Protein extracted from pumpkin rind could help fight off yeast infections, a new study suggests.

The study focused on a number of germs, including Candida albicans (C. albicans), a type of fungus known to cause vaginal yeast infections. In lab experiments on cell cultures, scientists discovered that the pumpkin-rind protein Pr-2 hindered the growth of C. albicans without harming cells. The study's authors suggest that Pr-2 could be used in a natural medicine for treating yeast infections in humans.

A condition estimated to occur in three out of four women over the course of their lifetime, vaginal yeast infection may be triggered by the use of antibiotics, oral contraceptives, or steroids. Yeast infections also often affect women who are pregnant, diabetic, or in their post-menopausal [link: http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/womenshealth/a/Menopause.htm] years. Natural remedies thought to relieve yeast infections include probiotics and tea tree oil.

When it comes to easing chronic low back pain in minority populations, yoga may make for a sound alternative to standard treatment. That's the key finding from a recent study of 30 back-pain-plagued adults, all of whom were recruited from community health centers that serve racially diverse, low-income neighborhoods. Use of yoga and other complementary therapies for low back pain is fairly uncommon among minorities and low-income individuals, possibly due to lack of access to such treatments, according to the study's authors.

For 12 weeks, participants either took part in weekly, 75-minute yoga classes (focusing on meditation and breathing in addition to yoga poses) or received standard treatment for their back pain. Members of the yoga group were also given yoga CDs, mats, and props in order to keep up a daily yoga practice at home.

By the study's end, pain had decreased by one-third among those practicing yoga (compared to just 5 percent in the participants receiving standard care). What's more, pain medication use in the yoga group dropped by 80 percent, but remained the same among the other study members.

Energy therapies such as reiki and therapeutic touch hold promise as a means of relieving pain associated with a number of conditions, according to a recent research review.

For the review, investigators analyzed 66 clinical studies on reiki, therapeutic touch, and other biofield therapies (a class of complementary therapies that use energy to stimulate the body's innate healing abilities). In reiki, for instance, energy is said to be transmitted through the practitioner from a universal energy source to the client, which in turn improves the client's flow of vital energy. Therapeutic touch, meanwhile, involves placing the hands over the client's body (without making contact) in order to rebalance disruptions in energy flow and promote healing.

The researchers found strong evidence that biofield therapies can reduce pain intensity in free-living populations, along with moderate evidence that such therapies can lower pain in hospitalized people and cancer patients. What's more, the therapies appear to alleviate agitated behaviors in people with dementia, as well soothe anxiety in hospitalized individuals.

For older adults with osteoarthritis of the knee, taking up tai chi may help lessen pain and boost physical functioning, according to a recent study. A gentle Chinese martial art, tai chi involves slow, rhythmic movements that help induce relaxation and improve balance, strength, and flexibility.

For the study, 20 participants (average age: 65) took part in a one-hour tai chi session twice weekly for 12 weeks. The session included 10 minutes each of self-massage and breathing exercises in addition to tai chi movement.

Meanwhile, 20 other participants attended twice-weekly hour-long classes that included instruction on diet, nutrition, and arthritis therapies, as well as 20 minutes of stretching exercises.

At the study's end, participants in the tai chi group showed a significantly greater decrease in knee pain than those who didn't practice tai chi. The tai chi sessions also appeared to improve physical functioning and health status, as well as protect against depression.