Abstract
Background: Obesity is a major risk factor for many diseases. In Persian Medicine, much emphasis has been put on the balanced weight that maintains health. Therefore, the treatment of obesity is a top priority for health care in Persian and Classical Medicine.
Objective: To compare the efficacy of therapeutic packages in Persian Medicine with Classical Medicine in overweight treatment.
Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted at Ghaem Hospital in Mashhad, Iran, from August 22, 2016 to December 20, 2016. Sixty-nine overweight women with body mass index (BMI) of 27-29.9 and waist circumference more than 88 cm based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, were included in the study. To control bias in sampling, with considering that the age variable is an interventional factor in the process of effective treatment, in addition to using the random allocation method, the population were studied in three groups of 18-30 years old, 31-50 years old and >50 years old, who were classified by blocking method, and three types of treatment interventions were performed in each age group: Group A (Classical diet and orlistat), Group B (Persian diet and MDB) and Group C (classical diet and MDB). Calorie consumption was equivalent in the three groups. Blinding was done only for patients. The treatment period was three months in all three groups. Subsequently, we analyzed the effectiveness of the therapeutic packages on anthropometric index, body composition and laboratory parameters in the three groups. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 16. We used descriptive statistics, Kolmogorov–Smirnov, ANOVA, paired-samples t-test, non-parametric Wilcoxon test and regression methods for the analyses of primary and secondary outcomes. 
Results: Although anthropometric index and fat mass decreased highly significantly in all three intervention groups (p<0.001), the B group led to a further decrease in BMI (Mean ± SD: 1.61±1.03), weight (Mean ± SD: 4.79±2.26), waist circumference (Mean ± SD: 4.25±0.59) and Fat mass (Mean ± SD: 3.24±2.70), compared with the other two groups. Lipid profile and FBS in groups B and C had significant decrease before and after the intervention, but Group A had no significant effect before or after the intervention. Other laboratory parameters did not change significantly before or after the treatment in the three groups.
Conclusion: In this study, Classical Medicine and Persian Medicine had the same levels of effectiveness but Persian Medicine brought a greater reduction in body weight, fat mass%, lipid profile and fasting blood glucose than Classical Medicine during the study period. So Persian Medicine can be effective in weight loss as an alternative therapy, but more studies are needed.
Trial registration: The trial was registered at the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (http://www.irct.ir) with the Irct ID: (IRCT 2016041927477N1).
Funding: This paper is supported by a grant from the Research Council, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

 

 
Keywords: Obesity, Persian Medicine, Nigella sativa, Carum copticum, Zataria multiflora, Mastic gum

 

» HTML Fulltext    » PDF Fulltext    » doi: 10.19082/6892
nikeSneakers Nike

The  most recent editorial (June 2021)

Ethics of Publishing Case Reports: Do We Need Ethics Approval and Patient Consent?

An editorial by Dr. Mehrdad Jalalian

Read more.


The worldwide spread of COVID-19 as an emerging, rapidly evolving situation, and the dramatic need of urgent medicine or vaccine, has rapidly brought new hypotheses for pathophysiology and potential medicinal agents to the fore. It is crucial that the research community provide a way to publish this research in a timely manner.

 

To contribute to this important public health discussion, the Electronic Physician Journal is excited to announce a fast-track procedure to help researchers publish their articles on COVID-19 related subjects that fall under the broad definition of public health, internal medicine, and pharmacology. We are especially welcome to all hypotheses about the pathological basis of the COVID-19 infection and the possible characteristics of potential medicine and vaccine. Submit your manuscript here

 


Our previous editorial (June 2020)

Lessons from COVID-19 pandemic and the Morocco’s success story.

An editorial by Dr. Benksim Abdelhafid (Morocco)

Read more.


 

The 6th World Conference on Research Integrity (WCRI) is to be held on June 2-5, 2019 in Hong Kong.

The WCRI is the largest and most significant international conference on research integrity. Since the first conference in Lisbon in 2007, it has given researchers, teachers, funding agencies, government officials, journal editors, senior administrators, and research students opportunities to share experiences and to discuss and promote integrity in research. Read more:


 

TDR Clinical Research and Development Fellowships

Call for applications

Deadline for submission: 7 March 2019, 16:00 (GMT)

TDR provides fellowships for early- to mid-career researchers and clinical trial staff (e.g. clinicians, pharmacists, medical statisticians, data managers, other health researchers) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to learn how to conduct clinical trials. Read more:


Meta-Analysis Workshops in New York, USA, and London, UK, in April and May 2019

Don't miss this exceptional opportunity to learn how to perform and report a Meta-analysis correctly. Two Meta-analysis workshops are organized in April and May 2019 by Dr. Michael Borenstein in New York, USA (April 08-10, 2019) and London, UK (May 27-29).

About the Instructor

Dr. Michael Borenstein, one of the authors of Introduction to Meta-Analysis, is widely recognized for his ability to make statistical concepts accessible to researchers as well as to statisticians. He has lectured widely on meta-analysis, including at the NIH, CDC, and FDA. Read more: