COMPLEMENTARY/

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
DR MBURU
CLINICAL PHARMACIST
ORIGINS, BASICS
 (Ebers papyrus,
Egyptians
1550 BC)
Authors of antiquity
Hippocrates (460-377 BC)
“The Father of Medicine”
HISTORY….ORIGIN OF
MEDICINE
Hippocrates placed great emphasis on
strengthening and building up the body's inherent
resistance to disease. 

For this, he prescribed diet, gymnastics, exercise,

massage, hydrotherapy and sea bathing. 
    
Hippocrates was a great believer in dietary
measures in the treatment of disease.  He
prescribed a very slender, light diet during the
crisis stage of an acute illness, and a liquid diet
during the treatment of fevers and wounds. 
    
HISTORY AND ORIGIN
Hippocratic medicine was constitutionally
based, so its approach to diagnosis and
treatment was quite flexible. 

As a holistic healing system, Hippocratic

medicine treated the patient, and not just
the disease.
INTRODUCTION AND
OVERVIEW
Traditional medicine is the sum total of
knowledge, skills and practices based on the
theories, beliefs and experiences indigenous to
different cultures that are used to maintain health,
as well as to prevent, diagnose, improve or treat
physical and mental illnesses.

Traditional medicine that has been adopted by

other populations (outside its indigenous
culture) is often termed alternative or
complementary medicine
What is CAM?
• Complementary medicine is used together
with conventional medicine e.g. using
aromatherapy to help lessen a patient’s
discomfort following surgery.

• Alternative medicine is used in place of

conventional medicine e.g. using a special
diet to treat cancer instead of undergoing
surgery, radiation or chemotherapy as
recommended by a conventional doctor
Major types of CAM
Alternative medical systems- Built
upon complete systems of theory and
practice
The systems evolved earlier than the
conventional systems currently in use.
They include, Traditional Chinese
medicine (TCM), Aryuvedic medicine,
naturopathy, homeopathy etc.
Types cont..
Mind body interventions-uses variety of
techniques designed to enhance the minds
capacity to affect bodily functions and
symptoms
They include meditation, prayer, mental
healing and therapies that use creative
outlets such as art, music or dance
Types cont..
Biologically based therapies- they use
substances found in nature such as herbs
foods and vitamins
Some examples; dietary supplements,
herbal products, and other natural but
scientifically unproven therapies like
using shark cartillage to treat cancer
Types cont..
Manipulative and body-based methods-
they are based in manipulation and/ or
movement of one or more parts of the
body e.g chiropractic/osteopathic
manipulation and massage therapies
Others include craniosacral therapy,
reflexology,
Types cont..
Energy therapies- involve the use of energy
fields by placing hands in or through this
fields
Biofield therapies are intended to affect
energy fields purportedly surrounding and
penetrating the human body. Their existence
has not yet been scientifically proven
Bioelectromagnetic-based therapies involves
the unconventional use of electromagnetic
fields such as pulsed fields, magnetic fields
or alternating-current or direct current fields
Factors that contribute to
consumer’s desire for CAM
 Dissatisfaction with the conventional health care
system
 Unwillingness to “grin and bear” the effects of
diseases
 Shrinking world—The rapid pace and ease of
information sharing have enabled individuals to learn
about practices of people throughout the world
 Growing evidence of effectiveness—The body of
research supporting the effectiveness of alternative
therapies increases almost daily. People are hearing
testimonials from friends and family about the ways
they have been helped by acupuncture, herbs, and
other forms of CAM.
Principles Underlying
CAM Healing
The body has the ability to heal itself.
Most of conventional medicine works
from the premise that the elimination of
sickness requires an intervention “done
to” the body (e.g., giving medications,
surgery).
In CAM, it is assumed that the body heals
itself hence the therapies enhance the
body’s ability to self-heal.
Principles cont..
Health and healing are related to a
harmony of mind, body, and spirit. The
mind, body, and spirit are inseparable;
what affects one affects all.
Healing and the improvement of health
demand that all of the facets of a person
be addressed, not merely a single
symptom or system
Principles cont..
Basic, positive health practices build the
foundation for healing. Good nutrition,
exercise, rest, stress management, and
avoidance of harmful habits (e.g.,
smoking) are essential ingredients in
health maintenance and the improvement
of health conditions.
Principles cont..
Approaches to healing are individualized.
The unique composition and dynamics of
each person are recognized in CAM.
Practitioners of healing therapies explore
the underlying cause of a problem and
customize approaches accordingly.
Principles cont..
Individuals are responsible for their own
healing. It is the responsibility of
competent adults to seek health advice,
make informed choices, gain necessary
knowledge and skills for self-care, engage
in practices that promote health and
healing, and seek help when needed.
Overview of Popular
CAM Healing Therapies
They are over 200 therapies
Some of these modalities have developed
fairly recently ( guided imagery),
 While others have been used for
thousands of years as components of
ancient healing systems ( Ayurveda or
traditional Chinese medicine).
Most forms of this medicines are being used as
an answer to the problem of chronic diseases
Overview..
Some therapies can be used
effectively without assistance (eg,
nutritional approaches), while others
(eg, naturopathy) are more effective
when used with guidance from
practitioners who have particular
knowledge and expertise.
Holism
Its a theory and philosophy that focuses on
connections and interactions between parts
of the whole.
Using a holistic perspective, all living
organisms, including humans, are
continuously connecting and interacting with
their environment.
This continual interaction and change means
that the body is not the sum of its parts (as in
reductionism), but that it is a unified, dynamic
whole.
Holism cont..
A holistic philosophy underlies many
CAM
A change in any part of the organism
will be reflected in other parts
Holistic medicine is a practice built on
a holistic philosophy
Holistic practice frequently add CAM
to their practice
Ayurveda
Itis a science of life that delineates
the diet, medicines, and behaviors that
are beneficial or harmful for life.
Ayurveda considers that balance
among people, the environment, and
the larger cosmos is integral to human
health”
Traditional Chinese Medicine
TCM as a healing system is thousands of
years old.
A principle of TCM is that the interaction of
people with their environment is most
significant in creating health
The concept most central to TCM is
Qi(pronounced chi), which is translated as
energy.
Qi represents an invisible flow of energy
that circulates through plants, animals, and
people as well as the earth and sky.
1. ACUPUNCTURE
 Practiced in China for longer than 2000 years, acupuncture
is a major therapy within traditional Chinese medicine.
 It is based on the belief that energy flows through invisible
channels throughout the body that are called meridians.
 This energy is called Qi (pronounced chee), and it is
considered the vital life force. It is believed that illness and
symptoms develop when the flow of energy becomes
blocked or imbalanced.
 Health is restored when the energy becomes unblocked.
This is achieved by stimulating acupuncture points on the
meridian(s) affected.
TCM YIN and YANG
 Qi is further viewed as either yin or yang energy.
 Opposites and complementary,
 Health is present when they are in balance in a
person and his or her total environment.
 An imbalance of yin and yang is considered to be
the cause of illness .
 Tai Chi-Used to stimulate the flow of Qi, the life energy
 Combination of exercise and energy work that looks like
a slow, graceful dance with continuous, controlled
movements of the arms and legs
Acupuncture..
 Qi is believed to flow vertically in the body through
an intricate structure of 72 energy circuits that
nourish and support all cells and organs of the body
 Acupuncture consists of placing very thin, short,
sterile needles at particular acupoints, believed to be
centers of nerve and vascular tissue, along a
meridian
 Acupuncture is used for a variety of reasons,
including reducing pain, promoting adherence to
substance abuse programs, and minimizing nausea
and vomiting due to chemotherapy and pregnancy.
2. ACUPRESSURE
Applies the same principles as acupuncture to
promote relaxation and wellness and to treat
disease, often thought of as simply acupuncture
without the needles
Special acupoints, or acupressure points, lie
along meridians, or channels, in the body, same
energy meridians and acupoints as those
targeted with acupuncture vital energy -- or a
life force called qi (ch'i) flows through this
channels, if blocked disease occurs
Acupressure
12 major meridians connect specific organs or
networks of organs, organizing a system of
communication throughout the body.
The meridians begin at fingertips, connect to
brain, then connect to an associated organ.
Practitioners use their fingers, palms, elbows,
feet, or special devices to apply pressure to
acupoints on the body's meridians. Sometimes it
involves stretching or massage.
Acupressure
The goal of acupressure or other types of Asian
bodywork is to restore health and balance to the
body's channels of energy and to regulate
opposing forces of yin (negative energy) and
yang (positive energy).
 Proponents claim acupressure not only treats
the energy fields and body but also the mind,
emotions, and spirit. Some even believe that
therapists can transmit the vital energy (external
qi) to another person.
3. HOMEOPATHY
 Homeopathy is based on the belief of supporting
the body while the symptoms are allowed to
“run their course.”
 Homeopaths believe that this process stimulates
and strengthens the immune system and promotes
healing.
 Homeopathic practice is based on two fundamental
laws.
◦ The Law of Similars states that a natural substance that
produces a given symptom in a healthy person will cure it in
a sick person.
◦ The Law of Infinitesimals states that the smallest dose
possible will have the desired effect.
Homeopathy…
The origin of the word homeopathy helps to
explain this therapy. In Greek, the word homios
means similar, and pathos means suffering. The
foundation of homeopathy, the Law of Similars,
builds on the belief that remedies are prescribed
that produce symptoms similar to those of the
illness that is being treated.
Read on “the memory of water” for further
understanding of homeopathy
Also read on Potentiation and Proving as relates
to homeopathy
4. NATUROPATHY
 Its not only a system of medicine but also a way of
life
 Emphasis on client responsibility, client education,
health maintenance, and disease prevention.
 It may be the model health system of the future
with the movement toward healthy lifestyles,
healthy diets, and preventive health care”
 Naturopaths believe that health is a dynamic state
of being that provides abundant energy for people
to deal with life in our complex society.
Naturopathy cont..
Naturopathic doctors assess and treat the
cause of the disease rather than merely
alleviating the symptoms
Much of illness can be attributed, at least in
part, to ignoring “natural laws,” such as
engaging in a sedentary lifestyle without
adequate time for exercise; exposing oneself
to environmental toxins; eating processed,
overcooked foods; engaging in negativity or
harboring negative thoughts; and not getting
adequate rest or relaxation
Naturopathy cont..
Therapies strive to support the self-
healing mechanism of the body.
Naturopaths employ an eclectic group
of modalities, including acupuncture,
clinical nutrition, herbal medicine,
hydrotherapy (therapeutic use of
water), osteopathy (massage and
manipulation), and TCM
5. CHIROPRACTIC MEDICINE
Investigates the relationship between the
structure (spine) and function (nervous
system) of the human body to restore and
preserve health.
The underlying principle is that the
functions of the body are controlled by the
nervous system, mainly 31 pairs of spinal
nerves that feed all organs of the body after
branching off the spinal column.
6. MIND–BODY MODALITIES
RELAXATION
 The ultimate goal is to increase the
parasympathetic system influence in the mind–
body and thus reduce the effect of stress and
stress-related illness on the body. several
relaxation techniques, including autogenic training,
biofeedback, body scanning, hypnosis, meditation,
and progressive muscle relaxation are used.
HYPNOTHERAPY- This mind/body therapy is now
widely and successfully used for a range of conditions,
including chronic pain, migraine, asthma, smoking
cessation, and irritable bowel syndrome.
7. GUIDED IMAGERY
 Imagery involves using all five senses to imagine
an event or body process unfolding according to a
plan.
 The process of creating an image in the mind that
can cause a specific bodily response
 When all senses are involved in the experience,
the imaginary situation is more fully encoded in the
body and more likely to take place.
 A relaxation technique is frequently used to
prepare the mind and body before beginning an
imagery session
8. HUMOR THERAPY
 After
watching 10 minutes of Marx Brothers
(comedians) tapes and “belly-laughing,” .

 Sedimentation rates (a measure of inflammation in

the body) decreased by at least five points
permanently.

 More recent research found that improved immune

response was correlated with experiences of
“mirthful laughter.”
9. AROMATHERAPY
Use of essential oils of plants to treat
symptoms

Commonly used essential oils in a

healthcare setting are ginger or
peppermint for nausea and lavender
or chamomile for insomnia.
10. BIOLOGICALLY BASED
PRACTICES
 Botanical agents (herbs) and nutritional
supplements are chemical compounds that are
ingested with the hope of achieving a therapeutic
goal.
 They are becoming increasingly popular with
consumers, who can buy many of these
preparations over the counter or from company
distributors.
 Some consumers and practitioners are attracted to
herbs because they are “natural” plant products,
which are perceived as more compatible with the
body than manufactured pharmaceutical agents.
Biologically based products cont..
 In the 1960s, when the movement toward natural
health began to swell, interest in herbal products
increased. The use and sale of herbal remedies
have grown significantly since then.
 Echinacea and goldenseal (separately or in
combination) are frequently used for respiratory
infections
 Ginkgo biloba is frequently used to dilate cerebral
blood vessels and reduce symptoms of memory
loss and mental confusion.
11. MANIPULATIVE AND
BODY-BASED PRACTICES
 This group of therapies includes therapeutic
massage as well as a variety of techniques such as
Rolfing, shiatsu, Feldenkrais, Alexander,
myofascial release, and others.

 The goal is to break up tension held in body

structures, promote communication between
mind–body structures, promote detoxification,
and generally improve body functioning.
Magnet Therapy
The technique is investigated to achieve the
following:
◦ Relieve pain by creating a slight electrical
current that stimulates the nervous system and
consequently blocks nerve sensations
◦ Speed wound healing by dilating vessels and
increasing circulation to an area
◦ Improve attention deficit disorder
◦ Boost the immune system
Massage, Bodywork,
and Touch Therapies
Massage is the manipulation of soft tissue
through rubbing, kneading, rolling, pressing,
slapping, and tapping movements.
Bodywork is the combination of massage with
deep tissue manipulation, movement awareness,
and energy balancing.
In touch therapy techniques, the hands of the
nurse/therapist are near the body in the client’s
energy field.
Meditation and
Progressive Relaxation
Meditation is the act of focusing on the present
moment.
Progressive relaxation is another exercise in
which the person learns to guide himself or
herself through a series of exercises that relax
the body, such as tightening and relaxing of
various muscle groups.
Prayer and Faith
Many consider their faith an integral part of their total
being—not a “therapy.” Now, scientific evidence
supports the therapeutic benefits of faith and prayer
in health and healing.
Hundreds of well-conducted studies have revealed
that people who profess a faith, pray, and attend
religious services are healthier, live longer, have
lower rates of disability, recover faster, have lower
rates of emotional disorders, and also enjoy better
health states than those who do not (Larson, Sawyers,
and McCullough, 1998). Beware of Radicalism in
religion
Yoga
A system of exercises that involve various
postures, meditation, and deep breathing. The
word yoga means union; union of body, mind,
and spirit is achieved through yoga. This
exercise has been found helpful for pain,
anxiety, stress, high blood pressure, poor
circulation, respiratory and digestive disorders,
and carpal tunnel syndrome (Garfinkel et al,
2000).
Nutraceuticals
Term "nutraceutical“ is from "nutrition" and
"pharmaceutical” A nutraceutical is a food or
food component that claims to have health
benefits, including treatment and prevention of
disease
a dietary supplement is a product that is intended
to supplement the diet; contains one or more
dietary ingredients (vitamins, minerals, herbs,
amino acids, and other substances); is intended to
be taken orally; and is labeled on the front panel
as being a dietary supplement.
 Nutraceuticals do more than just supplement the diet,
they help with disease prevention and treatment
 They accomplish treatment goals without side effects.
 Dietary Supplements include botanicals, Vitamins,
minerals, co-enzyme Q, carnitine, Gingseng, Gingko
Biloba, Saint John's Wort, Saw Palmetto
 Functional Foods: Oats, bran, and lignin's for heart
disease and colon cancer, oligofructose for control of
intestinal flora, Omega-3 milk in prevention of heart
disease , Canola oil with lowered triglycerides for
cholesterol reduction
Medicinal Foods: Transgenic cows and
lactoferrin for immune enhancement,
Transgenic plants for oral vaccination
against infectious diseases
Urine Therapy
 AUT practitioners claim that urine is not toxic.
Components include 95% water, 2.5 % urea and the
remaining 2.5 % is a mixture of minerals, salt, hormones
and enzymes. Toxic substances removed from the body
through the liver, intestines, skin and by exhalation.
Kidneys keep the composition of the blood in optimal
balance. Only urea can be poisonous when present in
large amounts in the blood. However, this is irrelevant in
the practice of drinking urine, as urine is not immediately
put back in the blood stream. When urea gets back into
the body in small amounts, it is purifying, it clears up
excess mucus and has a number of other useful effects.
Urine therapy in india
Auto-urine therapy is an age-old practice of ancient
India. Its practitioners talk of Shivambhu, auspicious
water of Lord Shiva, a Hindu god and promote it as
an inexpensive way to gain health and vitality
Auto-urine therapy (AUT) is gaining popularity to
combat a host of illnesses and to maintain good
health. It is considered effective in treating a wide
array of diseases such as multiple sclerosis, colitis,
lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, hepatitis,
pancreatic insufficiency, psoriasis, eczema, diabetes
and herpes
According to Xinhua news agency more than
three million Chinese drink their own urine
believing that it is good for their health
Former Prime Minister of India Morarji Desai,
who lived up to the age of 99, has been the most
well known proponent of this therapy. He
claimed that India would have been better off if
more people used this extremely inexpensive
and effective way of treatment. He also
attributed to AUT the credit for his longevity
Proponents of urine therapy
40-year-old Sabeer had asthma since childhood. After
being recommended AUT by an allopathic doctor, he
was completely healed in 10 months.
Salome Roy Kapoor had bleeding in her nipples,
which got cured by urine therapy and turned Salome
into a crusader for the cause.
Mrs Mohini successfully cured her persisting problem
of pigmentation through the application of AUT.
 For Sudarshan Dheer, it was the miraculous cure to
an incurable hearing problem.
African medicine vs western
medicine
African traditional medicine
Contains considerable mysticism and secrecy
Basic understanding of etiology of disease by the
TMP determined treatment
They believed that disease did not only arise from
physical ailments and psychological causes, but
also from astral influences, spiritual causes(due to
evil thoughts and machinations and enemies),
esoteric causes( from soul or deeds of an individual
before reincarnation)
Diagnosis made through observations for signs and
symptoms
African traditional medicine
 African TM provides holistic treatment
 They use herbs(leaves, roots, bark) whole or part of
animal (snail, bones) and minerals( alum, kaolin)
 Medicine administered in form of liquids, powders,
solids, semisolids and steam
 Therapeutic fasting, dieting, hydrotherapy, bloodletting,
borne setting, spinal manipulation, massage ,faith
healing, psychotherapy, obstetrics and gynecological
practices are other forms of healing
 Surgical operations, circumcision, tribal marks, cutting
umbilical cords, ear-piercing, tooth abstraction
African traditional medicine
Head (trephination) and abdominal surgery were
also common
Tetanus, meningitis and septicaemia were
common complications arising from the surgeries
No anesthesia or x-ray diagnosis as used today for
surgery
Herbs were used in anesthesia or some operations
done early in the morning when it was very cold
Preventive medicine took the form of hygiene
Shamanism
Is a native traditional way of healing
In shamanism, illness and other forms
of distress are thought to originate in the
spirit world. The shaman or medicine
man/ woman possesses the ability to
access the spirit world, which is done on
behalf of individuals or the community,
and return to “ordinary reality” with
information on the proper treatment.