European Journal of Integrative Medicine最新文献

{"title":"High-intensity deformation augmentation for sublingual varices segmentation: A transformer-based deep learning approach","authors":"Wen-Hsien Chang ,&nbsp;Po-Chi Hsu ,&nbsp;Chih-Chieh Chen ,&nbsp;Hsueh-Ting Chu ,&nbsp;Lun-Chien Lo ,&nbsp;Hung-Jen Lin ,&nbsp;Han-Kuei Wu ,&nbsp;Hen-Hong Chang","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2026.102623","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2026.102623","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Sublingual varices (SLV) hold clinical significance in both Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and modern medicine. However, their precise delineation remains challenging due to inter-observer variability. The dispersed distribution and irregular morphologies of SLVs limit the effectiveness of traditional convolutional neural networks and data augmentation. This study introduces Transformer architecture with high-intensity deformation augmentation, which was associated with performance improvements in SLV segmentation.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A retrospective collection of tongue images and corresponding diagnostic reports from a teaching hospital was used to assemble a dataset of 301 sublingual images. SLV were manually annotated in each image, and six high-intensity deformation-based augmentation techniques including implosion, explosion, swirl, arc, wave, and barrel were applied. A Mask2Former–based semantic segmentation model was trained to automate the segmentation of SLV.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The baseline Mask2Former model achieved a maximum Intersection over Union (IoU) of 65.40 % when initialized with weights pre-trained on the Cityscapes dataset. Incorporating the six high-intensity deformation augmentations increased performance to 66.43 % IoU. With further training based on these augmentations, the IoU reached 69.53 %.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>An SLV image database was established and a Transformer-based semantic segmentation model was trained to effectively delineate SLV. Integration of high-intensity deformation augmentation yielded an enhancement in segmentation accuracy. This method may have the potential for training deep learning models across medical imaging tasks to enhance model interpretability and diagnostic performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"83 ","pages":"Article 102623"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146172406","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Gut microbiota bridge: Underlying the traditional Chinese medicine patterns of colorectal cancer","authors":"Zhenzhen Wu ,&nbsp;Hujia Yang ,&nbsp;Zhenyi Lin ,&nbsp;Zhenzheng Zhu ,&nbsp;Chenwei Xiao ,&nbsp;Peipei Wang ,&nbsp;Leitao Sun ,&nbsp;Fangliang Zhu","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2026.102626","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2026.102626","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Distinct traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) patterns in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) correlate with unique gastrointestinal symptoms and gut microbiota dynamics. Understanding these pattern-specific gut microbiota alterations is crucial, as they represent key differences and potential therapeutic targets for CRC.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Here, using metagenomics, the study aimed to characterize gut microbiota profiles in CRC patients with hierarchically classified TCM patterns to identify potential microbiota-driven therapeutic targets for adjunctive therapy and symptom alleviation. According to the China Association of Integrative Medicine, 32 cases of Xu Zheng (XZ), 28 cases of Shi Zheng (SZ) and 30 normal controls (NC) were enrolled. XZ was classified into three patterns: Qi-Xue-Liang-Xu (QXLX), Gan-Shen-Yin-Xu (GSYX), and Pi-Shen-Yang-Xu (PSYX) while SZ was classified into two patterns: Tan-Shi-Nei-Zu (TSNZ) and Yu-Du-Nei-Zu (YDNZ) further.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Pattern-specific gut microbes were identified, including <em>Clostridium symbiosum</em> and <em>Hungatella hathewayi</em> for XZ, <em>Bacteroides nordii</em> and <em>Enterocloster bolteae</em> for SZ. The pattern-specific functional pathways were identified, including ‘Histidine metabolism’ for XZ, ‘Galactose metabolism’ and ‘Butanoate metabolism’ for SZ. Each TCM syndrome had subgroup-specific microbial dysbiosis patterns. Specific microbial species were identified in all pairwise comparisons among the five subgroups, with exclusive differential signatures observed across these groups. Network complexity and composition similarly varied across the five subgroups. PSYX group exhibited the most complex network whereas TSNZ group showed the simplest network structure.</div></div><div><h3>Discussion</h3><div>We characterized fecal microbiota associated with hierarchically classified TCM patterns of patients with CRC, revealing the fecal microbial composition and functional foundations underlying TCM patterns.</div></div><div><h3>Funding</h3><div>This research was supported by <span>National Natural Science Foundation of China</span> [grant number: <span><span>82204824</span></span>], <span>Medical Health Science and Technology project of Zhejiang Provincial Health Commission of China</span> [grant number: <span><span>2024KY1226</span></span>] and the <span>Zhejiang Provincial Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Program</span> [grant number: <span><span>2024ZL023</span></span>].</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"83 ","pages":"Article 102626"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146172373","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effectiveness and mechanisms of wearable Neiguan (P6) stimulation in preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting: A systematic review and meta-analysis","authors":"Xinyu Yang ,&nbsp;Xinyuan Chen ,&nbsp;Zaoyu Liu,&nbsp;Han Fei,&nbsp;Mengling Zhan,&nbsp;Lu Xi,&nbsp;Jiawei Chen,&nbsp;Xiaowen Guo","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2026.102628","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2026.102628","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a common and distressing complication following surgery. Although acupuncture demonstrates efficacy, wearable P6 (Neiguan) stimulation devices represent a novel, patient-controlled alternative. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates the effectiveness of these devices, with particular attention to clinical heterogeneity and the influence of various control interventions.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted. An expanded search of five electronic databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase, was performed from inception to January 2025 using comprehensive terms related to wearable acupoint stimulation devices. Due to clinical heterogeneity, Mantel–Haenszel random-effects models were used to pool relative risks (RRs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup analyses were conducted to distinguish comparisons against sham stimulation from those against active antiemetics. The certainty of evidence was evaluated using the GRADE framework.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of eleven RCTs were identified, with six included in the quantitative synthesis. In the subgroup analysis comparing wearable devices to sham stimulation (five trials), wearable devices significantly reduced the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) (RR = 0.57, 95 % CI: 0.49–0.67; I² = 0 %), resulting in an absolute risk reduction of 25 % and a number needed to treat (NNT) of 4. In the comparison with ondansetron (one trial), wearable devices demonstrated superior efficacy (RR = 0.64, 95 % CI: 0.43–0.96). Qualitative synthesis of the remaining five trials indicated that wearable stimulation, when used as an adjunct to pharmacotherapy, significantly improved recovery quality, reduced the need for rescue antiemetics, and shortened hospital stays. Leave-one-out sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of these findings. Assessment of publication bias was attempted, but was not feasible due to the small number of studies included in the quantitative synthesis. The overall certainty of evidence was rated as moderate.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>P6 stimulation using wearable devices is an effective adjunctive therapy for PONV prevention. Future RCTs should emphasize age-stratified analyses, protocol standardization, and high-quality sham-controlled designs.</div></div><div><h3>Registration</h3><div>PROSPERO CRD420251036041</div></div><div><h3>Funding</h3><div>Zhejiang Province Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Project (grant number: 2025ZL304)</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"83 ","pages":"Article 102628"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146172374","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tongluo Shenggu Capsules for treating steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head in ARCO stage II: A study protocol for a randomized controlled trial","authors":"Yuqin Yang,&nbsp;Xuejia Li,&nbsp;Bo Zhu,&nbsp;Shilei Song,&nbsp;Shengyi Feng,&nbsp;Bo Li","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2026.102621","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2026.102621","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (SONFH) is a severe condition caused by impaired blood supply due to steroid use. This compromised vascularization leads to the death of bone tissue, resulting in pain, functional impairment, and eventual joint collapse. Tongluo Shenggu Capsule (TLSGC) has shown promise as a joint-preserving treatment, yet its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TLSGC and to elucidate its mechanisms of action in SONFH.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This open-label, randomized, non-inferiority controlled trial will be conducted in the Department of Joint Surgery at Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine. A total of 224 eligible patients with ARCO stage II SONFH will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either Tongluo Shenggu Capsule (TLSGC) or alendronate sodium. The intervention period will span two courses, each lasting three months. The primary outcome is the change in the radiological efficacy score. Secondary outcomes include the clinical efficacy rate, serum biomarkers (VEGF, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, TGF-β, BMP-2, HIF-1α, P1NP), Harris Hip Score, pain Visual Analogue Scale score, hip flexion range of motion, walking distance, and quality of life (assessed by the EQ-5D-5 L). Safety will be monitored via complete blood count, liver and kidney function tests, urinalysis, and stool examination. All statistical analyses will be performed using SPSS, with a significance level set at P ≤ 0.05.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This study will evaluate the therapeutic potential of TLSGC for ARCO stage II SONFH. The intervention is designed to target both pathological mechanisms and bone repair processes. Alendronate was selected as the active comparator for its established bone-protective properties, enabling an assessment of TLSGC's comparable efficacy within a recognized therapeutic framework. Should TLSGC demonstrate non-inferiority, it would represent a complementary TCM strategy. The generalizability of the findings may be limited to Chinese populations, indicating a need for future validation in more diverse ethnic cohorts.</div></div><div><h3>Trial registration</h3><div>ITMCTR, ITMCTR2024000431. Registered 23 August 2024.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"83 ","pages":"Article 102621"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146172405","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Why nurses and midwives decided to study naturopathy: a New Zealand study","authors":"Asmita Patel,&nbsp;Robyn Carruthers,&nbsp;Wayne Hill,&nbsp;Karen Mees,&nbsp;Karen Wesseling,&nbsp;Maria Hayes","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2026.102625","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2026.102625","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Nursing is a profession designed to provide healthcare, as well as promote health and disease prevention. Globally, nurses comprise the largest group of healthcare professionals, providing essential healthcare services. Limited research exists that has explored why nurses decided to study naturopathy. The present study had two main aims: (1) To identify why individuals wanted to become nurses or midwives, and (2) to identify and explore why these same individuals who initially trained and worked or still work as registered nurses or midwives decided to study naturopathy.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Twenty participants who began their career as a registered nurse or midwife and then decided to study naturopathy took part. At recruitment, nine participants were still working as registered nurses. An interview schedule comprising open-ended questions was developed. Participants were individually interviewed via Zoom video conferencing. Interview data was analysed using an inductive thematic approach.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Three themes were identified regarding why participants wanted to become a nurse or midwife: (1): a desire to help and care for people, (2): travel and career opportunities, and (3): gender and historical societal context. Four themes were identified regarding why these same individuals wanted to study naturopathy: (1): disheartened with nursing/nursing practice. (2): personal experience of naturopathy for own health reasons, (3): a long-standing interest in natural medicine and herbal medicine, and (4): researching and utilising natural therapies to help support their children’s health.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>A desire to help and care for people was a salient reason for participants to enter the nursing profession. The decision to become a nurse was also influenced by career opportunities that nursing was perceived to provide. The present findings also illustrated the historical, societal gendering of nursing and how it has been constructed as a female profession. The naturopathic view of health and healing, underlined by naturopathic philosophies, principles of practice and treatment modalities were identified as factors that influenced nurses to study naturopathy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"83 ","pages":"Article 102625"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146172407","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"External therapy of traditional Chinese medicine for rheumatoid arthritis: An overview of systematic reviews","authors":"Botan Xu ,&nbsp;Fen Zhou ,&nbsp;Guangyi Yang ,&nbsp;Ziwei Wang ,&nbsp;Zihan Zhao ,&nbsp;Yishan Yu ,&nbsp;Hao Wang ,&nbsp;Bingjie Liu ,&nbsp;Ting Yuan ,&nbsp;Yuxi Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2026.102622","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2026.102622","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Our overview aimed to evaluate the methodological quality, completeness of reporting, and evidence quality of systematic reviews (SRs) on the intervention of external therapy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A computer-based search was conducted across four Chinese and three English databases from inception to November 30, 2025. For 33 pairwise meta-analyses, Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR 2) and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 (PRISMA 2020) were used for methodological and reporting quality assessment; five network meta-analyses used ISPOR-AMCP-NPC questionnaire and PRISMA Network Meta-analysis (NMA) extension statement. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system was used to assess the evidence quality, with Corrected Covered Area (CCA) analyzing original study duplication.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 38 SRs were included, with the AMSTAR 2 evaluation showing three SRs rated as moderate quality, 19 as low quality, and 11 as very low quality. The methodological quality of the network meta-analysis also has some flaws. The PRISMA 2020 statement and PRISMA NMA extension statement indicated that certain items in the included SRs were incomplete. The GRADE system assessment showed that the quality of results for SRs was mostly low or very low. The CCA was 0.013, indicating a low duplication rate of the original studies.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>External therapies of TCM could improve the symptoms and signs of RA and have fewer side effects, with higher safety. However, the methodological quality, completeness of reporting, and evidence quality of the included SRs were relatively low, which had some impact on the accuracy of the results. Further studies with larger sample sizes and higher quality are needed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"83 ","pages":"Article 102622"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146102400","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Efficacy of auricular acupressure as adjuvant therapy for pain, depression, anxiety, and sleep quality in patients undergoing coronary angiography: A systematic review and meta-analysis","authors":"Mei Wang ,&nbsp;Ming-Tsung Lee ,&nbsp;Chin-Yi Huang ,&nbsp;Ting Ting Li ,&nbsp;Xiu Li Li ,&nbsp;Xiao Ting Lin ,&nbsp;Bin Xin Xiao ,&nbsp;Li Wei Lin","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2026.102627","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2026.102627","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Coronary angiography (CAG) is the gold standard for diagnosing coronary artery disease, assessing the severity of lesions, and guiding revascularisation strategies. Patients undergoing CAG often experience physical and psychological stress, which may increase the risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Auricular acupressure has been proposed as a complementary intervention for these challenges. Herein, we reviewed the efficacy of auricular acupressure as adjunctive therapy to alleviate pain, depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbance in patients undergoing CAG.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We conducted a systematic review with meta-analysis following the Cochrane guidelines. We performed a comprehensive literature search across 10 databases (Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, AMED, CNKI, VIP, SinoMed, and Airiti Library) from inception to April 11, 2025. Two reviewers independently screened records, assessed full texts, evaluated risk of bias, and extracted data. Evidence quality was assessed using the RoB 2.0 and GRADE approach, and reporting followed the PRISMA guidelines. The results were presented and synthesized using RevMan 5.3.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Nine randomized controlled trials were included. Meta-analysis showed that auricular acupressure was associated with reductions in pain (standardized mean difference [SMD] = −0.56, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.92 to −0.21) and depressive symptoms (SMD = −0.50, 95% CI: −0.78 to −0.23). Auricular acupressure was also associated with reductions in anxiety (pooled SMD = −1.33, 95% CI: −2.02 to −0.65) and improvements in sleep quality (MD = −1.50, 95% CI: −2.19 to −1.07), although there was substantial heterogeneity across studies. Exploratory subgroup analyses suggested that intervention duration and study setting might influence effect estimates. Two mild adverse events were reported. According to the GRADE approach, the certainty of evidence was rated as low for pain, depression, anxiety, and sleep quality.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Auricular acupressure may be associated with short-term reductions in pain and emotional symptoms, as well as improvements in sleep quality. However, the certainty of evidence was rated low according to the GRADE approach, and substantial heterogeneity was observed across studies. Therefore, the clinical relevance of these findings remains uncertain. and they should be interpreted with caution.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"83 ","pages":"Article 102627"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146172375","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Erratum to “High-intensity deformation augmentation for sublingual varices segmentation: A transformer-based deep learning approach” [European Journal of Integrative Medicine Volume 83, April 2026, 102623]","authors":"Wen-Hsien Chang ,&nbsp;Po-Chi Hsu ,&nbsp;Chih-Chieh Chen ,&nbsp;Hsueh-Ting Chu ,&nbsp;Lun-Chien Lob ,&nbsp;Hung-Jen Lin ,&nbsp;Han-Kuei Wu ,&nbsp;Hen-Hong Chang","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2026.102636","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2026.102636","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"83 ","pages":"Article 102636"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147739819","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Acupuncture for uterine fibroids: A protocol for a randomized controlled trial comparing segmental electroacupuncture, manual acupuncture, and sham acupuncture","authors":"Elham Hooshyarazar ,&nbsp;Parvaneh layegh ,&nbsp;Leili Hafizi ,&nbsp;Maliheh Dadgarmoghaddam ,&nbsp;Sandro Graca ,&nbsp;Amir Hooman Kazemi ,&nbsp;Seyed Kazem Farahmand ,&nbsp;Farnoosh Bidouee ,&nbsp;Hoda Azizi","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2026.102614","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2026.102614","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Uterine fibroids are prevalent among women of reproductive age. They have a negative impact on females' private and social life. As surgical and non-surgical approaches lead to some shortcomings such as reproduction failure, recurrence, and adverse effects of medications, complementary and integrative treatments have gained attention. Acupuncture is used for uterine fibroids in practice; however, the evidence is limited. This study aims to compare the effects of segmental electroacupuncture, manual acupuncture, and sham acupuncture on symptoms, mass size, and Doppler indices of uterine arteries in patients with uterine fibroids.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This study is a three-arm, sham-controlled, parallel-group, single-blinded, randomized clinical trial. Seventy-two cases with uterine fibroids type 1-6 according to the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics classification will enter the study. They will be randomized into 3 groups, segmental electroacupuncture, manual traditional acupuncture and sham acupuncture and undergo an eight-week intervention, then will be followed up for 8 weeks. Fibroid size, uterine arteries’ resistance index, pulsatility index, and diameter; Uterine Fibroid Symptoms and Health-Related Quality of Life (UFS-QOL) questionnaire scores, and adverse events will be compared before and immediately after the intervention, and after 8 weeks follow-up. The outcomes will be reported as statistically significant at a probability level of P value &lt; 0.05.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The results of this protocol will be published in peer-reviewed journals.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This clinical trial will be the first to provide substantial evidence regarding the safety and efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of uterine fibroids, while also suggesting a mechanism through the analysis of uterine artery indices. Moreover, evaluating the differences in efficacy between segmental and traditional manual acupuncture will further facilitate the optimization of acupuncture methods for uterine fibroids.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"83 ","pages":"Article 102614"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146102401","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Anticancer effect of borneol: Mechanistic insights through literature review and in silico studies","authors":"Md. Abdul Kader Shakil ,&nbsp;Md. Shadin ,&nbsp;Khadija Akter ,&nbsp;Abul Bashar Ripon Khalipha ,&nbsp;Abdullah H. Altemani ,&nbsp;Faisal H. Altemani ,&nbsp;Md. Hafizul Islam ,&nbsp;Abu Bakar Siddique ,&nbsp;Henrique Douglas Melo Coutinho ,&nbsp;Muhammad Torequl Islam","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2026.102634","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2026.102634","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Borneol, a naturally occurring bicyclic monoterpene widely used in traditional medicine, has recently gained attention for its promising anticancer property.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This study explores the mechanistic basis of borneol's anticancer effect through a comprehensive review of <em>in vitro</em>, <em>in vivo</em>, and <em>in silico</em> studies.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Data from preclinical models reveal that borneol exerts anticancer effect across multiple cancer types, including glioma, breast, prostate, liver, esophageal, and lung cancers, via diverse mechanisms such as apoptosis induction, mitochondrial dysfunction, ROS generation, and inhibition of oncogenic pathways, including mTORC1/eIF4E/HIF-1α, NF-κB, STAT3, and PI3K/Akt. Furthermore, borneol demonstrates significant synergistic effects when combined with established chemotherapeutic agents like temozolomide, doxorubicin, cisplatin, paclitaxel, and 5-fluorouracil, enhancing drug uptake, overcoming resistance, and amplifying apoptosis, especially in drug-resistant and brain tumor models. Molecular docking and dynamic simulations confirmed stable interactions of borneol with key targets such as IKK (3BRT), PI3Kα (4JPS), and mTOR (4JT6), supported by favorable binding affinities (−5.8, −5.7, and −6, respectively) and stability indicators (RMSD, Rg, RMSF, SASA, and binding energy). Pharmacokinetic profiling and ADMET predictions reveals that borneol possesses high intestinal absorption, BBB permeability, moderate toxicity, and compliance with Lipinski's Rule of Five.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Collectively, these findings reflect borneol's potential as a valuable adjuvant in current cancer chemotherapy because of its dual value as a bioactive anticancer agent and chemosensitizer.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"83 ","pages":"Article 102634"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147739820","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}