Beyond Belief and Practice: An Exploratory Literature Review and Discussion of the Differential Impact of Spirituality and Religiosity on Mental Health Disorders.

The relationship between spirituality and religiosity and their impact on mental health is intricate and underexplored. This exploratory review aims to elucidate the distinct effects of these constructs, highlighting their contributions to psychological well-being and clinical practices. By dissecting the impacts of spirituality and religiosity on mental health, the study focuses on their individual and combined roles in shaping therapeutic approaches and theoretical understandings in the field. A literature review was conducted using PubMed, focusing on articles discussing spirituality, religiosity, and their intersection with mental health and psychopathology. Out of 312 identified articles, 69 peer-reviewed articles were included after screening for relevance. The results indicate that spirituality and religiosity significantly influence mental health yet are often conflated, leading to research inconsistencies and clinical challenges. Spirituality, as a broad and individualistic pathway, enhances personal well-being and resilience, often transcending organized religious practices. In contrast, religiosity, with its structured community support, sometimes imposes constraints that exacerbate stress under specific doctrinal pressures. Neurobiological evidence suggests that both constructs interact with cognitive processes and brain function, influencing emotional regulation and stress response. The study concludes that distinguishing between spirituality and religiosity is essential for precise academic discourse and effective clinical practice. This differentiation allows for more personalized therapeutic approaches, accommodating an individual's spiritual and religious contexts. The authors propose a refined framework for future research and therapeutic applications to be sensitive to the nuanced experiences of individuals and to better tailor interventions in clinical settings.

Correction: Chakraborty et al. Bromelain a Potential Bioactive Compound: A Comprehensive Overview from a Pharmacological Perspective. Life 2021, 11, 317.

The authors were not aware of errors made in one small subsection (Section 6.17. Antidiarrheal Effect, including the data in the table of effects) of this paper [...].

Black tea extract protects against -radiation-induced membrane damage of human erythrocytes.

The membrane integrity of circulating red blood cells (RBCs) is compromised by the deleterious actions of -radiation in humans. Tea is the most widely consumed popular, inexpensive and non-toxic beverage rich in antioxidants. Here, we explored the radioprotective actions of black tea against the -radiation-induced membrane permeability of human erythrocytes. The phytochemical analysis of tea revealed the total polyphenol content to be 114.89±6.03 mg gallic acid equivalent/g dry wt. and flavonoid content, 34±0.11 mg catechin equivalent/g dry wt. of the extractable solid in the commercially available tea bags. Tea extracts showed potential scavenging of H2O2 and NO, appreciable extent of total antioxidant capacity and effective anti-hemolytic action. Tea extracts (15 µg/mL) significantly ameliorated the -radiation-induced increase of the levels of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS, an index of lipid peroxidation) in the RBC membrane ghosts. Stored blood showed higher levels of K+ ion as compared to the normal blood which was elevated by -radiation. Membrane ATPase was inhibited by the exposure to -radiation. Treatment of RBCs with the tea extracts (15 µg/ml) prior to the exposure of -radiation significantly mitigated these changes in the erythrocyte membranes caused by the lower dose of radiation (4 Gy) as compared to that induced by the higher dose of -radiation.