Evaluation of pioneering introduction of integrative and prophetic medicine education in an Arabic medical school (Taibah University, Saudi Arabia): 10 years' experience.

OBJECTIVE: To assess physicians' attitudes toward integrative medicine (IM), including prophetic medicine (PM), combining the best of modern medicine with the best of alternative and complementary medicine. Most physicians are unfamiliar with IM and PM and may thus be against them and it may communicate that to the public. METHODS: Taibah University (Saudi Arabia) is the sole university in the Arab world with an educational medical course in IM and PM. We assessed IM scientific knowledge and students' feedback regarding course contents, course design, and teaching methods. A questionnaire was administered to medical students who attended the course. RESULTS: A total 650 students (264 men, 386 women) participated in the study; 83% considered the IM (including PM) education beneficial. Among them, 49.6% (range, 60% to 100%) reported that they gained medical benefit from studying IM, and 74% expressed strong positive attitudes toward studying IM. Among participants, 65.8% agreed with the current course topics, without the need to add or delete any topics; 95% of students were satisfied with IM and PM education. Students' interest in the branches of IM included all IM subspecialties. CONCLUSION: IM and PM education should be globally generalized to all medical students, physicians, and health practitioners, particularly in Arabic universities.

Role of Foxp3 and regulatory CD4+CD25+ T-lymphocytes in bronchial asthma.

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are thought to have a critical role in the suppression of immune responses. In addition to the prevention of the development of autoimmunity, they are thought to have a role in the prevention of allergic responses to environmental allergens. Foxp3 is transcription factor (Foxp3), which is predominantly expressed by CD4+ CD25+ T cells, and may correlates with the suppressive activity of these cells. This study assesses the immunoregulatory role of CD4+CD25+ T-lymphocytes in peripheral blood of asthmatic children and possible role of Foxp3 mRNA expression. The study included thirty children, 10 with acute asthmatic exacerbation, 10 during rest state with no asthma manifestation and 10 apparently healthy children. T-regs, and Foxp3 mRNA were investigated using Flowcytometry and RT-PCR respectively. Early morning sputum was also collected for determination of eosinophillia. Significant increase in the percent of CD4+CD25+ was found in acute asthmatic as compared to stable asthmatic cases (23.3 +/- 3.74% vs 13.97% +/- 1.18%), and in acute asthmatic group than control group (13.97% +/- 1.18% vs 8.12 +/- 1.65%), (P < 0.001). Similarly, significant increase in Foxp3 mRNA expression was found in acute asthmatic cases as compared to stable and control children (P < 0.001). A significant positive correlation was found between Foxp3 mRNA expression and the percent of CD4+CD25+ T cells in all studied groups (r = 0.91 P = 0.01). It is concluded that regulatory CD4+CD25+ T-cells may play a critical role in maintaining suppression and protection against allergic bronchial asthma and that Foxp3 may be important in the development of these cells.