NOPR Collection:

Is it possible to remove heavy metals from the body by wet cupping therapy (Al-hijamah)?

2016-10-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Is it possible to remove heavy metals from the body by wet cupping therapy (Al-hijamah)? Authors: Gok, Sumeyye; Kazanci, Fatmanur Hacievliyagil; Erdamar, Husamettin; Gokgoz, Nurcan; Hartiningsih, SitiSugih; Dane, Senol Abstract: Wet cupping therapy (WCT) is a traditional blood-letting method recommended for treating a lot of diseases. Al-hijamah is WCT of prophetic medicine that's also called the triple S technique that includes skin suction, scarification and second suction. Its mechanism of action is still unknown but it is believed to remove toxic substances from the body according to the evidence-based Taibah mechanism (Taibah theory). In this study, the aim was to compare wet cupping blood and venous blood samples in terms of heavy metals concentrations. 24 healthy volunteers were enrolled in this study. After venous blood samples were drawn, WCT (Al-hijamah) was performed and wet cupping blood samples were taken. In order to measure the levels of heavy metals all samples were analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). In the present study, all levels of selected heavy metals were significantly higher in wet cupping blood than venous blood. It may be possible to remove heavy metals from the body through wet cupping therapy. Page(s): 700-704

Traditional Meliponiculture by Naga tribes in Nagaland, India

2016-10-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Traditional Meliponiculture by Naga tribes in Nagaland, India Authors: Singh, A K Abstract: In Nagaland, three species (Tetragonula irridipenis, Tetragonula laviceps and Lophotrigona canifrons) of stingless bees were observed; however, most of the beekeepers were rearing T. irridipenis. Stingless bees were found to prefer low light, high humidity, and stenothermal climatic conditions with diverse abundant flora. The traditional colony capture method of terrestrial and subterranean stingless bee was logical and practical and shows immense scope to introduce precise method with scientific interventions. Usually log hive and rectangular bee boxes were used by Naga beekeepers, although a few have tried to modify and standardize the bee box as per their own experience. In these boxes, there was no scope for colony inspection without colony disturbance and during harvesting of bee hive products, colonies were fully disturbed. Terrestrial stingless bee colonies were arranged in cluster nests; broods were observed in the central portion at basal part, pollen balls arranged around the brood area and honey pots arranged on the surrounding beehive walls. These architecture shows envisage for standardization of scientific stingless bee box. The underground stingless bee (L. canifrons) broods were observed in the central part with pollen pots and honey pots arranged around the brood area. Their traditional method of harvesting beehive products requires more scientific intervention for improvement to minimize the colony disturbance and other losses. Stingless bee honey is a home remedy to all Naga tribes and they use it for various diseases. Page(s): 693-699

Fishing in the Siang belt of Arunachal Pradesh, India: Learning Traditional Ecological Knowledge of Adi and Galo communities

2016-10-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Fishing in the Siang belt of Arunachal Pradesh, India: Learning Traditional Ecological Knowledge of Adi and Galo communities Authors: Hussain, Shah Mustahid; Sen, Debashish; Riba, Toge; Pathak, Mahesh; Singh, Ranjay K Abstract: This research was carried out with the Adi and Galo tribes of East Siang and West Siang districts of Arunachal Pradesh, India to understand fishing methods employed by them using stones and boulders occurring in the river beds of small tributaries of the Siang River in the study area. The identified sustainable fishing technique is locally known as Lipum and practised by these communities. The capture of fish ranged from 4-10 kg per Lipum and one person could make 3-4 different Lipum structures per day. Lipum is prepared during winter season (in the month of November and December) and to undertake fishing during January and February. To prepare the Lipum, stones are placed in a circle with a diameter ranging from 1.5 m to 2.3 m, and arranged to produce a structure around 0.7 - 1.2 m high, depending upon water depth. Care is taken so that the Lipum remains submersed in water throughout the winter season. The lipum acts as a shelter for the fishes as it provides congenial environment to the fishes, where different types of algae grows as well as water flow becomes slow inside the structure. During harvesting of fish from the lipum, the entire structure is surrounded with the ishir with an opening in the top. The edir is fixed with the ishir in the bottom in such a way so that the fish is unable to escape. Gradually the stones are removed from the lipum and the fishes are scooped up. This fishing technique has been sustainable for subsistence communities like Adis and Galos. However, recent socio-political changes such as fishing with the use of electrical means like use of generator, battery, blasting, poisoning, etc., are affecting the dynamics of this practice. There is need to incorporate such Traditional knowledge practices in conservation and state fishing regulations. Page(s): 685-692

Seed germination test with the influence of sriyantra, pyramid and maha mrtyunjaya mantra

2016-10-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Seed germination test with the influence of sriyantra, pyramid and maha mrtyunjaya mantra Authors: Jungyun, Jang; Jeeye, Pan; Kumar, Itagi Ravi Abstract: Mantra, sriyantra and pyramid power increases the plant growth and their positive energy has healing qualities. Experiment in the design 1 consists of germination of green gram with the influence of sriyantra and pyramid. Paper sriyantra and two models of pyramids were used. The control sample was kept under normal white paper. Result has shown that sample kept in plywood pyramid model have maximum percentage emergence and percentage change in radical length. In plastic pyramid sample has shown maximum percentage change in fresh weight of germinated seeds. Paper sriyantra sample has shown maximum percentage change in dry weight of germinated seeds. Experiment in the design 2, consists of two samples: control and mantra. Each sample contained total of 600 fenugreek seeds. Five trials were conducted with 120 seeds in each trial. Maha mrtyunjaya mantra was chanted for 108 times for sample treatment, twice a day at sunrise and at sunset. The result shown that sample treatment with maha mrtyunjaya mantra has 1% more in emergence, exponential significance in radical length, 0.33 gm more in fresh weight of emerged seeds and 0.02 gm more in dry weight of emerged seeds compared to control sample. Page(s): 680-684