மாற்று & ஒருங்கிணைந்த மருத்துவம்

Impact of a Novel Plant-based Treatment Option in Improving Pulmonary Function Markers in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Asthma

Abstract

Sachin A Shah, Ji Hyun Jamie Lee, Frank Son, Gloria St John and Narinder Singh Parhar

Introduction: COPD and asthma contribute to high morbidity and mortality along with a significant social and economic burden. Patients often turn to Nutraceuticals as adjunct therapy for disease management. Jeeva® is a novel plant based therapeutic option that integrates several nutraceuticals known to have immune-modulatory, antiinflammatory and antioxidant properties. We sought to determine the magnitude of benefits of this novel integrative approach in patients having COPD ± asthma. Methods: A retrospective evaluation of patient records was performed for all COPD and/or asthma patients who had consented to initiate Jeeva®. Demographic data, past medical history, and spirometry data (FEV1, FVC, FEV1/ FVC, FEV1% predicted, FVC% predicted, FEV1/FVC% predicted) were collected. The primary endpoint was the maximum change in FEV1 and FVC pre-bronchodilator from baseline. A paired students’ t-test was utilized to compare the maximum change post- Jeeva® from baseline. Intent-to-treat (ITT) analysis was performed using the last-observation carried forward methodology. Results: A total of 24 patients were included for analyses. The average duration of Jeeva® consumption was 10.4 ± 5.5 months. There was a statistically significant change in FEV1 and FVC from baseline [1.72 ± 0.56 L to 1.98 ± 0.71 L; (p < 0.001) and 1.88 ± 0.72 L to 2.03 ± 0.70 L (p = 0.004) respectively]. All other endpoints also improved significantly from baseline. Conclusion: Jeeva® improved pre-bronchodilator FEV1 and FVC by 264 mL and 314 ml from baseline. This is the first study suggesting significant improvements in objectively measured PFT markers after consumption of the plant-based nutraceutical Jeeva®. Further studies looking at Jeeva® in prospective, controlled settings are warranted.