Insights & Discussion
Adding Chinese herbal medicines to routine treatment was found to be related to lower fracture risk in rheumatoid arthritis patients.
This is the largest population-based cohort study based on Taiwan's national health database designed to determine the association between the use of CHMs and the risk of incident fracture in RA patients. Longer duration of incorporating CHMs into routine treatment for RA patients was found to significantly reduce the risk of fracture by 53%.
Results of this study may serve as a reference to help healthcare providers when planning and implementing therapeutic interventions that seek to improve the overall health of patients with RA. Further prospective randomized trials are recommended to clarify whether the association revealed in this study supports a causal link.
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Despite diet being key in shaping gut microbiota, it surprisingly does not impact the treatment outcomes in individuals with Rheumatoid Arthritis.
2024 Rheumatology International Re-evaluation of dietary interventions in rheumatoid arthritis: can we improve patient conversations around food choices? Sharma P, Brown S, Sokoya EM
Review Article Diet Rheumatoid Arthritis
The process used to understand this paradox involved an umbrella review. This is an examination of multiple research studies and papers that address a similar question, in this case, the effects of diet on Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Through a comprehensive analysis of various scientific studies, researchers sought to determine if there was a meaningful link between diet and outcomes in RA patients.
The results of this study revealed an unexpected conclusion. Despite the gut microbiota's critical role in shaping the risk of RA, the data showed that diet, which is a dominant factor in shaping our gut microbiota, did not appear to affect the treatment outcomes in individuals with RA. This finding is surprising given the generally accepted understanding of the influence of diet on gut health and correlates with disease states. This conclusion introduces a new perspective in the understanding of RA and its relationship with diet.
Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) possess multiple advantages, including multiple targets, pathways, and low toxicity, for the treatment of prostate cancer.
2023 Chinese Herbal Medicines Chinese herbal medicines for prostate cancer therapy: From experimental research to clinical practice Kong F, Wang C, Zhang J, Wang X, Sun B, Xiao X, et al.
Review Article Chinese Herbal Medicine Prostate Cancer
The research team undertook an in-depth review of experimental research and clinical practices related to the use of CHMs for prostate cancer treatment, with the data being sourced from PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. The focus of the review was on recent studies published within the last five years. The research identified five CHM formulas and six single CHM extracts, along with 12 CHM-derived compounds.
The research findings demonstrated that CHMs induced apoptosis, autophagy, and cell cycle arrest in prostate cancer cells, and concurrently suppressed angiogenesis, proliferation, and cell migration. The CHMs also displayed efficacy in overturning drug resistance and in enhancing anti-tumor immunity. The modes of action were identified as the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase-B/mammalian target of rapamycin, androgen receptor, epidermal growth factor receptor, and Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathways which are known to play key roles in the development of prostate cancer. Additionally, the researchers discussed the benefits of CHMs in treating hormone-sensitive and castration-resistant prostate cancer.
Intermittent fasting may potentially influence autoimmune diseases like type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis, by reducing inflammation and supporting cellular repair mechanisms.
2023 Autoimmunity Reviews Intermittent fasting: A promising dietary intervention for autoimmune diseases Barati M, Ghahremani A, Namdar Ahmadabad H
Systematic Review Autoimmune Diseases Intermittent Fasting Rheumatoid Arthritis
Extensive research was done through several electronic databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science. Rigorous inclusion criteria were applied to filter the most relevant studies on the effects of intermittent fasting on autoimmune diseases. No reference to further research trials was mentioned in the methodology.
The results indicate a potential link between intermittent fasting and the management of certain autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune diseases like type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus exhibited improvements owing to the reduction in inflammatory markers, improvement in gut microbiota, and enhanced cellular repair resulting from autophagy induced by intermittent fasting. However, results concerning other autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, thyroid diseases, and psoriasis were inconclusive.
Rheumatoid arthritis-specific inflammation can be linked directly to the intestinal microbiota, thus, nutritional interventions against gut dysbiosis could function as a causal therapeutic approach.
2023 Journal of Clinical Medicine Intestinal Microbiota Reduction Followed by Fasting Discloses Microbial Triggering of Inflammation in Rheumatoid Arthritis Häupl T, Sörensen T, Smiljanovic B, Darcy M, Scheder-Bieschin J, Steckhan N, et al.
Clinical Study Inflammation Rheumatoid Arthritis
The study initiated by reducing the intestinal microbiome in 20 Rheumatoid Arthritis patients through bowel cleansing and a week of fasting, limiting the intake to 250 kcal/day. It also employed immune monitoring and sequencing of the microbiome. A control group constituting patients with metabolic syndrome was incorporated to serve as a non-inflammatory baseline. To understand the fluctuation and impact on disease activity, disease activity scores were calculated and cytometric profiling was performed, tracing up to 46 different surface markers. Additionally, serum levels of certain cytokines and indicators of mucosal barrier disruption were monitored.
The change in intestinal microbiota, i.e., the effect of fasting on arthritogenic bacteria and the shift in microbial composition, was analyzed using sequencing. The detection of more eukaryotic, predominantly fungal colonizers in RA patients was also observed to understand their potential involvement. Finally, the study investigated the observed increase in endogenous cortisol levels during fasting.
Chinese herbal medicine has shown effectiveness in treating amenorrhea caused by antipsychotic drugs, with an overall treatment effectiveness rate of 0.91, but the duration of treatment is relatively long, and further research is required to explore its application in this context.
2022 Journal of Ethnopharmacology Traditional Chinese herbal medicine in treating amenorrhea caused by antipsychotic drugs: Meta-analysis and systematic review Liu L, Li H, Tan G, Ma Z
Systematic Review Antipsychotic Chinese Herbal Medicine
The passage presents a meta-analysis of traditional Chinese herbal medicine for treating amenorrhea caused by antipsychotic drugs. Chinese herbal medicine was found to be effective, with an overall success rate of 0.91, but the treatment duration was often lengthy, exceeding three months. Commonly used herbal remedies included Danggui, Chuanxiong, Taoren, Honghua, Gancao, Fuling, Baizhu, Xiangfu, Chaihu, Shudihuang, and Baishao. The study suggests that Chinese herbal medicine can be a viable option for managing this condition, but further research is needed to understand its mechanisms and optimize treatment approaches.
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