Iris Publishers-Open access Journal of Biomedical Engineering & Biotechnology | Natural Products Derived from Plants and Seaweeds Against Clinical Importance Respiratory Viruses

 

Authored by Izabel Christina Palmer Paixao*,

Abstract

Acute respiratory tract infections are the most common diseases in all individuals, regardless of age or sex. Epidemiological research and community-based studies conducted since the early 20th century have determined the rates of disease and the pathogens involved in such infections. More recently, advances in diagnostic techniques have enabled a more complete identification of the viruses involved in respiratory infections, which has aided in the ability to target specific therapeutic agents to the causative pathogens. Natural products have been used since earliest times as a treatment for various diseases. In this review, we show that natural products derived from plants and seaweed present promising results for several respiratory viruses such as human metapneumovirus (HPMV), Influenza, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), Rhinovirus, Paramyxovirus, Hantavirus, Adenovirus, Feline, Murine and other Human Coronaviruses, in addition to new therapeutic perspectives against COVID-19.

Keywords: Natural products; Plant; Algae; Antiviral; Respiratory; COVID-19

Introduction

Many viral species are of clinical importance and affect the world causing diseases in a large number of people. Among these, many studies mention different viruses such as Adenovirus [1], Coronavirus [2], Hantavirus [3], Orthomyxovirus [4], Paramyxovirus [5], Measles Virus [6], Rhinovirus [7] and the group that most affects people worldwide, Influenza Virus [8,9]. Natural products are widely used as alternative treatments for many diseases, whether viral, bacterial, parasitic or fungal. Many pathogens are resistant to synthetic and specific drugs for different targets. The study with natural products substances is important to increase the spectrum of treatment and reduce the incidence of microbial resistance to treatment acquired by pathogens with a smaller range of drugs [10].

Respiratory viruses have been a major public health problem since earlier times. Viral infections that directly affect the respiratory tract today include infections with the highest transmissible capacity and, such as Influenza, one of the highest mortality and morbidity rates worldwide [11]. Its characteristic of easy transmissibility occurs because the virus is found in droplets and secretions expelled by the respiratory system, justifying in most cases, the number of cases configured in pandemics [12,13]. Respiratory infections represent one of the highest case incidence rates among diseases that affect humans. The mortality rate of respiratory infections in developed countries is much lower than that of developing countries, precisely because of hygiene, sanitation and culture measures [14,15].

Respiratory viruses have a distribution based on seasonality, as they have a specific predominance in certain seasons. We can see Influenza and RSV infections especially in winter. Picornaviruses cause infections throughout the year, while Enteroviruses are more common in summer, and Rhinoviruses in winter [16]. Diseases that are caused by respiratory viruses can be classified as common colds, pharyngitis, laryngitis, acute bronchitis, pneumonia, among other complications commonly observed [17]. The immunosuppression factor can also cause openness to infections in the respiratory tract involving Cytomegalovirus, Echovirus, Coxsackie virus, that can cause severe conditions involving acute pharyngitis [18]. Globalization and ease of movement among people in different countries were factors that enabled the violent transmission of this respiratory virus. Today, we need government measures from Health authorities, the work of science and health professionals to control global infection [16].

Contingency plans are necessary to control the growth curve of these respiratory viruses. Contagion from infected droplets is concomitant with the overcrowding of public services, environments associated with urban transport. One of the most important measures to control the cases and growth of individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 is social isolation. At-risk groups need to stay away from agglomerations precisely so that they are not exposed to infected patients [19].

Influenza

The influenza A, influenza B and influenza C viruses were isolated in 1933, 1940 and 1951 respectively. Both influenza A and B belong to the family Orthomyxoviridae and to the genus Influenzavirus [20]. Influenza C is in a specific genus since it is the only species of the genus, affecting humans and pigs. Influenza viruses are enveloped by a lipid bilayer containing their single-stranded negative sense RNA genome. The capsid of these viruses is of helical symmetry, with Influenza A and B composed of eight RNA segments and Influenza C by seven RNA segments. As for their characteristics of clinical importance, we can only categorize Influenza A and B, as they are significantly pathogenic to human hosts. Influenza C, on the other hand, causes a very rare infection and is usually associated with mild pathogenesis in the respiratory tract [9].

Adenovirus

The first isolation of adenovirus occurred from primary adenoid cell culture of children in the early 1950s. The icosahedral symmetry capsid that surrounds the linear stranded DNA genome of this enveloped virus has 12 vertices. Its infection is prevalent worldwide and the rate of infected people always varies between sporadic cases and epidemic periods. Adenoviruses have great stability in the environment, so they are easily transmitted indoors. Its clinical manifestation involves infections and diseases in the upper and lower respiratory tract, being considered a public health problem [1].

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was isolated in 1956 where an experimental chimpanzee displayed a disease similar to a common cold, demonstrating a human pathogen. RSV infection can cause severe manifestations in children at the lower respiratory tract. The most common afflictions are bronchiolitis and pneumonia. Patients with comorbidities and immunodeficiency have high risk factors for infection. These viruses belong to the Paramyxoviridae family and to the Pneumovirus genus, as well as they are single-stranded negative sense RNA viruses, not segmented, encoding about 10 viral proteins. Regular RSV epidemics follow seasonality, being common in winter and in temperate climates [9].

Rhinoviruses

Rhinoviruses have more than 100 serotypes and can cause respiratory diseases in the upper respiratory tract. These viruses are more common in children and are generally associated with many colds and febrile illnesses. Following the line of the other respiratory viruses, there are conditions in which the infection gets worse and becomes more serious. Patients with previous lung problems may experience pneumonia due to Rhinovirus infection. Rhinoviruses belong to the Picornaviridae family and usually grows at lower rates compared to other respiratory viruses [7].

Human Metapneumoviruses (hPMV)

HPMV or Human Metapneumovirus are responsible for approximately 2-12% of respiratory diseases in the pediatric lower respiratory tract. The virus is a member of the Paramyxoviridae family and the only one in the Metapneumovirus genus. Since its isolation in 2001, the biggest challenge for medicine and virology research is to understand the pathogenic mechanism of these viruses, precisely to develop effective antivirals and vaccines [21].

Hantaviruses

Hantaviruses are known to cause two distinct syndromes with hemorrhagic fever and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). Consequently, Hantavirus infection should be considered one of the causes of respiratory diseases in areas where Hantaviruses are endemic. Hantaviruses are RNA viruses belonging to the Bunyaviridae family. Its most common reservoirs are rodents, moles, bats. And in contrast, the more these rodent carriers experience population imbalances, the greater the chances of an outbreak due to Hantavirus [3].

Measles Viruses

Measles viruses have an RNA genome, and they belong to the Morbilivirus genus and the Paramyxoviridae family. The Measles virus most often infects human hosts and non-human primates. Clinically, the Measles virus after the incubation period of 8-12 days can be observed with fever, cough, runny nose and in some cases, conjunctivitis. It can also be observed in patients as skin rashes, usually as erythematous spots on the face and neck. Measles viruses are capable of causing serious illness in children; however, we have a vaccine today for the major circulating strain [6].

Coronaviruses

Over the past 12 years, two novel β-CoVs, the severe acute respiratory syndrome CoV (SARS- CoV) and the Middle East respiratory syndrome CoV (MERS-CoV) have emerged, and these viruses can cause severe human diseases. The lack of effective drug treatment and the associated high morbidity and mortality rate of these two CoVs, as well as their potential to cause epidemics, highlight the need for novel drug discovery for the treatment of CoV infection [22]. In view of the current pandemic scenario for the new Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), the objective of this review is to show the therapeutic strategies involving natural products from plants and algae for respiratory viruses of clinical importance.

Coronaviruses have a wide diversity between hosts, in addition to a great variance in their cell tropism. The vast majority of alphacoronaviruses and beta coronaviruses infect mammals. At the same time, gamma and delta coronaviruses infect birds and some mammals [23]. By 2019, 6 different types of Coronaviruses capable of infecting humans have been reported: HCoV-229E; HCoV-OC43; HCoV-NL63 and HKU1 capable of inducing mild respiratory syndrome in humans. The most vulnerable hosts were babies and the elderly. Both SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV showed a more aggressive profile regarding infection, causing severe acute respiratory syndrome in human patients, presenting a mortality rate much higher than other Coronaviruses [24].

In January 2020, China concluded in laboratory tests that the unknown pathogen was a Coronavirus, confirmed by a test where the sample showed 95% homology with bat coronavirus and 70% similarity with SARS-CoV. As with all respiratory viruses, exponential growth was observed in a short time, even in people who had not had contact with the live animal market, immediately suggesting that community transmission was taking place [25]. SARS-CoV-2, characterized during the outbreak in China, that until 16/03/2020 was responsible for infecting more than 80,000 people (China) and more than 153,000 worldwide causes the disease now called COVID-19 [26].

All ages are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Droplets, generated during coughing where this infected material is exposed to another individual’s respiratory tract, are responsible for transmission. Asymptomatic people and those who have not yet manifested the symptoms are also able to transmit the virus. As much as all ages are susceptible to infection, there are individuals at a greater risk, such as elderly, patients living with HIV; Diabetics; Hypertensive and individuals who already had influenza infection [27] (Figure 1).

New perspectives involving treatment against respiratory viruses using natural products

Human coronavirus infections have been a public health problem since the 2002 SARS epidemic in China, where it affected thousands of patients. Viral respiratory diseases are responsible for a large number of deaths worldwide. With the absence of effective vaccines and effective antiviral therapies, natural products have been an excellent alternative against these pathogens [29,30]. Plant studies show many activities against respiratory viruses. The products produced by the most varied species of plants demonstrate potent antimicrobial inhibitory activities [31]. The products from plants can interact by inhibiting the neuraminidase present in the Influenza group viruses, a crucial enzyme in the replication process of these viruses in their target cell. The literature shows a series of activities derived from the products of these plants, such as the biflavonoids isolated from Ginkgo biloba and Glycyrrhiza uralensis that exhibits inhibitory activity against H1N1, being a potential inhibitor of neuraminidases (73). A list of studies done with plants that showed inhibitory activities of respiratory viruses is shown in table 1. Many Brazilian plants have medicinal activities and are already used by the population as medicines for several comorbidities [32]. Brazilian plants show different antiviral activities against different groups of pathogens such as HSV-1 (herpes simplex virus type 1), HSV-2 (herpes simplex virus type 2) and Poliovirus. Plants like Trixis praestans and Cunila spicata showed results against Adenovirus [33,34] (Table 1).

Table 1: List of studied species, target respiratory virus, results obtained and bibliographic references.

Research on natural products has already shown activity of plants inhibiting the replication of Coronaviruses, which are viruses of clinical importance for human health [37]. Native plants from Asia, already used by oriental medicine, tested for HSV-1 and HIV-1, were tested against SARS-CoV, and obtained promising results as protease inhibitors, interfering in the replicative cycle of these viruses [38,39]. The natural products isolated from marine organisms have many described activities. Algae can have antibacterial, antimalarial, antifungal, antiparasitic and antiviral activities. Many studies obtained by various groups against viruses in general (HSV-1, HIV-1, ZIKV and CHIKV) the antiviral activity of red, green and brown algae. Whether from their extracts or from isolated products, for example Caulerpin, which is an isolate from the green alga Caulerpa racemosa [40-45]. Researches on antiviral activity of algae products against respiratory viruses show activity of green algae such as Ulva fasciata (table 2) acting on the replication of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) [21]. Blue green Cyanophyta algae activity against Paramyxovirus is also observed [46]. The natural products from algae are also able to act against the replication of viruses such as Echovirus, Rhinovirus, Adenovirus and Vaccinia virus [47,48]. The extracts of the algae Constantinea simplex and Farlowia mollis demonstrate potent activities against the Vaccinia virus, that causes serious infections in the respiratory tract of both humans and animal hosts [49,50] (Table 2).

Table 2:List of studied species, target respiratory virus, results obtained and bibliographic references.

Marine natural products also show inhibitory activity against human Coronaviruses. Tests with extracts of red algae such as those of the Rhodophyceae genus showed anti-SARS-CoV and anti- Influenza activities [51]. Betting on the wide spectrum of inhibitory activities of marine products, in silico studies are also carried out to look for promising combinations of potential SARS-CoV inhibitors [52]. The sulfated polysaccharides of the Porphyridium sp. are shown to inhibit Coronavirus replication and the study by Mahadev et al; showed that the products from this algae have great biocompatibility with products used in hygiene and prophylaxis against Coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19 [53].

Conclusion

Respiratory viruses are responsible for thousands of deaths of people every year and their pathogens infect children, adults and the elderly, making it a major public health problem. Although we have a flu vaccine, we still need more research and development of prophylactic alternatives and specific antiviral treatments for many diseases that end up creating chaotic situations around the world. Many studies are needed to develop and approve a reference drug in treatment for these diseases. In vitro and in vivo studies need to be carried out to ensure the safety and proven efficacy of the drug so that it is directed to humans in the clinical phase. The same process is categorized in vaccines, and this takes time and study.

Natural products from plants and algae are a very effective alternative in studies aimed at the development of new antiviral drugs. Studies involving the mechanism of action of these drugs against respiratory viruses and the question of the bioavailability of these products for large-scale production are very important issues for the future of antivirals derived from natural products.

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Iris Publishers-Open access Journal of Civil & Structural Engineering | Errors in Construction of Facilities in Restricted Conditions

 

Authored by Sokolov NS*,

Abstract

The construction of facilities in cramped conditions requires a special approach to the need to develop and implement measures to ensure the safe operation of the buildings surrounding the building within the limits of geotechnical influence. Builders often neglect the impact of the new facility technology on the possible negative effects (cracks on facades due to uneven precipitation, heels, etc.) of the buildings in use. The term «minimum price» is still used when part of a building is erected below zero. This approach completely disregards the notion of «technical utility». At the same time the builders go to any tricks to reduce the cost. This «irrational» way of construction may eventually result in a substantial increase in the cost of constructing a zero part of a building and, as a general rule, in a longer construction period (agreement on a new project as a result of substitution of another geotechnical technology, passing of new construction expertise). This article examines one negative case from the geotechnical practice of constructing 16 storey dwellings next to an existing five-storey dwelling house.

Keywords:Geotechnical construction; Irregular precipitation; Ground anchors; Excavation fencing; Electrical discharge technology; EDT piles

Introduction

Construction in cramped conditions is the most problematic from the point of view of the technology of construction production of parts below zero mark. Design and construction should include a set of measures to ensure the safe operation of existing buildings. Modern geotechnical technologies are successful in meeting such challenges [1-13]. This article discusses a negative example of the construction of a multi-storey apartment building next to an existing house.

Methods and Materials

The new construction facility is a single cast-in-place reinforced concrete block in the shape of a rectangle. The above-ground part of the construction facility consists of a technical floor and 16 aboveground floors. The structural scheme is a cast-in-situ concrete-free frame with self-supporting outer walls of foam-concrete blocks supported by inter-story floors. The ceilings and coatings are made of cast-in-situ reinforced concrete. The structural solution of the foundation is provided as a cast-in-place reinforced concrete foundation plate. The depth of the foundation pit varies from 9.3 m to 9.6 m in various areas. The absolute level of the bottom of the foundation pit is 175.30 m of the Baltic Normal Height System (BAS). The width of the foundation pit is 27.0 m, and its length is 40.0 m. In accordance with para. 9.36 SP 22.13330.2011 “Updated edition of SNIP 2.02.01-83* “Soil bases of buildings and structures” the radius of the new construction impact zone is equal r36 =4·Hк for a pit to be excavated with steel pipe fencing. Thus, the impact zone for the specific case was 38.4 m. A five-story two-access apartment building is located in the area. The technical condition category of the adjacent residential building according to the reports on the results of the technical inspection carried out shall be considered satisfactory according to the existing regulatory documents. The spatial stiffness of the apartment house is ensured by hard disks of inter-level floors and coatings, blocks of staircases. In plan the object has dimensions of 54.0x12.75 m and 17.0 m in height. The foundations are made of prefabricated tapes made of concrete blocks of FBS basement walls 400-500 mm thick laid on a cast-inplace reinforced concrete belt erected on the foundation slabs of the FL. Foundation depth varies from 2.79 to 3.05 m. The walls of the building are made of silicate brick 510.0 mm thick on cementsand solution. The inner load-bearing walls, 380.0 mm thick, are also made of silicate brick, and the inter-story and attic floors are made of reinforced concrete multi-hollow slabs 220.0 mm thick. In the initial version, the foundation walls of the foundation pit are designed as an unfastened sheet pile wall using two tiers of Atlant ground anchors (Figure 1A).

For this case, steel pipes with a cross section of 530x8 by GOST 10704-91 “Electrically welded steel line-weld tubes. Schedule” with a step of 1.0 m are used for the sheet wall, and pipes with a direction of “Z” are arranged with a step of 0.8 m. They are also filled with heavy concrete in the immediate vicinity of the building. Top of sheet pile wall tubes elevation is assumed variable from 184.54 m to 184.84 m (BAS). The bottom of the pipe fencing along the axes “1”, “A” and “12” is located at the elevations from 171.54 to 171.84 m BS with their length of 13.0 m, along the axis “Z” bottom of the pipe fencing stands at 166.84 m (BAS) with pipe length of 18.0 m. A board fence 40.0 mm thick is designed between the pipes of the fence. At the request of the developer customer, we (LLC FORST Research and Production Company) have been instructed to develop an alternative variant of the unfastened sheet pile wall using steel pipes of the same cross-section dimensions but using ground anchors of three tiers of prepared using electric-discharge technology (EDT anchor) (Figure 1B).

The design burial depth of the steel pipes was deeper than the original design. In addition, we have designed sheet pile wall using drilled injection EDT piles with a diameter of 350 mm with a cast-in-situ reinforced concrete girder on the top of the piles at the adjoining areas to the existing buildings. The planned wall is a solid cast-in-place reinforced concrete structure that would prevent the soil from sloughing under the foundations of the existing apartment building during excavation.

Results and Discussion

The customer having studied both variants of the fence of the pit has come to an unexpected and strange conclusion about the necessity of cheaper design of the pit fence. In this case, the meaning of “technical feasibility” is completely neglected, although economic efficiency is significantly acquired. Thus, they were ordered a third version of the pit fencing project, but without anchoring, using, as in previous designs, steel pipes and steel shootings on two levels to replace the ground anchors. At the same time, the developed project excludes the construction of a solid sheet pile wall (it is one of the main buried structures ensuring the foundation stability under the foundations of an existing residential house) on the site of attachment to the existing residential house. A 50B2 double-stranded spreader belt is designed to treat soil forces evenly and to offend them. It should be noted that used steel pipes were used as the construction material for the shootings. When they are executed at one level only. The used firing pipes suffered significant deformations (bends, cross-sectional collapses, as well as soil and asphalt holes) during the rupture of the foundation pit, which resulted in horizontal deformations of the sheet pile wall made of steel pipes towards the pit. At the same time, the absence of solid barrier sheet walls at the areas of connection to the existing apartment building during excavation of the foundation pit caused the soil to fall out from under the foundation footing. As a result, the existing dwelling house was immediately vertically deformed, as evidenced by the deformation cracks that appeared on the outer surfaces of the facades, progressing in time. The urgently organized geotechnical monitoring of the vertical movements of sediment marks (Figures 2 & 3) confirmed the worst fears. A part of the dwelling house on the side of the new construction of the settlement and continues to deform (Figure 4). The client urgently decided to develop a project for cementing the deformed part of the foundation and immediately implement it (Figure 4). Geotechnical monitoring results show that even after the geotechnical work for cementing the foundation, foundation deformations continued to develop. All the maximum allowable strains have already been exceeded. For example, the most deformed sediment grade received a vertical displacement of 52.0 mm (Figure 5) at an allowable value of 20.0 mm. In order to avoid further deformation of the existing dwelling house, the customer again requested us (LLC NPF FORST) to develop a project for reinforcement of the deformed base and performance of geotechnical works for its reinforcement. Electrodischarge geotechnical technology for arrangement of drillinginjection piles (EDT piles) was used as the most suitable for solving problems in restricted conditions. Only by strengthening the foundations of the troubled dwelling house using this geotechnical technology has it been possible to prevent further deformations of the foundation, as shown by 1) geotechnical forecast and 2) results of geotechnical monitoring of vertical movements of sediment marks. Table 1 below shows the steps from the beginning of construction to the resolution of the issues on strengthening the foundation of the deformed five-story apartment building (Table 1) (Figure 2-5).

Conclusion

1. In geotechnical construction in restricted conditions, disregard of the principle of “technical feasibility” in favor of achieving economic efficiency in most cases leads to impairment of the operational reliability of existing buildings and structures.

2. The so-called “economic efficiency” acquired may be substantially reduced to zero, or the final design of the pit fence may end up being much more expensive than the original design. Construction terms are guaranteed to be extended.

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Iris Publishers- Open access Journal of Advances in Cancer Research & Clinical Imaging | Can The Use of Chemotherapy Induce More Formation of Metastases in Patients with Cancer?

 

Authored by Huang WL*,

Abstract

Introduction: Chemotherapy is a drug developed to increase the survival of cancer patients, increasing the chances of treating and curing their diseases. However, recently I am facing so many cases of patients that have cancer diagnoses and were controlled but after using chemotherapy, cancer started to disseminate in the whole body. According to Arndt Schultz Law created in 1888 by two German researchers, the use of any kind of highly concentrated medication can harm vital energy and, in this case, chemotherapy is also considered a highly concentrated medication that would not cause a beneficial effect on these patients, because it was worsening the energy of them instead of improving it.

Purpose of this Study:The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that patients with cancer have internal massive organs energy deficient in energy and formation of internal Fire and this energy deficiency is responsible for cancer formation in any part of the body. The treatment using any kind of highly concentrated medication (in this case chemotherapy is considered highly concentrated medication) can reduce even more this energy, which is already very low, and increase the chance of having metastasis in this patient with cancer.

Methods:one case report of 68 years-old male patients with a history of colon cancer that was diagnosed in 2018 through a proctosigmoidoscopy exam, after having an alteration in the color of the stools. He took out the tumor through laparoscopy surgery and after this procedure, he was submitted to chemotherapy. Before the chemotherapy, the patient did not have any metastasis diagnosed through a pet scan or magnetic resonance.

Results: After beginning this treatment, it was found one metastasis in the mediastinum and one in each Lung. The metastasis was increasing in size (2mm every 2 months), even using chemotherapy. The patient went to my clinic to be evaluated from an energy point of view, using the radiesthesia procedure. All his internal massive organs (Liver, Heart, Spleen, Lungs, and Kidney) were in the lowest level of energy, rated one out of eight, and the treatment of this condition consisted in using Chinese dietary counseling, auricular acupuncture with apex ear bloodletting, systemic acupuncture, moxibustion, and replenishing them using highly diluted medications according to the theory Constitutional Homeopathy of the Five Elements Based on Traditional Chinese Medicine and crystal-based medications. The patient is still in treatment and the result of this treatment if the metastasis can reduce with this kind of therapy cannot be evaluated because the patient did not repeat the exams after beginning this kind of therapy until the end of this article.

Conclusion: The conclusion of this study is to demonstrate that chemotherapy drugs can reduce the vital energy of cancer patients and can increase the chance to have metastasis in patients with cancer. The treatment of this weak state condition can improve the vital energy and can reduce the metastasis of cancer patients using “natural forces within the patients that are the true healers of the disease”, according to Hippocrates (460 bce - 375 bce), the father of medicine.

Keywords:Chemotherapy; Metastasis; Energy; Traditional Chinese medicine; Homeopathy; Hippocrates

Introduction

Chemotherapy is an effective treatment for different types of cancer, but it has not been as efficient in the eradication of cancer cells as expected. [1] The mechanism of why it is not working in it is entire efficiency is not well understood yet by Western medicine’s physicians. [1] The main goal of chemotherapy is to inhibit tumor multiplication and cell proliferation and has the intention to avoid the metastasis and invasion of cancer cells. [2] In this article, I will show the other point of view of cancer formation, from the energy perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, that exists for more than 5000 years and following Hippocrates (460 bce - 375 bce) thoughts, that said: “Foolish the doctor who despises the knowledge acquired by the ancients” [3].

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that chemotherapy can have the potential to induce metastasis in patients in the treatment of cancer without metastasis before using this kind of approach in their treatment because it is reducing the vital energy of the patient that is already very low at the moment of a cancer diagnosis. This vital energy is important to eliminate the formation of malignant cells that our body produces every day and the reduction of these energies, will cause an increased propensity to have metastasis or other cancers.

Methods

Through one case report of a 68-years-old male patient in the treatment of colon cancer diagnosed in 2018. He is a medical doctor working in the USA for the last 40 years but he was born and raised in Brazil. One day, he felt that his stomach was not normal. He had acute diarrhea with a slight difference in the color of the stools (dark brown). Normally his stools are brown. His doctor scheduled a colonoscopy and detected colon cancer. The surgery was scheduled for two days after the diagnosis and the rest of the body was completely normal, without metastasis. The doctor scheduled to begin chemotherapy 30 days after the surgery to heal properly and during this period, he started to end his professional life because when the doctor is in his daily life, he cannot be sick. According to his words, “the doctor should be 24 hours, seven days a week”. He decided to pass all his patients to his colleague, he found another job for his secretary to not be unemployed and he decided to close everything. He canceled his medical insurance and did the surgery when they removed the entire tumor and did the anastomosis. His recovery was extremely fast in three days and one week later, he started to walk. Before chemotherapy, he had no tumor that was controlled by tomography every three months and there is no metastasis nowhere and he had no symptoms. He has also submitted a new colonoscopy in October or November 2018 and nothing was found. After starting chemotherapy for six months, he started a lack of taste and the neuropathy symptoms started with tingling sensations in both hands and feet four months after beginning the use of chemotherapy. The sensation is like he is getting a shock in his fingers and pain like having needles in the hand. He stopped playing the piano because the pressure sensation was transmitted probably at the “brain level”, and it was interpreted as a needle pain as if there was a needle entering the finger, and interesting is that according to the words that happened to him, the neuropathy continues to get worse even after suspending the chemotherapy medications. He took chemotherapy every fifteen days for six months. He also had nausea that started after the first chemotherapy which was controlled using intravenous medication. Eight percent of his hair fall out and also the eyelashes, pubic hair and leg were clean of hair and became very thin. He also had weight loss and change his taste. He could not tolerate ingesting water and he was able to drink tea or Gatorade. The food did not have an interesting request. The only food he could eat was a soup made by his wife. Normally his weight was 85-90 kilos and he reach less than 60 kilos. By eating soup, it was possible to recover the taste after chemotherapy. But even after stopping chemotherapy, the neuropathy continues in the same way and he thought that it could be another reason for that symptom and the feeling of shock in the fingers still remains.

In his past history before the colon cancer diagnosis, he had basically a vegetarian diet, and sometimes he eats chicken for the last 6 or 10 years, he has been avoiding eating red meat. Sometimes he eats a hamburger but normally is only chicken, normally at dinner but sometimes he eats at the hospital at lunchtime. In the hospital, the lunch consisted basically of raw salad formed of lettuce, carrots, and cranberry. It has also raisins and mustard sauce and a can of diet Coke in the meal. For breakfast, he normally drinks coffee and eats bread with strawberry jam and sometimes an omelet. For the dinner, he usually eats canned soup of tomato, mushroom, pea soup, and sometimes chicken in the oven or salmon with rice but usually, he does not have time even to eat well. Sometimes he eats pasta and usually cooks at home (ramen) only using water and oil. He does not drink water too much and usually; the water has a Cold temperature. He does not drink alcoholic beverages and started to drink beer in Brazil. His mother had diabetes and passed away in 2001 more or less. His father had a stroke and lived 101 years and passed away in 2011.

Results

In 2021, another chemotherapy was used, and pulmonary metastasis appeared six to eight months after. It was performed CT and found two lymph nodules in the mediastinum, one above the heart and the second near the great vessels and trachea. A biopsy was performed, and it confirmed metastasis. The pet scam was positive even using chemotherapy but instead of one specific chemotherapy, they used another drug called Avastin and the floracil continues. Before the surgery, the CA was 3,7 and after the surgery, it dropped to 2,1. When the lung metastasis appeared again, the CA started to increase again. His lung metastasis is increasing gradually, from one exam to another, it increases two millimeters in diameter and there are three or four lesions in the lung. In the other pulmonary globules, upper and lower fifth, here too and I think the middle one has nothing in the right lung. The neuropathy also caused muscle weakness, more importantly, and this causes a loss of sensitivity from the beginning, in the position of the leg. If he tries to blink, he does not know where his foot is, so it is very easy for him to walk into a room and tap his foot on a chair or anything if he is not looking. He has to be looking where he is stepping, if he closes his eye he falls and he also loses because of the perception itself, if he did not have it if he closes his eye and he is standing he will fall, he has no perception of the steps. All these symptoms appeared at the end of chemotherapy in 2021, it freaked out a little bit but it did not stabilize. He decided to move to Brazil, and he went to my clinic following his daughter-in-law’s recommendation. In his physical examination what I found different was a pulse in the wrists hard like a cord. The meaning of this alteration in the physical exam I will explain in the discussion section.

I measured his internal five massive organs’ energy and found that all his internal massive organs were in the lowest level of energy, rated one out of eight in all organs. I started Chinese dietary orientations, auricular acupuncture with apex ear bloodletting, and systemic acupuncture to regulate his Yin, Yang, Qi, and Blood production and take out the internal Fire (that is one of the energy imbalances presented in cancer formation) and also, prescribe the use of highly diluted medications according to the theory Constitutional Homeopathy of the Five Elements Based on Traditional Chinese Medicine and crystal-based medications. The homeopathy medications used were Sulphur, Calcarea carbonica, Silicea, Natrum muriaticum, and Phosphorus. They will be shown in the discussion section.

Discussion

The treatment of cancer patients includes the use of surgery, radiation, and medications called chemotherapy that has the intention to stop the uncontrollable division of cancer cells. [4] In this article, I will show the different viewpoints between Western and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and what Western medicine is focusing in its treatment of patients with cancer, and what could be happening in a patient when they are submitted to chemotherapy drugs used in the energy point of view. [5] I usually use the tree metaphor to show the main differences between Western medicines and traditional Chinese medicine, showed in Figure 1 [6].

In this tree, I am showing that this tree has two parts, the part below the earth and the part under the earth. The part below the earth is what Western medicine is focusing on in their treatment (which I am showing the trunk with several branches and the leaves coming out of each branch). In this metaphor, the branch means one medical specialty, and the leaves mean the symptom and diseases treated by each medical specialty. In the case of cancer, the branch that is responsible for the treatment of cancer is the oncology specialty, and the treatment of each cancer is focusing on the treatment of cancer itself at the leaf level of the tree [7]. In traditional Chinese medicine, all kinds of manifestations of disease such as emotional or physical symptoms have the cause at the root of the tree and it is not in the local clinical manifestation of disease. To you understand what I want to say, is that, for example, when the patient has asthma symptoms, the real cause of the problem is not in the Lung according to TCM, but it is in the Kidney, as I am showing in the article written by myself (2018) entitled The Treatment of Asthma Based on Traditional Chinese Medicine and Homeopathy [8]. All this reasoning began in 2006 when I treated one patient that was treating pain in the legs for the last 6 months without improvement in his condition only using anti-inflammatory medications. He went to my clinic to search for another type of treatment and his Chinese diagnosis (in the root level of the tree was Kidney Yang deficiency). I treated his energy imbalances in the root of the tree and he improved from his leg pain but also, for another problem that I was not aware that he had. He was treating glaucoma and it was not improving his intra-ocular pressure only using eye drops. For the first time in his life, his intra-ocular pressure reduced from 40 to 17 mmHg and this case became the cornerstone of all my treatment, focusing to treat the energy imbalances in the root and not only treating the symptoms [6, 7].

At the root of the tree, there are two theories in traditional Chinese medicine, as I am showing in Figure 1. The first is the Yin and Yang theory and the second is the Five Elements theory. [9] Yin and Yang are two energy that exists in our universe and also inside the human body, as you can see in Figure 2 [9].

There is a necessity to have a balance between these two energies and the imbalances between them can induce the development of disease, as you can see in Figure 3 [10].

One of the causes of cancer formation can be de disequilibrium between these two energies, as I am showing in my presentation at the Global Summit on Nephrology, Urology, and Kidney Transplantation, which was held in June 15, 2022. In a presentation entitled Malignance Cell Grade Regression in Patients with Prostate Cancer Caused by Imbalances of Yin and Yang Energy, I presented one case of 56 years-old male patient with a history of using psychotropic medication for 18 years for the treatment of anxiety, depression, and panic syndrome. His urologist made the diagnosis of prostate cancer in December 2021, and he was submitted to surgery to take out the prostate one month after the diagnosis. During this period (between the diagnosis and treatment), he was submitted to acupuncture sessions to try to balance all his internal energy (that is the cause of all disease formation in traditional Chinese medicine). His Chinese medicine diagnosis was Kidney Yang deficiency (because he was feeling Cold in his lower limbs) and in his treatment, it was used Chinese dietary counseling, auricular acupuncture with apex ear bloodletting, systemic acupuncture, and moxibustion. It also used highly diluted medications to replenish the energy of the internal five massive organs (Liver, Heart, Spleen, Lungs, and Kidney) because all his organs were in the lowest level of energy, rated one out of eight, according to the theory written by myself (2020) entitled Constitutional Homeopathy of the Five Elements based on Traditional Chinese Medicine and crystal-based medications [6, 11]. This low energy pattern in the five internal massive organs is common in all kinds of cancer, as I am showing in the article written myself (2020) entitled The Importance of Treating Energy Imbalances and Chakras Replenishment for Prevention and Treatment of Cancer. Cancer development is considered the last stage of evolution from health to disease formation (phase 5) where the first three phases the patient have symptoms, but the laboratory exams are normal, as I am showing in Table 1 [5] .

Table 1: Progression from health to disease.

In this Table 1, I am showing that Western medicine is doing diagnosis in phases 4 and 5 of disease formation (where the laboratory exams are having some alterations) but in the first three phases, the patient has an alteration in the energy level, but the laboratory exams are normal. [12] According to traditional Chinese medicine’s reasoning, cancer is formed when the patient has energy deficiency and formation of internal Fire, as I am showing in the article written by myself (2021) entitled How Can We Give Hope for Cancer Patients to Cure This Disease? and also in another article written by myself (2021) entitled What Are the Markers That Predict the Development of Having Cancer in the Future Without Laboratory or Radiological Tests? [12-13] In research that I did in my clinic in Brazil from 2015 to 2020, I analyzed 1000 patient’s internal five massive organs energy (Liver, Heart, Spleen, Lungs, and Kidney), and what I found in this study is that 90% of all my patients were in the lowest level of energy, rated one out of eight in all internal organs, as I am showing in Table 2 [14].

Table 2:Research demonstrates that 90% of 1000 patients analyzed from 2015 to 2020 were in the lowest level of energy in the Five internal massive organs (number 1- Liver; number 2- Kidney; number 3- Heart; number 4- Lungs; number 5-Spleen; number 6- memory and concentration; number 7-spirituality)..

The meaning of this result was that the majority of patients were in the lowest level of energy, independent of the age group and independent of the diagnosis. Each organ is responsible for the formation of one internal energy, as you can see in Figure 4 [15].

The second theory at the root of the tree is the Five Elements theory. In this theory, traditional Chinese medicine understands that all organs and systems are interconnected by energy flow, as you can see in Figure 5. The five elements correspond to the five internal massive organs and one organ is interconnected to the following element, as you can see in the generation Cycle shown in Figure 5 [16].

Table 3:Five elements and the organs and the external sensorial organs that each one is responsible for and the function and tissue that they command.

This kind of thought is very different from the Western medicine perspective because modern medicine understands that all organs and systems work independently and separately, as stated by Galen (129 d.C. - 216 d.C), a Greek physician, whose Western medicine is basing all reasoning and thoughts. [9] In the Five Elements theory, one organ is responsible for one external sensorial organ (and one organ is responsible for the production of Yin, Yang, Qi, and Blood, as I am showing in Figure 4, Table 3, and Figure 6). [17] The function of each element in the Five Element theory is shown in Table 3 [15].

In the article written by myself (2020) entitled The Importance of Treating Energy Imbalances and Chakras Replenishment for Prevention and Treatment of Cancer, I am showing three case reports and the last case was a 42 years-old male patient with a history of Lung cancer who was using chemotherapy and surgery (to take out metastasis in the central nervous system). The patient was using chemotherapy and the metastasis was reducing in size but usually other sites of metastasis appeared in another organ. This patient reduced dramatically his metastasis after being submitted to Chinese dietary counseling, auricular acupuncture with apex ear bloodletting, and replenishment of the internal five massive organs energy using highly diluted medications according to the theory written by myself (2020) entitled Constitutional Homeopathy of the Five Elements Based on Traditional Chinese Medicine and crystalbased medications. Through this case, we can see that the use of chemotherapy alone can reduce the tumor but when you associate the regulation of internal energy of Yin, Yang, Qi, and Blood and replenish the internal massive organs using highly diluted medications according to the theory Constitutional Homeopathy of the Five elements Based on Traditional Chinese Medicine and crystal-based medications, you will improve the immune system of the patient that will fight against the formation of new malignant cells because every day, our body produces these malignant cells but when our body is strong and the internal energy is good, these malignant cells will be eliminated from the body and the tumor will not grow, as occurred in this patient reported in this article [5]. Another interesting case was the patient who also reported in this article, that she had the diagnosis with thyroid cancer in 2018 (three malignant tumors of 14,5 centimeters the large one) and after the patient was submitted to Chinese dietary counseling, auricular acupuncture with apex ear bloodletting and systemic acupuncture and also, intaking the highly diluted medications according to the theory Constitutional Homeopathy of the Five Elements Based on Traditional Chinese Medicine, the three tumors disappeared completely and the large one becomes 4,5 centimeters (that was 14,5 centimeters) at the beginning of the diagnosis. She did not need to take out the malignant tumor anymore in her neck because during the surgery after two months of Chinese medicine treatment, the frozen biopsy showed that the malignant tumor became benign, and the patient was cured of the cancer condition without the need to do any kind of surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy. In this case, we can see that even without using any kind of chemotherapy, surgery, or radiotherapy, it is possible to treat the malignant cells only using our internal energy. As said by Hippocrates (c. 460 bce - c. 375 bce), natural forces within us are the true healers of the disease” [5].

The third case in that article was a patient with a diagnosis of cell alteration in the pap cervical cell exams grade IV and after receiving orientations in the dietary aspects, auricular acupuncture with apex ear bloodletting, and intaking homeopathy medications according to the theory of Constitutional Homeopathy of Five Elements Based on traditional Chinese medicine, all the patient’s alterations disappeared completely in the pap smell exam in one month of treatment. In this case, I am reinforcing the thought of Hippocrates (c. 460 bce - c. 375 bce), which said, “we need to treat the patient and not the disease”. When we use chemotherapy, we are treating only the disease but the same drug used to “kill” the malignancy is the same drug that is inducing energy deficiency inside the body, weakening the internal energy that is responsible for our immune system, as I am showing in the article Are We Vaccinating Immunocompetent or Immunocompromised People for COVID-19? [18-19] In all these cases, the patient has in common energy deficiency in the five internal five massive organs according to traditional Chinese medicine and formation of internal Fire and the treatment rebalancing the internal energy o Yin, Yang, Qi, and Blood and taking out the Heat through the use of apex ear bloodletting were important to treat the energy disharmony that was causing the cancer formation and only using these tools, it was enough to treat the alteration in the cellular lesion, without using chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery. In all these examples, I am showing that the immune system of the patient needs to be strong to fight against the growth of cancer cells, and to have the immune system intact, we need to avoid the use of all kinds of medications that could harm even more this vital energy, that was proofed very low in all these patients, as I am showing in Figure 7. Chemotherapy medications are considered highly concentrated medications and according to Arndt Schultz Law, can reduce vital energy and can reduce the immune system of patients with cancer, which is proven very low in all cases reported in these articles, and was the cause of the formation of cancer in any part of the body, according to traditional Chinese medicine [6, 9].

In this Figure 7, I am showing the Arndt Schultz Law created in 1888 by two German researchers. In this law, they said that the use of any kind of highly concentrated medication would reduce the vital energy and, in this case, all cancer patients have in the background an important energy deficiency that leads them to develop cancer. In this case, the use of any kind of highly concentrated medication (including chemotherapy) would reduce the vital energy and reduce the immune system of the patient, which was already very low, and would increase the chance of having any kind of metastasis, as I am showing in this case reported in this article, where the patient has colon cancer and developed metastasis in the mediastinum and in both Lungs 6 months after receiving chemotherapy. This occurred due to the reduction of vital energy, which was also important to control the dissemination of cancer cells inside the body [20]. In this case, the use of chemotherapy, besides being used to treat or control cancer cells growth, is considered a highly concentrated medication and for this reason, it was given to control the cancer formation but also, has the possibility of inducing the dissemination of metastasis of cancer, inducing the reduction in the vital energy, weakening the immune system of the patient. In this article, you can see that I did not mention the substance used in the chemotherapy because all of them are considered highly concentrated medications, and all have the same energy imbalances property of lowering the vital energy, independently of the type of chemotherapy used in the treatment of this patient [21]. Not only chemotherapy medications can induce metastasis in patients with cancer but all kinds of highly concentrated medications can induce the formation of metastasis because any kind of highly concentrated medications can reduce vital energy. In the case of this patient reported in this article, he was medicated with injected medication to control nausea (that was also considered highly concentrated medications) and it could reduce the vital energy and worsen the vital energy of this patient and weaken the immune system, inducing more predisposition to have metastasis. For this reason, the use of highly diluted medications such as homeopathic remedies according to Hahnemann (1755 – 1843), thoughts, is very important nowadays, to increase the vital energy and improve our immune system and also, to tone the energy of the five internal massive organs using the theory written by myself (2020) entitled Constitutional Homeopathy of the Five Elements Based on Traditional Chinese Medicine [18].

The fall in the hair shown by the patient after receiving chemotherapy was caused by the drop in the vital energy in the internal five massive organs. In Table 3, you can see that hair and skin are governed by the Lung’s energy. But Lungs receive energy from the Spleen (which was proven very low) and Spleen receives energy from the Heart, which was already low in energy. The heart receives energy from the Liver (which was also without energy) and the Liver receives energy from the Kidney, which also was very weak in energy, showed in the generation cycle in Figure 5 [6, 9].

The alterations in taste that the patient reported in this article presented after receiving chemotherapy were also caused by this fall in vital energy of the five internal massive organs. You can see in Table 3 that the sense of taste is governed by the Spleen energy or fifth chakra (which was proved very low and worsened the condition after receiving chemotherapy medications) [22]. He has the sensation of do not want to ingest water because he has a habit of eating raw vegetables and this kind of habit can induce Spleen and pancreas energy deficiency, which can cause liquid retention inside the body. For this reason, he does not have the desire to drink water because the body is already full of fluid [6]. In an article written by Donalds (2004) entitled Nutrition and cancer: A review of the evidence for an anti-cancer diet, he is saying that the ingestion of abundant portions of vegetables and fruits will lower the risk of cancer [23]. But what we can see regarding the eating habits of the patient is that even though he has the habit of ingestion raw food and intaking much amounts of vegetables in the hospital at lunchtime, he developed cancer, In this case, Western medicine is only looking at the components of the food in relation to fibers, carbs, proteins, and lipids but according to Chinese dietary counseling, this patient worsened his energy imbalances of Yang energy deficiency (felling Colder in his feet) because all raw foods are considered having cold energy and worsened with the ingestion of this kind of food, reducing the immune system instead of improving it. In his case, it was orientated him to avoid raw food to increase the Yang energy to try to balance the two energies of Yin and Yang again [6, 8].

The ingestion of soft drinks (especially in diet form) and coffee, is causing a reduction in the energy of the Kidney, responsible for the formation of Yin and Yang energy. If the Kidney is deficient, the production of Yin and Yang energy will be reduced and the balance state between Yin, Yang, Qi, and Blood will be compromised and lead to more propensity of any kind of disease, in this case, leading to an increase chance to have cancer after years of chronic ingestion due to this energy reduction and increase the chance to have metastasis [5, 6]. All kinds of materials that reduce the vital energy of the patient should be used with precaution as in this case, the use of metallic implants in the body can also reduce the vital energy of the patient and lead to a low immune system, increasing the chance to have any kind of metastasis [24]. In the case of this patient-reported in this article, his pulse was hard like a cord and this means that he was feeling angry and this feeling was one of the causes of metastasis formation according to traditional Chinese medicine’s reasoning, increasing the Liver Fire and inducing the formation of “smoke”, leading to metastasis formation according to the thoughts of TCM [25]. So, in the case of a patient in use of any type of chemotherapy, it is important to associate the treatment rebalancing the internal energy and replenishing it with highly diluted medications according to the theory Constitutional Homeopathy of the Five Elements Based on Traditional Chinese Medicine using Phosphorus to treat Liver, Sulphur to treat Heart, Calcarea carbonica to treat Spleen, Silicea to treat Lungs and Natrum muriaticum to treat Kidney, as I am showing in Table 4 [17] .

Table 4:Homeopathy medications and the internal massive organs that they are treating.

To understand why chemotherapy can induce the formation of metastasis in patients with cancer, we need to integrate Chinese medicine with Western medicine, as the Yin and Yang metaphor, shown in Figure 8 [6].

In Brazil, both tools used to increase and balance internal energy (acupuncture and homeopathy medications) and considered medical specialties by the Federal Medical Council since 1995 and 1980, respectively, and they are considered very important tools to be used in the treatment of this new type of population that we have nowadays, considered very low in the energy pattern, as showed in Table 2 [24].

Conclusion

The conclusion of this study is that patients with cancer can have more propensity to have metastasis when using any kind of highly concentrated medication and in this case, the use of chemotherapy is also considered a highly concentrated medication that can reduce the vital energy and lead to low energy state, leading to an immune deficiency state, increasing the chance to have metastasis. More studies in this field need to be done using highly diluted chemotherapy medications or using the tools used in this article, changing the dietary aspects according to the energy imbalances of each patient, regulating the Yin, Yang, Qi, and Blood production, and replenishing the energy of the five internal massive organs using highly diluted medications according to the theory created by myself (2020) entitled Constitutional Homeopathy of the Five Elements Based on Traditional Chinese Medicine.

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