Background This study was carried out to assess the effects of Moringa oleifera leaf powder (MOLP) on maternal health and birth weight.

Method Subjects were anaemic pregnant women at third trimester living in a rural area of South Sulawesi Province, parity one to three and singleton pregnancy. They were randomly assigned into two groups (each n=19); daily MOLP distributed into four capsules (each 500mg), or iron-folic acid (IFA), containing 60mg iron and 400mcg folic acid. The intervention was for 2 months. Measurements included anthropometric, haemoglobin, perceived stress, cortisol and birth weight.

Result Most of the participants were between 20–35 years old (74%) and had low economic status (92.1%). At baseline, all variables were similar in both groups, except for perceived stress and cortisol which were higher in the MOLP group. Haemoglobin improved significantly in MOLP and IFA groups, but the amount of improvement was higher in the MOLP group (1.46±0.35 vs. 0.76±0.42). Perceived stress decreased significantly in the MOLP group after treatment (16.16±8.10 to 9.68±3.82) but did not change in the IFA group (11.16±4.41 to 13.11±5.42). Cortisol level declined in the MOLP group after treatment (22.46±3.96 to 19.55±4.17) but increased significantly in the IFA group (18.53±3.66 to 22.13±5.68). Mean birth weight was significantly higher in the MOLP group (3390g±383 vs. 2937g±400).

Conclusion Giving 2g of MOLP per day for 2 months during the third trimester of pregnancy is effective to improve the health status indicators of pregnant women and to increase infant birth weight in the moderately anaemic pregnant women.

Background The appearance of grey hair can be unwelcome at any age and have far-reaching implications. Canities can impact self-esteem, and result in the application of harmful products. In Unani medicine Coffea arabica is said to stain hair dark brown and mask all grey, but no research investigating these claims was found.

Objective A preliminary exploration to test the efficacy of coffee to stain hair dark brown, and mask all grey, and to evaluate its feasibility and acceptability.

Materials and methods A concentrated solution of instant coffee (100% Arabica) was applied externally to hair up to once a day over 7 months. This autobiographical pre-pilot study (n=2; ages 54 and 57) was evaluated using the Feasibility, Reach-out, Acceptability, Maintenance, Efficacy, Implementation, Tailorability (FRAME-IT) framework.

Results A coffee colour tone was apparent, but coverage was only partial. Individual hairs ranged from dark brown to light brown to grey. The overall effect was darker. Coffee solution, applied to hair as a wash and spray, was feasible, acceptable, and effective in visually reducing greyness for a nuanced and natural look. Additional benefits to hair, and also to scalp and skin conditions were observed.

Conclusion Coffee did not uniformly stain hair dark brown; its effect on grey was nuanced. Participants found it to be a low-risk, inexpensive, convenient alternative, and appreciated the nuanced look. A pilot study and testing in wider populations with different levels of greyness is recommended as is the identification of a low-risk mordant to address colour permanency.

Background Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) occurs when the body perceives thyroid hormones as a threat and produces antibodies against these hormones targeting thyroid cells, resulting in destruction. Selenium (Se) supplementation has been suggested to be an effective treatment for patients with HT.

Objective This systematic review aims to investigate the effectiveness of Se supplementation in reducing antibodies in adults with HT.

Methods A systematic search of the literature published until December 2019 in PubMed and CINAHL databases was conducted.

Results A total of five studies met the inclusion criteria for this review. Se supplementation (83ug to 200ug) decreased thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb) titres in adults with HT over 3 months. Four studies reported the benefits of Se supplementation for reducing TPOAbs in treated group compared to controls. One study displayed an increase in TPOAb levels with Se supplementation of 166ug daily.

Discussion This review identified the dosage, length of Se supplementation and use of levothyroxine will influence the therapeutic reduction in TPOAb. Dietary intake of Se and genetic material may also impact overall results. Se supplementation for 3 months may be beneficial in reducing TPOAb titres in adults with HT. Our results suggests dosing 200ug of Se daily combined with levothyroxine treatment is an effective method for the management of HT.

These abstracts are brief summaries of articles in recent issues of medical journals. Articles selected are of a general nature for the information of practitioners of naturopathy and herbal medicine. A dominant theme is often present throughout the journals, which will be reflected in the reviews.

These abstracts are brief summaries of articles which have appeared in recent issues of herbal medicine journals, some of which may be held in the NHAA library.

The AJHNM-based CPE questionnaire system is a voluntary system designed to assist members in the accumulation of NHAA CPE points. Questions are divided into the appropriate subject categories (herbal medicine and medical science) and each question refers to an article in this issue of the Australian Journal of Herbal and Naturopathic Medicine. Points accumulated through completion of these questions should be recorded in the NHAA CPE diary. Each completed question is worth one mark in the relevant category. Your completed CPE diary should be returned with your membership renewal at the end of the calendar year. For further information, please see the NHAA CPE Members’ Manual on the NHAA website www.nhaa.org.au.