PMID: 

Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2019 Aug ;36:7-11. Epub 2019 Apr 13. PMID: 31383447

Abstract Title: 

Effect of yoga training on the tinnitus induced distress.

Abstract: 

The study addressed the efficacy of 12 weeks of yoga training in treating 25 patients with chronic tinnitus. Ten of the patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before and after training. A control group comprised 13 people reporting chronic tinnitus. All participants were assessed with the Tinnitus Functional Index. After the 12-week yoga course, the areas considered to have benefited most were the sense of control of tinnitus, sleep, quality of life, and intrusiveness. The MRI studies indicated that connections in the white matter of the motor cortex appeared to be stronger as a result of training. Yoga training has good potential to improve the daily functioning of patients with chronic tinnitus and can be considered a promising supporting method for tinnitus treatment.

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PMID: 

Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2019 Aug ;36:94-99. Epub 2019 Jun 25. PMID: 31383452

Abstract Title: 

Yoga for menstrual pain in primary dysmenorrhea: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Abstract: 

OBJECTIVES: To assess the overall effect size of the impact of yoga on menstrual pain in primary dysmenorrhea.METHODS: Randomized controlled trials that were published in the English language until December 2018 in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library electronic databases were searched. The methodologies from 4 trials conducted on 230 participants with primary dysmenorrhea were included in this meta-analysis to compare the effects that performing a yoga program has on menstrual pain (n = 129) to the effects of not performing yoga (n = 101).RESULTS: The overall effect size of the impact of a yoga program on menstrual pain in primary dysmenorrhea was high with a standardized mean difference of -2.09 (-3.99 to -0.19) (p = 0.031) among the effect sizes of the 4 trials (95% confidence interval).CONCLUSIONS: Yoga is an effective intervention for alleviating menstrual pain in women with primary dysmenorrhea.

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PMID: 

J Ayurveda Integr Med. 2019 Jan – Mar;10(1):50-58. Epub 2018 Feb 1. PMID: 29395894

Abstract Title: 

Effects of yogic breath regulation: A narrative review of scientific evidence.

Abstract: 

Pranayama or breath regulation is considered as an essential component of Yoga, which is said to influence the physiological systems. We present a comprehensive overview of scientific literature in the field of yogic breathing. We searched PubMed, PubMed Central and IndMed for citations for keywords"Pranayama"and"Yogic Breathing". The search yielded a total of 1400 references. Experimental papers, case studies and case series in English, revealing the effects of yogic breathing were included in the review. The preponderance of literature points to beneficial effects of yogic breathing techniques in both physiological and clinical setups. Advantageous effects of yogic breathing on the neurocognitive, psychophysiological, respiratory, biochemical and metabolic functions in healthy individuals were elicited. They were also found useful in management of various clinical conditions. Overall, yogic breathing could be considered safe, when practiced under guidance of a trained teacher. Considering the positive effects of yogic breathing, further large scale studies with rigorous designs to understand the mechanisms involved with yogic breathing are warranted.

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PMID: 

Int J Yoga. 2018 May-Aug;11(2):129-138. PMID: 29755222

Abstract Title: 

Yoga as a Therapeutic Intervention for the Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Abstract: 

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effects of 12 weeks yogic intervention on blood sugar and lipid profile in elder women with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).Subjects and Methods: Twenty elderly (age range 55-70 years) T2DM women were divided into two groups, namely, yogic intervention group (YIG:= 10, age 64.70± 4.03, body mass index [BMI] 24.26 ± 3.40) and control group (CG:= 10, age 64.40± 4.79, BMI 24.28 ± 2.36). YIG underwent yoga practice (Asanas, Kriyas, Pranayamas) for 12 weeks (3 sessions/week), while the CG continued their usual routine activities. Standing height, body weight, BMI, blood sugar, and lipid profile were measured before commencement and after 6 and 12 weeks ofyogic intervention in both groups.Results: There was a significant (

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PMID: 

Int J Yoga. 2018 Sep-Dec;11(3):186-193. PMID: 30233111

Abstract Title: 

Implication of Asana, Pranayama and Meditation on Telomere Stability.

Abstract: 

Telomeres, the repetitive sequences that protect the ends of chromosomes, help to maintain genomic integrity and are of key importance to human health. Telomeres progressively shorten throughout life and a number of studies have shown shorter telomere length to be associated with lifestyle disorders. Previous studies also indicate that yoga and lifestyle-based intervention have significant role on oxidative DNA damage and cellular aging. However, very few publications investigate telomere stability and its implication from the point of view of asana, pranayama, and meditation. In this context, a review was conducted to systematically assess the available data on the effectiveness of asana, pranayama, and meditation in maintaining telomere and telomerase. Literature search was performed using the following electronic databases: Cochrane Library, NCBI, PubMed, Google Scholar, EMBASE, and Web of Science. We explored the possible mechanisms of how asana, pranayama, and meditation might be affecting telomere length and telomerase. Moreover, results showed that asana and pranayama increase the oxygen flow to the cells and meditation reduces the stress level by modulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Summing up the result, it can be concluded that practice of asana, pranayama, and meditation can help to maintain genomic integrity and are of key importance to human health and lifestyle disorders.

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PMID: 

Front Hum Neurosci. 2018 ;12:353. Epub 2018 Sep 7. PMID: 30245619

Abstract Title: 

How Breath-Control Can Change Your Life: A Systematic Review on Psycho-Physiological Correlates of Slow Breathing.

Abstract: 

The psycho-physiological changes in brain-body interaction observed in most of meditative and relaxing practices rely on voluntary slowing down of breath frequency. However, the identification of mechanisms linking breath control to its psychophysiological effects is still under debate. This systematic review is aimed at unveiling psychophysiological mechanisms underlying slow breathing techniques (

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PMID: 

Dermatitis. 2012 May-Jun;23(3):102-9. PMID: 22653170

Abstract Title: 

Hypersensitivity reactions to vaccine constituents: a case series and review of the literature.

Abstract: 

Vaccines are composed of immunogens, preservatives, adjuvants, antibiotics, and manufacturing by-products. Components of vaccines may rarely elicit adverse reactions in susceptible individuals, thus raising concerns regarding vaccine safety. In this report, we add to the medical literature 3 cases of cutaneous delayed-type hypersensitivity to the vaccine preservative aluminum. We provide a review of major constituents in vaccines that have elicited immediate-type or delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions and describe their clinical manifestations. We include a table of the Food and Drug Administration-approved vaccines, which lists the quantities of major components including ovalbumin (egg protein), gelatin, aluminum, neomycin, 2-phenoxyethanol, thimerosal, and formaldehyde. Our goals were to inform physicians on the variety of hypersensitivity reactions to common vaccines and to provide information on the choice of vaccines in patients with suspected hypersensitivity.

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PMID: 

Environ Toxicol Pharmacol. 2006 Sep ;22(2):194-9. Epub 2006 Mar 28. PMID: 21783709

Abstract Title: 

Thimerosal induces oxidative stress in HeLa S epithelial cells.

Abstract: 

Thimerosal is one of the most widely used preservatives and is found in a variety of biological products, including vaccines, contact lens cleaning solutions, and cosmetics. It has been reported to have harmful effects on epithelial tissues, such as causing conjunctivitis or contact dermatitis. However, the molecular mechanism of its toxicity has not been characterized using epithelial tissues. In the present study, we report that reactive oxygen species play a key role in thimerosal-induced cytotoxicity in HeLa S epithelial cells. Thimerosal significantly reduced HeLa S cell viability and it was associated with a decrease in intracellular glutathione levels. Flow cytometric cell cycle analysis showed a marked increase in the hypodiploidic cell population, indicating apoptosis of thimerosal-treated cells. The apoptotic cell death of epithelial cells was confirmed by observing a significant increase of caspase-3 activity in the cytosolic fraction of the treated cells. Thimerosal also induced a concentration-dependent increase of genomic DNA fragmentation, a biochemical hallmark of apoptosis. Hoechst 33342 nuclear staining demonstrated apoptotic-fragmented multinuclei in thimerosal-treated cells. All the thimerosal-mediated toxic responses observed in the present study were almost completely suppressed by pretreating cells with N-acetyl-l-cysteine, a radical scavenger. Taken together, these results suggest for the first time that epithelial cytotoxicity of thimerosal is mediated by oxidative stress.

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PMID: 

Curr Pediatr Rev. 2019 Jan 21. Epub 2019 Jan 21. PMID: 30663571

Abstract Title: 

Role of Breathing Exercises And Yoga/Pranayam In Childhood Asthma: A Systematic Review.

Abstract: 

BACKGROUND: Various complementary or alternative medicines (including breathing exercises and yoga/pranayama) have been tried as an attractive option to pharmacotherapy in childhood asthma.OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of breathing exercise and yoga/pranayama as add on therapy to the"pharmacologically recommended treatment"of childhood asthma.METHODS: We searched the published literature through the major databases: Medline via Ovid, PubMed, CENTRAL, Embase, and Google Scholar till June 2018. Randomized trials comparing breathing exercises and yoga/ pranayama versus control or as part of a composite intervention versus control were included. The primary outcome measures were quality of life and change in asthma symptoms. Secondary outcomes were: decrease in medication use, number of exacerbations, change in lung function and immunological parameters, school absenteeism, and adverse events.RESULTS: A total of 10 trials (466 children, 6-14 years age) were included. The severity of asthma varied among the trials. The data for primary outcome measures could not be pooled, there were mixed results for both primary and secondary outcomes. No significant benefit was obtained in acute asthma, and the lung function tests [except PEFR % at 4-6 weeks, PEF absolute at 3 months, and FVC absolute at 3 months] in chronic asthma. One trial compared breathing exercise versus yoga, and found no difference. Adverse events were not significant.CONCLUSIONS: Breathing exercise and yoga/ pranayama may have some additive role in the treatment of childhood asthma. However, at present it cannot be recommended as a standard of care due to insufficient data.

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PMID: 

Int J Yoga. 2019 Jan-Apr;12(1):3-28. PMID: 30692780

Abstract Title: 

Role of Yoga and Mindfulness in Severe Mental Illnesses: A Narrative Review.

Abstract: 

Background: Yoga has its origin from the ancient times. It is an integration of mind, body, and soul. Besides, mindfulness emphasizes focused awareness and accepting the internal experiences without being judgemental. These techniques offer a trending new dimension of treatment in various psychiatric disorders.Aims: We aimed to review the studies on the efficacy of yoga and mindfulness as a treatment modality in severe mental illnesses (SMIs). SMI includes schizophrenia, major depressive disorder (MDD), and bipolar disorder (BD).Methods: We conducted a literature search using PubMed, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library with the search terms"yoga,""meditation,""breathing exercises,""mindfulness,""schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders,""depressive disorder,"and"bipolar disorder"for the last 10-year period. We also included relevant articles from the cross-references.Results: We found that asanas andare the most commonly studied forms of yoga for schizophrenia. These studies found a reduction in general psychopathology ratings and an improvement in cognition and functioning. Some studies also found modest benefits in negative and positive symptoms. Mindfulness has not been extensively tried, but the available evidence has shown benefits in improving psychotic symptoms, improving level of functioning, and affect regulation. In MDD, both yoga and mindfulness have demonstrated significant benefit in reducing the severity of depressive symptoms. There is very sparse data with respect to BD.Conclusion: Both yoga and mindfulness interventions appear to be useful as an adjunct in the treatment of SMI. Studies have shown improvement in the psychopathology, anxiety, cognition, and functioning of patients with schizophrenia. Similarly, both the techniques have been established as an effective adjuvant in MDD. However, more rigorously designed and larger trials may be necessary, specifically for BD.

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