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In order to alleviate diabetic foot problems, patients sometimes seek complementary therapies outside the professional context. This paper describes the use of complementary remedies as a topical treatment for diabetic foot ulcers among Jordanians. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse written responses of 68 patients with diabetes who haveused complementary therapies to treat diabetic foot problems. These 68 persons represented a subgroup of the study population surveyed using a questionnaire, to the effect of investigating diabetic foot treatments provided in Jordan. Informants were recruited from eight healthcare facilities established in the southern part of Jordan plus from one hospitalestablished in the Jordanian capital. The study was approved by the Boards of Ethics of the participating healthcare facilities. Content analysis yielded the category “Complementary Therapies Used”, which included a range of household items (olive oil, sesame oil, honey, and vinegar), and also some indigenous Jordanian herbs (Wormwood, Myrrh, Caper, and Henna among others). The remedies were used either as a monotherapy or as mixtures, to the common goal of treating diabetic foot problems. Other interventions like Al-cowy were also sought from traditional healers. Educational campaigns are required to increase the awareness of patients and their families on possible hazards of unwise complementary therapy use. The decisions on the use of such therapies should be made in agreement with the attending healthcare professionals.

The study explored the perceptions, knowledge and attitudes of patients, health workers and traditional healers about the use of traditional medicine and Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART). The study explored the perceptions, knowledge and attitudes of patients, health workers and traditional healers about the use of traditional medicine and Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART), using an exploratory qualitative design in two provinces of South Africa: an urban township health facility in the Western Cape, and a rural district hospital in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) with antennal HIV rate of 32% and 28%’respectively. In-depth interviews were conducted with 14 participants: six HIV patients on ART and using Traditional Medicine(TM), two doctors, two nurses and four traditional healers. Two focus group discussions - one at each site - were held with community health workers who work with HIV-positive patients (Western Cape [5] and in KZN [4]). Patient said to have used Traditional Healing Practices (THP) before they were diagnosed with HIV, and some who have been diagnosed with HIV continue using TM in conjunction with ART and/or Cotrimoxazole prophylaxis. Patients preferred not to disclose THP to health professionals because of lack of support and understanding. Patients utilize THP because of family expectations, privacy and confidentiality, especially when they have not disclosed their HIV status. Healthcare professionals had strong negative opinions about THP, especially for HIV-positive patients. Traditional healers supported the patient’s rationale for THP use. This study revealed a need to better understand factors involved in patients’ choosing to use THP concurrently with ART.

This study was conducted to find out the frequency of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use that could lead to troubles in patient health and in applied standard therapy protocols when used improperly, which method is used, the reasons for use and from which resources the information about this topic were obtained. A questionnaire consisting of 28 questions was applied to 195 patients with cancer diagnosis by a face-to-face interview. The obtained data were assessed with SPSS 11.5 program. Out of 195 cancer patients, 100 (51.3%) were using CAM and 48.7% (n=95) were not. The most commonly used agent was nettle (72%). This was followed by herbal teas (21%), grape molasses (20%) and black seed (20%). The frequency of CAM use was found higher in those under age 50, in literate people, in those working during the diagnosis stage and having disease at the later stage. While CAM was commonly recommended by friends and relatives of the patients (73%), this ratio was only 5% for health professionals. While 51.3% of all patients were gathering information about CAM, 75% of those actually using CAM gathered information about it. Whilst information was gathered mostly from the relatives of patients and tamperers (47%), it can be gathered from physicians only with a ratio of 10%. Cancer patients use CAM and they gather information mainly from unreliable sources rather than physicians. Although the primary information source should be physicians, the ratio for this was very low (10%). We suggest that physicians should spend more time in gathering correct information and sharing them with their patients for a better guidance.Keywords: Complementary medicine, alternative medicine, complementary therapies, cancer.doi: 10.4314/ajtcam.v8i4.21

Use and opinion of herbs among medical students of Imo State University Nigeria was assessed. Information on herb use, indication and opinion from returned self-administered questionnaire was analyzed. A total of 114 students (91.2%) of 125 responded. 32 (28.1%) students had used herbs before, a significant proportion being males (OR 3.7). Herbal tea was the most popular herb used; maintaining good health and treating malaria were the only indications (50% each). Most students (>90%) believe herbs to be harmful, and generally unsafe especially in pregnancy. Most students (73%) who had used herbs consider them effective in treating hypertension or diabetes mellitus (OR 3.5 & 6.0 respectively). Most students (89.1%) believe there's a lot of misinformation about herbs. Most students view use of herbs with skepticism. Inculcating study of herbs in medical curriculum will provide better information on herbs.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is garnering increasing interest and acceptance among the general population throughout the world. The use of CAM by cancer patients is very common in China. The referenced English literature has no rural community-based study from China on this subject. This study was conducted to define the prevalence, pattern of use, and reasons for using CAM by cancer patients at Zhejiang University Teaching Hospital Zhuji Hospital (ZUTH-ZJH), China. Face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire were used to determine the use of CAM by cancer patients. All consenting cancer patients were interviewed as they presented at the Department of Surgical Oncology of ZUTH-ZJH, from September 2009 to February 2010. One hundred and twenty one patients were interviewed; 64 (52.9%) were males and 57 (47.1%) were females. One hundred and thirteen patients (93.4%) have used CAM at some time during their current cancer illness, fifty two (46.0%) are female and sixty one (54.0%) are male patients; 8 (6.6%) patients have not used any form of CAM. Chinese medicine (73.5.0%) was the most commonly reported CAM modality. Over 71.7% of those who used CAM were satisfied, only 28.3% were disappointed. Twenty eight users (24.8%) did not see any benefit from the CAM, but eighty one patients (71.7%) could describe some specific benefits. Only one patient will use orthodox medicine instead of CAM in the future, almost all patients will continue to use CAM in the future. CAM use is very common amongcancer patients in local area of China. Most users obtain the expected benefits, and adverse events are uncommon. It is imperative that oncologists should explore the use of CAM with their cancer patients and work towards an integrated model of health-care provision. This knowledge will enable oncologists to better counsel the patients.Key words: complementary and alternative medicine, cancer, China

Ethnomedicine has gained a lot of recognition in post-independence Zimbabwe and yet little research on anti-fertility medicines has been done. Information on plants used as anti-fertility medicines was obtained by interviewing women, men, traditional healers and traditional midwives in urban Harare and surrounding rural areas of Mvurwi, Seke and Chiweshe. The use of 31 species belonging to 17 families for antifertility purposes is described. This survey forms a basis to initiate a study into the efficacy and toxicology of plants used by Zimbabwean women as traditional anti-fertility medicines.Key words: antifertility; Zimbabwe; postcoital anticonceptive; abortifacient; contraceptive.

The Gwandara people of Sabo Wuse in Niger State, Nigeria are the original inhabitants of Wuse in Abuja Municipal Area Council. They were resettled at this present location of Sabo Wuse from Wuse in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja when the seat of government moved from Lagos to Abuja 30 years ago. Sabo Wuse still remains relatively a remote settlement and their lifestyle unchanged. They still depend to a large extent on their traditional knowledge of medicinal plants to treat ailments. Ethnobotanical survey was conducted to identify and document methods traditionally utilized for treatment of mental illness and to expand the quality and quantity of information for research and development especially in the area of new drug discovery and development. About sixty seven (67) Traditional Medicine Practitioners were interviewed orally with use of questionnaire. From our survey, various methods were found to be used by the traditional medicine practitioners to treat mental illness and associated disorders. These include music, incantations and medicinal plants in various formulations – decoction, powder, infusion – which are administered in various ways like fumigation, inhalation, bathing, steaming and drinking. Eighteen plant species belonging to twelve different families were documented to be included in these therapies. In conclusion, there is an array of plants used locally to treat mental illness and it is recommended that such surveys should be funded and leads for drugs to treat mental illness obtained from such, at the same time documenting our indigenous knowledge. Keywords: mental illness, indigenous knowledge, ethno- medicinal plants. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines Vol. 4 (2) 2007: pp. 211-218

Ethnobotanical information and traditional medicines were investigated and documented in Embu and Mbeere districts, Eastern Province of Kenya. Oral interviews were obtained from over 100 herbalists, both men and women aged between 40 and 80 years. All the herbalists interviewed were Christians and had little formal education. Non-Christian herbalists were purported to combine herbal medicines with witchcraft and were not interviewed. Of the 40 commonly used herbal plants 25 were used as multi-purpose medicinal plants (mpmp), while 15 were used to treat one disease type. There was a correlation between the outpatient morbidity data at the local District hospital, and the common incident diseases treated by the herbalists. Generally a decoction or infusion of the herb was recommended for the treatment of internal or external condition of the patients. Malaria and typhoid were treatable with a total of 15 and 12 plants respectively and were among the first two commonest diseases found in the study area. Terminalia brownii was found to be the most used medicinal plant either alone or in combination with other herbs. The second and third most utilized medicinal plants were Ovariodendron anisatum and Wurbugia ugadensis respectively.

Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic and disabling disease resulting in disabilities in young and middle-aged persons. In this study,researchers explored the effect of yoga techniques on physical activities and sexual function among some Iranian women with MS.Materials and Methods: In this study, 60 Iranian women with multiple sclerosis (MS) were placed in two equally divided control and case groupsthrough random selection to assess pre- and post- effects of yoga exercises on their physical activities and sexual satisfaction levels. Women in case group were offered a series of yoga training and exercises for 3 months, which consisted of 8 sessions per month for 60 to 90 minutes at each session. Yoga training program included the 3 principles of slow motions (Hatayoga), respiratory exercises (Pranayama) and centralization to control mind via meditation, expansion and stasis (Rajayoga). After 3 months both groups were surveyed using the initial questionnaire to evaluate and compare findings with the base-line data.Results: Researchers found significant statistical difference in physical activity and sexual satisfaction levels among the women in case group(P=0.001).Women in case group showed improvement in physical ability while women in control group manifested exacerbated symptoms.Conclusion: Yoga techniques may improve physical activities and sexual satisfaction function of women with MS.Key Words: Yoga; Multiple sclerosis; Quality of life; Sexual satisfaction

It is a pleasure to welcome you to this first issue of African Health Sciences for 2014. We bring you papers on non-communicable diseases, infections, herbal medicine, reproductive health and medical education. The paper by Adisa and Fakeye1, introduces us to an interesting component of patient management in type 2 diabetes, that is, adherence to the medication. More than 75% of the patients were not aware of the indication for the prescribed medicine. Possible barriers to non-adherence included lack of knowledge, poor attitude, high cost, confusing doze of medicine, and premature discontinuation due to side effects. Saudi authors have studied the ‘impact of mild versus moderate intensity aerobic walking exercise training on markers of bone metabolism and hand grip strength in moderate hemophilia patients’.2 On the other hand, Ugandan authors3 describe histopathological types of cancer of the esophagus , while Chinese authors4 report on the anti-human gastric cancer effect of astragalosides.

Background: Ablation of the synovium with radiopharmaceuticals, referred to as radiation synovectomy, (RS), has emerged as a simple affordable and safe procedure that is highly effective in preventing chronic disabling end stage arthritis in haemophilia patients. Objective: To provide a review of the principles and role of radiation synovectomy, (RS), in the management of haemophiliac patients with chronic haemarthrosis, and to consider the possibility of this treatment option in Kenyan patients with haemophilia. Data sources: A literature search through the internet using Boolean commands, PubMed interface to MEDLINE, Evidence, the Cochrane library. Papers from reputable haematology and radiation medicine journals, as well as conference presentations of the World Federation of Hemophilia were also included. Data selection: The searches for papers, abstracts and reviews were limited to English language, haemophilia, haemarthrosis, synovectomy, RS, radiopharmaceuticals for RS and safety of RS. Data extraction: All abstracts, and most of the papers were reviewed. Only those abstracts, papers and conference materials from reputable sources were used for this paper. Data synthesis: All available papers and abstracts were reviewed for the most up to date information. The indications, requirements, procedure and safety aspects of RS were examined. The merits of alternative forms of synovectomy were considered. In the light of this information, the feasibility of RS as a treatment option for haemophilia patients in Kenya was considered. Conclusion: Radiation synovectomy has been carried out on thousands of haemophilia patients with chronic haemathrosis over the last 20 years. Experience accumulated in numerous centres in America, Europe, Asia, North and South Africa indicates that majority of haemophilia patients undergoing RS are spared life long crippling arthritis and deformity. The principle safety concern of the potential for late radiation- related malignancy has been mitigated by appropriate choice of radiopharmaceuticals, and carefully executed procedure. The effectiveness, simplicity and affordability of RS make it particularly suitable for treatment of haemophilia patients in developing countries like Kenya.

When applied properly, phototherapy or Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT)has proved to be very efficient in relieving pain and improving woundhealing. However, until recently there has been a lack of scientificscrutiny concerning the clinical efficacy of this procedure. This does notmean that phototherapy does not work. A search for “laser” and“therapy” on the ISI Web of Knowledge database reported that the USAaccounts for 35.69% of the research material while only 18 papers werereported from South Africa (1987-2006) which accounts for 0.17% of the10 652 papers analyzed. Despite the lack of scientific research, clinicalresults have been exceptional. Clinicians around the world, based on theirprofessional experiences, confirm the analgesic effect of phototherapy.Unfortunately, from a strictly scientific point of view, these reports arehardly conclusive. There has been little or no standardization in theapplication of phototherapy. This review investigates key aspects ofphototherapy and the efficacy of laser therapy for specific applicationsnamely, wound healing and pain relief.(Afr. J. Biomed. Res. 10:Keywords: wound healing, pain relief, LLLT, phototherapy, laser

Purpose : To provide an overview of the ethnomedicinal uses and pharmacological activities of Croton megalobotrys as to understand its potential value and importance in primary health care systems of local communities throughout its distributional range. Methods : The literature search for information on ethnomedicinal uses and pharmacological activities of C. megalobotrys was undertaken using databases such as Web of Science, BMC, Science Direct, Elsevier, Scopus, PubMed and Scielo. Other relevant literature sources included books, book chapters, websites, theses, conference papers and other scientific publications. Results : Croton megalobotrys is an important herbal medicine in southern Africa used as an abortifacient and purgative,and as remedy for human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) opportunistic infections, malaria, muscle aches or pain, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and skin infections. The chemical constituent of C. megalobotrys is mainly composed of alkaloids and cinnamate derivative isolated from the stem bark. The biological activities demonstrated include antibacterial, antiplasmodial, anti-HIV and radical scavenging activities. Conclusion: The historical traditional usage of C. megalobotrys as herbal medicine in southern Africa calls for detailed phytochemical and pharmacological properties of the species aimed at identifying the compounds responsible for its wide usage as an herbal medicine. Keywords : Alkaloids, Croton megalobotrys, Ethnopharmacology, Primary health, Southern Africa

In this September issue, we bring you very diverse, but interesting, papers. South African authors have written for us about the quality of rapid HIV testing and testers' compliance.1 They found sub-standard practices in relation to testing - a matter of concern. Nigerian authors on the other hand report adverse outcomes of TB-HIV patients at PEPFAR/DOTS centres2, while Ethiopian authors have similar results.3

Medicinal plants have been used in healthcare since time immemorial. Studies have been carried out globally to verify their efficacy and some of the findings have led to the production of plant-based medicines. The global market value of medicinal plant products exceeds $100 billion per annum. This paper discusses the role, contributions and usefulness of medicinal plants in tackling the diseases of public health importance, with particular emphasis on the current strategic approaches to disease prevention. A comparison is drawn between the ‘whole population’ and ‘high-risk’ strategies. The usefulness of the common-factor approach as a method of engaging other health promoters in propagating the ideals of medicinal plants is highlighted. The place of medicinal plants in preventing common diseases is further examined under the five core principles of the Primary Health Care (PHC) approach. Medicinal plants play vital roles in disease prevention and their promotion and use fit into all existing prevention strategies. However, conscious efforts need to be made to properly identify, recognise and position medicinal plants in the design and implementation of these strategies. These approaches present interesting and emerging perspectives in the field of medicinal plants. Recommendations are proposed for strategising the future role and place for medicinal plants in disease prevention.Keywords: Medicinal Plants, Prevention, Strategy, Primary Health Care

Background: This paper attempts to describe the multi-dimensional perceptions of mganga/waganga (Kiswahili: traditional healers) by members of their constituencies, patients, government health officials and religious leaders in Mombasa, Kenya. It also seeks to investigate how these conceptions and perceptions influence the relationships between traditional healers and other stakeholders in the delivery of public healthcare services in Mombasa. Materials and Methods: A qualitative approach consisting of in-depth interviews and focus group discussions was employed and 43 research participants were interviewed during the period of two months in the summer of 2010. Data were recorded (video and audio), transcribed, and analyzed using the constant comparison method. Results: Findings indicate that varied opinions and interpretations of mganga influence both the decision-making process of the patient and the provision of healthcare by the healer. High tensions exist between mganga and other actors, and furthermore, such perceptions seem to evidence themselves in the government’s support for waganga, as well as the delineation of healthcare services—whereby certain stakeholders and participants are relegated to specific tasks. Conclusions: This research builds upon the growing body of knowledge on how African patients—in general and Kenya in particular—and healers inhabit a multifaceted arena of healing in order to effectively negotiate their positions and needs to make complex decisions involving care, contingent upon local economic, social, cultural, and religious factors.

Background: Poverty, inadequacy of health services, shortage of health workers, infectious diseases scourges, rampant shortage of drugs and equipment in existing health facilities make traditional medicine an important component of healthcare in Africa, especially in oral health care. This review was done to document the role of African traditional medicine in oral health care delivery in order to provide a comprehensive documentation, identify research gaps, and suggest perspectives for future research.Materials and Methods: Available references or reports in English and French on the use of African traditional medicine in oral health care were consulted from published scientific journals, books, reports from national, regional and international organizations, theses, conference papers and other grey materials. Literature was searched on international online databases such as Pubmed, MEDLINE, Science Direct, Scopus and Google using the MeSH words “Traditional medicine or healer”, “oral health”, “dental caries”, “dental”, “primary oral health care’ and “medicinal plants”.Results: Contemporary African communities operate a pluralistic health system whereby highly sophisticated biomedical health care co-exists and even competes with traditional medical practices. Though most patients opt for dual consultations, the introduction of biomedicine has never replaced traditional indigenous medicine and traditional healers are consulted for several reasons making dual treatment a common occurrence in many communities. Factors such as the lack of health care workers, inequalities in the health sector due to socio-cultural and socio-economic disparities prevent people from patronising both health care systems. Therapeutic methods used by African traditional healers include herbalism, psychotherapy, simple surgical procedures, rituals and symbolism. The types of medications used by traditional healers were classified as preventive and prophylactic medications. Some practices of traditional healers included tooth extractions with medicinal plants and also in other practices resulting in exposure to blood; practices involving the use of shared instruments had been reported to be responsible for the transmission of HIV/AIDS. Other harmful practices include gemectomy, uvulectomy and different forms of infant oral mutilations.Conclusion: Traditional healers provide dental care, but their work was not integrated with that of a dentist. Traditional healers have special qualities that make them highly effective in primary oral health care therefore making them inevitable stakeholders in primary oral health care delivery. The research gaps in this review include the integration of traditional medicine into the oral health care systems of many African countries and the evaluation of the treatment outcomes of traditional medicine in dental care.Key words: Review, African traditional medicine, oral health.

Rwanda is affected by a substantial dual burden of a rapid epidemiological rise in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) against the backdrop of high infectious disease rates. The Global Burden of Disease study showed that premature deaths due to NCDs such as diabetes and hypertension are increasing, accounting for 30% of all deaths in Rwanda in 2010. The usefulness of mHealth interventions has been shown for reducing adverse effects of diabetes and hypertension. Because Rwanda RapidSMS system is already successfully operating in maternal, neonatal and child health, it would be cost-effective to leverage this infrastructure and adapt it for the NCD domain. However, rigorous evaluations of the efficacy of mHealth intervention in the area of NCDs are limited. Hence, developing a robust mHealth intervention study is urgent through a contextual combination of quantitative and qualitative study designs.This paper highlights the significance of the problem of NCDs, usefulness of mHealth interventions for stemming diabetes and hypertension, and an urgent need for research on using mHealth interventions for prevention of NCDs in Rwanda. Carefully conducted research on the efficacy and effectiveness of mHealth intervention will have ramifications for the evidence based policy, decision making, practice and research in other LMICs. Key words : NCDs, Diabetes, Hypertension, mHealth intervention, Africa, Rwanda

Introduction : Sudan is one of the developing countries that face a great challenge with cancer management. About 5700 cases had been seen during year 2007 in Radiation and Isotope Center- Khartoum (RICK) and Institute of Nuclear medicine, Molecular biology, and Oncology (INMO) Wadmedani which are the only cancer centers in Sudan. Purpose : Aim of this work is to highlight the difficulties of cancer management in Sudan and to propose possible solutions. Methods : This paper evaluates the current situation of cancer management in Sudan through reviewing of data available in cancer centers and reports from the Sudan national bureau of statistic. Suggestions are also made for cancer control plan in Sudan having the current situation in mind and guided by the published international data on cancer control. Results : The preliminary analysis of the available data reveals that Sudan has very limited resources available to deal with cancer and the service provided is not evenly distributed. Conclusion : Establishment of new centers is extremely needed with special attention to good distribution of services. To achieve such a goal training of more staff and upgrading of the existing centers is mandatory to manage all types of cancer. Cancer registry is the right way to plan for cancer control in Sudan. Keywords : Nuclear medicine, radiation, oncologist

Pharmacology, like other basic science disciplines, is still taught didactically in many medical schools. Increasing number of drugs, changes on general principles of mechanisms of drug action and more information on properties of drugs require innovative approaches to undergraduate education. Research in medical and pharmaceutical education is increasingly utilizing a variety of innovative teaching methods to ultimately improve retention of knowledge. This paper describes implementation of new task-based and problem-based pharmacotherapy course for 3rd year pre-clinical medical students at Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Omdurman Islamic University. Keywords : Pharmacotherapy, Task-based learning, P -drug Sudan Journal of Medical Science Vol. 3 (4) 2008: pp. 269-273

In conducting and reporting of medical research, there are some common pitfalls in using statistical methodology which may result in invalid inferences being made. This paper is aimed to highlight to inexperienced statisticians or non-statistician some of the common statistical pitfalls encountered when using statistics to interpret data in medical research. We also comment on good practices to avoid these pitfalls. Malawi Medical Journal Vol. 20 (1) 2008 pp. 15-18

Traditional health practitioners (THPs) and their role in traditional medicine health care system are worldwide acknowledged. Trend in the use of Traditional medicine (TRM) and Alternative or Complementary medicine (CAM) is increasing due to epidemics like HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and other diseases like cancer. Despite the wide use of TRM, genuine concern from the public and scientists/biomedical heath practitioners (BHP) on efficacy, safety and quality of TRM has been raised. While appreciating and promoting the use of TRM, the World Health Organization (WHO), and WHO/Afro, in response to the registered challenges has worked modalities to be adopted by Member States as a way to addressing these concerns. Gradually, through the WHO strategy, TRM policy and legal framework has been adopted in most of the Member States in order to accommodate sustainable collaboration between THPs and the scientist/BHP. Research protocols on how to evaluate traditional medicines for safety and efficacy for priority diseases in Africa have been formulated. Creation of close working relationship between practitioners of both health care systems is strongly recommended so as to revamp trust among each other and help to access information and knowledge from both sides through appropriate modalities. In Tanzania, gaps that exist between THPs and scientists/BHP in health research have been addressed through recognition of THPs among stakeholders in the country's health sector as stipulated in the National Health Policy, the Policy and Act of TRM and CAM. Parallel to that, several research institutions in TRM collaborating with THPs are operating. Various programmed research projects in TRM that has involved THPs and other stakeholders are ongoing, aiming at complementing the two health care systems. This paper discusses global, regional and national perspectives of TRM development and efforts that have so far been directed towards bridging the gap between THPs and scientist/BHP in contemporary health research in Tanzania.

Herbal medicine is becoming increasingly popular all over the world. There are studies suggesting that herbal therapies can be effective in treating certain conditions. This has been confirmed by the classic randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind well-designed clinical trials. With reliable information on herbal medicine, it is easier to integrate these therapies with the mainstream medicine. It is unlikely that patients will completely abandon use of era I medical interventions but rather in a more pragmatic manner will choose to integrate other interventions as a part of their overall armamentarium of medical interventions. Can herbal medicine be integrated with mainstream medicine in Kenya and what are the challenges? This paper discusses these and other questions in respect of herbal medicine. The East and Central African Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Vol. 8(2) 2005: 22-26

Objective: The low level of mental health research from low and middle-income countries, as measured by the relative lack of publications in high impact journals is an inaccurate reflection of research being conducted in these countries. The number of manuscripts submitted for publication is a more accurate measure of the research activities. The study aimed to quantify the number of manuscripts submitted and accepted for publication in high impact psychiatric journals.Method: Editors of 8 psychiatric journals were requested information on the number of manuscripts submitted, the country of origin and the number of manuscripts accepted for publication from April to September 2005. Results: 5,2 % of all manuscripts submitted for publications were from low and middle income countries. The overall acceptance rate of manuscripts was 16,6 % but the acceptance rate for low and middleincome countries was 4,8 %. Manuscripts from high-income countries had a 5,8 times greater odds (2,5 - 4,9) of being accepted for publication than an article from a low and middle-income country. Conclusion: Both the quantity and quality of research from low and middle-income countries must be improved. Interventions to improve the quality of research must be directed towards capacity development, increasing international collaborations, mentoring of researchers and establishing formal psychiatric epidemiology training programs to equip researchers with skills to produce papers that meet the publication criteria of reviewers. Studies must become more innovative and include the changing paradigm in epidemiological research. Manuscripts that describe innovative studies have a greater chance of being published. Keywords: epidemiology, research, psychiatry South African Psychiatry Review Vol. 9(3) 2006: 153-155

The research pattern in medicinal plants and traditional medicine practices in Nigeria is largely unknown. Hence this paper examined such research patterns with a view to determining how the country fared in herbal medicine research and development. The study also identified the number of herbal medicine scientific research outputs. Factors that mar herbal medicine research were discussed. Descriptive analytical technique was adopted in analyzing the secondary data obtained from the book of abstracts of published research findings on Nigerian medicinal plants and traditional medicines practices for 42 years (1970-2012). Results showed that the most researched areas in herbal medicines were in the anti-infective drugs, gastro-intestinal tract drugs, analgesics, cardiovascular drugs, hypoglycemic, and mollucicidal in that order. The study also revealed that much work is yet to be done in other vital areas such as hormones, anti-viral agents, ear nose and throat (ENT), hemorrhoids and neurological disorder. Thus, it recommended among other things, that herbal medicine research and development should be intensified in the above –mentioned least-researched areas, if Nigeria intends to meet the health challenges of the 21 st century. Key words: Medicinal Plants, Patterns, Traditional Medicine Practices.