Cat’s foot flower consists of the fresh or dried flowers of Antennariae dioica. It contains anthracene derivatives, flavonoids, saponins, mucilages, and tannins. Cat’s foot stimulates the flow of gastric and pancreatic secretions. It may raise blood pressure, and it may have spasmolytic, choleric, discutient, and astringent effects. Cat’s foot is available as bulk dried herb.

Benefits And Uses of Cat’s Foot

Cat’s foot is used to stimulate the flow of bile from the gallbladder to the duodenum, and to treat dysentery. It has also been used as a diuretic. In Europe, cat’s foot is used to cure quinsy (peritonsillar abscess) and mumps and to treat bites of poisonous reptiles.

Administration

Infusion: 1/2 to 1 cup by mouth every day; prepared by steeping 1 teaspoon fresh or dried flowering herb in 1/2 cup (120 ml) of boiling water for 10 minutes.

Side Effects of Cat’s Foot

There are no known adverse effects with the use of cat’s foot; however, the tannin component of the plant may cause nausea, vomiting, constipation, or abdominal pain if ingested in large quantities. Hepatic damage may also occur with the use of large amounts.

Cat’s foot may interfere with the intended therapeutic effect of antihypertensives. Tannins may also interfere with digoxin, iron-containing compounds, and alkaloids.

Pregnant and breast-feeding patients and patients with preexisting liver damage should not use cat’s foot.

Clinical considerations

• Therapeutic use of cat’s foot isn’t recommended.
• If patient is using cat’s foot, monitor his blood pressure at outset and regularly thereafter.
• Instruct patient to promptly report adverse reactions and new signs or symptoms.
• Tell patient to remind prescriber and pharmacist of any herbal or dietary supplement that he’s taking when obtaining a new prescription.
• Advise patient to consult his health care provider before using an herbal preparation because a treatment with proven efficacy may be available.

Research summary

The concepts behind the use of cat’s foot and the claims made regarding its effects have not yet been validated scientifically.

Share This

Fiber is the general term for those parts of plant food that we are unable to digest; however, bacteria present in the colon partly digests fiber through a process known as fermentation. Fiber is not found in foods of animal origin (meats and dairy products).

Types of Fiber:

Plant foods contain a mixture of different types of fibers. These fibers can be divided into soluble or insoluble, depending on their solubility in water.

1. Insoluble fibers (cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin)
   make up the structural parts of the cell walls of plants. These fibers absorb many times their own weight in water, creating a soft bulk to the stool, and hasten the passage of waste products out of the body. These insoluble fibers promote bowel regularity and aid in the prevention and treatment of some forms of constipation, hemorrhoids, and diverticulitis. These fibers also may decrease the risk of colon cancer by diluting potentially harmful substances that are present in the colon.
2. Soluble fibers (gums, pectins, and mucilages) are found within the plant cells. These fibers form a gel, which slows both stomach emptying and absorption of simple sugars from the intestines. This process helps to regulate blood sugar levels, which is particularly helpful in diabetic patients and is helpful in controlling weight In non-diabetics. Many soluble fibers can also assist in lowering blood cholesterol by binding with bile acids and cholesterol and eliminating the cholesterol through the intestinal tract before the cholesterol can be absorbed into the blood stream. Weight control is aided by the slower emptying of the stomach when you ingest soluble fibers. This causes a feeling of fullness and a decrease in hunger, causing fewer calories to be consumed. For example, if you eat an apple, which has a high fiber content, you’ll have a feeling of fullness, as compared to eating a cupcake, which has no fiber, and which is the same weight and size as the apple. In fact, it would take approximately three cupcakes to satisfy your brain’s hunger center before you realized that you were full. Well, by then you would already have consumed 480 calories and 16.5 grams of fat. The best sources of soluble fiber are fruits and vegetables, oat bran, barley, dried peas and beans, flax seed, and psyllium.
3. Resistant starch: Approximately 15% of the starch in foods is tightly bound to fiber and resists the normal digestive processes. Bacteria normally present in the colon ferment this resistant starch and change it into short-chain fatty acids, which are important to normal bowel health and may also help to protect the colon from cancer-causing agents. Foods that contain resistant starch include breads, cereals, pasta, rice, potatoes, and legumes.
4. Dietary fiber is a new measurement and refers to all fiber components of plants, including crude fiber. It is, therefore, a more accurate measurement of the fiber content of foods. The dietary fiber content consequently has a higher numerical reading than grams of crude fiber. Fiber, commonly known as bulk or roughage, is the part of plant foods that cannot be digested completely, so that it passes through the digestive tract intact. Therefore, dietary fiber is the fiber content of food, which is resistant to the human digestive enzymes.

The function of fiber: The most important function of dietary fiber is to bind water in the intestine, in the form of a gel. This gel prevents its over-absorption from the large intestine and ensures that the stool content of the large bowel is both bulky and soft, and, consequently, its passage through the intestine is not delayed. Another important function of fiber is its effect on the metabolism, absorption, and reabsorption of bile acids and cholesterol. Dietary fiber actually binds or attaches to both cholesterol and bile acid, and consequently decreases their absorption from the bowel. It is now recognized that there are a number of deases which are, at least in part, caused by a lack of dietary fiber. This
was first described in 1975 by Burkitt, P.O., and Trowell, H.C., eds. in Refined Carbohydrate Foods and Disease, New York (London). These diet-related diseases can be classified as follows:

1. Gastrointestinal disorders: Constipation, diverticulosis, appendicitis, hiatal hernia, hemorrhoids, cancer of the colon.
2. Metabolic disorders: Obesity, diabetes, gallstones.
3. Cardiovascular disorders: Arteriosclerosis (coronary artery disease), varicose veins, high blood pressure and
   strokes.
4. Degenerative disorders: Breast and prostate cancer, and
   neurological disorders including Alzheimer’s disease.

A recent study has shown that these diseases are now becoming prevalent in non-European communities, which have introduced Western dietary customs. There is almost an inverse relationship between the amount of fiber consumed and the prevalence of the various diseases in different countries. The higher the intake of dietary fiber, the lower the incidence of the above named disorders.

The latest medical report on high fiber foods indicates that there are cancer-protecting substances called phyto-nutrients actually contained in some dark green and dark yellow vegetables and fruits. One substance, known as beta-carotene (a nutrient that the body converts into vitaminA), is found in high concentration in spinach, carrots, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, winter squash, cabbage, oranges, grape-fruit, apricots, and peaches. These high-fiber foods also contain large amounts of vitamin C. Both vitamins may possibly be protective against cancer of the lung, esophagus, stomach, large bowel, and skin.

Share This

D&C (dilatation and curettage) is a gynecological procedure in which the lining of the uterus (endometrium) is scraped away. A form of D&C (in effect a curettage without dilatation) is carried out after an incomplete abortion, when it is called an ERPC (evacuation of the retained products of conception). ERPC is carried out after a hysteroscopy has identified what remains in the uterus. A D&C is usually performed under a brief general anesthetic, on a hospital outpatient basis.

Why Is It Done?

These days, a D&C is usually done to remove the lining of the womb in order to find out the cause of heavy menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia), or for other uterine problems such as polyps or misplaced intrauterine coils (IUDs).

In scraping away the lining, D&C can treat the problems it finds at the same time. It was traditionally used as a means of terminating an early pregnancy, although it is very rarely employed for this purpose these days.

How Is It Done?

• First, a speculum is inserted into the vagina to separate the vaginal walls so that the cervix can be seen. A series of rods are then inserted to dilate the cervix.
• If the procedure is being performed to check for polyps, the cervix is dilated and a polyps forceps explores the uterine cavity, grasping and removing any polyps that are found. Finally a spoon-shaped instrument, the curette, is inserted into the womb to scrape away the lining.
• The scrapings from the curette are examined for abnormalities under a microscope in a laboratory.
• Mter the D&C you will need to rest and recover for several hours before going home. You should take it easy for a day or so afterward, but you shouldn’t experience any problems. You can resume sexual relations within a week or so, or whenever you feel comfortable. Your menstrual cycle will recommence within about six weeks.
• To perform an ERPC after an incomplete abortion, the procedure varies a little. There is usually no need to dilate the cervix (it will remain open if any conception material remains), so a sponge forceps is used with a curette to gently clean out the placenta and any fetal material.

Share This

Dysmenorrhea is the medical name for menstrual periods accompanied by cramps and pain. There are two different types: primary, which is painful periods experienced within three years of the onset of menstruation and in which there is no underlying disease to account for it; and secondary, which is a symptom of an underlying gynecological disease such as endometriosis or fibroids.

What Causes It?

About one third of all menstruating women will experience some pain with their periods. Women who have primary dysmenorrhea produce excessive quantities of the hormone prostaglandin at the time of menstruation and are extremely sensitive to it. Prostaglandin is one of the hormones released during labor and is in parr responsible for the uterine contractions. Dysmenorrhea can therefore be seen as a mini-labor with the prostaglandin causing uterine muscle to go into spasm, producing cramp like pain.

Should I See The Doctor?

If you have recently begun to menstruate, visit your doctor if pain medication in moderate quantities is not sufficient to dull the pain and you need to spend at least a day in bed each month. If you have been menstruating for three years and the blood flow and pain increase, visit your doctor to confirm that there is no underlying disorder responsible.

What Might The Doctor Do?

• Some doctors may suggest that the pain is psychosomatic, but it isn’t. Don’t be put off from consulting your doctor by the hope that the pain will pass as you get older or if you have children.
• You should insist on a trial of antiprostaglandin medicines, which should be taken just prior to, and for the first two to three days of menstruation. The contraceptive pill is often prescribed to relieve dysmenorrhea because it inhibits egg production and alters hormonal balance, so it is a highly effective treatment. The progesterone IUD also helps it.
• If you have developed painful menstrual periods after several years of predictable menstrual characteristics, your doctor will examine you and recommend treatment according to the diagnosis.

What Can I Do?

• Experiment with herbal teas such as mint or camomile that reduce spasmodic pain.
• Relaxation or special yoga-type exercises can also help to relieve the pain; hot-water bottles, hot baths, and bed rest can all bring relief .
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines and aspirin impede the production of prostaglandins and are, therefore, the best pain medications to take.

Share This

Colposcopy is the visual examination of the cervix and vagina, usually recommended after a positive cervical smear. It is done by using a colposcope, a magnifying instrument that allows the doctor to get a clear, illuminated view of the area.

Colposcopy is a simple, noninvasive procedure and can be used as a treatment as well as a diagnostic tool. It requires no anesthetic and can safely be done in your doctor’s office.

Why Is It Done?

A colposcopy is recommended to investigate further any abnormalities indicated by a positive smear or, occasionally, by a pelvic examination. The colposcope has a series of powerful lenses that pinpoint much more precisely where any abnormal cells occur, and enables the doctor to obtain a biopsy sample for further investigation.

How Is It Done?

• The doctor will ask you to remove your lower garments and then to lie on your back with your knees raised and apart, and your feet supported in stirrups.
• A speculum is inserted into your vagina as for a smear test, the vaginal mucus is wiped away, and the area is washed with either a saline solution or a dilute acetic acid. These solutions are used because they cause abnormal cells to show up either white or patterned on the colposcope instead of the usual pink color.
• The colposcope is placed at the entrance to the vagina it never actually enters the vagina itself The doctor examines the tissue to identify the precise area of abnormal cells. (A smear test only shows that there is some change but does not pinpoint where.) He will then remove the speculum slowly so that he can inspect the vaginal walls too.
• The procedure takes roughly 15 minutes. Sometimes, using special forceps, your doctor will take a biopsy of abnormal tissue she can see through the lens of the colposcope and this will be sent to a laboratory for further examination.
• If a biopsy is taken, you may have some slight bleeding, but there should be no other side effects.
• If there are abnormal cells inside the cervical canal, a colposcope will not be able to detect them; if this is suspected, a cone biopsy will be recommended, to check on cells from inside the canal.
• If a biopsy sample indicates precancerous change only, the affected tissue can be destroyed by laser treatment or by burning away with a hot loop (LLETZ).

Share This