Nigella sativa oil (NSO) is used traditionally for inflammatory conditions like asthma.[1] The authors in this study investigated the benefits of NSO on clinical and inflammatory parameters of asthma. Capsules of 500 mg twice daily for 4 weeks were used as a supplement in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in asthma patients. The primary outcome was Asthma Control Test score. The results showed that the NSO group showed a significant improvement in mean Asthma Control Test score. The authors conclude that NSO supplementation improves asthma control with a trend in pulmonary function improvement and that this was associated with a remarkable normalization of blood eosinophlia.

The association between dietary vitamin K and risk of fractures is controversial.[1] The authors of this study performed a meta-analysis of cohort or nested case-control studies to investigate the relationship further. A comprehensive search of databases was conducted. The results were statistically analyzed and interpreted. Four cohort studies and one nested case-control study were analyzed. They found a statistically significant inverse association between dietary vitamin K intake and risk of fractures, which means that the study suggests that higher dietary vitamin K intake may moderately decrease the risk of fractures.

The authors of this study evaluated differences in T helper cell subtypes osteoclast precursors in peripheral blood between patients affected by early rheumatoid arthritis (eRA) and healthy controls.[1] They evaluated the effects of vitamin D through a parallel, randomized double blind, placebo-controlled trial. Patients treated with glucocorticoids (GCs), disease modifying activity drugs, and biologic agents within the past 6 months were also excluded. The results showed that in eRA, 25OH vitamin D levels were significantly lower. After 3 months, the combined use of vitamin D significantly improved the effect of treatment on global health. In eRA, a significant imbalance in T CD4+ subtypes, accompanied by increased levels of non-classical OCs precursors and pro-inflammatory cytokines, was observed. The authors conclude that a single dose of vitamin D (300,000 IU) combined with standard treatment significantly improve patients general health.

This article discusses the use of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) for treating schizophrenia (1). Oxidative stress and neuroinflammation have recently been focused on the pathological hypotheses of schizophrenia. NAC is a precursor of endogenous antioxidant glutathione and has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. In randomized controlled trials, treatment with NAC as an add-on to antipsychotics showed beneficial effects and safety profiles in patients with chronic schizophrenia. The results of a recent preclinical study using a neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia suggest that NAC may have promising effects in an early stage of schizophrenia and an at-risk mental state. The authors conclude that there is little clinical evidence for the efficacy and safety of NAC at these stages of schizophrenia and summarize the evidence available.

This study looked at the effectiveness of probiotic in reducing hepatic inflammation among non-alcohol fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients ⁽¹⁾. The researchers searched the literature and 6 articles were finally critically appraised. All studies had good validity and reported unanimously that probiotic is useful in reducing hepatic inflammation and liver fat content. However, further evidence is required to show whether or not it is beneficial in reducing cirrhosis progression and liver-related mortality, as well as a differentiating the impact of different strains and doses.

Parkinson’s disease is a leading chronic and progressive neurodegenerative disease. This study was performed to summarize and evaluate evidence regarding the effectiveness of acupuncture in the relief of symptoms (1). Seven databases were searched and randomized controlled trials were included in the analysis. The results showed that 25 trials met the inclusion criteria and 19 of 25 were high-quality studies. The included RCTs showed favorable results for acupuncture plus conventional treatment compared with conventional treatment alone in the UPDRS II, III, and IV and the total score. Acupuncture was effective in relieving PD symptoms compared with no treatment and conventional treatment alone, and acupuncture plus conventional treatment had a more significant effect than conventional treatment alone.

This study examined the effect of auricular acupuncture therapy on the stress and sleep status of middle-aged women in South Korea ⁽¹⁾. 67 women were in the study. Auricular acupuressure therapy including the auricular acupressure needle on the skin paper tape was applied on an ear for 2 weeks, 2 times per week. The acupoints were Gyogam, Sinmun, Bushin, Naebunbi, and Pijilha. For the placebo control group, only the skin paper tape without the auricular acupressure needle was applied on the same acupoints. Measures were a stress scale, cortisol level in blood, and a sleep status scale. The results showed that there were significant differences on stress, cortisol level in blood, and sleep status.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy is a problem associated with many drugs ⁽¹⁾. A supplement called OPERA was developed and tested. It consists of alpha-lipoic acid, Boswellia Serrata, methylsulfonylmethane and bromelain are combined in a single capsule. 25 patients were enrolled in the trial and were assessed every 3 weeks for 12 weeks. The researchers measured the evaluation of changes of measured scores after 12 weeks compared to baseline. There were also secondary measures. The results showed that treatment with OPERA supplement was well tolerated; no increase in the toxicity profile of any of the therapeutic regimen that the patients were undergoing was reported. OPERA was able to improve symptoms in a prospective series of patients treated with neurotoxic chemotherapy, with no significant toxicity or interaction.

Evidence shows that regular exercise lowers the risk of developing breast cancer and breast cancer recurrence. The causality of this relation was examined in this study (1). The typical recommendation is 150 minutes per week. The hypothesis is that exercise lowers the basal systemic levels of cancer risk factors. Another process is possibly the acute increase in several potential anti-cancer components during each exercise bout. The authors reviewed the evidence. Overall and in conclusion, the authors propose that transient increases in exercise factors during acute exercise appear to be mediating the positive effect of regular exercise on breast cancer remission.

In this study, the current evidence of acupuncture for patients with functional dyspepsia was examined (1). A comprehensive literature search was conducted to identify randomized controlled trials comparing acupuncture to sham acupuncture and medication use. The results showed that 16 trials were found. The majority of them were low quality. Positive results were found for acupuncture improving the Nepean Dyspepsia Index and scores of MOS short health survey in alleviating relevant symptoms. The authors conclude that based on the current evidence, acupuncture therapy achieves statistically significant effects for functional dyspepsia.

In this study, the authors detailed a summary of the evidence on natural treatments for depression (1). A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted. Positive results were seen including studies of SAMe, methylfolate, omega-3, vitamin D. Supportive studies were found for creatine and amino acid combinations. Mixed results were found for zinc, folic acid, vitamin C. Non-significant studies were found for a few items as well. The authors conclude that clinical considerations are required when psychiatrists are considering prescribing nutrients, including the knowledge of drug interactions.

In this study, the authors investigated the association between vitamin D levels and asthma control in children between the ages of 5 and 15 (1). Children were followed-up for 6 months and vitamin D and pulmonary function tests were compared. The results showed that there was no specific association found, regardless of how controlled the asthma was. In other words, vitamin D levels were unrelated. The authors conclude that there is no specific association. The study was conducted in India, so it’s possible that the baseline status of the children being tested for vitamin D was higher than in other parts of the world.

Some studies have evaluated the link between dietary antioxidant vitamins and the impact on death. This study examined associations between carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E from diet and risk of mortality from all causes (1). It was conducted in China and patients were followed up for a period of 8 to 14 years on average. The results showed that for men, compared with the lowest quintiles, the multivariable-adjusted risk reductions in the highest categories were 17%. The associations were weaker in women than in men, though they were still statistically significant. The authors conclude that total carotene and vitamin C intake from diet were inversely associated with deaths from all causes.

The National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) developed an operationalized manual auricular acupuncture protocol that has since become the most widely used in the US. This systematic review is the first to focus explicitly on randomized trials utilizing the NADA protocol as a complementary intervention to address opioid use disorder (1). The authors found four trials that met the inclusion criteria. The results showed that despite methodological issues, while the NADA protocol may not be effective in reducing acute opiate craving or withdrawal, it may be effectively utilized as an adjunctive treatment to increase treatment retention and decrease methadone detoxification and maintenance dosages in opioid use disorders. The authors conclude that incorporating the NADA protocol into existing evidence-based treatment approaches may facilitate recovery and, through its impact on treatment retention and completion, indirectly impact morbidity, and mortality in individuals with opioid use disorders.

Echinacea may improve the blood’s oxygen carrying capacity by increasing production of erythropoietin (EPO), which regulates red blood cell formation (1). In this review, the authors discuss the physiological variables associated with distance running performance and how these variables are influenced by Echinacea. The results showed that , the majority of the published literature does not support the claim that Echinacea is a beneficial ergogenic aid. With the exception of one study, several independent groups have reported Echinacea supplementation does not increase EPO production, blood markers of oxygen transport, VO2max or RE in healthy untrained or trained subjects. The authors conclude that the published literature does not support the use of Echinacea as an ergogenic aid to improve aerobic fitness in healthy untrained or trained subjects.