Health Science Reviews

by Vuthlarhi Shirindza

Yes, I know, yet another COVID19 article. But this time the decolonised treatment version. Coronavirus disease, COVID-19, has caused an international outbreak of acute respiratory illness. Currently, there are no specific therapeutic agents for this disease, due to its broad clinical spectrum. But four researchers knew that herbal medicine has played an important role in controlling infectious diseases. So one day, they sat together and wondered what the effectiveness and adverse events of herbal medicines for the treatment of COVID-19 were. Interesting, right?

To answer this very pertinent question, they searched through twelve databases for eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to provide the answer. They found seven RCTs, with a total of 855 patients, which compared the combined therapy of herbal medicine with Western medicine to Western medicine alone. They conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of these RCTs.

The results showed that the combined therapy significantly improved the total effective rate, cough symptom disappearance rate, and sputum production symptom disappearance rate. The beneficial effects of the combined therapy were also seen through a reduced severity score on the most common symptoms such as cough, fever, dry and sore throat, and fatigue. Much to the dismay of ‘anti-herbalists’, no serious adverse events were reported. “Significant effects of the combined therapy of herbal medicine with Western medicine were found, and this has revealed the potential role of herbal medicine in treating COVID-19”. That was the concluding statement by the researchers, but one that will most probably never be echoed by western governments or the WHO.

The main findings from the research paper is that herbal medicine in combination with Western medicine improves and reduces the symptoms of COVID19 patients.

The researchers mentioned that the Chinese National Health Commission has declared the use of herbal medicine combined with Western medicine as a treatment for COVID-19, and has issued many guidelines on herbal medicine-related therapy. As a country enriched by an array of biomes, from Fynbos to the Karoos, you would assume that plants sourced from our backyards would form part of the recommended treatment of COVID19 in this country, but it does not.  Herbal medicine has always been viewed as taboo through western lenses- the dangerous stepsibling to the beloved and trusted Western medicine. Sadly, our South African national authorities have also fallen trap to this Western doctrine and brainwashing. Although the general South African public can attest to taking herbal medication and can confirm its efficacy, this same narrative does not stretch into government policy.

Understandably, the risk of side effects due to the potency of herbal medication is a major concern and drug-drug interactions need to be considered, especially for non-scientifically evaluated herbal medication. However, there is surely enough laboratory methodologies, expertise and funding to produce or verify clinically safe, efficacious and approved herbal medications. Why is South Africa and other African countries not running trials to see the efficacy of Africa-endemic herbal treatment on COVID19 patients, as was recommended by the researchers?

The South African Department of Health has the liberty to treat hospitalised patients with herbal medication and to advocate for the use of pharmacy- bought herbal medication under various trade names. To our detriment, African governments are too focused on copying the trends of more European countries instead of using our own expertise and X-factor ingredients to champion the fight against COVID19 in a decolonised fashion.

Dear South African government, decolonise COVID19 treatment.

Reference

Ang L, Song E, Lee HW, Lee MS. Herbal Medicine for the Treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. J Clin Med. 2020;9(5):1583. Published 2020 May 23. doi:10.3390/jcm9051583

Instagram: @vuxies_11

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vuthlarhi-shirindza-b0b2051b2/

By Abduraghmaan Fisher

The most stereotypical identifying trait of Coloured people has to the ‘Passion Gap’: the absence of the top front teeth (Figure 1). This unusual ‘trend’ often puzzles many non-locals, and people living on the Cape Flats (where the practice take place) know very little about the practice, just that it exists. Some say it originated as a way to silence slaves in the Cape, while others say it offered a sexual advantage to prisoners (hence the term Passion Gap).

But what is the actual story surrounding this seemingly bizarre practice; what would be the motivation behind purposefully removing one’s front teeth and how common is it? These were the questions posed by Dr Jacqui Friedling and those she set out to find the answers to. Any correlations between the practice of this form of dental modification and age, gender, race, and socio-economic class were also investigated.

A survey was performed in the Northern Suburbs of the Cape Town Metropole in the Western Cape. The survey was conducted by means of a questionnaire. The sample population had a wide age range of 15 to 83 years old. A total of 2167 individuals participated in this study, 1196 females and 971 males.

The questionnaire was answered anonymously. It included questions revolving around dental modification, such as whether they themselves or family members had their teeth extracted, which teeth they had extracted, who extracted the teeth, at what age they had their teeth extracted and why they had their teeth extracted. It also included questions pertaining to self-identification such as race and religion, as well as socio economic class (housing type, salary bracket, highest academic standard achieved).

A total of 888 (41%) individuals in the study population had modified their teeth. More males (44,8%) than females (37,9%) were involved in this practice of dental modification. The average age of extraction is in the late teens, about 17-18 years old. There were four reasons in the study for dental extraction: peer pressure, fashion, gang-related and medical or other reasons (Figure 2). Peer pressure (42,6%) was the main reason for dental extraction and followed by fashion (36,3%). This was followed by medical or other (11%) and gangsterism (10,1%). None of the individuals in the study group stated ‘better sex/ kissing’ as a reason for extraction.

The motivation for dental extraction is overwhelmingly peer pressure and fashion during adolescence. This is supported by the fact that majority of the individuals who had their teeth extracted done so before the age of 20. Therefore, removal of the front teeth can be seen as a rite of passage in the poor socio-economic communities of the Cape Flats. This study debunked the myth that individuals have their teeth extracted for ‘better sex/kissing’

Despite the recent decline in the practice and the present-day negative attitude toward it, the Passion Gap will always remain a part of the Coloured identity and culture.  The study done by Dr Friedling was only just the beginning of research into understanding the practice from an anthropological viewpoint.

References

Friedling, L. J. & Morris, A. G. (2007). Pulling teeth for fashion: dental modification in modern day Cape Town, South Africa: scientific. South African Dental Journal, 62(3): 106-113.

 

 

 

Bee venom promoted proliferation of HDPCs and elongated hair follicles, thereby preventing AGA. Bee venom did not cause irritation, erythema instead stimulated proliferation of hDPCs. Bee venom was more effective at promoting hair growth than minoxidil. In catagen phase-induced mice, bee venom reduced hair loss and stimulated new hair growth. Therefore, bee venom might be developed as a therapeutic agent for hair loss given its ability to promote hair growth by inhibiting the development of the catagen phase, and its ability to prevent hair loss by inhibiting the expression

by Jastina Modise

Breast cancer is a type of cancer that develop in breast cells and can be seen through an x-ray or by a lump forming. Breast cancer is most common in females with approximately 1.7 million new cases and 522 000 deaths recorded every year globally, with only 1% cases recorded every year in males [1]. To this day, many people are still under the impression that breast cancer in males does not exist and those that know about the disease tend to misunderstand it. Currently, there are fewer studies that base findings on the diagnosis of breast cancer because of the uncommonness of the disease in early stages [2].

Researchers are currently faced with a dilemma of what stage of diagnosis is breast cancer in males more advanced. Data analysis was done in a cross-sectional study where a total of 93 737 breast cancer patients participated in the study from the Hospital Cancer Registry of the Oncocentro Foundation of Sao Paulo (HCR-OFSP). The clinical stages were grouped and both sexes were compared using a Mann-Whitney test [1].

The researchers found that stage III and IV cancer at diagnosis are the most common in males than in females, this shows that breast cancer in males can only be diagnosed at later stages than early stages. Table 1 indicates the prevalence of clinical stages at diagnosis in comparison between males and females [1].

Table 1. The clinical stages of breast cancer comparison between the two sexes.

The findings open up to new discoveries of diagnostic tests and possibly newer treatment for breast cancer in males. With Africa having little to no studies on breast cancer in males, let this research be the gateway for the African researchers to assist in discovering therapeutic ways to defeat this type of cancer.

“Once I overcame breast cancer,

 I wasn’t afraid of anything anymore”

Melissa Etheridge

References

1. Spreafico, F. S; Cardoso-Filho, C; Cabello, C; Sarian, L. O; Zeferino, L. C and Vale, D. B. 2020. Breast Cancer in Men: Clinical and Pathological Analysis of 817 Cases. Review of American Journal of Men’s Health. 1-6.
2. George, J; Albach, A; Robinson, A. S; Dixon III, L and Nguyen, Q. D. 2020. Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Management of Breast Cancer in an 81-Year-Old Male Patient. Cureus 12(5): e8277. DOI 10.7759/cureus.8277.