Bupleurum: Liver Help Or Liver Harm?July 1, 2011 How Radix bupleurum (Chai Hu) has evaded discovery of its split personality as both liver protectant and liver risk for thousands of years remains a mystery. Now that scientific analysis has exposed its true nature, investigators are looking into other herbs’ hepatotoxic properties as well. Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medical herb texts and handbooks brim with acclaim for bupleurum as a hepatoprotectant, anti-pyretic and anti-inflammatory agent.1,2,3 Veterinary herbalists recommend it for patients with acute and chronic hepatitis and even hepatic lymphoma.4,5,6 TCVM practitioners maintain that bupleurum will “disperse Liver Qi stagnation” and “soothe the Liver Qi.”7 Who would suspect that bupleurum-containing formulae with names such as “Free and Easy Wanderer” and something to the effect of “Liver Livin’ It Up” might require an index of suspicion not sufficiently conveyed by their innocent appellations? Bupleurum’s role in inducing hepatitis rather than remedying it is drawing closer attention, whether it is couched in a popular formula, such as Xiao Chai Hu Tang (a.k.a. Minor Bupleurum), or tested as a sole saponin in rodent models.8 Xiao Chai Hu Tang “is the most common traditional drug in Asian countries for patients with …
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Tea Time For Fido And Fluffy?April 22, 2011Tea Time for Fido and Fluffy?Tea Time for Fido and Fluffy?Tea Time for Fido and Fluffy?Tea Time for Fido and Fluffy?footnotesTea Time for Fido and Fluffy?Posted: April 22, 2011, 7 p.m., EDTNarda Robinson, DO, DVM FOOTNOTES 1. Bryan J. Psychological effects of dietary components of tea: caffeine and l-theanine. Nutrition Reviews. 2007;66(2):82-90.2. Alcazar A, Ballesteros O, Jurado JM, et al. Differentiation of green, white, black, oolong, and Pu-erh teas according to their free amino acids content. J Agric Food Chem. 2007;55:5960-5965.3. Alcazar A, Ballesteros O, Jurado JM, et al. Differentiation of green, white, black, oolong, and Pu-erh teas according to their free amino acids content. J Agric Food Chem. 2007;55:5960-5965.4. Rogers PJ, Smith JE, Heatherley SV, et al. Time for tea: mood, blood pressure and cognitive performance effects of caffeine and theanine administered alone and together. Psychopharmacology. 2008;195:569-577.5. Young AB and Chu D. Distribution of GABAA and GABAB receptors in …
How Safe Is Kelp For Thyroid Patients?March 21, 2011 Kelp, a large seaweed from the brown algae category (order Laminariales), provides the richest source of naturally occurring iodine.1 It is one of those products that seems innocuous but can in fact be dangerous due to its high and somewhat unpredictable iodine content.2 Ingested iodine affects thyroid function, whether it originates from food, dietary supplements, Chinese herbal mixtures or drugs. Medical sources of excessive iodine include pharmaceuticals (such as amiodarone), radiology contrast agents and topical antiseptics. Ads for kelp supplements for dogs boast its benefits for vitality, immunity and “proper function of the thyroid gland.”3 Kelp often appears as a heavily promoted dietary ingredient included in home-prepared raw diets. However, considering the inclination of many to believe that “more is better,” the sum total of iodine ingested day after day from both supplemental and dietary sources may prove detrimental to an animal’s thyroid status and health. ‘Inactive Ingredient’ Kelp might also show up as an “inactive ingredient” in products such as selenium supplements, although the amount of iodine from batch to batch can vary considerably.4 No matter the source, these Laminaria macro algae may interfere with thyroid replacement treatment, negatively affect patients …
The Benefits Of Medical Massage FootnotesJanuary 24, 2011The Benefits of Medical Massage FootnotesThe Benefits of Medical Massage FootnotesThe Benefits of Medical Massage FootnotesThe Benefits of Medical Massage FootnotesThe Benefits of Medical Massage FootnotesBy Narda Robinson, DVM, DO1. Calvert RN. The History of Massage. Rochester, Vermont: Healing Arts Press, 2002, p. 27. 2. Mainous RO. Infant massage as a component of developmental care: past, present, and future. Holist Nurs Pract. 2002;17(1):1-7. 3. Diego MA and Field T. Moderate pressure massage elicits a parasympathetic nervous system response. International Journal of Neuroscience. 2009;119:630-638. 4. Touch Research Institute. Massage Therapy Research. Touchpoints. 2010;17(3):1. Accessed at http://www6.miami.edu/touch-research/Touchpoints%20Summer%202010.pdf on 07-20-10. 5. Diego MA and Field T. Moderate pressure massage elicits a parasympathetic nervous system response. International Journal of Neuroscience. 2009;119:630-638. 6. Diego MA, Field T, and Hernandez-Reif M. Temperature increases in preterm infants during massage therapy. Infant Behav Dev. 2008;31(1):149-152. 7. Feldman R, Singer M, and Zagoory O. Touch attenuates infants' physiological reactivity to stress. Developmental Science. 2010;13(2):271-278. 8. Diego MA and Field T. Moderate pressure massage elicits a parasympathetic nervous system response. International Journal of Neuroscience. 2009;119:630-638. 9. Lutz W and Sulkowski WJ. Vagus nerve participates in regulation of the airways: inflammatory response and hyperreactivity induced by occupational …
Acupuncture, Massage Can Get Gut GoingJanuary 24, 2011About a third of human patients with digestive disorders “follow their gut” and seek help from complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) approaches designed to restore normal motility and glandular function.1 People may feel queasy about the risks of side effects from laxatives, enemas and psychoactive medications, whether they themselves or their animal companions are suffering from gastrointestinal (GI) complaints.2 Even when certain patients still require medications, their systems’ response to pharmacotherapy may prove inadequate. Introducing acupuncture and massage as neuromodulatory techniques can speed recovery and reduce reliance on drugs. Effective neuromodulation requires an understanding of the neural pathways involved and the means by which the one can restore normal firing patterns in the nervous system. When they design a neuromodulatory treatment, medical acupuncturists and massage therapists target body regions that send signals through peripheral nerves, spinal reflex pathways and brainstem nuclei. 3 An additional consideration in digestive disorders includes focus on the enteric nervous system (ENS). The ENS comprises a network of nearly 100 million neurons embedded within the walls of the alimentary canal. This impressive population of nerves can operate independently of the brain and spinal cord so that, in the absence of central nervous system …
Rush To Stem Cells Carries Some RiskDecember 28, 2010 Regenerative medicine, the buzzword for stem-cell therapy and the like, has given birth to the possibility of a pain-free life for orthopedic patients. Thousands of veterinarians in North America are learning to treat degenerative joint conditions using adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).1 The implied translational benefits for humans are compelling. According to one account, nearly 2,000 dogs suffering from osteoarthritis and other musculoskeletal ailments have received intra-articular injections of autologous, pre-processed stem cells.2 A majority responded favorably and about one-third no longer needed anti-inflammatory medication.3 Media hype suggests that a veritable fountain of youth giving old dogs new joints may have been unearthed.4-5-6-7 While hope for an arthritis cure springs eternal, if stem cells do, a problem blossoms, and that is neoplasia. This has happened and is raising questions about the safety of stem-cell therapy. The authors of a paper released in October 2010 wrote, “Understanding the conditions in which MSCs enhance tumor growth and metastasis is crucial, both to safely develop MSCs as a therapeutic tool and to advance our understanding of the role of tumor stroma in carcinogenesis.” 8In 2009, a teenager developed a brain tumor from …
What Would Hippocrates Do?August 26, 2010 Before Hippocrates, ancient Greek healers served simultaneously as magicians, priests and cult leaders.1 By the fifth century BC, Hippocrates “dissociated medicine from magic, facts from fiction, histories from lies, healing art from philosophy, and gods from men.”2 In so doing, he transformed the previous theocratic system into one based on rational thought, diagnosis and treatment.3 Although the Hippocratic tenets of “beneficence with non-maleficence” and vis medicatrix naturae (the healing power of nature apart from medical treatment)4 epitomize holistic medical ideals,5 the battle against irrational mechanisms, miracle potions and charismatic gurus continues today. Nonetheless, certain treatments rise to the top in terms of relative safety and value. If he practiced veterinary medicine, what would Hippocrates do? 1. Bloodletting, which predates acupuncture,6 was practiced by ancient Greek, Roman, Egyptian and Arabian physicians.7-8 Over time in China, affecting pneuma and eliciting neural reflexes replaced the focus on phlebotomy. Indeed, Hippocrates may have played a formative role in Chinese medicine. Sinologists suggest that Hippocrates likely inspired the mythical physician Qi Bo in the Han Dynasty medical text “The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine.”9 Twenty-first century research has …
Can CAVM Become Board-Certified?July 19, 2010 Can CAVM Become Board-Certified FootnotesCan CAVM Become Board-Certified FootnotesCan CAVM Become Board-Certified FootnotesCan CAVM Become Board-Certified FootnotesCan CAVM Become Board-Certified? July 2010 Footnotes footnotes06-30-2010By Narda G. Robinson, DO, DVM, MS, FAAMA 1. AVMA American Board of Veterinary Specialties. April 2009. Obtained here on 05-28-10. 2. Hubscher M, Vogt L, Ziebart T, et al. Immediate effects of acupuncture on strength performance: a randomized, controlled crossover trial. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2010 May 25. [Epub ahead of print]. 3. White A and Editorial Board of Acupuncture in Medicine. Western medical acupuncture: a definition. Acupunture in Medicine. 2009;27(1):33-35. 4. Hubscher M, Vogt L, Ziebart T, et al. Immediate effects of acupuncture on strength performance: a randomized, controlled crossover trial. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2010 May 25. [Epub ahead of print]. 5. Hubscher M, Vogt L, Ziebart T, et al. Immediate effects of acupuncture on strength performance: a randomized, controlled crossover trial. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2010 May 25. [Epub ahead of print]. 6. Colorado Physical Therapy Licensure. Rules and Regulations. 4 CCR 732-1. Effective November 30, 2007. Obtained here at on 05-28-10. 7. Pollard H, Hoskins W, McHardy A, et al. Australian …
Homotoxicology: Rise To Rationality?May 5, 2010 Homeopathic “medicine” suffers second-class status in relation to its scientific counterpart, allopathic medicine. This is largely because homeopaths have chosen to immerse themselves in irrational ideas about the healing power of infinitesimal dilutions. Continuing education courses still teach participants how to prescribe homeopathic remedies despite the lack of validation and a solid factual foundation. Homeopaths have failed to provide solid proof of effectiveness even after two centuries of practice. In light of this, more medical practitioners are coming to realize that classical homeopathy may actually equate to a highly ritualized means of recommending costly placebos. In Great Britain, for example, government agencies that formerly backed homeopathy are contemplating elimination of National Health Service coverage for homeopathic care precisely on account of this concern. Given the pressure on homeopaths to produce clear evidence of benefit, one might think that a recently published clinical trial might silence the skeptics. This study, by University of Helsinki veterinary medical faculty, showed that a “homeopathic” combination called “Zeel” successfully treated chronic pain in osteoarthritic dogs.1 The study was randomized, double-controlled and double-blinded. The investigators received multiple sources of funding in addition to that from the makers of Zeel (Heel …
TCVM’s Silk Road May Lead To DetourApril 14, 2010 Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) is etching its way into the curricula of AVMA-accredited institutions and the veterinary internship matching program.1 If this trend continues and tuition dollars support an ever-higher percentage of myth and folklore within college curricula, what it means to practice veterinary medicine may change in the foreseeable future. Diagnoses will devolve from scientific, specific descriptions of anatomic and physiologic abnormalities into vague constellations of pseudoscientific disruptions of abstract bodily processes. While this approach may have qualified as medicine millennia ago, it does not now. Having more faculty hop on the bandwagon of TCVM may mean that valuable course time better spent on evidence-based instruction will be replaced by outdated ideas from long ago and far away. Mainly over the past decade, Asian medical practitioners introduced TCVM to the U.S. By first gaining a foothold and a following within institutions of higher learning, they used those connections as business opportunities that lent legitimacy to unapproved and untested herbal products. Students may become de facto distributors for their teachers’ proprietary mixtures when they perpetuate product promotion in their practices. That some Americans fall for self-proclaimed masters in Asian arts is nothing …
