the cupping group. There was no significant difference in the number of patients with constipation after 4 and 8 weeks of the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: This study showed that dry cupping of the abdominal wall, as a traditional manipulative therapy, can be as effective as standard laxative therapy in children with functional constipation.