Integrative Herbalism Journal of the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism Volume 3 | December 2016 Integrative Herbalism The Journal of the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism Volume 3, 2016 Table of Contents Short Research Papers ................................................................................................................. 3 Clinical Research Supports Traditional Use of Withania somnifera ................................................ 3 Boswellia serrata ..................................................................................................................................... 6 Circadian Rhythms ................................................................................................................................. 9 Herbal Interventions in Cancer Prevention and Treatment ............................................................ 13 Pump up the Skullcap*: Treating Anxiety and Mental Trauma with Scutellaria lateriflora ....... 15 The Effect of Gossypium Species on the Uterus ................................................................................ 17 Irish Moss as a Lubricant for Potential Prevention of Sexual Transmission of the Human Papilloma Virus .................................................................................................................................... 19 Breathing Bitters: Exploiting Bitter Taste Receptors in the Respiratory System .......................... 22 On the Energetic Basis of Greek Medicine in Contrast with Ayurveda .......................................... 25 How Effective is Rosemary Aromatherapy on Cognitive Function? ............................................... 27 Estrogen and its Role in the Progression of Chronic Diseases ......................................................... 29 Female Infertility .................................................................................................................................. 32 The Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine and Autism ........................................................................... 35 Psychedelic Therapeutics: Recent Clinical Trials and the Serotonergic Effects ............................ 38 Comparing Medicinal Values of Wild Versus Cultivated Plants ..................................................... 41 Medicinal Mushrooms: Trametes versicolor as a Supportive Cancer Treatment and Immune Enhancer ................................................................................................................................................ 44 Usnea barbata and Usnea longissima: Polysaccharide Content and Potential Medicinal Applications ........................................................................................................................................... 47 Treatment of Urinary Tract Infections Using Plants Native to the Northeastern United States .. 50 Case Studies ................................................................................................................................. 53 Case Study: Hypertension and Acute Prostatitis ............................................................................... 53 Case Study: Transman with Sciatica, Post-surgical Pain, and Digestive Complaints ................... 57 Case Study: Seasonal and Generalized Anxiety Disorders with Food Sensitivities, Acne, and Dysmenorrhea ....................................................................................................................................... 64 Case Study: Fibromyalgia with Chronic Fatigue, Digestive Issues, and Dysmenorrhea ............... 70 Case Study: GERD, Stress, and High Blood Pressure ...................................................................... 76 Pathophysiology and Therapeutics ........................................................................................... 80 Gastroesophageal Reflux and Fat Malabsorption in Cystic Fibrosis: A Unique Opportunity for Digestive Bitters .................................................................................................................................... 80 Understanding The Diagnosis and Treatment for Generalized Anxiety Disorder From an Integrative Perspective ......................................................................................................................... 86 Herbal Support for Autism .................................................................................................................. 96 Transforming Trauma Stored in the Body: A Holistic Approach to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ............................................................................................................................................... 102 Materia Medica Monographs .................................................................................................. 111 Blue Vervain ........................................................................................................................................ 111 Polygonatum biflorum - Solomon’s Seal .......................................................................................... 129 Pulsatilla vulgaris ............................................................................................................................... 141 Jujube .................................................................................................................................................. 148 Integrative Herbalism - 1 - 2016 Edited by Mica McDonald, with help from Salix Scoresby, Charis Boke, Netta Mae Walsh, and Charles Riffenburg. Integrative Herbalism - 2 - 2016 Short Research Papers Clinical Research Supports Traditional Use of Withania somnifera Sasha McGarvey, 2014 Ashwagandha, Withania somnifera, is one of the prized remedies of Ayurvedic medicine. Traditionally the root is used as an adaptogen, calming tonic for exhaustion, anxiety, depression, and impaired memory and wasting disease of both children and the elderly. Ashwagandha is also highly valued as a male reproductive tonic, traditionally served in ghee or honey [1]. Two of the key constituents in Ashwagandha are its steroidal compounds including lactones (withaferin A, sitoindoside IX, X (carbon-27 glycowithanolides)) and alkaloids including topine, pseudotropine, isopelletierine, and anaferine [2]. Current clinical research validates the traditional uses of Ashwagandha. In a double blind, randomized, placebo controlled study of 130 subjects conducted by Biswajit et al. (2008) stress levels were assessed at day 0, 30, and 60. This study used a Withania somnifera extract at 3 different doses. Between days 0 and 60, in the WSE 240 mg BID group stress levels decreased significantly more than placebo for a mean mHAM-A score, serum cortisol, serum C-reactive protein, pulse rate, and blood pressure, and increased for mean serum DHEAS and hemoglobin [3]. Integrative Herbalism - 3 - 2016 Tables 1 & 2. Mean (SD) values and percentage changes by treatment group of biochemical variables measured at Day 0 (base- line) and after 60 days of treatment with Withania somnifera extract (WSE) or placebo (n = 98). DHEAS = dihydroepiandrosterone sulfate; CRP = C-reactive protein; FBG = fasting blood glucose; TC = total cholesterol; TG = triglyc- erides; LDL-C = low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; VLDL-C = very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; HDL-C = high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. * P<0.05 versus Placebo Group, † P<0.001 versus Placebo Group, ‡ P<0.05 versus WSE 125 mg QD Group, # P<0.05 versus WSE 125 mg BID Group. Another interesting clinical trial by Cooley et al. (2009) compared traditional psychotherapy, with naturopathic care for anxiety in 75 Canadian postal workers with moderate to severe anxiety of longer than 6 weeks duration. Both groups were taught relaxation techniques but the naturopathic care group also received nutritional counseling, a multi vitamin and Ashwagandha (300 mg BID standardized to 1.5% withanolides, prepared from root). There were seventy-five participants (93%) who were followed for 8 or more weeks on the trial. Final BAI scores decreased by 56.5% (p<0.0001) in the NC group and 30.5% (p<0.0001) in the PT group. BAI group scores were significantly decreased in the NC group compared to PT group (p = 0.003). Significant differences between groups were also observed in mental health, concentration, Integrative Herbalism - 4 - 2016 fatigue, social functioning, vitality, and overall quality of life with the NC group exhibiting greater clinical benefit [4]. A recent clinical study conducted in 2012 by K. Chandrasekhar et al. also studied how effective Ashwagandha is in treating stress and anxiety in adults. Sixty-four people with a history of chronic stress were enrolled. Participants in the non-placebo group received 300 mg of whole Ashwagandha root extract for 60 days. The group receiving Ashwagandha saw a 69.7% reduction in anxiety and insomnia as opposed to the 11.6% of the placebo control. Even more dramatic, there was a 79.2% reduction in severe depression in contrast to a 10.6% increase in depression for the placebo group. Serum cortisol levels were reduced by 27.9% (p=.002). In conclusion, “full-spectrum Ashwagandha root extract mitigates not only the focal aspects of stress but also some of the precursors, consequences and associated symptoms of stress. One can think of this as Ashwagandha helping both directly and indirectly. This suggests, therefore, that high-concentration full-spectrum Ashwagandha root extract possesses the ability to improve the overall