Medicinal herb use among asthmatic patients attending a specialty care facility in Trinidad

Clement, Y; Williams, Arlene; Aranda, Derick; Chase, Ronald; Watson, Nadya; Mohammed, Ranj Hikmat; Stubbs, Odia; Williamson, Deneil

doi:10.1186/1472-6882-5-3

Cited by 46 publications

(70 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…6 Paradoxically, the protective action of cannabis against allergies has also been described. 7 Cross-reactivity between cannabis and tomato allergens 8 and skin lesions due to inhalation of cannabis have been reported. 9 Allergic hypersensitivity to tobacco has been demonstrated by our group in a large series of patients.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Allergic hypersensitivity to cannabis in patients with allergy and illicit drug users

Armentia

Castrodeza²,

Ruiz-Muñoz³

et al. 2011

Allergologia et Immunopathologia

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Background: Cannabis is the illicit drug most widely used by young people in high-income countries. Allergy symptoms have only occasionally been reported as one of the adverse health effects of cannabis use. Objectives: To study IgE-mediated response to cannabis in drug users, atopic patients, and healthy controls. Methods: Asthmatic patients sensitised to pollen, and all patients sensitised to tobacco, tomato and latex, considered as cross-reacting allergens, were selected from a data base of 21,582 patients. Drug users attending a drug-rehabilitation clinic were also included. Controls were 200 non-atopic blood donors. Specific IgE determination, prick tests and specific challenge with cannabis extracts were performed in patients and controls. Results: Overall, 340 patients, mean age 26.9 ± 10.7 years, were included. Males (61.4%) were the most sensitised to cannabis (p < 0.001). All cannabis-sensitised patients were alcohol users. Eighteen (72%) of the patients allergic to tomato were sensitised to cannabis, but a positive specific challenge to cannabis was highest in patients sensitised to tobacco (13/21, 61.9%), (p < 0.001). Pollen allergy was not a risk factor for cannabis sensitisation. Prick tests and IgE for cannabis had a good sensitivity (92 and 88.1%, respectively) and specificity (87.1 and 96%) for cannabis sensitisation. Conclusions: Cannabis may be an important allergen in young people. Patients previously sensitised to tobacco or tomato are at risk. Cannabis prick tests and IgE were useful in detecting sensitisation.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Allergic hypersensitivity to cannabis in patients with allergy and illicit drug users

Armentia

Castrodeza²,

Ruiz-Muñoz³

et al. 2011

Allergologia et Immunopathologia

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“…These findings contrast with those described by Shaw et al (2008), who showed an association of higher educational level and gender (female) with a greater use of medicinal plants in a study conducted in England. By contrast, Clement et al (2005) found no association of use of herbal drugs with gender, age, place of residence or occupational status in a study conducted among patients with asthma in Trinidad and Tobago. The severity of asthma is also relevant for interpreting results.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 85%

“…Patients with severe clinical symptoms and in use of high doses of corticosteroids, tend to adhere more to the treatment prescribed and not replace it by herbal medicines. In the study conducted in Trinidad and Tobago with 191 patients assessing the predictors for use of medicinal plants showed that patients with moderate or severe asthma did not believe that the use of medicinal plants alone was sufficient to relieve the symptoms (Clement et al 2005). Most of those interviewed stated that the medicines prescribed had a greater effect than the medicinal plants in controlling symptoms.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Use of medicinal herbs by patients with severe asthma managed at a Referral Center

Mega

Santos

Souza‐Machado³

et al. 2011

Braz. J. Pharm. Sci.

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Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways that may lead to limitations in regular activities, to hospitalizations and a decrease in quality of life. Adherence to drug treatment is crucial for control of the disease. The use of medicinal herbs can reduce adherence to prescriptions, as the medication may be replaced by infusions or herbal products. The objective of this study was to evaluate the frequency of use of traditional herbal medicine among severe asthmatics in Salvador. Information on use of homemade remedies was obtained through application of a questionnaire during patient visits to a referral center. We also collected data on economic and social aspects as well as disease control. One hundred and forty-four (91,1%) out of one hundred and fifty-eight patients evaluated used herbal medicines, but only 26.5% attributed improvement of asthma symptoms to this alternative treatment and only 8 had substituted a prescribed medication by herbal medicines. There was a trend towards lower adherence to prescription drug treatment in this group of patients. Despite the high frequency of use of medicinal herbs in our sample, there was no improvement in the asthma treatment in this population compared to non-users. Adherence to conventional drug treatment was satisfactory and there was neither reduction in asthma control nor increase in hospitalizations among the users of medicinal plants.Uniterms: Asthma/adherence to drug treatment. Medicinal herbs/use.A asma é uma enfermidade inflamatória crônica das vias aéreas que pode resultar em limitações nas atividades diárias, internações e prejuízo da qualidade de vida. A adesão ao tratamento medicamentoso é fundamental para o controle da doença. O uso de plantas medicinais pode reduzir a adesão ao tratamento prescrito, à medida que os medicamentos são substituídos por chás ou ervas. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a frequência de uso de plantas medicinais entre asmáticos graves em Salvador. As informações sobre uso de remédios caseiros foram obtidas por meio de questionário durante a visita dos pacientes a um centro de referência. Foram coletados dados econômicos, sociais e de controle da doença. Cento e quarenta e quatro (91,1%) dos cento e cinqüenta e oito pacientes avaliados utilizavam plantas medicinais, dos quais apenas 26,5% atribuíam melhora dos sintomas da asma a este tratamento alternativo e somente 8 pacientes já haviam feito a substituição de medicamento por alguma planta medicinal. Houve tendência a menor adesão ao tratamento medicamentoso neste grupo de pacientes. Apesar da alta frequência do uso de plantas medicinais na nossa amostra, não houve melhora no tratamento da asma desta população em relação aos não-usuários. A adesão ao tratamento medicamentoso foi satisfatória, não havendo piora no controle da asma ou aumento em hospitalizações entre os usuários de plantas medicinais.Unitermos: Asma/adesão ao tratamento medicamentoso. Plantas medicinais/uso.

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“…It occurs throughout the West African region from Senegal to West Cameroon, and widely dispersed elsewhere in tropical Africa and worldwide (Burkill, 1995). Leonotis nepetifolia is used in the folkloric treatment of certain ailments such as asthma (Clement et al, 2005), rheumatism, rickets, headaches and wounds (Burkill, 1995, Dhawan et al, 2013. The plant is also used in ethnomedicine as a tranquiliser in mental illness and children (Burkill, 1995).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Preliminary Studies on the Behavioural Effects of the Methanol Extract of Leonotis Nepetifolia Linn Stem in Mice

Ayanwuyi¹,

Kwanashie²,

Hussaini³

et al. 2016

Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med

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Background: Leonotis nepetifolia Linn (Lamiaceae) is used in traditional medicine for its calming (tranquilizing) effects. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is any scientific justification for this use. To achieve this purpose, we investigated the behavioural effects of the methanol extract of Leonotis nepetifolia stem (37.5, 75 and 150 mg/kg) in mice. Methods: Acute toxicity studies were carried out on the methanol stem extract of Leonotis nepetifolia to determine the LD50. The behavioural tests employed were diazepam-induced sleep onset and duration, hole board assay for exploratory activity, mouse beam walk assay for motor coordination, and the staircase test for the detection of anxiolytic compounds. Preliminary phytochemical screening was also carried out on the extract. Results: The intraperitoneal LD50 value was found to be 3.8 g/kg. The results showed that the extract significantly prolonged the duration of diazepam-induced sleep at the highest dose (150 mg/kg). There was no observable effect on exploratory activity and motor coordination at the doses tested (37.5, 75 and 150 mg/kg). The extract, however, at 150 mg/kg elicited a significant decrease in the number of rearings in the staircase test, an effect also observed in the group of mice injected with an anxiolytic dose of diazepam. The preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, glycosides and triterpenoids. Conclusion:The results obtained suggest that the crude methanol extract of Leonotis nepetifolia stem possesses some biologically active constituents with potential anxiolytic activity and thus may justify its traditional use as a tranquilizer.

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Medicinal herb use among asthmatic patients attending a specialty care facility in Trinidad

Cited by 46 publications

References 17 publications

Allergic hypersensitivity to cannabis in patients with allergy and illicit drug users

Allergic hypersensitivity to cannabis in patients with allergy and illicit drug users

Use of medicinal herbs by patients with severe asthma managed at a Referral Center

Preliminary Studies on the Behavioural Effects of the Methanol Extract of Leonotis Nepetifolia Linn Stem in Mice

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