Journal of Chinese Medicine News 64

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Dear Colleague,

 

This is a once-in-a-while mailing from The Journal of . Please

read below to see:

 

1. Details of the latest (Number 64, October 2000) issue of The Journal which is

published this week (rs will receive their copies within the next 1-2

weeks). Full subscription details, including on-line subscribing, may be seen on

our website www.jcm.co.uk

 

2. All the NEWS from the latest issue of the Journal (remember that every NEWS

item we have ever published can be viewed on the website).

 

3. Information about the Seminars and Case History sections of the website.

 

1. LATEST ISSUE

 

CLINICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN TREATING THE ELDERLY

by Skya Gardner-Abbate

Elderly patients have diferent needs, different physiques and often different

patterns of disharmony compared to younger patients. This article discusses all

of these aspects. Special treatment considerations are discussed (for example

cautions when needling and the complex issue of herb and drug reactions). The

unique pathological patterns of the elderly are considered, namely Kidney

deficiency, blood stasis and phlegm. Charts illustrate the pros and cons of

various treatment modalities, diagnostic signs for blood stasis, the selection

of points for treating blood stasis and phlegm, and standard ear acupuncture

protocols.

 

BI SYNDROME OF THE KNEE TREATED WITH ACUPUNCTURE WITH

PATELLOFEMORAL PAIN SYNDROME AS A CASE

by Roar Jensen & Anders Baerheim

This article may be read and printed in plain text or .pdf format by going to

our website (http://www.jcm.co.uk) and clicking on Sample Articles.

 

HERPES ZOSTER: TREATMENT BY MOXIBUSTION

by Xuan Lihua

Many acupuncturists are cautious about using moxibustion in heat patterns and

therefore it is stimulating to read of a technique that applies small moxa cones

locally and distally for the treatment of herpes zoster, which is usually

characterised by hot symptoms and signs. The technique is to treat the 'head',

'middle' and 'tail' of the snake (i.e. the herpes zoster) as well as additional

points according to differentiation.

 

REGULATING QI AND RESOLVING PHLEGM TO TREAT COMPLICATIONS OF DIABETES

by Gao Luwen

This article continues the discussion of the treatment of diabetic complications

that began with " Wen Dan Tang & Diabetic Retinal Disease " in issue 62. Here Gao

Luwen considers further applications of Wen Dan Tang and its variations in the

treatments of diabetic peripheral neuropathy, diabetes complicated with

infection of the urinary system and diabetes complicated with pruritis.

 

HOT FLUSHES IN BREAST CANCER PATIENTS: TREATMENT BY ACUPUNCTURE AND DIETARY

MODIFICATION

by Dr. Emad Tukmachi

This is a long and comprehensive article devoted to the treatment of severe and

recalcitrant hot flushes in patients following breast cancer. Not only are the

flushes severe but the standard western medicine treatments are not considered

safe due to their potential effect on the cancer. The clinical picture is

covered in meticulous detail from both a modern western and a traditional

Chinese viewpoint, a comprehensive treatment strategy is described (including

acupuncture, dietary modification, semi-fasting and lifestyle changes), and a

clinical study is presented suggesting that acupuncture may significantly

benefit women in this position.

 

ACUPUNCTURE HISTORY: WANG JI & THE ZHEN JIU WEN DUI

by Steve Clavey

Wang Ji worked and wrote in the 16th century and this article gives a flavour of

his unique opinions - many strongly held, dismissive of the practices of his

time, and surprisingly modern and controversial. He rejects the idea that

acupuncture can really tonify, ridicules the benefits of prophylactic

moxibustion, and asserts that there is no difference in needling men and women.

 

FAMOUS CONTEMPORARY CHINESE PHYSICIANS: PROFESSOR LI DING

by Franz Zehentmayer & Cinzia Scorzon

This is the first of a series of articles on famous 'old' doctors working in

China today and in this respect follows the traditions of Chinese medicine

journals in which such articles are a regular feature. Professor Ding works in

Shanghai and was a member of the committee devoted to standardising the names

and locations of the acupoints. He advocates the integration of the traditional

and modern and discusses many aspects of acupuncture and treatment relevant to

our practices and the ongoing debate on the place of acupuncture within modern

medicine.

 

CERVICAL SPONDYLOSIS: 100 PATIENTS TREATED WITH SLIDING CUPPING

by Zhang Hong

Sliding cupping is a simple technique that can be applied by acupuncturists and

other practitioners to this painful and difficult to treat disease. The article

discusses the method of treatment, a clinical study, a typical case history and

the rationale behind the treatment.

 

QUESTIONS CONCERNING CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE: MATERIA MEDICA

Jiang Yong-Ping

Jiang Yong-Ping praises Eastland Press's " Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia

Medica " as the primary textbook in English, yet over the years has noticed a

number of errors. In this article he carefully points out mistakes in the text

and how they should be corrected. An important article for all herbal medicine

students and practitioners.

 

THE JOURNAL OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE

Abstracts June 2000

 

REVIEWS (This issue¹s review may be read by going to our website

(http://www.jcm.co.uk) and clicking on ŒReviews¹.

 

 

2. NEWS NEWS NEWS FROM JCM 64 OCTOBER 2000

 

ACUPUNCTURE & COCAINE ADDICTION

In a study published in a recent issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine,

Yale researchers have shown that acupuncture is an effective treatment for

cocaine addiction. The eight-week study involved 82 participants who were

addicted to heroin and cocaine. They received methadone for their heroin

addiction, but no medication for their cocaine addiction. All participants

received individual and group counselling and were divided into three groups.

One group received known effective auricular acupuncture, a second control group

received acupuncture in other points along the outer ear believed to have no

treatment effect, and a third group was shown videotapes depicting relaxing

images, such as nature scenes. Of the patients studied, 53.8 percent of those

receiving the acupuncture technique tested free of cocaine during the last week

of the treatment, compared with 23.5 percent and 9.1 percent in the two control

groups. Those who completed the acupuncture treatment also had longer periods of

sustained abstinence than participants in either control group. Because

traditional treatment centres often have high relapse and dropout rates for

cocaine users, the study's findings are encouraging. Acupuncture is now being

used in substance abuse programs in hospitals, jails, homeless and battered

woman's shelters, neighbourhood community centres, and medical clinics across

the USA. It is an effective complement to traditional methods of treatment

because it has fewer side effects and is relatively low-cost. Cocaine addiction

has been associated with cardiovascular and respiratory problems, psychiatric

disorders, AIDS, early child development abnormalities and death. In 1996 an

estimated 1.7 million persons reported using cocaine at least once in the past

month. In the same year, an estimated $10 billion was lost in cocaine-related

crimes and productivity, and public/private expenditures on cocaine-related

treatment totalled about $1 billion.

 

ACUPUNCTURE FOR LOW-BACK AND PELVIC PAIN IN PREGNANCY

Acupuncture may be more effective than physiotherapy for pregnancy-related

low-back and pelvic pain, according to a recent prospective study. Sixty

pregnant women with low-back and pelvic pain were randomised to receive 10

treatments of either acupuncture (30-minute sessions, given within 1 month) or

physiotherapy (50-minute sessions of counselling and physical therapies, given

within 6 to 8 weeks). Significant improvements were noted in pain and in the

ability to perform daily activities in the acupuncture group. The physiotherapy

group had less pain relief but symptoms did not become worse (as they often do

in pregnancy). While the physiotherapy group had a high dropout rate, which

weakened the analysis, the researchers conclude that acupuncture is " promising

enough to warrant further studies. " (Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand.

2000;79:331-335).

 

OSTEOPOROSIS IN SPACE

A Sino-French space experiment has shown that a traditional Chinese medicine is

conducive to the proliferation of osteoblast, a bone-forming cell, during space

flight, thus reducing the risk of osteoporosis facing astronauts. The conclusion

is the result of a 15-day space experiment jointly sponsored by Chinese and

French researchers last year. Six laboratory boxes of bone cells were placed in

a French-made cell-fostering facility on a recoverable satellite owned by the

Europe Space Agency (ESA) on a 15-day space flight last October. Initial results

have shown that the traditional Chinese medical compound promoted the generation

of bone cells in space.

 

CHOCOLATE

Cocoa, a key ingredient in most chocolate products, is rich in flavonoids - a

natural plant substance that has antioxidant properties. Some flavonoids may

have anti-inflammatory effects similar to aspirin. Low concentrations of these

flavonoids can reduce platelet activity in the blood, thereby lowering the risk

of blood clots. In a study of healthy, nonsmoking adults with no history of

heart disease, researchers at the University of California, Davis, found that

platelet activation was inhibited 2 hours and 6 hours after ingestion of a

cocoa-enriched beverage. These results suggest that for healthy people, moderate

intake of chocolate over the long-term may inhibit platelet activity and

ultimately reduce the risk of heart disease.

 

TCM IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

TCM is becoming steadily more popular in Southeast Asia. In July, the Thai

government announced a formal recognition of the legal status of traditional

Chinese medicine, and launched a co-operative project with China to build

regional training, research and treatment centres for TCM in Thailand. In

Malaysia, the government has decided to integrate TCM into the mainstream

national medical system and plans to offer all Malaysians a combined medical

service with both western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine. In

Singapore, the health ministry supports the idea of forming a co-ordinating

committee among TCM organisations and will provide policy protection for these

organisations.

 

GREEN TEA & SKIN CANCER

Previous studies have shown that green tea contains powerful anti-oxidants that

fight harmful free radicals. This enables green tea to reduce the risk and

prevent the development of many cancers. But the effect of green tea is not

limited to internal organs. It can also improve the health of the skin by

preventing wrinkles, reducing damage from sunburn and even decreasing the risk

of skin cancer when applied topically. A recent study reviewed several previous

studies that looked at green tea and skin. Green tea taken orally or applied

directly to the skin has prevented damage from ultraviolet light, which can lead

to skin cancer. Mice exposed to a chemical that causes skin cancer were less

likely to develop tumours if they had green tea ointment applied for 1 week

prior to exposure. (Archives of Dermatology 2000;136:989-994, 1051).

 

ACUPUNCTURE & PAIN

A study carried out at the Department for Family Medicine at the University of

Maryland has shown that acupuncture is more effective than placebo in the

treatment of postoperative oral surgery pain (Archives of Otolaryngology ­ Head

& Neck Surgery 1999; 125(5): 567-572).

 

CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME

31 patients (36 hands) with carpal tunnel syndrome of a mean 24 months duration,

with 14 hands having failed either one or two surgical release procedures, were

treated by combined therapy. Primary treatment was low-level laser acupuncture

and microamps TENS, and secondary treatment included regular needling and

Chinese herbal formulas and supplements. Treatment was given three times a week

for 4-5 weeks. After treatment 33 hands experienced either no pain or pain

reduced by more than 50%, with all 14 hands that had failed surgery being

successfully treated. (Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine 1999;

5(1): 5-26.

 

CANNABIS & RA

Cannabidiol, an ingredient of cannabis, greatly reduces the pain of rheumatoid

arthritis without any intoxicating or psychoactive side effects and could

provide a cheaper alternative to current anti-arthritis drugs. Components of

cannabis have long been known to affect the immune system. The cannabis extract

has only been tried in mice so far, however it has been found to be as effective

as a far more expensive treatment that has to be taken by injection. The next

stage would be to conduct small scale human medical trials, although it could be

up to five years before the drug might be available, and finding sponsors for

the research might be difficult, given the associations with an illegal drug.

 

HOSPITALS EMBRACE CAM

A new study in the USA has shown that many hospitals are offering alternative

therapies in an effort to reverse poor financial situations resulting from

managed care contracts. The biennial study, US Hospitals and the Future of

Health Care, surveyed 5,015 US acute care hospitals and found that 24% of

hospitals reported having tried alternative medicine.

 

PROPOLIS & HERPES

In a study by Ukrainian researchers, a flavonoid ointment derived from propolis

(made by bees from tree resin) proved to be more effective than acyclovir and

placebo for the treatment of genital herpes. In the single-blind, randomised,

placebo-controlled, multicentre trial, 90 men and women with chronic genital

herpes simplex virus type 2 applied either 3 percent propolis, 5 percent

acyclovir, or placebo ointments for 10 days during a herpes relapse. After 3

days of treatment, volunteers in the propolis group had significantly fewer

symptoms than those in the placebo group, but not in the acyclovir group. After

10 days of treatment, significantly more volunteers in the propolis group than

in the acyclovir and placebo groups had lesions that were completely healed. In

contrast with acyclovir, propolis helped to reduce bacterial outgrowth in women

and was effective when treatment was initiated in the blister phase

(Phytomedicine. 2000;7(1):1-6).

 

SOYA & MENOPAUSE

A new evidence-based consensus opinion published by the North American Menopause

Society (NAMS) says that menopausal women can benefit from the cardiovascular

effects of consuming whole soy foods, such as tofu, that contain isoflavones. An

NAMS-appointed panel of clinicians and researchers reviewed published and

unpublished studies of isoflavones and their effects on menopausal symptoms,

cardiovascular disease, bone metabolism, cognitive function, and female-related

cancers. They found conclusive evidence that isoflavone-containing whole foods

favourably affected lipid profiles and arterial elasticity, however, because of

inadequate, inconclusive, or conflicting data, the panel was unable to find

compelling evidence for the use of isoflavone-containing whole foods for the

other menopause-related parameters studied (Menopause. 2000;7(4):215-229).

Meanwhile, a summary of 38 recent studies of the effect of soy on cholesterol

showed that an average intake of 46 grams of soy protein per day reduced total

cholesterol by an average of 9 percent, LDL (Œbad') cholesterol by l3 percent,

and triglycerides by 11 percent. Patients who had the highest cholesterol to

start with had the greatest cholesterol-lowering benefit

 

GINKGO & COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING

A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial has shown that ginkgo biloba can

improve neuropsychologic performance. Healthy adults (21 men and 19 women, 55 to

86 years of age) were randomised to receive either ginkgo (180 mg/day of EGb 761

extract) or a placebo for 6 weeks. Compared with the placebo group, those taking

ginkgo showed significant improvements in their speed of information processing.

A non-significant trend of improved immediate recall was noted, and more

participants in the ginkgo group reported improvements in memory. The authors

suggest that ginkgo may prove efficacious for the enhancement of neurocognitive

abilities, but recommend that larger studies using different dosages and

populations be conducted (J Altern Complement Med. 2000;6(3):219-229). In

another study 256 healthy middle-age volunteers (93 male and 163 female, ages 40

to 65), took a gingko-ginseng combination for three months. Cognitive testing

carried out every month showed a 7.5 percent improvement over normal levels on

tests for attention, concentration, short-term memory and long-term memory

(findings presented at the recent International World Psychiatry Congress in

Brussels, Belgium).

 

ARISTOLOCHIA & CANCER

Patients in Belgium with Chinese-herb nephropathy ­ a progressive form of renal

fibrosis that developed in some people, apparently after taking weight-reducing

pills containing Aristolochia fangchi ­ appear to have a high risk of urothelial

carcinoma. Among 39 patients, there were 18 cases of urothelial carcinoma, 17

cases of carcinoma of the ureter, renal pelvis, or both and 1 papillary bladder

tumour. 19 of the remaining patients had mild-to-moderate urothelial dysplasia,

and two had normal urothelium. All tissue samples analysed contained

aristolochic acid-related DNA adducts. The cumulative dose of aristolochia was a

significant risk factor for urothelial carcinoma, with total doses of more than

200g associated with a higher risk of urothelial carcinoma. Cases of

Chinese-herb nephropathy and urothelial carcinoma have also been detected in

France, Spain, Japan, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom. (The New England Journal

of Medicine - June 8, 2000 - Vol. 342, No. 23).

 

BMA & ACUPUNCTURE

A postal survey of a random sample of UK family doctors carried out for the

British Medical Association's report Acupuncture: efficacy, safety and practice

found that almost half the GPs who responded had arranged acupuncture for their

patients. An even higher number (58% of the 365 GPs) had arranged some kind of

complementary medicine for patients, with osteopathy and homoeopathy being next

most popular. Of the 169 GPs who reported arranging acupuncture treatment for

their patients 15% provided it themselves, 57% used another doctor, 24% used a

physiotherapist and only 5% had used a traditional Chinese medicine

practitioner. Almost half of the GPs said they would like to receive some

training in acupuncture in order to treat their patients in the future. The

report states " Overall 79% of the GPs agreed that they would like to see

acupuncture available on the National Health Service " . Regarding efficacy, the

report concludes that acupuncture appears to be more effective than control

interventions for nausea and vomiting (particularly for post-operative symptoms

in adults), back pain, dental pain and migraine. Evidence is unclear about a

specific response to acupuncture in osteoarthritis, neck pain, recovery from

stroke, tension headache, fibromyalgia and certain joint dysfunctions. In

relation to safety, the report states " the incidence of adverse reactions to

acupuncture appears relatively low. "

 

GINSENG PRODUCTS FAIL TESTS

In a recent test of 22 Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng) and American ginseng (Panax

quinquefolius) supplements on sale in the USA, only 9 contained the amounts of

active ingredients indicated on the label and had safe levels of pesticides and

heavy metals. In order to meet the testing standards, products had to contain a

minimum level of ginsenosides and had to meet US or European Pharmacopoeia or

State of California purity criteria. None of the products tested contained

arsenic or cadmium, but eight Asian ginseng products contained high levels of

the pesticides quintozene and hexachlorobenzene. Two of these eight also

contained unacceptable levels of lead (ConsumerLab.com. Product review: Asian

and American ginseng, http://www.consumerlab.com/results/ginseng.html, July 17,

2000).

 

HRT & BREAST CANCER

A study at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles has found that

women taking oestrogen only hormone replacement therapy had a 6 per cent

increased risk of breast cancer with every five years of use of HRT, and that

women taking a combination of oestrogen and progestogen had a 24 per cent

increased risk with every five years of treatment. However, the doctors

concluded that HRT was still worth taking because its protective effect on the

heart outweighed the risk of breast cancer (Journal of the National Cancer

Institute 2000; 92: 328-32). In a separate study at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer

Research Center in Seattle, it was found that taking a hormone-replacement

therapy with oestrogen and progestin can more than double the risk of lobular

breast cancer. Researchers found a 2.6-fold higher incidence of lobular breast

cancer in women who took the combination therapy for at least six months and an

average of four years (Cancer).

 

PRAYER & HEALING

A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine has analysed the results of

23 clinical studies which examined the effect of prayer, spiritual healing and

other unconventional treatments on patients' health. It was found that more than

half of these studies - 57% - found a positive impact on patients. The highest

number of positive results was found in studies which examined spiritual

healing, in particular a technique where the " energy field " is treated by a

practitioner moving their hands over a patient's body to promote healing. All

the studies included placebo controls and were chosen for the scientific quality

of the research.

 

STINGING NETTLES & ARTHRITIS

Stinging nettles appear to reduce the pain and disability associated with

osteoarthritis, indicates research at Plymouth University, UK. 27 patients with

osteoarthritic pain at the base of the thumb or index finger, some taking

conventional treatments such as analgesics and anti-inflammatories, applied

stinging nettle leaf (Urtica dioica) daily for one week to the affected area; 5

weeks later, they applied white deadnettle leaf (Lamium album), which was used

as a placebo because it looks like a stinging nettle but has no sting. Pain and

disability scores were significantly lower after 1 week of treatment with

stinging versus nonstinging nettles, and there was a non-significant reduction

in daily use of analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs with stinging nettle use.

Pain relief was most likely to occur if a sting with wheals was produced, but

85% of patients said this was an acceptable side-effect and half said they

preferred stinging nettles to their usual pain relief medication (J R Soc Med

2000; 93: 305-09).

 

CARROTS, TOMATOES & LUNG CANCER

Eating fruits and vegetables containing carotenoids may reduce the risk of lung

cancer, according to researchers at Harvard School of Public Health and Brigham

and Women's Hospital, Boston. In an analysis of answers to questionnaires about

their diets from 124,207 men and women at the start of a pair of ongoing

studies, and ten years (for men) and 12 years (for women) later, those who

reported eating the greatest amount of lycopene, found in tomatoes, and

alpha-carotene, found in carrots, had a lower risk of being diagnosed with lung

cancer. Further, the risk was significantly lower among those who reported

eating a variety of carotenoids. Study participants who never smoked and who ate

the most alpha-carotene had a 63% lower incidence of lung cancer. (American

Journal of Clinical Nutrition, October 2000; 72:990-997).

 

EXERCISE & DEPRESSION

Exercise works at least as well as Zoloft (a popular prescription drug in

treating clinical depression) and keeping the condition from returning,

researchers say. Scientists at Duke University Medical Center, USA tested

exercise against Zoloft and found the ability of either - or a combination of

the two - to reduce or eliminate symptoms were about the same. But they found

exercise seemed to do a better job of keeping symptoms from coming back after

the depression lifted. The exercise primarily consisted of brisk walking,

stationary bike riding, or jogging for 30 minutes, plus a 10-minute warmup and

5-minute cooldown, 3 times a week. Exercisers who had been in remission after 4

months were far less likely to see their depression return after 10 months,

compared with people taking the drug or a combination therapy, the study found.

Eight percent of exercisers saw symptoms come back, compared with 38 percent of

those taking drugs and 31 percent getting both. The studies do not prove

exercise relieves depression, in part because the exercisers worked out in a

group, so group dynamics may have played a role. A new study will attempt to

find out, by comparing supervised group exercisers with people who were simply

given an exercise plan and sent home. (Psychosomatic Medicine,

http://www.psychosomatic.org/v62n0700.html).

 

GARLIC & CANCER

Eating raw or cooked garlic may help protect against developing colon and

stomach cancers, according to new research. The research reviewed published data

related to diet and cancer and analysed 22 studies from various countries,

including Argentina, China, Switzerland and the Netherlands. The research showed

that eating about five cloves a week reduced the risk of stomach cancer by up to

50 percent and the risk of colon cancer by 30 percent when compared to people

who eat little or no garlic. (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, October

2000).

 

WHOLE GRAINS & STROKE

Women who eat lots of whole-grain foods can significantly reduce their risk of

strokes. Data from 75,521 participants in Harvard University's Nurses Health

Study showed that those who ate the most whole grains - the equivalent of two to

three slices of whole-grain bread daily - were 30 percent to 40 percent less

likely to have an ischaemic stroke than women who ate less than half a slice or

the equivalent daily. Whole grains consumed by study participants included

whole-wheat bread, whole-grain cereal, popcorn, wheat germ, oatmeal, bulgur and

couscous. (Journal of the American Medical Association).

 

HYPERICUM & DEPRESSION

St. John's wort (Hypericum), a popular herbal dietary supplement, should be

considered the first line of defence in patients with mild to moderate

depression, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal. The

study, reportedly the biggest ever of its kind, was conducted in Germany and

involved more than 300 patients with mild to moderate depression. Participants

were randomly treated with either St. John's wort extract or the antidepressant

imipramine. The results show that the two treatments were " therapeutically

equivalent " with regard to overall effect on depression. What is also

significant, however, is that patients had a higher tolerance for St. John's

wort. Side effects such as dry mouth, sweating and dizziness, were reported in

only 39% of patients taking St. John's wort compared to 63% taking imipramine.

This resulted in fewer patients discontinuing treatment - only 3 percent of

those taking St. John's wort as compared to 16 percent of patients on

imipramine. According to the BMJ, the results of findings of this study and

others recently published " provide compelling evidence that St. John's wort

extract is as effective as standard antidepressants. In view of its superior

safety record, St. John's wort should be considered for first line treatment in

mild to moderate depression, especially in general practice where the milder

forms of depression are most commonly seen. "

 

EXERCISE & IMPOTENCE

According to research published in the Journal Urology, men who burn 200

calories or more a day in physical activity - a level that can be met with as

little as two miles of brisk walking - have far less risk of erectile

dysfunction compared to men who do not exercise. The New England Research

Institutes, a private US health research firm, looked at data on 593 men aged 40

to 70 in the long-running Massachusetts Male Aging Study. None reported erectile

dysfunction at the start of the nearly nine-year study; at the end, 17 percent

did. The researchers found that the more exercise the men did, the lower the

chances were that they would develop impotence and even those who started

exercise during the study period lowered their risk.

 

KNEE INJURIES & ARTHRITIS

A single knee injury as a teenager or young adult can triple the risk of

arthritis in that knee by middle age. Dr. Allan Gelber of John Hopkins medical

school studied graduates who underwent rigorous health exams before graduating

some 40 years ago and then were monitored each year since. Those who injured a

knee before age 22 had a threefold increased risk of getting arthritis in that

knee, and it typically struck by the mid-50s, he found. The cumulative risk rose

to fivefold when Gelber also counted injuries suffered later in life. Injuries

included ligament or cartilage tears and bone fractures. Football, basketball

and skiing were common causes, but car accidents and falls were culprits, too.

 

TCM OBESITY HOSPITAL

Tianjin Aimin Hospital is the only hospital in China that specialises in weight

loss by means of acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine. The hospital has

been crowded with students hoping to lose weight since this year's summer

vacation began in late July. Everyday over 1,200 people come to the hospital for

outpatient services.

 

ORGANIC FOOD APOLOGY

America's ABC News had had to admit it fabricated laboratory tests for a story

attacking organic food. The original warning, based on a non-existent pesticide

food safety test, warned that organic food " could kill " consumers.

 

HERBS & PROSTATE CANCER

A herbal mixture called PC-SPES, which contains extracts from eight Chinese and

American herbs (among them saw palmetto and ginseng), results in surprisingly

rapid and dramatic drops in the level of patients' prostate-specific antigen

(PSA), an important marker for disease progression, according to a report given

at the annual conference of the American Institute of Cancer Research, a

Washington-based non-profit organisation that supports nutrition education and

research. After skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in

American men. It is estimated that one in six men will develop the disease

within their lifetime. Based on lab studies, the herbal mixture seems to affect

immune function as well as the interaction between oestrogen and cancer cells.

One or more of the herbs in the mixture may also act as an analgesic. Controlled

experiments in rats injected with human prostate cancer cells showed that

PC-SPES reduced the number of tumours that formed by 40 percent, suggesting that

the mixture might help control the spread of prostate cancer, he said.

 

QIGONG IN CHINA

The Chinese State General Administration of Sport (SGAS) has issued " The

Provisional Administrative Methods on Qigong, " in a bid to ensure the healthy

development of qigong. They say that in recent years some people have been

making illegal profits and spreading superstitious ideas under the name of

practising qigong and that these problems have severely affected the normal

practice of qigong and been detrimental to the interests of the people. Local

government departments in charge of physical culture and sports are responsible

for administering and organising qigong activities, according to the document,

which also sets out specific regulations on the setting-up of qigong-practising

stations and demands that all qigong coaches must meet the qualification after

strict training and examination.

 

3. Information about the Seminars and Case History sections of our website.

 

Seminars Diary: You can view details of worldwide Chinese medicine seminars and

add details of any seminars/conferences/lectures you are organising by going to

the website (http://www.jcm.co.uk) and clicking on ŒSeminars¹.

 

We are working to build up a catalogue of Chinese medicine case histories for

mutual enjoyment and education. You can write up any case that you have treated

in simple note form (it doesn¹t have to be elaborate, perfect or even successful

­ as long as it has interesting aspects) and email it to us at

jcm. We will then put it online.

Any problems or queries to listmedic