ANNALS OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE – serie

Annals of Traditional Chinese Medicine is a new book series dedicated to the promotion of evidence-based TCM research. It features quality reports focusing on curriculum design, research methodology, original investigations of the quality, efficacy and safety of TCM, and evidence-based trials for the management of various clinical conditions.The inaugural volume of this series, Chinese Medicine — Modern Practice, contains chapters on Chinese Herbal Medicine (for AIDS, cancer, cardiovascular disease, cerebral haemorrhage and Alzheimer disease), Acupuncture (for drug withdrawal, anaesthesia and analgesia), Research Methodology and Chinese Medicine Education.The book will be of interest to clinicians in western medicine, mainstream medical researchers, other healthcare professionals, Chinese medicine educators, clinical and basic Chinese medicine researchers, and health science students, particularly Chinese medicine students. It will also be an important resource for TCM regulators to obtain reliable and critical information concerning the evaluation of quality, efficacy and safety of clinical modalities of Chinese medicine.

The second volume of this book series on the modern practice of Chinese medicine continues with the focus on evidence-based TCM research. It is focused on detailed information about the best sources of herbal supply and its quality control required for research and drug development purposes. Herbal quality has always been a major concern for TCM researchers because it is difficult to know which is of the best quality. Some other popular topics are also entertained.

Cancer treatment has enjoyed half a century of healthy development, relying mainly on surgery, cytotoxic therapy and radiation. Achievements and successes are well reflected in the longer survival period and better quality of life. Nonetheless, cancer still spreads locally, recurs, metastasizes and remains one of the top killers.Instead of concentrating on cancer removal, it has become obvious that supportive measures are also important. These include the means to improve quality of life during treatment and to contain tumor growth. To this end, herbal medicine appears to offer holistic support via as yet unknown pathways.This volume reveals the practice of cancer treatment using herbs from all over the world, including China, India and Japan. It provides comprehensive information about the herbs commonly used, the logic of using the herbs, some of the mechanisms of action and other means of palliative treatment. While cancer victims have a thirst for choosing their own supplementary treatment, health providers have a duty to explain to them the justifications and the options.

Recent advances in modern medicine have contributed to a longer lifespan for human beings. However, this does not directly translate to healthy living. Modern medicine's major success lies in specifically targeting orientated pathologies. It, however, does not promise healthy longevity.Healthy longevity requires an absence of life-threatening diseases and maintenance of good quality of life. Oriental medicine emphasizes on the promotion of physiological balance and internal harmony, which are integral for longevity in life. This book defines aging, approaching from the perspective of the frontier bioscientist as well as that of the traditional practitioner. On the international front, Oriental practices are extensively recommended, including herbal supplements and specific training exercises. This book, compiled with the aim of offering solutions to healthy aging, provides an excellent reference for both the elderly and their caregivers.

Acupuncture has been an important branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine for over 3000 years and is the most popular practice among non-Chinese practitioners outside of China. In 1998, the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH) held a consensus conference and endorsed the practice of acupuncture as an effective pain control agent — since then acupuncture has become even more popular.Clinical practice is always an inviting form of research. In the field of acupuncture, research concentrates on the neurological pathways of the meridians and acupoints, the neurological functional changes within the central nervous system, and innovative devices being invented, etc. It appears that there will be a long way before firm explanations can be acquired for the explanation of the physiological effects of acupuncture.The technique of acupuncture is easily acquired although the evidence of efficacy remains subjective. Before the evidence can be sorted out through scientific explorations, confidence on efficacy can rely only on literature search and sharing of expert experiences.This is a user-friendly book for all professionals practicing acupuncture. The contents consist of all the popular areas of clinical application viz. pain control and neuromuscular training. Each chapter is composed of two parts: clinical evidences as previously recorded in literature and personal experiences of the author. Acupuncture practice requires a thorough knowledge of the treatment choices relevant to particular conditions, as well as their modifications. This book offers quick references for this purpose.