BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies最新文献

{"title":"Real-life use of non-pharmacological strategies and their relationship with symptom burden in primary dysmenorrhea: a cross-sectional study.","authors":"Sibel Küçük, Sezer Avcı, Ümran Sevil","doi":"10.1186/s12906-026-05601-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12906-026-05601-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Primary dysmenorrhea is a common health problem among women of reproductive age that negatively affects quality of life. Due to the limitations of pharmacological treatments, many women adopt non-pharmacological strategies. However, little is known about how the use of these strategies relates to multidimensional symptom profiles. This study aimed to examine the association between pain intensity, multidimensional menstrual symptom profiles, and the use of non-pharmacological strategies.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This descriptive cross-sectional study included 199 women aged ≥ 18 years. Data were collected using a Descriptive Information Form, the Menstrual Symptom Questionnaire (MSQ), and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation analysis were performed. As this was an exploratory study, only unadjusted bivariate analyses were conducted. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The mean age of participants was 23.18 ± 4.30 years, and the mean age at menarche was 13.16 ± 1.41 years. A family history of dysmenorrhea was reported by 60.3% of participants, and 44.7% stated that dysmenorrhea substantially affected daily life. Overall, 68.8% reported using non-pharmacological methods. Among CAM users (n = 137), the most commonly reported methods were heat application (80.3%), massage (35.8%), chamomile or fennel tea (35.8%), and consumption of dark chocolate (32.8%). Pain intensity was positively correlated with MSQ total and subscale scores (p < 0.001). Women using heat application, massage, progressive muscle relaxation, and dark chocolate had significantly higher lower abdominal pain scores than non-users (p < 0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Women with primary dysmenorrhea experienced a multidimensional symptom burden extending beyond pain intensity. Greater symptom burden and the use of non-pharmacological methods frequently co-occurred. However, because of the cross-sectional and exploratory design, these findings should not be interpreted as evidence of treatment effectiveness or causal relationships. Routine multidimensional symptom assessment may support patient-centered, evidence-informed counseling on non-pharmacological management options.</p>","PeriodicalId":9128,"journal":{"name":"BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13613826/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149036498","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tuberculous spinal epidural abscess: a cautionary case report of permanent paraplegia due to delayed diagnosis and management.","authors":"Yanan Hu, Anlong Wang, Yijing Wang, Xiaowei Qiu","doi":"10.1186/s12906-026-05537-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12906-026-05537-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Spinal epidural abscess caused by tuberculosis is a rare but serious complication of spinal tuberculosis. Its atypical presentation predisposes to diagnostic delay and a poor prognosis. This case not only documents the clinical and radiologic evolution of tuberculous spinal epidural abscess but also suggests that delays in diagnosis and treatment may jointly contribute to serious neurological outcomes.</p><p><strong>Case presentation: </strong>A 39-year-old man initially underwent acupotomy for recurrent low back pain with recent exacerbation. Subsequent imaging revealed a paraspinal abscess within the erector spinae muscle. Ten days later, the abscess was drained. However, the patient experienced rapidly progressive neurological deficits, including bilateral lower limb weakness. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed long-segment epidural granulation tissue compressing the spinal cord, and etiological testing confirmed tuberculosis infection. Due to prolonged delays in diagnosis and surgical decision, the patient remained paraplegic for five days before being transferred to our hospital, where he underwent spinal canal decompression and debridement. Nevertheless, permanent paraplegia persisted after the intervention.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>For patients with intractable back pain of suspected spinal origin, early Magnetic resonance imaging is recommended to rule out spinal epidural abscess and to assess the necessity of surgical intervention. Once neurological deficits develop, early diagnosis, timely surgery, and appropriate anti-tuberculosis therapy are key to improving outcomes in patients with tuberculous spinal epidural abscess. The prognosis for patients with rapidly progressive, complete paraplegia is generally poor.</p>","PeriodicalId":9128,"journal":{"name":"BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13676007/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149214986","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mitigation of serotonin-caused suppression of osteoblast function by extracts of the psychoactive indigenous plant Sceletium tortuosum.","authors":"Heinz C Schröder, Matthias Wiens, Shunfeng Wang, Meik Neufurth, Stefan Louw, Oluwagbenga Johnson, Susanne Hoff, Xiaohong Wang, Werner E G Müller, Petrina Kapewangolo, Fransina Shafombabi","doi":"10.1186/s12906-026-05540-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12906-026-05540-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Sceletium tortuosum is an endemic plant in Southern Africa, traditionally used as kanna by the indigenous people and also exploited commercially due to its mood-elevating properties. Mesembrine, a major alkaloid from this plant, acts as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), a group of drugs commonly used in antidepressant therapy but with the undesirable side effect of impairing bone mineral formation. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential effects and mechanisms of extracts from this plant on mineralization.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Both aqueous and ethanolic extracts were prepared from S. tortuosum. Their effects on mineralization were studied using bone-forming SaOS-2 cells. In addition to the effects on cell viability and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, the radical scavenging activity of the extracts was determined using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (H₂DCF-DA) assays. The alkaloid composition was analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>It is shown that the S. tortuosum extracts, in contrast to SSRIs, have a significant mineralization-promoting activity in vitro. This result was obtained despite the fact that, as is characteristic for SSRIs, the transient attenuation of the serotonin-induced suppression of cell viability that occurs with increasing serotonin concentrations was inhibited in SaOS-2. The activity of ALP, a marker of differentiated osteoblasts, remained unchanged. It was found that the plant extracts exhibit a pronounced radical scavenging activity not only in the DPPH assay, but also intracellularly using the cell-permeant probe H₂DCF-DA. The alkaloid fraction of the aqueous extract of S. tortuosum consists primarily of the two bioactive alkaloids mesembrine and mesembrenone. Mesembrine proved to be only a weak inducer of mineralization.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The results suggest that the observed osteogenic effects of S. tortuosum are due to a tuned interaction with signaling pathways involving serotonin receptors, serotonin transporters and reactive oxygen species. Due to its mineralization-promoting properties, we conclude that S. tortuosum is of potential interest for the long-term treatment of depressive disorders as an adjunct to antidepressant drugs that increase the risk of osteoporosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":9128,"journal":{"name":"BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13499329/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148788398","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Antibacterial characteristics of black currant fruit extracts.","authors":"Stefan Kranz, Markus Heyder, Franziska Latt, André Guellmar, Bernd Sigusch, Markus Reise","doi":"10.1186/s12906-026-05535-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-026-05535-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Our group previously reported on the high bactericidal potential of berry juices, particularly those derived from blackcurrant fruits. In the present study, we tested the efficiency of various juice fractions from blackcurrant fruits (all-fruit juice: AFJ, squeezed juice: SJ, non-dialyzable juice material: NDFM, alcoholic fraction from berry skins: AFBS, aqueous fraction from berry skins: AQFBS) in their efficiency to suppress various oral gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>AFJ, SJ, NDFM, AFBS, and AQFBS were prepared from freshly harvested blackcurrant fruits. These fractions were used for direct contact tests with planktonic cultures of Fusobacterium nucleatum (F.n.), Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (A.a.), Porphyromonas gingivalis (P.g.), Streptococcus gordonii (S.g.), Streptococcus mutans (S.m.), Streptococcus sobrinus (S.s.), Actinomyces naeslundii (A.n.), and Enterococcus faecalis (E.f.).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>AFJ was the most efficient fraction, causing complete suppression of F.n., P.g., and S.g., and inducing a major reduction in A.a., A.n., and E.f. colony count. Bactericidal efficiency of the juices presents as follows: AFJ> AFBS > SJ> AQFBS> NDFM. Gram-negative bacteria were more susceptible to blackcurrant extracts compared to gram-positive species. AFJ efficiency was similar to 0.2% chlorhexidine solution in suppressing F. n., P. g., and S. g.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>All-fruit juice from blackcurrant shows a strong bactericidal activity on F.n., A.a., P.g., S.g., and A.n. Further research should investigate the potential of blackcurrant fruit extracts in controlling oral biofilm formation.</p>","PeriodicalId":9128,"journal":{"name":"BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13483713/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148788312","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ginger in supportive therapy against side effects of oncological treatment: a systematic review.","authors":"Sarah Christina Burg, Jennifer Dörfler, Jens Büntzel, Judith Büntzel, Jutta Huebner","doi":"10.1186/s12906-026-05530-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-026-05530-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Oncology patients experience many side effects of their cancer treatment, which can affect their daily life. Phytotherapy is commonly used to reduce side effects or to support the treatment. Especially ginger plays a key role in the treatment of nausea and vomiting. The aim of this systematic review is to summarize the current scientific status of ginger in supportive therapy against side effects of oncological treatment.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In January 2025 a systematic search was conducted searching five electronic databases (Embase, Cochrane, PsychInfo, CINAHL, Medline). Studies concerning the use, effectiveness and potential harm of ginger therapy on cancer patients were included. There was no time limit on the publication date of the studies. 25 publications concerning 24 studies with 2409 patients were included in this systematic review after removing publications that did not meet the inclusion criteria.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The patients were mainly diagnosed with breast cancer. The therapy concepts include ginger-capsules, -powder, -tea, and aromatherapy. Study outcomes were treatment associated symptoms, e.g. chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, xerostomia, patients' nutrition, fatigue, and quality of life. The studies had low to high quality and reported heterogeneous results: some studies reported significant improved symptoms of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, xerostomia, nutrition, fatigue, and quality of life, while other studies did not find any changes concerning these endpoints. Furthermore, two studies found disadvantages of ginger concerning chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Ginger can be considered a promising candidate for complementing the supportive therapy against the side effects of cancer treatment of oncological patients. The data on this is still limited due to heterogeneous results and methodical limitations of the included studies.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>As this is a systematic review, clinical trial number is not applicable.</p>","PeriodicalId":9128,"journal":{"name":"BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13488015/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148788299","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ferroptosis-like cell death induced by Amomi Fructus phenolic compounds in SGC7901 gastric cancer cells: a network pharmacology and experimental validation study.","authors":"Yana Lv, Bin Xia, Yan Mou, Jing Su, Xuan Ding, Lixia Zhang, Guang Li","doi":"10.1186/s12906-026-05516-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-026-05516-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>To investigate the mechanism of Amomi Fructus phenolic compounds (AFPC) induced ferroptosis-like cell death in gastric cancer (GC) using a multiomics strategy combining network pharmacology, molecular dynamics simulations (MDS), and experimental validation.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Potential targets of AFPC, ferroptosis, and GC were systematically analyzed via network pharmacology, protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis, molecular docking, Gene Ontology (GO)/Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment, multi-omics databases (UALCAN, GEPIA, Kaplan-Meier Plotter, HPA, and TISCH1), MDS, and in vitro experiments on SGC7901 cells.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Two potential candidate bioactive compounds (gallic acid and quercetin) and five predicted central signaling nodes (TP53, HIF1A, IL-6, STAT3, and EGFR) were identified, among which only the IL-6/STAT3 pathway was experimentally validated. GO and KEGG analyses indicated that AFPC treatment in GC primarily involves oxidative stress, nuclear localization, p53 binding, and cancer-associated pathways. Molecular docking and simulations suggested that gallic acid and quercetin may act through modulating these predicted central signaling nodes. AFPC triggered ferroptosis by elevating Fe²⁺/malondialdehyde (MDA) and depleting glutathione (GSH), suppressing IL-6/STAT3 signaling, and inhibiting SGC7901 cell viability in a dose-dependent manner.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>AFPC triggers ferroptosis-like cell death and inhibits GC progression associated with IL-6/STAT3 pathway inhibition, with gallic acid and quercetin as potential bioactive components, suggesting a plausible GC therapeutic strategy and the utility of multi-disciplinary approaches in herbal medicine mechanism research.</p>","PeriodicalId":9128,"journal":{"name":"BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149191247","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Chemical investigation and anti-trichinellosis activity of some ficus species leaves: in silico supported in vitro study.","authors":"El-Sayed S Abdel-Hameed, Ezzat E A Osman, Heba R Mohamed, Mortada M El-Sayed, Hend Okasha, Hagar F Abdelmaksoud, Eman S El-Wakil","doi":"10.1186/s12906-026-05500-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-026-05500-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Worldwide, trichinellosis is a zoonotic illness. Albendazole (ALB), the nowadays anti-trichinellosis drug, has side effects and insufficient effectiveness. Ficus species have ubiquitous health benefits. The current work aimed to assess the in vitro anti-trichinellosis potential of seven Ficus species compared to the reference drug, ALB.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Fourteen crude extracts from seven Ficus species (spp.) leaves were prepared using 70% methanol and aqueous solvents. Trichinella spiralis (T. spiralis) adult worms were isolated from infected mice, cultivated on a 24-well tissue culture plate, and subjected to the crude Ficus spp. extracts and ALB in culture media. The efficacy of the tested compounds was evaluated using parasitological analysis and electron microscopy (SEM). Preliminary phytochemical screening and total phenolic content were performed on Ficus spp. extracts showing the most promising effects. In addition, GC-MS analysis was performed on the most active extract to determine its chemical composition.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The parasitological analysis revealed that Ficus microcarpa (F.m) had the most promising effects, followed by Ficus sycomorus (F.s) and Ficus nitida (F.n) with the methanolic extracts' LC₅₀ of 12.8 µg/mL, 31.5 µg/mL, and 42.9 µg/mL, respectively, compared to the ALB (52.5 µg/mL). SEM results documented changes and a loss of the typical tegumental structure and morphology in adult T. spiralis worms. The GC-MS analysis of F.m methanolic extract yielded 26 compounds, including fatty acids, esters, tricyclic diol, and glucosinolates. Molecular docking studies further supported these results, with high binding affinities among the major compounds of F.m and the tubulin beta chain of T. spiralis, an essential protein for parasite survival.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The current study emphasizes the promising potential of Ficus species, especially F.m, as natural sources for the development of antiparasitic agents for the therapy of trichinellosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":9128,"journal":{"name":"BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13474506/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148757630","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Eucalyptus camaldulensis leaf extract enhances thalidomide efficacy in acute myeloid leukemia cells through modulation of mitochondrial energetics.","authors":"Samah E Ismail, Ashraf A Hassan, Amany A Elkhedel, Amal M Fakhry, Eman A Khalifa, Soliman M Toto","doi":"10.1186/s12906-026-05503-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12906-026-05503-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive hematological malignancy characterized by high relapse rates and poor prognosis. Leukemic stem cells (LSCs), a major driver of therapy resistance, rely predominantly on mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) for survival. Targeting mitochondrial metabolism represents a promising therapeutic strategy. This study investigated the effect of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh. leaf extract, alone and in combination with thalidomide, on mitochondrial energetics in AML cells.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>An in vitro study was conducted using the human AML Kasumi-1 cell line. Cells were divided into four groups: control, thalidomide-treated, E. camaldulensis extract-treated, and combination-treated groups. The ethanolic extract was characterized by GC-MS and HPLC. Cell viability was assessed using WST-1 assay and IC₅₀ values were calculated. Gene expression of CD34, MFN1, MFN2, OPA1, and IL-6 was quantified by qRT-PCR. ATP levels were measured by ELISA. Mitochondrial length was assessed by transmission electron microscopy.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>E. camaldulensis extract significantly reduced Kasumi-1 cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner, both alone and in combination with thalidomide. The combination demonstrated an additive cytotoxic effect (CI = 1). The IC₅₀ values were 197.80 µg/mL for thalidomide, 30.26 µg/mL for the extract, and 28.26 µg/mL for the combination. Thalidomide alone or combined significantly downregulated IL-6 expression, while thalidomide increased MFN1 expression. The extract significantly downregulated IL-6 and mitochondrial fusion genes and reduced CD34 expression. Extract treatment decreased ATP levels and shortened mitochondrial length compared with untreated cells (p < 0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Eucalyptus camaldulensis extract disrupts mitochondrial energetics and LSC-associated pathways in AML cells. Its combination with thalidomide shows additive activity and may represent a complementary strategy to overcome metabolic-driven therapy resistance in AML.</p>","PeriodicalId":9128,"journal":{"name":"BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13471564/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148720524","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Faith, food, and healing: a global cross-sectional study of knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to Islamic complementary and alternative foods and remedies.","authors":"MoezAlIslam E Faris, Dana N Abdelrahim, Alyaa Masaad, Sadi Taha, Jehad R Al Bayari, Moien Ab Khan, Fatima Zohra M Bettayeb, Kabiru Goje, Huthaifah AlKhatib, Howeida Abusalih, Refat Alkurd, Ahmad Sundookah, Husam Khraiwesh, Basil H Aboul-Enein","doi":"10.1186/s12906-026-05506-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12906-026-05506-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The increasing interest in alternative and complementary treatments-particularly those referenced in Islamic sources, such as the Holy Qur'an and the Prophetic Sunnah (HQPS) - has led to their growing use as alternatives or adjuncts to modern evidence-based medicine. This global cross-sectional study examines the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of adult Muslims regarding the foods and remedies mentioned in the HQPS, along with their associated factors and determinants. An electronic questionnaire comprising twenty-seven questions was developed and verified for clarity. The study included 2,292 participants with a mean age of 38.7 ± 12.7 years, comprising 60.7% females, from 32 countries. The study results indicated adequate knowledge (80.8%; 4.8/6.0), positive attitudes (94.7%; 3.75/4.0), and adherence to Islamic practices regarding the foods and remedies mentioned in the HQPS. The knowledge score was negatively correlated with age (r = -0.066, p = 0.001) and the practice score (r = -0.133, p < 0.001), whereas it was positively correlated with the attitude score (r = 0.042, p = 0.043). Females (p < 0.001), employees (p = 0.041), and those having a bachelor's degree (p < 0.001) demonstrated better knowledge. The Structural Equation Modeling test revealed that religious commitment, introduced as a moderator, has a significant positive impact on practices, thereby bridging the gap between attitude and practice. Most participants reported frequently adhering to Islamic practices. The study recommends formalizing the therapies outlined in the HQPS and deepening sound scientific knowledge that integrates Islamic principles for preserving the body with modern evidence-based medical practices.</p>","PeriodicalId":9128,"journal":{"name":"BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13651349/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149147085","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synergistic anti-cancer activity of Artemisia vulgaris L. aqueous extract with cisplatin against A549 lung cancer cell line.","authors":"Seham Salah El-Din Elhawary, Hadeel Nabil Ahmed, Mouchira A Choucry, Rasha M Allam, Osama G Mohamed, Kamel Mahmoud, Amira K Elmotayam","doi":"10.1186/s12906-026-05481-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12906-026-05481-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The increasing resistance and adverse effects associated with conventional chemotherapeutic agents such as cisplatin have prompted the investigation of natural compounds that act synergistically with chemotherapy to combat cancer. This study investigates the cytotoxic effects of an aqueous extract of Artemisia vulgaris L. in conjunction with cisplatin on A549 human lung cancer cells. The research analyzes the phytochemical composition of the extract and its potential mechanisms of action by assessing apoptosis and autophagy. Cytotoxicity studies demonstrated a synergistic interaction between A. vulgaris and cisplatin. We utilized molecular docking to examine the interactions of the extract components with critical proteins involved in these processes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was employed to characterize the phytochemicals in A. vulgaris. A549 cells were subjected to various concentrations of A. vulgaris L. aqueous extract, cisplatin, and their combination. We utilized the SRB assay to assess cell viability and the combination index (CI) analysis to evaluate the synergistic interaction between the two compounds. Molecular docking was performed for selected compounds against apoptotic and autophagic target proteins.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The combination treatment showed a greater cytotoxic effect than either treatment alone, suggesting a synergistic improvement of anticancer action through the induction of both apoptosis and autophagy. This was manifested by a significant decrease in the IC₅₀ values of A. vulgaris and cisplatin to 13.32 ± 1.66 μg/mL and 0.44 ± 0.02 μM, respectively, with a combination index (CI) of 0.7. LC-MS/MS profiling showed a wide array of bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, terpenoids, coumarins, and phenolic acids many of which have been found to possess anticancer effects.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The results indicated that A. vulgaris L. may potentiate the anticancer effect of cisplatin, potentially allowing dose reduction and minimizing side effects.</p>","PeriodicalId":9128,"journal":{"name":"BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13459383/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148711464","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}