Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “FOLKLORE”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Folklore therapeutic indigenous plants in periodontal disorders in India (review, experimental and clinical approach).

Though a number of plants and their parts are used for dental ailments among population in rural and urban areas of developing countries, in India however, the most common house-hold, road-side plants are mango (Mangifera indica), neem (Azadirachta indica; Melia azadirachta), ocimum (Ocimum basilicum), tea-dust (Camellia sinensis) and uncommonly murayya, i.e., currey leaf (Murayya koenigi) [Chopra et al. 1958, Kirtikar and Basu 1935, Nadakarni 1954, Satyavati 1984]. The leaves of these plants are folded and brushed (massage with teadust) against the teeth. Therefore, the present study is restricted only to the fleshy leaf extracts [Jindal et al. 1975] (except tea) of these plants inspite of certain limitations in the methodology and arbitrations in the microbial identification and isolation in the light of recent advances in folk dentistry. The investigation was carried out in two parts: 1) Experimental study: The efficacy of various dentifrices (commonly available in the market) and the potentiating effect of the leaf extract (LE) of the aforesaid indigenous plants when amalgamated with the tooth-paste against pathogens, were investigated. Further, the protection afforded by the said plant extracts (PE) over the conventional allopathic medicines on the human plaque cultures and gram negative bacteria from patients were studied. 2) Clinical study: The therapeutic effects of the said PE (individually) on clinical application among severely infected patients were examined.

Humans↗
PubMed1980

The usefulness of thioridazine for treating childhood disorders--fact or folklore?

Studies of thioridazine (Mellaril) use for treating childhood behavior disorders were reviewed with a special emphasis on methodology, In general, we found that the caliber of these studies has been unsatisfactory and, furthermore, that measures of drug effect have tended to stress global rather than specific changes, resulting in little qualitative information being available. Examination of subgroups of children treated with thioridazine failed to reveal different levels of drug responsiveness. Few investigators have attempted to assess cognitive effects, but the evidence suggests that cognitive dulling may be an unwanted effect of treatment. Further research of sufficient quality is needed.

Child Behavior Disorders↗
PubMed1992

Case histories in the great power of steady misrepresentation.

The widespread misrepresentation of behaviorism in the scientific and popular literature has caused its contributions to the understanding of behavior to be systematically ignored or denied. This misrepresentation is manifested, in large part, as a form of academic folklore that codifies erroneous accounts of behaviorism's assumptions, findings, and goals. This article examines three representative "case histories" of the academic folklore about behaviorism: its alleged environmentalism, totalitarian aims, and intellectual intolerance. Because academic folklore has been highly resistant to the corrective efforts of behaviorists, explicit strategies are suggested for identifying and correcting folklore and for promoting more effective interdisciplinary communication.

Behaviorism↗
PubMed2003

Immunomodulatory activities of Clausena excavata Burm. f. wood extracts.

In vitro immunomodulatory activities of aqueous extract, acetone extract and the Thai folklore extract of Clausena excavata Burm. f. on mouse immune system were investigated. The phagocytic activity of macrophages and splenocyte proliferation in the absence and presence of mitogens (lipopolysaccharide, LPS) or pokeweed mitogen, PWM) were assayed. The aqueous extract exhibited the maximum effect on both respiratory burst response and lysosomal enzyme activity more than the acetone extract and the Thai folklore extract indicating effective phagocytic activation. For splenocyte proliferation assay, the Thai folklore extract with LPS gave the maximum activity higher than that with PWM, suggesting specificity towards B cell proliferation through T cell independent pathway the same as LPS. The present study revealed the immunomodulating activity, which could be explained the traditional use of this plant in Thailand.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed2001

Fact, fiction, and function: mythmaking and the social construction of ecstasy use.

Myths and folklore about drugs represent important aspects of user subcultures. This paper explores Ecstasy users' perceptions about drug folklore as it relates to the social relationships of drug user lifestyles. The data for the study were collected through in-depth interviews with 50 current or former Ecstasy users in Northern Ireland. The findings indicate that although some Ecstasy users perceive the folklore to be an accurate reflection of reality others report that social relations among users change with continued usage, occur within selected venues, or are influenced by greater cultural relations that characterize mainstream society.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

[From Mithridates to Mesir].

Mesir, an antidote, a theriaca, an Anatolian preparation of mithridaticum will be studied in this paper, based on two kinds of information related with the history of medicine and folklor: 1- The folkloric approach derived and flourished around Manisa and Merkez Efendi. The authentic character of mesir in view of medical and cultural history. Merkez Efendi who lived in Manisa (Anatolia) in the late 15th century was a man of religion initiating novices at Hafsa Sultan lodge, and upon Shaikh Sumbul Efendi's decease came to Istanbul, so as to take the lead of his religious order. It was believed that he invented a special paste called "mesir" in Manisa, which was a sort of antidote; and on this occasion he was appointed as the chief physician to the darussifa (hospital), then. The historical facts do not support this information, because the discovery of the mesir paste goes back to a thousand and a half years before Merkez Efendi's time, since it was mentioned by Hippocrates, Galen, ancient Greek and old Islamic (Avicenna's and others') works. On the other hand, this fact does not change the folkoric rites and beliefs originated in Manisa and about Merkez Efendi; as this city, together with its surroundings, was the center of the Kyberle (Phyrigia) myth which originates with the Attis spring banquets which symbolize the awakening of Nature on March 21st by the casting of various flowers, especially violets to the river Phyrigia, Sangarios (Sakarya River now). The casting of the mesir paste from the minarets of mosques in Manisa every spring is probably the continuation of the same belief in Anatolia, today.

Antidotes↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Two hundred and sixty eigth medicinal plants used to fertility control in some countries of South America (author's transl)].

A review is made of the various anthropological, botanical and empirical medical papers from a number of the countries of the South-American continent, whose populations use medical plants for fertility control. Also included is a field research conducted among indigenous and rural populations of Paraguay. The scientific name, family and common name 268 plants are described. With each plant, the country and type of population (indigenous or rural) using same is stated, as well as their empiric properties attributed to same and the name of the author. Comments are made upon the background related to the use of said plants at the level of the American indigenous, world folkloric and Paraguayan indigenous & folkloric medicine. Emphasis is given to the significance of these data on contraceptives, abortives, sterilization and fertilization agents of vegetal origin, due to their value for future research in the physiology and clinic of reproduction.

Abortifacient Agents↗
PubMed1983

Ready! Fire! . . . Aim! An inquiry into laboratory test ordering.

Informal test-ordering protocols that do not follow a physiological rationale are common in teaching hospitals and represent part of the folklore of resident practice. Such faulty test-ordering routines increase the cost of care, waste resources, may fail to answer diagnostic questions, or may generate false leads. They prove to be part of a broader set of issues in information management not restricted to medicine. Clinically appropriate algorithms for diagnostic testing can be constructed to replace folkloric protocols. This should represent a major area of professional concern in clinical pathology.

Clinical Laboratory Techniques↗
PubMed1981

Antifertility activity of Montanoa tomentosa (Zoapatle).

According to folklore medicine, the Mexican plant zoapatle (Montanoa tomentosa) possesses antifertility activity in women. We report here the effect of various isolated preparations from this plant on early pregnancy in several rodent species including the mouse, rat, hamster, and guinea pig. When an aqueous extract of the leaves similar to the tea utilized in folklore medicine was administered orally during early stages of pregnancy, no antifertility activity could be detected. Day 22 pregnant guinea pigs, however, provided an animal model which allowed conservation of test materials and which showed the antifertilty activity of the plant extracts. Purer fractions derived from the plant were more potent in this assay system when administered either intraperitoneally or orally. As the purity of the extracts (and hence the quantity of active ingredient administered) increased, we were able to demonstrate inhibition of implantation in rats and mice when administered on days 1-6 and in hamsters when administered on days 4-6 of gestation. Preliminary data indicate the plant extracts are not estrogenic. It is concluded that zoapatle plant extracts possess unique antifertility activity.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Immunomodulatory activities of fractions from hot aqueous extract of wood from Clausena excavata.

The effects of fractions from hot aqueous extract, acetone extract and the folklore preparation of Clausena excavata were studied on mouse splenocyte proliferation. The fractions of hot aqueous and acetone extracts were found to be the most active. On the contrary, the fractions from the crude folklore preparation resulted less active. This result could partly explain the popularity of this plant in folk medicine as a remedy for cancer and HIV patients in the eastern part of Thailand.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed2005

Antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic properties of Hypoxis hemerocallidea Fisch. & C.A. Mey. (Hypoxidaceae) corm ['African Potato'] aqueous extract in mice and rats.

In order to scientifically appraise some of the anecdotal, folkloric, ethnomedical uses of Hypoxis hemerocallidea Fisch. & C.A. Mey. (Hypoxidaceae) corm ['African Potato'], the present study was undertaken to examine the antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic properties of the corm's aqueous extract (APE) in mice and rats. The antinociceptive effect of APE was evaluated by 'hot-plate' and 'acetic acid' analgesic test methods in mice; while the anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic effects of the plant's extract were investigated in rats, using fresh egg albumin-induced pedal (paw) oedema, and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes mellitus models. Morphine (MPN, 10 mg/kg), diclofenac (DIC, 100 mg/kg) and chlorpropamide (250 mg/kg) were used as reference drugs for comparison. H. hemerocallidea corm aqueous extract (APE, 50-800 mg/kg i.p.) produced dose-dependent, significant (P < 0.05-0.001) antinociceptive effects against thermally- and chemically-induced nociceptive pain stimuli in mice. The plant extract (APE, 50-800 mg/kg p.o.) also significantly (P < 0.05-0.001) inhibited fresh egg albumin-induced acute inflammation, and caused dose-related, significant (P < 0.05-0.001) hypoglycaemia in normal (normoglycaemic) and diabetic rats. The results obtained in this study suggest that the antinociceptive effects of the plant's extract are peripherally- and centrally-mediated. The findings of this experimental animal study indicate that H. hemerocallidea corm aqueous extract (APE) possesses antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic properties; and thus lend pharmacological support to folkloric, anecdotal uses of 'African Potato' in the treatment and/or management of painful, arthritic inflammatory conditions, as well as in the management and/or control of type-2 diabetes mellitus in some parts of southern Africa.

Analgesics↗