According to 2020 U.S. census data, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) affects nearly 23% of the population, with the percentage expected to rise dramatically in the coming years as the baby-boomer population continues to age. Common MCI symptoms include “losing things often, forgetting to go to important events or appointments, and having more trouble coming up with words than other people of the same age.”1 With MCI an increasingly common problem, and no current medications proven useful as treatment, results from a new study involving a TCM herbal formula are encouraging.
In the study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Brain Science, researchers divided 60 elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment into two groups for comparison. All cases came from Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Hongkou District, Shanghai.
The intervention group received an herbal formula daily (6 g of Alpiniae Oxyphyllae fructus, 6 g of Nelumbinis plumula, 5 g of Chinese yam, 10 g of Poria cocos, and 3 g of jineijin) for three months; while the control group received a vitamin E supplement (100 mg daily) for the same time period. (Previous research suggests vitamin E can slow the progression of MCI.)
Researchers assessed cognitive function using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE); and body function using the Chinese Simplified Physical Performance Test (CMPPT), including stand static balance, sitting-up timing, squat timing, and six-meter walk timing. Grip strength and activities of daily living (ADL) were also assessed to gauge daily life performance before and after the intervention.
After three months taking the herbal formula or vitamin E supplement, the researchers concluded: “Our findings indicate that the herbal dietary formula can improve the grip strength, cognitive function, physical function, and ability of daily living in patients with MCI, and the efficacy is better than vitamin E.”
References
Over my almost 30 years in clinical practice, I have used Chai Hu Long Gu Mu Li Tang extensively for a wide array of clinical presentations ranging from chronic headaches to anxiety, insomnia, and prescription drug withdrawal symptoms if these situations fit the appropriate patterns – all with extremely positive clinical outcomes.
There’s no doubt that many of your patients visit your practice because they are in pain. And there’s certainly no doubt that curcumin from turmeric (Curcuma longa) can be incredibly effective in stopping that pain, whether due to chronic conditions like arthritis or acute pain from intensive workouts. But your patients may also benefit from curcumin for other reasons.
| Digital Exclusive
Low back pain is defined as pain the posterior superior iliac spine (PSIS), and it can be acute or chronic, localized or radiating. It is a common ailment for adults in the United States, with a lifetime prevalence as high as 65-80%. Whether or not an MRI is available to provide definitive knowledge of a structural issue, acupuncture can be an effective treatment for low back pain.
| Digital Exclusive