Combination of High-Dose Parenteral Ascorbate (Vitamin C) and Alpha-Lipoic Acid Failed to Enhance Tumor-Inhibitory Effect But Increased Toxicity in Preclinical Cancer Models.

Background: Intravenous vitamin C (IVC, ascorbate [Asc]) and alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) are frequently coadministered in integrative oncology clinics, with limited understanding of combination effects or drug-drug interactions. As high-dose IVC has anticancer activity through peroxide (HO), it is hypothesized that IV ALA, a thiol antioxidant, might have untoward effects when combined with IVC.

Methods: In vitro combination index (CI) was investigated in 6 types of human cancer cells, using clinically relevant concentrations of Asc (0.

Treatment of functional bowel disorders in an integrative medicine clinic resulting in improved digestive tract symptoms.

Background And Aim: Functional bowel disorders (FBDs), including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and others, are conditions without a physically identifiable etiology that, as a result, are difficult to treat. Alternatives to traditional medical interventions are needed because IBS patients require more of physician time and higher healthcare spending. The goal of this study was to determine the efficacy of alternative lifestyle interventions for patients with FBDs seen in an integrative medicine (IM) clinic at an academic medical center.

Pharmacokinetic Evaluation of Intravenous Vitamin C: A Classic Pharmacokinetic Study.

Purpose: Intravenous vitamin C (IVC) is used in a variety of disorders with limited supporting pharmacokinetic data. Herein we report a pharmacokinetic study in healthy volunteers and cancer participants with IVC doses in the range of 1-100 g.

Methods: A pharmacokinetic study was conducted in 21 healthy volunteers and 12 oncology participants.

High Dose Intravenous Vitamin C as Adjunctive Therapy for COVID-19 Patients with Cancer: Two Cases.

Background: Related to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic leading to COVID-19 illness, patients with cancer comorbidity are known to have a higher risk of developing severe viral-related events, including death. To date, there are few treatments with proven efficacy for COVID-19. Vitamin C administered intravenously (IVC) has been extensively investigated in cancer treatment with a known safety profile and has been proposed to play a role in managing COVID-19.

Pharmacological ascorbate induces 'BRCAness' and enhances the effects of Poly(ADP-Ribose) polymerase inhibitors against BRCA1/2 wild-type ovarian cancer.

The promise of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPis) in the management of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is hampered by the limited clinical activity against BRCA wild-type or homologous recombination-proficient EOC. In order to decrease the resistance and increase the efficacy of PARPis, combination treatments of pharmacological ascorbate and PARPis in preclinical BRCA wild-type EOC models were investigated. The cytotoxicity of pharmacological ascorbate, olaparib and veliparib in a panel of BRCA1/2 wild-type EOC cell lines were measured using MTT assays.

Targeted chemical pressure yields tuneable millimetre-wave dielectric.

Epitaxial strain can unlock enhanced properties in oxide materials, but restricts substrate choice and maximum film thickness, above which lattice relaxation and property degradation occur. Here we employ a chemical alternative to epitaxial strain by providing targeted chemical pressure, distinct from random doping, to induce a ferroelectric instability with the strategic introduction of barium into today's best millimetre-wave tuneable dielectric, the epitaxially strained 50-nm-thick n = 6 (SrTiO)SrO Ruddlesden-Popper dielectric grown on (110) DyScO. The defect mitigating nature of (SrTiO)SrO results in unprecedented low loss at frequencies up to 125 GHz.

Treatment of pancreatic cancer with intravenous vitamin C: a case report.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) has a dismal prognosis and is often discovered at an advanced stage with few therapeutic options. Current conventional regimens for PDA are associated with significant morbidity, decreased quality of life, and a considerable financial burden. As a result, some patients turn to integrative medicine therapies as an alternate option after a diagnosis of PDA.

Effect of high-dose oral multivitamins and minerals in participants not treated with statins in the randomized Trial to Assess Chelation Therapy (TACT).

Importance: In a prespecified subgroup analysis of participants not on statin therapy at baseline in the TACT, a high-dose complex oral multivitamins and multimineral regimen was found to have a large unexpected benefit compared with placebo. The regimen tested was substantially different from any vitamin regimen tested in prior clinical trials.

Objective: To explore these results, we performed detailed additional analyses of participants not on statins at enrollment in TACT.

High Dose Parenteral Ascorbate Inhibited Pancreatic Cancer Growth and Metastasis: Mechanisms and a Phase I/IIa study.

Pancreatic cancer is among the most lethal cancers with poorly tolerated treatments. There is increasing interest in using high-dose intravenous ascorbate (IVC) in treating this disease partially because of its low toxicity. IVC bypasses bioavailability barriers of oral ingestion, provides pharmacological concentrations in tissues, and exhibits selective cytotoxic effects in cancer cells through peroxide formation.

Active Collaboration with Clients: An Underemphasized but Vital Part of Evidence-Based Practice.

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is a widely recognized concept in contemporary social work practice. However, recent studies have shown that social workers do not understand EBP correctly. Standardized administrative approaches to implementing EBP have led to confusion about its core practice decision-making process.

Topological frustration of artificial spin ice.

Frustrated systems, typically characterized by competing interactions that cannot all be simultaneously satisfied, display rich behaviours not found elsewhere in nature. Artificial spin ice takes a materials-by-design approach to studying frustration, where lithographically patterned bar magnets mimic the frustrated interactions in real materials but are also amenable to direct characterization. Here, we introduce controlled topological defects into square artificial spin ice lattices in the form of lattice edge dislocations and directly observe the resulting spin configurations.

Nutritional and Metabolic Biomarkers in Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Exploratory Study.

Context: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is currently on the rise, now affecting approximately 1 in 68 children in the United States according to a 2010 surveillance summary from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This figure is an estimated increase of 78% from the figure in 2002. The CDC suggests that more investigation is needed to understand this astounding increase in autism in such a short period.

The Next Generation of Dietitians: Implementing Dietetics Education and Practice in Integrative Medicine.

Integrative medicine is a quickly expanding field of health care that emphasizes nutrition as a key component. Dietitians and nutritionists have an opportunity to meet workforce demands by practicing dietetics and integrative medicine (DIM). The purpose of this article is to describe a DIM education program and practicum.

Role of yoga as an adjunctive therapy in patients with neurocardiogenic syncope: a pilot study.

Background: Neurocardiogenic syncope (NCS) is a common clinical condition characterized by abrupt cardiovascular autonomic changes resulting in syncope. This is a recurring condition with mixed results from current strategies of treatment.

Methods: Subjects with a diagnosis of NCS were screened and enrolled.

EDTA chelation therapy alone and in combination with oral high-dose multivitamins and minerals for coronary disease: The factorial group results of the Trial to Assess Chelation Therapy.

Background: Disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) reduced adverse cardiac outcomes in a factorial trial also testing oral vitamins. This report describes the intent-to-treat comparison of the 4 factorial groups overall and in patients with diabetes.

Methods: This was a double-blind, placebo-controlled, 2 × 2 factorial multicenter randomized trial of 1,708 post-myocardial infarction (MI) patients ≥50 years of age and with creatinine ≤2.

High-dose parenteral ascorbate enhanced chemosensitivity of ovarian cancer and reduced toxicity of chemotherapy.

Ascorbate (vitamin C) was an early, unorthodox therapy for cancer, with an outstanding safety profile and anecdotal clinical benefit. Because oral ascorbate was ineffective in two cancer clinical trials, ascorbate was abandoned by conventional oncology but continued to be used in complementary and alternative medicine. Recent studies provide rationale for reexamining ascorbate treatment.

Oral high-dose multivitamins and minerals after myocardial infarction: a randomized trial.

Background: Whether high-dose multivitamins are effective for secondary prevention of atherosclerotic disease is unknown.

Objective: To assess whether oral multivitamins reduce cardiovascular events and are safe.

Design: Double-blind, placebo-controlled, 2 x 2 factorial, multicenter, randomized trial.

Antitumor Activities of Rauwolfia vomitoria Extract and Potentiation of Carboplatin Effects Against Ovarian Cancer.

Background: Tumor resistance to platinum-based drugs has been an obstacle to the treatment of ovarian cancer. Extract of the plant Rauwolfia vomitoria has long been used by cancer patients. However, there have not been systematic studies of its anticancer activity.

Pediatric Integrative Medicine Approaches to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neuropsychiatric disorder in children and is increasing in prevalence. There has also been a related increase in prescribing stimulant medication despite some controversy whether ADHD medication makes a lasting difference in school performance or achievement. Families who are apprehensive about side effects and with concerns for efficacy of medication pursue integrative medicine as an alternative or adjunct to pharmacologic and cognitive behavioral treatment approaches.

A convenient method for measuring blood ascorbate concentrations in patients receiving high-dose intravenous ascorbate.

Objective: A simple method of using fingerstick blood glucose (FSBG) monitors to estimate blood ascorbate values after high-dose intravenous (IV) ascorbate infusion is evaluated as a substitution for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) measurement.

Methods: In 33 participants, readings from FSBG monitors were taken before and after IV ascorbate infusions at various time points, with the postinfusion FSBG readings subtracted from the baseline glucose readings. The results of the subtractions (AAFSBG) were correlated with ascorbate concentrations detected by HPLC (AAHPLC).

Inhibition of pancreatic cancer and potentiation of gemcitabine effects by the extract of Pao Pereira.

Lack of effective therapy is a major problem in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. In the present study, we investigated a natural product, the extract of Pao Pereira (Pao), for its anti-pancreatic cancer effect in vitro and in vivo, either alone or in combination with the first-line chemotherapeutic drug gemcitabine (Gem). Pao induced dose-dependent apoptosis to all five tested pancreatic cancer cell lines.

Effect of disodium EDTA chelation regimen on cardiovascular events in patients with previous myocardial infarction: the TACT randomized trial.

Importance: Chelation therapy with disodium EDTA has been used for more than 50 years to treat atherosclerosis without proof of efficacy.

Objective: To determine if an EDTA-based chelation regimen reduces cardiovascular events.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Double-blind, placebo-controlled, 2 × 2 factorial randomized trial enrolling 1708 patients aged 50 years or older who had experienced a myocardial infarction (MI) at least 6 weeks prior and had serum creatinine levels of 2.

Pharmacological ascorbate with gemcitabine for the control of metastatic and node-positive pancreatic cancer (PACMAN): results from a phase I clinical trial.

Background: Treatment for pancreatic cancer with pharmacological ascorbate (ascorbic acid, vitamin C) decreases tumor progression in preclinical models. A phase I clinical trial was performed to establish safety and tolerability of pharmacological ascorbate combined with gemcitabine in patients with biopsy-proven stage IV pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Design: Nine subjects received twice-weekly intravenous ascorbate (15-125 g) employing Simon's accelerated titration design to achieve a targeted post-infusion plasma level of ≥350 mg/dL (≥20 mM).

Effect of yoga on arrhythmia burden, anxiety, depression, and quality of life in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: the YOGA My Heart Study.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of yoga on atrial fibrillation (AF) burden, quality of life (QoL), depression, and anxiety scores.

Background: Yoga is known to have significant benefit on cardiovascular health. The effect of yoga in reducing AF burden is unknown.