A SCIENTIFIC LOOK AT ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
Thomas J. Wheeler, Ph.D.
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
University of Louisville School of Medicine
ON-LINE READING FOR JANUARY 24, 2006
EASTERN APPROACHES
* = required reading for students in the course
Traditional Chinese medicine - general
* Huston, P. (1995) "China, Chi, and Chicanery: Examining Traditional Chinese Medicine and Qi Theory" Skeptical Inquirer 19, 38-42, 58
Beyerstein, B.L. and Sampson, W. (1996) "Traditional Medicine and Pseudoscience in China: A Report of the Second CSICOP Delegation (Part 1)" Skeptical Inquirer, July/Aug., 18-26
Sampson, W. and Beyerstein, B.L. (1996) "Traditional Medicine and Pseudoscience in China: A Report of the Second CSICOP Delegation (Part 2)" Skeptical Inquirer, Sept./Oct., 27-34
Tang, J.-L., Zhan, S.-Y., and Ernst, E. (1999) “Review of Randomised Controlled Trials of Traditional Chinese Medicine” BMJ 319, 160-161
Zhang, G.G. et al. (2005) “Variability in the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Diagnoses and Herbal Prescriptions Provided by Three TCM Practitioners for 40 Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis” J. Altern. Complement. Med. 11, 415-421 [abstract]
Acupuncture - news and general
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2005) “Get the Facts: Acupuncture”
National Institutes of Health press release (1997) "NIH Panel Issues Consensus Statement on Acupuncture"
Full consensus statement
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine Press Release (2004) “Acupuncture Relieves Pain and Improves Function in Knee Osteoarthritis”
Vincent, C. (2001) “The safety of acupuncture” [editorial] BMJ 323, 467-468
Acupuncture - critiques
* Barrett, S. (2004) "Acupuncture, Qigong, and 'Chinese Medicine'"
Shermer, M. (2005) “Full of Holes: The Curious Case of Acupuncture” Scientific American, Aug., 30
Ulett, G.A. (1997) “Not All Acupuncture is ‘Quackupuncture’” Priorities 9(3)
Fienberg, H. (2002) “Belief, Not Medicine” Tech Central Station, Dec. 31
Aird, M. et al. (2002) “A Study of the Relative Precision of Acupoint Location Methods” J. Altern. Complement. Med. 8, 635-624 [abstract] [“These results would rule out any specificity of function of acupoints...”]
Acupuncture - reviews of research studies
Mayer, D.J. (2000) “Acupuncture: An Evidence-Based Review of the Clinical Literature” Annu. Rev. Med. 51, 49-63 [abstract]
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (2003) Technology Assessments [pdf files]:
“Acupuncture for Fibromyalgia”
“Acupuncture for Osteoarthritis”
Cochrane Database Systematic Reviews [abstracts]:
• Furlan, A. et al. (2005) “Acupuncture and Dry-Needling for Low Back Pain”
• McCarney, R. et al. (2004) “Acupuncture for Chronic Asthma”
• Zhou, H.L. et al. (2004) “Acupuncture for Bell’s Palsy”
• Smith, C. and Crowther, C. (2004) “Acupuncture for Induction of Labour”
• Green, S. et al. (2005) “Acupuncture for Shoulder Pain”
• Zhang, S. et al. (2005) “Acupuncture for Acute Stroke”
• Smith, C. and Hay, P. (2005) “Acupuncture for Depression”
Ezzo, J., Berman, B., Hadhazy, V.A. et al. (2000) “Is Acupuncture Effective for the Treatment of Chronic Pain? A Systematic Review” Pain 86, 217-225 [abstract]
Cherkin, D.C. et al. (2003) “A Review of the Evidence for the Effectiveness, Safety, and Cost of Acupuncture, Massage Therapy, and Spinal Manipulation for Back Pain” Ann. Intern. Med. 138, 898-906 [abstract with link to free full text (pdf file)]
Melchart, D., Linde, K., Fischer, P. et al. (1999) “Acupuncture for Recurrent Headaches: a Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials” Cephalalgia 19, 779-786 [abstract]
Lee, H. and Ernst, E. (2004) “Acupuncture for Labor Pain Management: A Systematic Review” Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 181, 1573-1579 [abstract]
Trinh, K.V. et al. (2004) “Acupuncture for the Alleviation of Lateral Epicondyle Pain: A Systematic Review” Rheumatology 43, 1085-1090 [abstract]
Lee, A. and Done, M.L. (1999) “The Use of Nonpharmacologic Techniques to Prevent Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting: A Meta-Analysis” Anesth. Analg. 88, 1362-1369 [abstract]
D’alberto, A. (2005) “Auricular Acupuncture in the Treatment of Cocaine/Crack Abuse: A Review of the Efficacy, the Use of the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association Protocol, and the Selection of Sham Points” J. Altern. Complement. Med. 10, 985-1000 [abstract]
Reviews for stroke rehabilitation: Park et al. (2001) J. Neurol. 248, 558-563 [abstract]; Sze et al. (2002) Stroke 33, 2604-2619
Acupuncture - mechanisms of action
Han, J.-S. (2004) “Acupuncture and Endorphins” Neurosci. Lett. 361, 258-261 [abstract]
Audette, J.F. and Ryan, A.H. (2004) “The Role of Acupuncture in Pain Management” Phys. Med. Rehabil. Clin. N. Am. 15, 749-772 [abstract]
Downs, N.M. et al. (2005) “The Effect of Real and Sham Acupuncture on Thermal Sensation and Thermal Pain Thresholds” Arch. Phys. Rehabil. 86, 1252-1257 [abstract]
Zhou, W. et al. (2005) “Afferent Mechanisms Underlying Stimulation Modality-Related Modulation of Acupuncture-Related Cardiovascular Responses” J. Appl. Physiol. 98, 872-880 [abstract]
Acupuncture - promotional
Acupressure
Hsieh, L.L. et al. (2004) “A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial for Low Back Pain Treated by Acupressure and Physical Therapy” Arch. Intern. Med. 39, 168-176 [abstract]
Miller, K.E. and Muth, E.R. (2004) “Efficacy of Acupressure and Acustimulation Bands for the Prevention of Motion Sickness” Aviat. Space Environ. Med. 75, 225-234 [abstract]
Qi gong
Mayer, M. (1999) “Qigong and Hypertension: A Critique of Research” J. Altern. Complementary Med. 5, 371-382 [abstract]
Yount, G. et al. (2004) “In Vitro Test of External Qigong” BMC Complement. Altern. Med. 4, 5
Qi gong - promotional
Yan, X. et al. (2004) “Involvement of Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I in YXLST-Mediated Neuroprotection” Brain Res. 1006, 198-206 [abstract] [discusses results of “external Qi of Yan Xin Life Sciences and Technologies” (YXLST)]
Tai chi
Brooks, A. (2001) “Master Helps Others Harness ‘Chi’ for Health and Healing” Harvard University Gazette, May 24
Wang, C. et al. (2004) “The Effect of Tai Chi on Health Outcomes in Patients With Chronic Conditions” Arch. Intern. Med. 164, 493-501 [abstract]
Irwin, M.R. et al. (2003) “Effects of a Behavioral Intervention, Tai Chi Chih, on Varicella-Zoster Virus Specific Immunity and Health Functioning in Older Adults” Psychosom. Med. 65, 824-830 [abstract]
Chinese and Japanese herbal medicine
Normile, D. (2003) “The New Face of Traditional Chinese Medicine” Science 299, 188-190; letter in response from T. Xue and R. Roy Science 300, 739-740
Bensoussan, A. et al. (1998) "Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome With Chinese Herbal Medicine" JAMA 280, 1585-1589 [abstract]
McCulloch, M. et al. (2002) “Chinese Herbal Medicine and Interferon in the Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis B: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized, Controlled Trials” Am. J. Public Health 92, 1619-1627 [abstract]
Jakkula, M. et al. (2004) “A Randomized Trial of Chinese Herbal Medicines for the Treatment of Symptomatic Hepatitis C” Arch. Intern. Med. 164, 1341-1346 [abstract]
Wen, M.-C. et al. (2005) “Efficacy and Tolerability of Antiasthma Herbal Medicine Intervention in Adult Patients with Moderate-Severe Allergic Asthma” J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. 116, 517-524 [abstract]
Ayurvedic medicine - overview
* National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2005) “What is Ayurvedic Medicine?”
Government of India, Ministry of Health & Family, Department of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH)
• Ayurveda
Ayurvedic medicine - research
Fields, J.Z. et al. (2002) “Effect of a Multimodality Natural Medicine Program on Carotid Atherosclerosis in Older Subjects: A Pilot Trial of Maharishi Vedic Medicine” Am. J. Cardiol. 89, 952-958 [abstract]
Szapary, P.O. (2003) “Guggulipid for the Treatment of Hypercholesterolemia. A Randomized Controlled Trial” JAMA 290, 765-772 [abstract]
Ayurvedic medicine - critiques
Barrett, S. (2004) "A Few Thoughts on Ayurvedic Mumbo-Jumbo”
Wheeler, T. (1994) "Deepak Chopra and Maharishi Ayurvedic Medicine" Bay Area Skeptics Information Sheet 13(11), 1-3, 13(12), 2-5
Saper, R.B. et al. (2004) “Heavy Metal Content of Ayurvedic Herbal Medicine Products” JAMA 292, 2868-2873 [abstract]
Ayurvedic medicine - promotional
Yoga
Government of India, Ministry of Health & Family, Department of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH): Yoga
Studies of yoga for low back pain: Williams et al. (2005) Pain 115, 107-117 [abstract]; Sherman et al. (2005) Ann. Intern. Med. 143, 849-856 [abstract]
Garfinkel, M.S. et al. (1998) “Yoga-Based Intervention for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Randomized Trial” JAMA 280, 1601-1603 [abstract]
Unani and Siddha
Government of India, Ministry of Health & Family, Department of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH)
• Unani
• Siddha