Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Question 1

What is the concept of CAM remedies?

Answer 1

The concept is they are meant to be safer than orthodox (normal) medicines as they have less unwanted side effects, and they are better for the environment.
(Lecture 5 Part 1, Slide 5)

Question 2

What is the Holistic medicine approach?

Answer 2

It is a form of therapy that treats the whole person, not just specific disease symptoms, and it is emphasized by many CAM practitioners.
(Lecture 5 Part 1, Slide 6)

Question 3

What is traditional medicine?

Answer 3

knowledge, skills and practises based on theories, beliefs and experiments indigenous to different cultures, used to maintain health, prevent, diagnose, improve or treat physical and mental illnesses - WHO
(Lecture 5 Part 1, Slide 11)

Question 4

What does TCM stand for?

Answer 4

Traditional Chinese Medicine
(Lecture 5 Part 2, Slide 2)

Question 5

What do TCM practitioners believe?

Answer 5

The world together with its life forms are made up of opposites - this is often represented by the “Yin Yang” symbol.
(Lecture 5, Part 2, Slide 3)

Question 6

What do Practitioners of Indian Ayurvedic Medicine believe?

Answer 6

That disease is an imbalance to the body.
(Lecture 5, Part 2, Slide 5)

Question 7

How can traditional medicine be abused?

Answer 7

Some ritual medicines can be considered Class A drugs and can be bought and taken.
Some criminals can give people temporarily incapacitating drugs through food, drinks, cigarettes, etc. to rob people.
(Lecture 5, Part 2, Slides 7 and 14)

Question 8

What is herbal medicine?

Answer 8

A form of treatment using plant remedies that is based on traditional medicine and tends to be associated with a “holistic” view
(Lecture 6, Part 1, Slide 3)

Question 9

What must a Modern Herbalist have to practise in the UK?

Answer 9

a 4 or 5 year recognised training course in Herbalism or Phytotherapy.
(Lecture 6, Part 1, Slide 9)

Question 10

What should a trained herbalist tell a patient?

Answer 10

They should tell the patient to tell their GP that they are taking herbal products / under consultation with a herbalist.
They can and should refer the patient to a GP if they require orthodox treatment.
(Lecture 6, Part 1, Slide 10)

Question 11

How are herbal medicines regulated?

Answer 11

Herbal medicines are regulated by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society under THMRS (Traditional Herbal Medicines Registration Scheme)
(Lecture 6, Part 1, Slide 15)

Question 12

Who makes the decision on whether a herbal medicine is a medicine, a food or cosmetic?

Answer 12

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)
(Lecture 6, Part 1, Slide 16)

Question 13

What does a Traditional Herbal Registration (THR) marking on a product mean?

Answer 13

That the herbal product has been assessed against quality standards.
(Lecture 6, Part 1, Slide 17)

Question 14

What is Homeopathy?

Answer 14

The administration of ultra-dilute medicines according to methods specified in various homeopathic pharmacopeia.
(Lecture 6, Part 2, Slide 2)

Question 15

What is a pharmacopeia?

Answer 15

A legally binding collection prepared by a national or regional authority detailing standard and quality specifications.
(Lecture 6, Part 2, Slide 2)

Question 16

What are Homeopathy medicines made from?

Answer 16

Mostly from plants but also may be from mineral, animals or even synthetic material
(Lecture 6, Part 2, Slide 3)

Question 17

What is the idea behind Homeopathy?

Answer 17

Treating “like with like” i.e. stimulate healing responses to diseases by administering substances that mimic the symptoms of those diseases in healthy people.
(Lecture 6, Part 2, Slides 4 and 5)

Question 18

Why are Homeopathy medicines usually diluted?

Answer 18

So that a few or no molecules of the starting material remain in the product.
(Lecture 6, Part 2, Slide 7)

Question 19

What is succussion in Homeopathy medicine?

Answer 19

Vigorous shaking by striking or imparting force on a hard yet elastic surface.
(Lecture 6, Part 2, Slide 11)

Question 20

Why is succussion done between dilutions in Homeopathic medicines?

Answer 20

It is believed that the process activates the “vital energy” of the diluted substance.
(Lecture 6, Part 2, Slide 11)

Question 21

What is aromatherapy?

Answer 21

The use of aromatic plant extracts and essential oils in massage and other treatments
(Lecture 6, Part 2, Slide 15)

Question 22

How are oils produced?

Answer 22

Produced by plants in special secretory cells.
Most are then vapour or steam distilled in special copper or steam stills while some oils are extracted by enfleurage or solvent extraction.
(Lecture 6, Part 2, Slide 18)

Question 23

What must methods or harvesting and producing plant medicines do according to law?

Answer 23

They must not degrade the natural environment and keep it diverse, healthy and thriving.
Production should be sustainable.
(Lecture 6, Part 2, Slide 21)

Question 24

What must cultivation of plant species do according to law?

Answer 24

Improve soil fertility and parameters of environmental health.
(Lecture 6, Part 2, Slide 21)

Question 25

What is defoliation?

Answer 25

To remove leaves from a tree prematurely or to remove bark.
(Lecture 6, Part 2, Slide 22)

Question 26

What can frequent defoliation of a tree result in?

Answer 26

The tree not recovering to it’s original canopy value.
(Lecture 6, Part 2, Slide 22)