David Winston, RH(AHG), and Steven Maimes
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 It is used orally and topically (the topical preparation is known as hypericum oil) for people with Bell's palsy (paralysis of the facial nerve), trigeminal neuralgia, carpal tunnel syndrome, head trauma injuries, vulvodynia (vaginal pain), peripheral nerve pain, phantom limb pain, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, and injuries to tissue that contains a profusion of nerves, such as the fingers, spine, nipples, or genitalia. Hypericum oil also is used topically for people with first-degree burns, painful bruises, muscle tears, insect bites, shingles, and painful puncture wounds.
St. |
| For topical use, mix the powder with sesame oil and apply.
• He shou wu has been used for centuries to help maintain the youthful color of one's hair and also to help diminish hair loss.
• Holy basil contains ursolic acid—one of the cosmetic industry's latest favorites because not only does it quickly heal the skin but it also improves elasticity and removes wrinkles. It also shows benefits for preventing skin cancer. A poultice made from the herb is used topically for its antifungal and antibacterial actions. |
Dr. Steve Blake
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 There does not appear to be any advantage to fluoride supplements, topical fluoride, or fluoridated water in people over the age of 16, as the teeth have hardened by this age. In children and younger teens, topical fluoride treatments seem to reduce tooth decay.
INTAKE OF FLUORIDE
The major source of fluoride in the United States is fluoridated water. About two-thirds of the population of the United States drinks fluoridated water. The fluoride content of food is extremely low. Only tea and sardines have been found to contain even small amounts of fluoride. |
Andreas Moritz
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 Much to the surprise of the researchers, topical applications kept sterile wounds sterile until they had time to heal, while infected wounds became sterile within a week. Astonishingly, honey was even shown to remove dead tissue from persistent wounds, helping some patients avoid skin grafts or amputations.
According to the European Journal of Medical Research, topical honey proved to have positive effects on post-operative wound infections due to gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria17 following Caesarean sections and hysterectomies. |
Dr. Abram Hoffer, MD, FRCP (C) and Dr. Harold D. Foster, PhD
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 Oral and topical L-selenomethionine protection from ultraviolet-induced sunburn, tanning and skin cancer. lournal Orthomolecular Medicine, 1992;7:83-94.
32 Burke KE, Combs GF Jr, Gross EG, et al. The effects of topical and oral L-selenomethionine on pigmentation and skin cancer induced by ultraviolet irradiation. Nutrition and Cancer, 1992;17:123-33.
SAFETY
Risks and Benefits
As with any form of therapy, vitamin B-3 needs to be evaluated on the basis of its risks and benefits. |
J. Douglas Bremner
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 Sulfur has similar anti-inflammatory and antibiotic effects and is available in a variety of prescription and nonprescription topical applications. Some studies have shown that zinc oxide is effective in the treatment of acne.1 Side effects with zinc oxide are minimal.
Other topical treatments, like tazarotene, tretinoin, or adapalene gels, are in the retinoid class of compounds and must be obtained by prescription. They are safer than orally taken retinoids, however, because they don't get into the bloodstream in very high concentrations. |
Dr. Steve Blake
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| The tocotrienol form of vitamin E may be the correct choice for this type of topical application. Palm oil is a rich source of tocotrienols.
Natural alpha-tocotrienol as RRR alpha-tocotrienol
CH,
Tocotrienols have double bonds here
Natural alpha-tocopherol as RRR alpha-tocopherol
H3C CH
Tocopherols have single bonds here
Figure 5-2 Tocopherols and tocotrienols.
Antioxidant Activity
The main role of vitamin E is as an antioxidant to neutralize free radicals in cell membranes, in mitochondrial membranes, and in LDL. |
Andreas Moritz
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| According to the European Journal of Medical Research, topical honey proved to have positive effects on post-operative wound infections due to gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria17 following Caesarean sections and hysterectomies.
"Honey provides a moist healing environment yet prevents bacterial growth even when wounds are heavily infected," notes Dr. Peter Molan of the Honey Research Unit at the University of Waikato, New Zealand. |
| If you intend to use these herbs only for topical use, the less expensive Indian Herb is sufficient.
Caution: When you apply the Indian Herb or a similar bloodroot salve, be very careful not to use too much of it or put it on parts of the skin that don't require any treatment. The zinc chloride it contains can cause damage to healthy skin. The Bloodroot Paste doesn't contain zinc and may be less aggressive. Once a mole or skin cancer has been removed, that part of the skin may be lighter in color because their presence has diminished or destroyed any melanin-producing cells. |
| It is often used as a topical tooth and gum painkiller. Chewing on a piece of clove after meals helps remove bad breath.
Clove has great preventative value for a number of disorders. For example, it discourages blood platelet clumping, which is associated with cardiovascular disease. This herb contains volatile, essential oils that aid digestion and relieve gas pain and distention; it promotes peristalsis. Its astringent effect helps keep hemorrhages under control.
In addition, clove encourages the loosening of phlegm from the respiratory tract. |
Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.
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 Recently arnica has been shown to be equal to topical ibuprofen in treating osteoarthritis of the hands, a sometimes debilitating condition that produces potentially painful, nodule-like swellings on both sides of the joints.
Osteoarthritis is conventionally treated with the help of painkillers and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen and diclofenac. But one study in particular proved that arnica might be even more effective than the traditional approach. Jorg Melzer, M.D. |
Joan Liebmann-Smith, Ph. D., and Jacqueline Nardi Egan
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 Stretch marks on the face, as well as the rest of the body, can signal long-term use or abuse of oral or topical corticosteroids. They can also be signs of such systemic conditions as diabetes, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), and Cushing's syndrome. (See Black-and-Blue Marks, above.) warning sign
According to a recent study, women with stretch marks—whether or not they've been pregnant or obese—are at increased risk for pelvic prolapse in later life. In pelvic prolapse, the structures that support the organs of the pelvis weaken, causing pressure, pain, and urinary and/or rectal incontinence. |
Bill Sardi
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 Cancer Research 66:588-97, 2006]
There is a report of the successful use of a form of topical vitamin D on breast tissue that reduced the diameter of tumors by 50% among 3 of 14 patients. [Lancet 337: 701-02, 1991]
If undergoing cancer treatment, cumulative sunlight exposure in the months preceding treatment is a predictor of subsequent survival. [International Journal Cancer, May 2, 2006 online] Place sunshine or vitamin D pills on your list of preventive or therapeutic measures. |
Joan Liebmann-Smith, Ph. D., and Jacqueline Nardi Egan
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| However, there is a less severe and more common form of this condition, known as acquired hypertrichosis, which can occur as a drug reaction to some topical steroids, antibiotics, drugs to treat epilepsy, and hair growth drugs. Stopping the drug will usually stop the excess hair growth. Excess hair growth in men can also be a sign of a skin disease called lichen simplex, which involves thickening of the skin too. (See Chapter 9. |
C. W. Randolph, M.D.
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 Fortunately, for those who don't like taking pills, topical creams have been shown to be the most effective way of administering bio-identical progesterone. If you take bio-identical progesterone in a pill, it must first go through the liver to be metabolized. Some of the active substance is automatically excreted in the feces. The remaining progesterone must be metabolized into more than thirty-five biochemical substances before it can enter the bloodstream. This means that only a fraction of the progesterone contained in the pill makes its way into your bloodstream. |
Stacy Malkan
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 Her primary care physician prescribed a skin cream that Laura later discovered was a topical steroid. While the drug initially improved the sensitivity, the redness problem kept getting worse. She kept using more skin products to try to cover up the problem — cleansers, toners, scrubs and defoliators along with her usual four hair products and full-face makeup. "It became a vicious cycle where my skin was ruddy and uneven looking and so I used more makeup to cover up the irritation that the products were causing. |
Hyla Cass, M.D.
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 DRUGS FOR ARTHRITIC PAIN:
MANY SIDE EFFECTS, DIFFICULT CHOICES
When you are in pain and looking for a way out, you're faced with many choices:
• topical creams containing capsaicin. Capsaicin, also known as substance P, is a compound derived from hot peppers. Creams containing it aren't really drugs, but natural medicines that happen to be available on most drugstore shelves among the OTC meds. Smoothing a
Rheumatoid Arthritis and Food Allergy/Sensitivity
Up to twenty percent of RA sufferers get better, while the rest have recurrent problems for the rest of their lives. |
Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.
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 Its antibacterial activity seems unlikely to be expressed when the food is ingested, yet that same antibacterial activity, along with other properties of the substance, make it a really desirable ingredient in topical preparations and skin creams.
Q
Dark Chocolate
In a fascinating and much-discussed article that appeared in the December 18, 2004, issue of the British Medical Journal, researchers put forth an idea called the "Polymeal. |
| Newport Beach, California, principal author of the report, uses topical aloe in his practice to speed wound healing. "Any wound we treat, whether it's suturing a cut or removing a skin cancer, heals better with aloe vera on it," he states.
ALOE VERA JUICE EASES INTERNAL INFLAMMATION
The juice is also believed to have anti-inflammatory action in the digestive system and is often used for heartburn and to ease constipation. Aloe vera juice can be effective for treating inflammatory bowel disease, according to a study in the Journal of Alternative Medicine. |
| An animal-based study in the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association found that both oral and topical aloe preparations speed wound healing. Animals were given either aloe (100 mg/kg body weight) in their drinking water for two months or 2 5 percent aloe vera cream applied directly to wounds for six days. Aloe had positive effects in both cases. The size of wounds decreased 62 percent in the animals taking oral aloe compared to a 51 percent decrease in the control group. |
Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.
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| In the group that had topical aloe vera gel applied to their wounds, the size of the wounds decreased 18 percent more than the wounds of a control group that healed without the help of aloe.
If you ever undergo dermabrasion—an increasingly popular cosmetic procedure used for smoothing the skin and removing acne scars—don't leave home without your aloe. Aloe decreases surgical recovery time, according to a report in the Journal of Dermatologic Surgery and Oncology. In this report, eighteen patients had
Aloe vera is also excellent for constipation. |
| It's available as a topical application, in a gel or cream, or as an oral homeopathic remedy (more on that in a moment).
What the Studies Show
Clinical trials have focused on the use of arnica for different conditions, ranging from pain management (women undergoing a total abdominal hysterectomy) to diabetic retinopathy to trauma.
The studies on arnica have been mixed—not all of them show it is beneficial—but enough of them show positive results to make this preparation worthy of inclusion as a natural cure. |
Joan Liebmann-Smith, Ph. D., and Jacqueline Nardi Egan
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| Thrush sometimes occurs in people who have taken antibiotics or inhaled or topical steroids, or who have dry mouth (see A Dry Mouth or Excessive Thirst, below). It's also common among people whose immune systems are depressed from diseases such as diabetes, AIDS, or cancer and cancer treatments. Indeed, thrush-related white patches in the mouth are often the first signs of HIV/AIDS.
STOP SIGN
If you have burning mouth syndrome, merely switching to a different brand of toothpaste or mouthwash may help. |
Brigitte Mars, A.H.G.
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 Birch and wintergreen have similar chemistry, fragrance, and topical analgesic properties, but true wintergreen is rarely available as an essential oil.
As a flower essence, birch helps open perceptions and expands cosmic consciousness, improving peace of mind.
Edible Uses
The inner bark can be used to make birch beer. It also can be dried and ground into flour or cut into thin strips and boiled as noodles. The young leaves and catkins can be eaten fresh in salads. The sap of the tree can be made into wine, syrup, or vinegar. |
Thomson Healthcare, Inc.
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 Wound healing effects of Aloe gel and other topical antibacterial agents on rat skin. Phytother Res; 9:455-457. 1995
Heggers JP, Kucukcelebi A, Listengarten D et al. Beneficial effects of aloe on wound healing in an excisional model. J Altern Complement Med; 2(2):271-277. 1996
Hirata T & Suga T. Biologically active constituents of leaves and roots of Aloe arborescens var natalensis. Z Naturforsch (C); 32(9-10):731-734. 1977
Holdsworth DK. Chromones in Aloe species, part 1: aloesin- C-glucosyl-7-hydroxychrome. Planta Med 1971; 19(4):322-325.
Hunter D & Frumkin A. |
| The efficacy of topical capsaicin was determined in 22 patients with chronic, severe painful diabetic neuropathy over an 8-week study period in a randomized, placebo-controlled study. Significant improvement was seen with capsaicin 0.75% applied 4 times daily for the overall clinical improvement of pain status, as measured by physician's global evaluation and by a categorical pain severity scale. The capsaicin treatment group had a 44.6% decrease in mean pain relief on VAS versus 23.2% decrease with the placebo group. |
| Neither topical Arnica montana ointment nor sublingual Arnica montana pellets have been effective in abating the signs and symptoms of delayed onset muscle soreness after forearm extensor muscle exercise on a Lido isokinetic dynamometer in a placebo-controlled, randomized study of 70 untrained volunteers. Patients were assigned to various treatment techniques. In the two Arnica groups, patients either received a thin layer (approximately 0.5 g) of 0. |
Joerg Gruenwald, Ph.D.
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| Externally, mustard is used in poultices for catarrhs of the respiratory tract, for topical hyperemization of the skin as well as for segment therapy of chronic degenerative diseases affecting the joints and soft tissue. Mustard baths are used in the treatment of paralytic symptoms.
CONTRAINDICATIONS
Mustard is contraindicated in gastrointestinal ulcers and inflammatory kidney diseases. The drug should not be given to children under 6 years of age. |
| DOSAGE
Mode of Administration: Powdered resin, myrrh tincture, and other galenic preparations for topical use.
Daily Dosage: Myrrh tincture: 2 to 3 times daily with undiluted tincture (1:5)
As a rinse or gargle: 5 to 10 drops in a glass of water.
In dental powders: 10% of powdered resin.
Storage: The herb and its preparations should be protected from light and moisture, in sealed containers, with a drying agent, as the carbohydrate component of the drug easily absorbs water; should not be stored in powdered form.
LITERATURE
Arora RB et al., (1972) Ind J Med Res 60(6):929. |
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