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Evidence-based Complementary and... 2022The purpose of this study was a comprehensive review of studies on the effect of aromatherapy with plant essential oils on the improvement of some conditions, for... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was a comprehensive review of studies on the effect of aromatherapy with plant essential oils on the improvement of some conditions, for example, anxiety, stress, sleep quality, fatigue, and pain in people with cardiovascular disease.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We carried out this systematic review based on the instructions of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Ethical agreement was not necessary as main data have not been collected. During March 2022, we searched the main English databases, for example, Google Scholar, Web of Sciences, EMBASE, EBSCO, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and PubMed/MEDLINE, with limitation to human clinical trials. For this study, no time limit was applied for the publication of articles.
RESULTS
Out of 1380 papers, 52 papers up to March 2022 were eligible for review in this systematic review. Based on the obtained results, the most widely used medicinal plants for aromatherapy in patients with cardiovascular diseases were (lavender, 55.7%), (Damask rose, 11.5%), and (peppermint, 5.8%), respectively. Most studies have been performed on the effect of aromatherapy on coronary angiography (21 papers, 40.4%), followed by artery bypass graft surgery (14 studies, 26.9%), and cardiac patients (5 studies, 9.6%). Most studies on the effect of aromatherapy in cardiovascular diseases were performed on anxiety (31 papers, 59.6%), sleep quality (8 studies, 15.4%), and hemodynamic parameters (6 studies, 11.5%), respectively.
CONCLUSION
This study systematically reviewed the effects of aromatherapy in patients with cardiovascular diseases. The review of studies showed that lavender, Damask rose, and peppermint are the most frequents plants used for aromatherapy, whereas they significantly improved some illnesses and conditions, especially anxiety and sleep quality. Therefore, it can be concluded that cardiologist can used aromatherapy as a natural complementary and alternative therapy particularly with lavender, Damask rose, and peppermint to improve quality of life and some conditions such as anxiety and sleep quality.
PubMed: 35646155
DOI: 10.1155/2022/4543078 -
Cureus Apr 2022Coconut oil has been gaining popularity recently, especially with health enthusiasts claiming it to be the best fat for consumption. What is the ideal cooking fat? The... (Review)
Review
Coconut oil has been gaining popularity recently, especially with health enthusiasts claiming it to be the best fat for consumption. What is the ideal cooking fat? The answer that we are all looking for is just not solely based on one health consequence but several. Our study focuses on the cardiovascular aspects of using coconut oil by its influence on low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the major cause of death and mortality worldwide. Hence, they are the focus of this study. For centuries, coconut oil has been used by several populations worldwide who consume it as part of their staple diets. However, they have also been consuming the flesh/meat of coconuts and decreased processed foods. One such population is the pacific islanders, who had increased LDL and decreased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) when they moved out of their natural habitat and accepted a more westernized diet. Even though coconut oil has a stronghold on the LDL aspect of the lipid parameters, which is our study's focus, it also increases HDL, whose effects on cardiovascular health are still controversial although it is called "good cholesterol." Cardiologists now utilize the ratio of total to HDL cholesterol to assess CVD risk more reliably. There have not been many human studies to support coconut oil's LDL and CVD advantages, considering all these variables. A thorough search of five databases, including PubMed, PubMed Central, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, and ScienceDirect, was done. The last search was done on October 8th, 2021. Studies were selected based on the following criteria: last five years, English language, human studies, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), systematic reviews and meta-analysis, narrative reviews, and cross-sectional studies were included using medical subject headings (MeSH) search and keyword search. Eight hundred and ninety-nine articles were found, and eight papers were picked after quality appraisal. These included one narrative review, three RCTs, one cross-sectional study, and three systematic reviews and meta-analyses. The results showed that coconut oil did not behave differently than other saturated fats to reduce LDL. One study showed that coconut oil did not increase LDL compared to additional saturated fat like butter or lard. Coconut oil also has antioxidant properties that may prevent oxidative stress that affects cardiovascular health. However, studies in this sector are limited.
PubMed: 35637823
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.24212 -
Complementary Therapies in Medicine Aug 2022Despite advances in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, patients still suffer from the various physical and psychological complications of cancer. The aim of this... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
Despite advances in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, patients still suffer from the various physical and psychological complications of cancer. The aim of this research was to integrate and synthesize relevant scientific evidence about the effect of lavender on cancer complications.
METHODS
A systematic review of the international literature was undertaken. The search process encompassed four databases of PubMed [including MEDLINE], Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane library without time and language limits. All types of interventional studies examining the effects of lavender on cancer complications were included in data analysis and research synthesis. Relevant data were obtained from eligible studies after quality appraisal using appropriate methodological tools. Given that meta-analysis could not performed, the review findings were synthesized narratively.
RESULTS
Thirteen studies were included in this review with a total of 838 patients. Nine studies used a randomized controlled trial design and the majority of them were conducted on patients with multiple types of cancer. Lavender was often used as inhalation aromatherapy. In the majority of the included studies, lavender was significantly effective in the reduction of anxiety and pain, and improved sleep quality and vital signs.
CONCLUSIONS
This review provides scientific evidence regarding the effectiveness of lavender in mitigating cancer complications. Healthcare providers are suggested to use lavender in patient care along with other healthcare interventions to relieve cancer complications.
Topics: Anxiety; Anxiety Disorders; Aromatherapy; Humans; Lavandula; Neoplasms; Oils, Volatile; Pain; Plant Oils; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 35462027
DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2022.102836 -
Nutrients Apr 2022Consumption of trans fatty acids (TFA) is associated with adverse health outcomes and is a considerable burden on morbidity and mortality globally. TFA may be generated... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Consumption of trans fatty acids (TFA) is associated with adverse health outcomes and is a considerable burden on morbidity and mortality globally. TFA may be generated by common cooking practices and hence contribute to daily dietary intake. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the relationship between heating edible oils and change in their TFA content. A systematic search of experimental studies investigating the effect of various methods of heating on TFA content of edible oils was conducted in Medline and Embase since their inception up to 1 October 2020 without language restrictions. Comparable data were analysed using mixed multilevel linear models taking into account individual study variation. Thirty-three studies encompassing twenty-one different oils were included in this review. Overall, heating to temperatures <200 °C had no appreciable impact on different TFA levels. Between 200 and 240 °C, levels of C18:2 t (0.05% increase per 10 °C rise in temperature, 95% CI: 0.02 to 0.05%), C18:3t (0.18%, 95% CI: 0.14 to 0.21%), and total TFA (0.38%, 95% CI: 0.20 to 0.55%) increased with temperature. A further increase in total TFA was observed with prolonged heating between 200 and 240 °C. Our findings suggest that heating edible oils to common cooking temperatures (≤200 °C) has minimal effect on TFA generation whereas heating to higher temperatures can increase TFA level. This provides further evidence in favour of public health advice that heating oils to very high temperatures and prolonged heating of oils should be avoided.
Topics: Cooking; Food; Heating; Plant Oils; Trans Fatty Acids
PubMed: 35406103
DOI: 10.3390/nu14071489 -
JBRA Assisted Reproduction Nov 2022Polycystic ovary syndrome is the most common endocrine disorder in women. Today, medicinal plants have been considered by women, especially in the reproductive and...
Polycystic ovary syndrome is the most common endocrine disorder in women. Today, medicinal plants have been considered by women, especially in the reproductive and pregnancy ages. Multiple drug treatments and the length of the treatment period often lead to incomplete treatment by patients. Therefore, due to the side effects of chemical drugs, this study was conducted to assess investigate the effect of pomegranate seed oil on polycystic ovary syndrome. The prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome is increasing by 15 to 20% and clinically includes oligomenorrhea or amenorrhea, hirsutism, and often infertility. Databases such as Cochran library, Medline, PubMed, SID, and Science Direct were used to access the related articles. To collect the required information, first, the articles that had one of the keywords of medicinal plants, polycystic ovary syndrome, plant, pomegranate extract, and menstrual irregularities in their text were searched in databases. All studies from 1985 to 2021 are included in the study. Conjugated linolenic acid (CLN) is a group of geometric and positional isomers of linolenic acid in which double bonds are conjugated. CLN has been reported to have a very strong cytotoxic effect on tissue tumor cells in the body, preventing cancer, reducing the accumulation of triacylglycerol in the liver, polycystic ovary syndrome, and LDL cholesterol in the blood. So far, seven CLN isomers have been identified, including ponic acid in pomegranate seed oil. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a group of situational and geometric isomers of linoleic acid in which double bonds are conjugated. The positive effects of the two main CLA isomers (cis-9, trans-11, and trans-10, cis-12) include inhibiting the growth of cancer, reducing the risk of atherosclerosis, and reducing body fat.
Topics: Female; Humans; alpha-Linolenic Acid; Plant Oils; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome; Pomegranate
PubMed: 35257560
DOI: 10.5935/1518-0557.20210121 -
Reproduction & Fertility Jul 2021Controversy exists regarding the benefits of intravenous intralipid therapy in patients with a poor reproductive history. It is frequently reported that there is no... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
UNLABELLED
Controversy exists regarding the benefits of intravenous intralipid therapy in patients with a poor reproductive history. It is frequently reported that there is no evidence to support the effectiveness, utility or safety for this treatment. While individual studies may be perceived as weak, a systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to determine if there is any advantage to patients. PubMed, Embase and Scopus searches were performed with the target populations being either recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL), or recurrent implantation failure (RIF) undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART) and receiving intralipid infusions. These cohorts were compared with either placebo, no intervention or alternative treatments. The most relevant outcome measures were considered to be clinical pregnancy rate (CPR), live birth rate (LBR), implantation rate (IR) and miscarriage rate (MR). Twelve studies encompassing 2676 participants met the criteria for selection and were included and reviewed. Treatment of the target population with intralipid led to an improvement in IR (Odds Ratio (OR): 2.97, 2.05-4.29), pregnancy rate (OR: 1.64, 1.31-2.04), and LBR (OR: 2.36, 1.75-3.17), with a reduction in MR (OR: 0.2, 0.14-0.30). Although intravenous intralipid is not recommended as a routine treatment for recurrent miscarriage or implantation failure, there is enough data to suggest consideration in selected patients where routine testing is unremarkable, standard treatments have failed and immunological risk factors are present. The presence of abnormal uterine natural killer (uNK) cells needs more study as a target marker to determine those who could benefit.
LAY SUMMARY
There is controversy regarding the benefits and efficacy of intravenous intralipid therapy in patients with a poor reproductive history. It is frequently reported that there is no credible evidence to support their use. A situation we frequently face as medical professionals is patients asking us to consider immune therapy (such as intralipid) for reproductive failure where good quality embryos have been used. Intralipid infusions have been reported to improve pregnancy rates with IVF, and reduce the miscarriage risk in selected patient groups, but study results are not universally accepted. We have performed a detailed review and analysis of the literature to determine if there is any benefit to this immune treatment in specific patient groups. Our paper identified and analyzed 12 studies, finding that treatment with intravenous intralipid leads to an improvement in implantation, pregnancy and live birth rates, with a decrease in miscarriage rate. This study shows that there is evidence to suggest consideration of intralipid in certain patients where standard treatments have failed.
Topics: Abortion, Habitual; Emulsions; Female; Humans; Live Birth; Phospholipids; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Rate; Soybean Oil
PubMed: 35118388
DOI: 10.1530/RAF-20-0052 -
PloS One 2022Research evidence has established the beneficial effects of diet in cancer prevention; various epidemiological studies have suggested that olive oil component could play... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Research evidence has established the beneficial effects of diet in cancer prevention; various epidemiological studies have suggested that olive oil component could play a role in decreasing cancer risk. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to investigate the association between olive oil consumption, cancer risk and prognosis.
METHODS
A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE and Google Scholar databases (end-of-search: May 10, 2020). Pooled relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were estimated with random-effects (DerSimonian-Laird) models. Subgroup analyses, sensitivity analyses and meta-regression analysis were also performed.
RESULTS
45 studies were included in the meta-analysis; 37 were case-control (17,369 cases and 28,294 controls) and 8 were cohort studies (12,461 incident cases in a total cohort of 929,771 subjects). Highest olive oil consumption was associated with 31% lower likelihood of any cancer (pooled RR = 0.69, 95%CI: 0.62-0.77), breast (RR = 0.67, 95%CI: 0.52-0.86), gastrointestinal (RR = 0.77, 95%CI: 0.66-0.89), upper aerodigestive (RR = 0.74, 95%CI: 0.60-0.91) and urinary tract cancer (RR = 0.46, 95%CI: 0.29-0.72). Significant overall effects spanned both Mediterranean and non-Mediterranean participants, studies presenting a multivariate and a univariate analysis and all subgroups by study quality.
CONCLUSIONS
Olive oil consumption seems to exert beneficial actions in terms of cancer prevention. Additional prospective cohort studies on various cancer types and survivors, as well as large randomized trials, seem desirable.
Topics: Breast Neoplasms; Case-Control Studies; Databases, Factual; Female; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms; Humans; Neoplasms; Olive Oil; Risk Factors; Urologic Neoplasms
PubMed: 35015763
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261649 -
Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) Nov 2021Essential oils (EOs) and their compounds have attracted particular attention for their reported beneficial properties, especially their antiviral potential. However,... (Review)
Review
Essential oils (EOs) and their compounds have attracted particular attention for their reported beneficial properties, especially their antiviral potential. However, data regarding their anti-SARS-CoV-2 potential are scarce in the literature. Thus, this study aimed to identify the most promising EO compounds against SARS-CoV-2 based on their physicochemical, pharmacokinetic, and toxicity properties. A systematic literature search retrieved 1669 articles; 40 met the eligibility criteria, and 35 were eligible for analysis. These studies resulted in 465 EO compounds evaluated against 11 human and/or SARS-CoV-2 target proteins. Ninety-four EO compounds and seven reference drugs were clustered by the highest predicted binding affinity. Furthermore, 41 EO compounds showed suitable drug-likeness and bioactivity score indices (≥0.67). Among these EO compounds, 15 were considered the most promising against SARS-CoV-2 with the ADME/T index ranging from 0.86 to 0.81. Some plant species were identified as EO potential sources with anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity, such as Arcang, Boiss, Cambess, Triboun & K.Larsen, A.Rich, and Nash. Our work can help fill the gap in the literature and guide further in vitro and in vivo studies, intending to optimize the finding of effective EOs against COVID-19.
PubMed: 34832920
DOI: 10.3390/ph14111138 -
International Journal of Molecular... Nov 2021The present work involves a systematic review of the chemical composition and biological effects of essential oils from the Annonaceae species collected in Brazil from... (Review)
Review
The present work involves a systematic review of the chemical composition and biological effects of essential oils from the Annonaceae species collected in Brazil from 2011 to 2021. Annonaceae is one of the most important botanical families in Brazil, as some species have economic value in the market as local and international fruit. In addition, the species have useful applications in several areas-for instance, as raw materials for use in cosmetics and perfumery and as medicinal plants. In folk medicine, species such as L. and A. St.-Hil. are used to treat diseases such as rheumatism and malaria. The species of Annonaceae are an important source of essential oils and are rich in compounds belonging to the classes of mono and sesquiterpenes; of these compounds, α-pinene, β-pinene, limonene, ()-caryophyllene, bicyclogermacrene, caryophyllene oxide, germacrene D, spathulenol, and β-elemene are the most abundant. The antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antileishmania, antioxidant, antiproliferative, cytotoxic, larvicidal, trypanocidal, and antimalarial activities of essential oils from the Annonaceae species in Brazil have been described in previous research, with the most studies on this topic being related to their antiproliferative or cytotoxic activities. In some studies, it was observed that the biological activity reported for these essential oils was superior to that of drugs available on the market, as is the case of the essential oil of the species (Aubl.) R. A. Howard., which showed a trypanocidal effect that was 34 times stronger than that of the reference drug benznidazol.
Topics: Annonaceae; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Brazil; Humans; Oils, Volatile; Phytochemicals; Plant Leaves; Polycyclic Sesquiterpenes; Sesquiterpenes; Sesquiterpenes, Germacrane
PubMed: 34830022
DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212140 -
Pharmaceutics Oct 2021is a common agent of infection in humans, which has a wide distribution and is a colonizer fungus of the body, occasionally assuming the role of a pathogen. The type of... (Review)
Review
is a common agent of infection in humans, which has a wide distribution and is a colonizer fungus of the body, occasionally assuming the role of a pathogen. The type of treatment depends on the site of infection and the clinical condition of the patient. Superficial infections, such as mucosal infections, can be treated with topical medications. So-called alternative therapies have rarely been studied, although the literature records the effectiveness of some treatments, especially as complementary therapy. The aims of this review were to analyze evidence of the anti- inhibitory activity of essential oils of the , , , and species; in addition to addressing the chemical composition, probable mechanisms of antifungal action and studies of toxicity, cytotoxicity, and genotoxicity were included. The literature from Medline/PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Brazilian database Periodic Capes was reviewed. Thirty-eight articles were selected, which included two articles on spp., seven on spp., thirteen articles on spp., and twenty-one articles on spp. In conclusion, this study showed in vitro evidence for the use of essential oils of the plant species evaluated for the treatment of infections caused by different species.
PubMed: 34683994
DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13101700