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Importance of traditional medicines
Health effects of traditional medicine
Importance of traditional medicines
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Ginkgo Biloba, or maidenhair tree extract, has been used in Chinese medicine for centuries due to its pharmaceutical and medical properties. Ginkgo Biloba was introduced into the Western World in the 18th century. Nowadays, standardised Ginkgo Biloba extract EGb 761 is one of the most popular herbal supplements taken for potential memory improvement. This extract has many pharmacologically active components; the unique ingredients are terpene trilactones – ginkgolides A, B, C and bilobalide, which appear to be potentially antagonising inhibitory receptors in the brain. Ginkgo Biloba extract protects the neurons from oxidative damage and potentially prevents the progression of tissue degeneration. Numerous studies have been carried out to examine …show more content…
3069 individuals aged 75 years or older with normal cognition or mild cognitive impairment were assessed every 6 months with a median follow-up of 6 years. Dekosky et al. (2008; see also Snitz, O’Meara, Carlson, Arnold, Ives, Rapp, Saxton, Lopez, Dunn, Sink & DeKosky, 2009) concluded that Ginkgo at a dosage of 120 mg twice per day was ineffective in reducing either the overall occurrence rate of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease incidence in elderly individuals with normal cognition or with mild cognitive impairment. Ginkgo and placebo did not differ, and therefore, Ginkgo Biloba extract is not effective in preventing or delaying the onset of all-cause dementia or Alzheimer’s disease in elderly people. These studies could not demonstrate any evidence of the effectiveness of Ginkgo Biloba neither on cognitive change nor on specific cognitive domains of memory.
However, other clinical studies on EGb 761 challenged the effects and benefits on the use of Ginkgo Biloba. In 2008, the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) published an extensive meta-analysis of clinical studies, which
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This study used Mini-Mental State Examination and assessed the association between the intake of EGb 761 and another nootropic medication - piracetam and cognitive function of elderly adults over a 20-year period. Amieva et al. (2013) concluded that cognitive decline in a non-demented elderly individuals was lower in the participants’ group which reported using EGb 761 than in the ‘neither treatment’ group. Therefore, this effect may be a specific medication effect of EGb 761: since it was not observed for piracetam. Additionally, the study by Gavrilova, Preuss, Wong, Kaschel & Bachinskaya (2014) concluded that NPI score decreased in the EGb 761-treated group and, therefore, concluded that Ginkgo Biloba extract improved neuropsychiatric symptoms and cognitive performance in patients with mild cognitive
In the rough and tropical island of Papua New Guinea, lived an exceptional aggregation of individuals called, The Gebusi. In the 1980's, The Gebusi tribe was anything besides up to date and acculturated. The Gebusi had their own particular singular and special customs and conventions that they rehearsed and accompanied. The Gebusi tribe took part in custom homosexuality, divination or witchcraft was exceedingly respected and polished, and they partook in particular sister-trade relational unions. By 1998-99, The Gebusi tribe had made another lifestyle. The Gebusi had gotten accustomed with new social convictions, modernization due to “western ways” that had changed their lives until the end of time especially changing their ways and view on gender roles and sexuality.
The Gamba, or viol da gamba, is a member of the viol family. The viol family includes treble, alto, tenor, small tenor and bass viols. The viol da gambas were often played as a part of polyphony because their nasally tones were not easy to dance to.
Numerous studies have shown benefits of using ginkgo biloba extract to improve the mental sharpness of geriatric patients. For example, W.V. Weitbrecht and W. Jansen, of Nuremberg, Germany, conducted a double-blind study involving 40 patients, ages 60 to 80, who had been diagnosed with primary degenerative dementia(91). During the 3-month study, one group of 20 received either Ginkgo biloba extract(120 mg/day), while the other 20 was given a placebo(91).
Gauchos are the cowboys of Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. In the past, gauchos were very poor. The people who owned the ranches did not want beef. There were no refrigerators to keep the meat, so they could not sell it. As a result, the Gauchos ate meat three times a day. Today gauchos still work in South America but their lives are much better than they were in the past.
Alzheimer’s disease is a complex illness that affects the brain tissue directly and undergoes gradual memory and behavioral changes which makes it difficult to diagnose. It is known to be the most common form of dementia and is irreversible. Over four million older Americans have Alzheimer’s, and that number is expected to triple in the next twenty years as more people live into their eighties and nineties. (Johnson, 1989). There is still no cure for Alzheimer’s but throughout the past few years a lot of progress has been made.
Page-Reeves, J., Niforatos, J., Mishra, S., Regino, L., Gingrich, A., & Bulten, J. (2011). Health
St. John’s Wort, also known as Hypericum perforatum, contains multiple substances that produce medicinal effects within the body. The two most active components are hyperforin and hypericin, which produce therapeutic benefits (Russo et al., 2014). Hyperforin and hypericin have been found to impact neurotransmitter activity, specifically by decreasing neurotransmitter reuptake, resulting in mood stabilization and analgesia (Russo et al., 2014). In addition to its neurologic effects, St. John’s Wort has been shown to offer anti- inflammatory benefits through immune response regulation and anti-infective qualities resulting from impairment of bacterial and viral growth (Wolfle, Seelinger, & Schempp, 2014). Additionally, St John’s Wort provides therapeutic benefits through antioxidative and liver protective properties (Okmen & Balpinar, 2017).
Dementia is the progressive deterioration and impairment of memory, reasoning, and other cognitive functions occurring as the result of a disease or condition. Dementia can affect the person’s ability to carry out daily activities. For example, the person may forget where they live or they might think they have already done their activities but never did. Dementia can also cause the elderly to become incontinent and can’t control their urinary system. Many people get confused that dementia is a disease. Dementia is not a disease. However, it can lead to a disease or condition. Dementia is more common in the elderly population. It’s normal for people to forget things, but to a certain extent it becomes a critical issue. Depression also plays a role in the affects of dementia. Studies have been made to believe that the biological mechanisms for depression relating to dementia is, “interactions with vascular diseases, changes in glucocorticoid steroid levels that can result in hippocampal atrophy, accumulation of amyloid-[beta] plaques, inflammatory processes, and lack of nerve growth factors” (Heser et al., 2013). Dementia is caused because of plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. This can also be known as Alzheimer’s Disease. Dementia is the leading cause for Alzheimer’s Disease in the elderly. For all dementia cases, 60 to 80 percent of people with dementia will have Alzheimer’s Disease. The disease has 3 different stages, the early stage, the middle stage, and the late stage. Each of those stages has a variety of symptoms that affects the memory impairment of the person (Wieregna, Bondi, 2011). Also relating to dementia is Parkinson’s Disease and Huntington Disease. These diseases can result in impairment, which can cause challeng...
Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most prevalent diseases in America and in the world at this point in time and the number of cases is only increasing. Symptoms of Alzheimer’s might include a decline in mental capacity, confusion, and forgetting how to do simple tasks. The disease in not limited to the older generation but is far more prevalent. There is no existing cure for Alzheimer’s and only a few medications that can mildly treat the disease but they vary from patient to patient and are not very affective. Many people are now trying to focus on preventing the disease in its early stages. Some ways in which people do this is by pairing a healthy diet with both cognitive and physical exercises.
Plecas, D., McCormick, A. V., Levine, J., Neal, P., & Cohen, I. M. (2011). Evidence-based
Cummings, Jeffrey L., Cole, Greg. “Alzheimer Disease.” Journal of the American Medical Association. May 2002: 287-18. Health Source. EBSCOhost. Utica College Lib. 15 Apr 2005. .
The oldest known living fossil, more than 5,000 years old is native to China. Ginkgo, maidenhair tree, has an average life span of 1,000 years. The oldest trees are serving in the temples of the Chinese's and Japanese Buddhist monks. These trees are considered to be very sacred to their way of life. One of the traditions is the leaves and fruits have been used as a herbal medicine for over a thousand years. The female tree's fruit is a delicacy in food preparation also. Another reason for their stature in civilization is their ability to withstand many outside influences of nature. A tree in Hiroshima survived the atomic bomb of World War II in 1945 on the 6th of August. A 1 km distance from the center of explosion, it was the first to bud in September of the same year. The tree is now known as the "bearer of hope" for the people of Hiroshima. The temple was built around this mighty tree. The front stairs are divided in half to surround and protect the tree. "Engraved on it "No more Hiroshima" and people's prayers for peace." (1) Also in Japan, a shimenawa (cord of rice straw) is tied around the trunk of the tree to keep off evil spirits, showing how sacred these trees are to their civilization.
Turner, B. J., Newschaffer, C. J., Zhang, D., Fanning, T., & Hauck, W. W. (1999). Translating clinical trial results into practice. Annals of Internal Medicine, 130(12), 979-986.
Alcohol abuse, psychological abuse,and poverty are some factors that lead Luis Garavito Cubillos to be the world’s worst rapist and serial killer. Cubillos, also known as “the beast” needed to feel god like. He had the worst fantasies but the fantasies were better than real life. He would recreate the murders and soon about 172 young boys became victims of him.
Several studies show that essential fatty acids are vital for the brain functions and can prevent the process of atrophy in adults. Once again confirmed the potentially positive power of fish oil on the human brain.