Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Inflammatory Diseases 2020
1National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, USA
2Baylor College of Medicine, Texas, USA
3Central South University, Changsha, China
Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Inflammatory Diseases 2020
Description
Inflammation occurs in response to various cellular stresses including infection, irradiation, chemical, or physical injury. It helps us counteract infection, clear out necrotic cells, remove damaging chemicals, and initiate tissue repair. Keeping a delicate balance of inflammation response by eliminating harmful stimuli, while still maintaining self-tolerance to avoid host diseases, is critical for the body's heath. Insufficient or chronic inflammation could lead to progressive destruction of the organism.
Many diseases have been demonstrated to associate with acute or chronic inflammation, such as rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, depression, Kawasaki disease, and even cancer. However, treatment options for inflammatory diseases have been limited to anti‐inflammatory medications (e.g., acetaminophen), or steroid hormones. Meanwhile, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) provides natural and effective protection for those who suffer from inflammatory diseases.
The aim of this Special Issue is to collate original research articles as well as review articles on complementary and alternative therapies for controlling inflammatory diseases. Manuscripts based on in vitro tests and animal studies as well as human studies can be submitted to this special issue.
Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:
- Studies on the use of any method of CAM for treating inflammatory diseases
- Studies investigating the mechanisms involved in the application of CAM for inflammatory diseases
- Novel methodologies and technologies with potential application for inflammatory diseases
- Reviews and meta‐analysis on CAM for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.