The Health Professions Council (HPC) has made a formal recommendation to
the Secretary of State for Health advising that Medical Herbalists,
Acupuncturists and traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners should be
regulated.
This follows the 'Department of Health Steering Group on the Statutory
Regulation of Practitioners of Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, Traditional
Chinese Medicine and Other Traditional Medicine Systems Practised in the
United Kingdom' report that was published in May 2008.
The report proposed that the HPC should be the statutory regulator for
acupuncturists, medical herbalists and traditional Chinese medicine
practitioners which are currently not statutorily regulated. In response to
the report, the Secretary of State for Health announced that a consultation
would be held on the report's recommendations.
HPC's Chief Executive, Marc Seale, said:
"The HPC has made a recommendation to the Secretary of State for Health
advocating the regulation of acupuncturists, medical herbalists and
traditional Chinese medicine practitioners.
"The HPC was set up in order to protect the public and we strongly believe
that statutory regulation can more effectively assure that practitioners
are meeting standards and are fit to practise."
1.Under article 3 (17) of the Health Professions Order 2001 it states the
Council may make recommendations to the Secretary of State concerning any
profession which in its opinion should regulated pursuant to section
60(1)(b) of the Health Act 1999.
2. The Health Professions Council is an independent, UK-wide health
regulator set up by the Health Professions Order (2001). The HPC keeps a
register for 13 different health professions and only registers people who
meet the standards it sets for their training, professional skills,
behaviour and health. The HPC will take action against people who do not
meet these standards or who use a protected title illegally.
3. For further information about the Health Professions Council and the
regulation of new professions please see the website hpc-uk
The HPC currently regulate the following 13 professions. Each of these
professions has one or more 'protected titles'. Anyone who uses one of
these titles must register with the HPC. To see the full list of protected
titles please see: hpc-uk/aboutregistration/protectedtitles
- Arts therapists
- Biomedical scientists
- Chiropodists / podiatrists
- Clinical scientists
- Dietitians
- Occupational therapists
- Operating department practitioners
- Orthoptists
- Paramedics
- Physiotherapists
- Prosthetists / orthotists
- Radiographers
- Speech and language therapists
The Health Professions Council
четверг, 30 июня 2011 г.
среда, 29 июня 2011 г.
Estrogen Supplements Not As Effective As Claimed
Dietary supplements claiming to help postmenopausal women with bone health may not be doing what they say, according to new research from Purdue University.
"We found that some plant-derived isoflavones have a modest effect on suppressing bone loss during post-menopause, but more concerning is many dietary supplements that claim to have the power of estrogen do not," said Connie Weaver, distinguished professor of foods and nutrition. "It's buyer beware. Some of the supplements in our study claimed to be substitutes for estrogen, yet they weren't effective at all or weren't as effective as some of the current treatments for osteoporosis."
Women who are menopausal or postmenopausal produce less estrogen, and that leads to bone loss. More than 2 million women in the United States reach menopause each year, according to the National Women's Health Resource Center.
Estrogen hormone replacement therapy was the traditional treatment, but it is no longer recommended for the long term because of links to stroke, embolism and breast cancer. Some individuals have harmful side effects with long-term use of bisphosphonates, the current main class of osteoporosis treatment drugs.
"This is a reminder that it's better to build up a good healthy skeleton than to rely on a drug to fix it later," Weaver said. "Healthy bones can be maintained by a good diet that is rich in calcium and regular exercise that includes strength training."
Weaver, who also is co-director of the Botanicals Research Center for Age Related Diseases, and her team looked at four popular isoflavones: soy cotyledon, soy germ, red clover and kudzu. These plant-derived phytoestrogens are claimed to protect bone health from estrogen loss, which can lead to osteoporosis and even fractures.
The researchers compared the four isoflavones to a traditional bisphosphonate treatment, risedronate and estrogen plus progesterone. These traditional therapies decreased bone loss 22 percent to 24 percent, but only soy isoflavones from the cotyledon and germ significantly decreased bone loss by 9 percent and 5 percent, respectively. The findings are available online and will be published in the October edition of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.
The findings also indicate that the soy cotyledon was more effective because of its higher genistein content. Weaver's team is currently evaluating the role of genistein more closely.
"Before, we might have assumed that any isoflavone was equally effective, but we found that for a supplement to work it was because of the genistein content specifically," she said.
This work was funded by the National Institutes of Health and supplements were supplied by the dietary and health companies Cognis, Frutarom and Novagen. Weaver also is on the advisory board of Pharmative and Wyeth Global Nutrition. The Botanicals Research Center for Age Related Diseases is a partnership between Purdue and the University of Alabama-Birmingham.
"We found that some plant-derived isoflavones have a modest effect on suppressing bone loss during post-menopause, but more concerning is many dietary supplements that claim to have the power of estrogen do not," said Connie Weaver, distinguished professor of foods and nutrition. "It's buyer beware. Some of the supplements in our study claimed to be substitutes for estrogen, yet they weren't effective at all or weren't as effective as some of the current treatments for osteoporosis."
Women who are menopausal or postmenopausal produce less estrogen, and that leads to bone loss. More than 2 million women in the United States reach menopause each year, according to the National Women's Health Resource Center.
Estrogen hormone replacement therapy was the traditional treatment, but it is no longer recommended for the long term because of links to stroke, embolism and breast cancer. Some individuals have harmful side effects with long-term use of bisphosphonates, the current main class of osteoporosis treatment drugs.
"This is a reminder that it's better to build up a good healthy skeleton than to rely on a drug to fix it later," Weaver said. "Healthy bones can be maintained by a good diet that is rich in calcium and regular exercise that includes strength training."
Weaver, who also is co-director of the Botanicals Research Center for Age Related Diseases, and her team looked at four popular isoflavones: soy cotyledon, soy germ, red clover and kudzu. These plant-derived phytoestrogens are claimed to protect bone health from estrogen loss, which can lead to osteoporosis and even fractures.
The researchers compared the four isoflavones to a traditional bisphosphonate treatment, risedronate and estrogen plus progesterone. These traditional therapies decreased bone loss 22 percent to 24 percent, but only soy isoflavones from the cotyledon and germ significantly decreased bone loss by 9 percent and 5 percent, respectively. The findings are available online and will be published in the October edition of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.
The findings also indicate that the soy cotyledon was more effective because of its higher genistein content. Weaver's team is currently evaluating the role of genistein more closely.
"Before, we might have assumed that any isoflavone was equally effective, but we found that for a supplement to work it was because of the genistein content specifically," she said.
This work was funded by the National Institutes of Health and supplements were supplied by the dietary and health companies Cognis, Frutarom and Novagen. Weaver also is on the advisory board of Pharmative and Wyeth Global Nutrition. The Botanicals Research Center for Age Related Diseases is a partnership between Purdue and the University of Alabama-Birmingham.
вторник, 28 июня 2011 г.
Inflammatory Skin Diseases Could Be Treated With Green Tea In The Future
Green tea could hold promise as a new treatment for skin disorders such as psoriasis and dandruff, Medical College of Georgia researchers say.
Researchers studied an animal model for inflammatory skin diseases, which are often characterized by patches of dry, red, flaky skin caused by the inflammation and overproduction of skin cells. Those treated with green tea showed slower growth of skin cells and the presence of a gene that regulates the cells' life cycles.
"Psoriasis, an autoimmune disease, causes the skin to become thicker because the growth of skin cells is out of control," says Dr. Stephen Hsu, an oral biologist in the MCG School of Dentistry and lead investigator on the study published in the Aug. 18 edition of Experimental Dermatology. "In psoriasis, immune cells, which usually protect against infection, instead trigger the release of cytokines, which causes inflammation and the overproduction of skin cells."
Other autoimmune diseases with similar side effects include lupus, which can lead to skin lesions, and dandruff.
Green tea, already shown to suppress inflammation, helps by regulating the expression of Caspase-14, a protein in genes that regulates the life cycle of a skin cell.
"That marker guides cells by telling them when to differentiate, die off and form a skin barrier," Dr. Hsu says. "In people with psoriasis, that process is interrupted and the skin cells don't die before more are created and the resulting lesions form."
Animal models treated with green tea also showed reduced levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen, a gene expressed when skin cells multiply. In psoriasis, the gene is over-expressed and speeds production of skin cells.
"Before treatment, the antigen, PCNA, was present in all layers of the skin," Dr. Hsu says. "Typically, PCNA is only found in the basal layer, the innermost layer where skin cells continually divide and new cells push the older ones to the skin surface, where they eventually slough off. After being treated with green tea, the animal models showed near-normal levels of PCNA in only the basal layers."
This research is important because some treatments for psoriasis and dandruff can have dangerous side effects, he says.
"The traditional treatment of ultraviolet light and medication, while it can control the lesions and be used long term, may cause squamous cell carcinoma -- the second most common form of skin cancer," Dr. Hsu says. "Some of the most effective anti-dandruff shampoos also have carcinogens in them. While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration allows that in small amounts, the bottom line is that we don't know the long-term effects of using those products continuously."
Green tea, which is plant-derived, may be an alternative, he says. But scientists must work to overcome some barriers with the treatment.
The chemicals in green tea are so active that they are oxidized too quickly when mixed with other ingredients. They also dissolve in water, which cannot penetrate the skin's barrier.
Researchers are looking for a balanced formula that can dissolve in fats, which can permeate the skin, Dr. Hsu says.
"There are no cures for autoimmune diseases. But it is possible that this is a non-toxic way to regulate them. We need further study -- on humans -- to determine the full effects."
Researchers studied an animal model for inflammatory skin diseases, which are often characterized by patches of dry, red, flaky skin caused by the inflammation and overproduction of skin cells. Those treated with green tea showed slower growth of skin cells and the presence of a gene that regulates the cells' life cycles.
"Psoriasis, an autoimmune disease, causes the skin to become thicker because the growth of skin cells is out of control," says Dr. Stephen Hsu, an oral biologist in the MCG School of Dentistry and lead investigator on the study published in the Aug. 18 edition of Experimental Dermatology. "In psoriasis, immune cells, which usually protect against infection, instead trigger the release of cytokines, which causes inflammation and the overproduction of skin cells."
Other autoimmune diseases with similar side effects include lupus, which can lead to skin lesions, and dandruff.
Green tea, already shown to suppress inflammation, helps by regulating the expression of Caspase-14, a protein in genes that regulates the life cycle of a skin cell.
"That marker guides cells by telling them when to differentiate, die off and form a skin barrier," Dr. Hsu says. "In people with psoriasis, that process is interrupted and the skin cells don't die before more are created and the resulting lesions form."
Animal models treated with green tea also showed reduced levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen, a gene expressed when skin cells multiply. In psoriasis, the gene is over-expressed and speeds production of skin cells.
"Before treatment, the antigen, PCNA, was present in all layers of the skin," Dr. Hsu says. "Typically, PCNA is only found in the basal layer, the innermost layer where skin cells continually divide and new cells push the older ones to the skin surface, where they eventually slough off. After being treated with green tea, the animal models showed near-normal levels of PCNA in only the basal layers."
This research is important because some treatments for psoriasis and dandruff can have dangerous side effects, he says.
"The traditional treatment of ultraviolet light and medication, while it can control the lesions and be used long term, may cause squamous cell carcinoma -- the second most common form of skin cancer," Dr. Hsu says. "Some of the most effective anti-dandruff shampoos also have carcinogens in them. While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration allows that in small amounts, the bottom line is that we don't know the long-term effects of using those products continuously."
Green tea, which is plant-derived, may be an alternative, he says. But scientists must work to overcome some barriers with the treatment.
The chemicals in green tea are so active that they are oxidized too quickly when mixed with other ingredients. They also dissolve in water, which cannot penetrate the skin's barrier.
Researchers are looking for a balanced formula that can dissolve in fats, which can permeate the skin, Dr. Hsu says.
"There are no cures for autoimmune diseases. But it is possible that this is a non-toxic way to regulate them. We need further study -- on humans -- to determine the full effects."
понедельник, 27 июня 2011 г.
FDA Public Health Alert: Que She Weight Loss Capsules Contain Potentially Harmful Ingredients
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned that Que She, marketed as an herbal weight loss supplement, contains active pharmaceutical ingredients not listed on the product label that could harm consumers, especially those with cardiovascular conditions.
People who have purchased Que She should stop taking the product immediately and consult a health care professional.
Que She, advertised as "Slimming Factor Capsule" and as "an all-natural blend of Chinese herbs," has been widely distributed on Internet sites such as the Bouncing Bear Botanicals website, and at retail outlets, including Sacred Journey in Lawrence, Kan..
An FDA analysis of Que She found that it contains:
- fenfluramine - a stimulant drug withdrawn from the U.S. market in 1997 after studies demonstrated that it caused serious heart valve damage
- propranolol - a prescription beta blocker drug that can pose a risk to people with bronchial asthma and certain heart conditions
- sibutramine - a controlled substance and prescription weight loss drug, sibutramine was the subject of a recent study whose preliminary findings showed an association between sibutramine use and increased risk of heart attack and stroke in patients who have a history of heart disease
- ephedrine - a stimulant drug that is legally marketed over-the-counter for temporary relief of asthma but can pose a risk to people with certain cardiovascular conditions.
These active pharmaceutical ingredients also may interact with other medications and result in a serious adverse event.
Consumers and health care professionals are encouraged to report adverse events related to the use of Que She to the FDA's MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program: online.
People who have purchased Que She should stop taking the product immediately and consult a health care professional.
Que She, advertised as "Slimming Factor Capsule" and as "an all-natural blend of Chinese herbs," has been widely distributed on Internet sites such as the Bouncing Bear Botanicals website, and at retail outlets, including Sacred Journey in Lawrence, Kan..
An FDA analysis of Que She found that it contains:
- fenfluramine - a stimulant drug withdrawn from the U.S. market in 1997 after studies demonstrated that it caused serious heart valve damage
- propranolol - a prescription beta blocker drug that can pose a risk to people with bronchial asthma and certain heart conditions
- sibutramine - a controlled substance and prescription weight loss drug, sibutramine was the subject of a recent study whose preliminary findings showed an association between sibutramine use and increased risk of heart attack and stroke in patients who have a history of heart disease
- ephedrine - a stimulant drug that is legally marketed over-the-counter for temporary relief of asthma but can pose a risk to people with certain cardiovascular conditions.
These active pharmaceutical ingredients also may interact with other medications and result in a serious adverse event.
Consumers and health care professionals are encouraged to report adverse events related to the use of Que She to the FDA's MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program: online.
воскресенье, 26 июня 2011 г.
Expert Advice Online On Alternative Medicine
As alternative medicine becomes more popular, a growing number of people are accessing the internet for information. The problem is sifting through tons of web pages, and deciding what is reliable and what isn't. Hence the creation of safealternativemedicine.co.uk.
SafeAlternativeMedicine was created at the end of 2005. It is a unique reference point on safe alternative medicine. Their features and articles are written by experts and professional journalists who have a particular interest in this area.
There are several dedicated sections in the website, including:
-- Anti Ageing
-- Aromatherapy
-- Beauty and Skin Care
-- ComplementaryTherapies
-- Complementary Therapy
-- Heart Health
-- Helping with Cancer
-- Herbal Health
-- Massage
-- Men's Health
-- Mental Health
-- Mind & Body Health
-- Nutrition
-- Sports Health
-- Women's Health
Opinion of the Editor of us
I found it easy to navigate around this web site, the information is clear and useful. Of all the alternative medicine web sites I have seen on the internet, I would say this one, for me, is the best.
SafeAlternativeMedicine was created at the end of 2005. It is a unique reference point on safe alternative medicine. Their features and articles are written by experts and professional journalists who have a particular interest in this area.
There are several dedicated sections in the website, including:
-- Anti Ageing
-- Aromatherapy
-- Beauty and Skin Care
-- ComplementaryTherapies
-- Complementary Therapy
-- Heart Health
-- Helping with Cancer
-- Herbal Health
-- Massage
-- Men's Health
-- Mental Health
-- Mind & Body Health
-- Nutrition
-- Sports Health
-- Women's Health
Opinion of the Editor of us
I found it easy to navigate around this web site, the information is clear and useful. Of all the alternative medicine web sites I have seen on the internet, I would say this one, for me, is the best.
суббота, 25 июня 2011 г.
Reflexologists To Join Voluntary Register, UK
The Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) opens its register to reflexology practitioners which means that members of the public will be able to choose their registered reflexologist in the knowledge that they meet national standards of conduct and competence.
Launched with government backing through the Department of Health who recently said, "if patients choose to use complementary or alternative therapy, the Government's advice is to choose a practitioner registered with a reputable voluntary registration body such as the CNHC", the register opened in January 2009. Members of the public who use complementary healthcare will for the first time be able to verify that their reflexologist is registered with the first UK wide regulator.
The voluntary register will open over the course of this year to a wide range of complementary and natural healthcare practitioners. Reflexology is the fourth discipline for which the register has opened this year, joining massage therapy, nutritional therapy and aromatherapy.
By registering with the CNHC, reflexology practitioners will be seen as meeting the 'gold standard' within their field and will be entitled to display the quality mark which is given to practitioners upon registration.
Maggie Dunn, CEO of the CNHC explained: "We are delighted that CNHC is today opening its register to reflexology practitioners. Members of the public who use or are interested in using reflexology will be able to check whether the practitioner they're seeing is registered with the CNHC."
Continues Maggie, "Public safety is paramount and it is vital that practitioners meet the CNHC minimum standards of qualification and/or experience and in addition, they are signed up to a rigorous code of conduct. Not only will people looking for a reflexologist have peace of mind but practitioners too will benefit through increased public confidence"
Reflexology is the physical act of applying pressure to the feet and hands using a variety of hand techniques. It is based on a system of zones and reflex areas that reflect an image of the body on the feet and hands. Reflexology practitioners believe that such work may bring about a physical change to the body, or improve general health.
Throughout the rest of 2009, the Register will be opened to further disciplines, as they become ready and wish to register, and include: Yoga therapy, Shiatsu, Alexander technique, Bowen technique, Cranial therapy, Naturopathy and Reiki.
For further information about registration, visit cnhc.uk
Notes
The Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) was established as a voluntary register in April 2008 with the purpose of protecting the public by means of a voluntary register for complementary and natural healthcare practitioners.
The CNHC's function is:
To establish and maintain a voluntary register of complementary healthcare practitioners in the UK who meet its standards of competence and practice
To make the Register of practitioners available to the general public and to educate them about the CNHC quality mark as a quality standard
To operate a robust process for handling complaints about registered practitioners
To work with professional bodies in the complementary healthcare field to further develop and improve standards of professional practice
The Register has been launched with government backing through the Department of Health.
Source
Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council
Launched with government backing through the Department of Health who recently said, "if patients choose to use complementary or alternative therapy, the Government's advice is to choose a practitioner registered with a reputable voluntary registration body such as the CNHC", the register opened in January 2009. Members of the public who use complementary healthcare will for the first time be able to verify that their reflexologist is registered with the first UK wide regulator.
The voluntary register will open over the course of this year to a wide range of complementary and natural healthcare practitioners. Reflexology is the fourth discipline for which the register has opened this year, joining massage therapy, nutritional therapy and aromatherapy.
By registering with the CNHC, reflexology practitioners will be seen as meeting the 'gold standard' within their field and will be entitled to display the quality mark which is given to practitioners upon registration.
Maggie Dunn, CEO of the CNHC explained: "We are delighted that CNHC is today opening its register to reflexology practitioners. Members of the public who use or are interested in using reflexology will be able to check whether the practitioner they're seeing is registered with the CNHC."
Continues Maggie, "Public safety is paramount and it is vital that practitioners meet the CNHC minimum standards of qualification and/or experience and in addition, they are signed up to a rigorous code of conduct. Not only will people looking for a reflexologist have peace of mind but practitioners too will benefit through increased public confidence"
Reflexology is the physical act of applying pressure to the feet and hands using a variety of hand techniques. It is based on a system of zones and reflex areas that reflect an image of the body on the feet and hands. Reflexology practitioners believe that such work may bring about a physical change to the body, or improve general health.
Throughout the rest of 2009, the Register will be opened to further disciplines, as they become ready and wish to register, and include: Yoga therapy, Shiatsu, Alexander technique, Bowen technique, Cranial therapy, Naturopathy and Reiki.
For further information about registration, visit cnhc.uk
Notes
The Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) was established as a voluntary register in April 2008 with the purpose of protecting the public by means of a voluntary register for complementary and natural healthcare practitioners.
The CNHC's function is:
To establish and maintain a voluntary register of complementary healthcare practitioners in the UK who meet its standards of competence and practice
To make the Register of practitioners available to the general public and to educate them about the CNHC quality mark as a quality standard
To operate a robust process for handling complaints about registered practitioners
To work with professional bodies in the complementary healthcare field to further develop and improve standards of professional practice
The Register has been launched with government backing through the Department of Health.
Source
Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council
пятница, 24 июня 2011 г.
Researchers blend folk treatment, high tech for promising anti-cancer compound
Ancient wisdom, technological savvy -
Researchers at the University of Washington have blended the past with the present in the fight against cancer, synthesizing
a promising new compound from an ancient Chinese remedy that uses cancer cells' rapacious appetite for iron to make them a
target.
The substance, artemisinin, is derived from the wormwood plant and has been used in China since ancient times to treat
malaria. Earlier work by Henry Lai and Narendra Singh, both UW bioengineers, indicated that artemisinin alone could
selectively kill cancer cells while leaving normal cells unharmed.
The new compound appears to vastly improve that deadly selectivity, according to a new study that appeared in a recent issue
of the journal Life Sciences. In addition to Lai and Singh, co-authors include Tomikazu Sasaki and Archna Messay, both UW
chemists.
"By itself, artemisinin is about 100 times more selective in killing cancer cells as opposed to normal cells," Lai said. "In
this study, the new artemisinin compound was 34,000 times more potent in killing the cancer cells as opposed to their normal
cousins. So the tagging process appears to have greatly increased the potency of artemisinin's cancer-killing properties."
The compound has been licensed to Chongqing Holley Holdings and Holley Pharmaceuticals, its U.S. subsidiary, to be developed
for possible use in humans. Although the compound is promising, officials say, potential use for people is still years away.
In the study, researchers exposed human leukemia cells and white blood cells to the compound. While the leukemia cells
quickly died, the white blood cells remained essentially unharmed.
The trick to the compound's effectiveness, according to Lai, appears to be in taking advantage of how cancer cells function.
Because they multiply so rapidly, most cancer cells need more iron than normal cells to replicate DNA. To facilitate that,
cancer cells have inlets on their surface, known as transferrin receptors, in greater numbers than other cells. Those
receptors allow quick transport into the cell of transferrin, an iron-carrying protein found in blood.
In creating the compound, researchers bound artemisinin to transferrin at the molecular level. The combination of the two
ingredients appears to fool the cancer cell.
"We call it a Trojan horse because the cancer cell recognizes transferrin as a natural, harmless protein," Lai said. "So the
cell picks up the compound without knowing that a bomb - artemisinin - is hidden inside."
Once inside the cell, the artemisinin reacts with the iron, spawning highly reactive chemicals called "free radicals." The
free radicals attack other molecules and the cell membrane, breaking it apart and killing the cell.
According to Lai, that process is what initially piqued his interest in artemisinin about 10 years ago. The wormwood extract
was used centuries ago in China, but the treatment became lost over time. In the 1970s, it was rediscovered as part of an
ancient manuscript containing medical remedies, including a recipe that used a wormwood extract. The medical community soon
discovered that the extract, artemisinin, worked well against malaria, and it is currently used for that purpose throughout
Asia and Africa.
Artemisinin combats malaria because the malaria parasite collects high iron concentrations as it metabolizes hemoglobin in
the blood. As science began to understand how artemisinin functioned, Lai said, he began to wonder if the process had
implications for cancer treatment.
"I started thinking that maybe we could use this knowledge to selectively target cancer cells," he said. "So far, the outlook
appears good."
The next step in development under the Holley licensing agreement will likely be testing in animals and, if that pans out,
human trials to gauge the compound's effectiveness. The current study was funded by the Artemisinin Research Foundation and
Chongqing Holley Holdings.
For more information, contact Lai at (206) 543-1071 or hlaiu.washington. The Holley contact is Michael Liu at (714)
606-8415 or michaelholleypharma.
The article is available on-line at sciencedirect/science. Click the "journals" button and look under Life Sciences, Volume
76, Issue 11. The article is No. 9 on the Web page (page 1267-1279).
Rob Harrill - rharrillu.washington
University of Washington
Researchers at the University of Washington have blended the past with the present in the fight against cancer, synthesizing
a promising new compound from an ancient Chinese remedy that uses cancer cells' rapacious appetite for iron to make them a
target.
The substance, artemisinin, is derived from the wormwood plant and has been used in China since ancient times to treat
malaria. Earlier work by Henry Lai and Narendra Singh, both UW bioengineers, indicated that artemisinin alone could
selectively kill cancer cells while leaving normal cells unharmed.
The new compound appears to vastly improve that deadly selectivity, according to a new study that appeared in a recent issue
of the journal Life Sciences. In addition to Lai and Singh, co-authors include Tomikazu Sasaki and Archna Messay, both UW
chemists.
"By itself, artemisinin is about 100 times more selective in killing cancer cells as opposed to normal cells," Lai said. "In
this study, the new artemisinin compound was 34,000 times more potent in killing the cancer cells as opposed to their normal
cousins. So the tagging process appears to have greatly increased the potency of artemisinin's cancer-killing properties."
The compound has been licensed to Chongqing Holley Holdings and Holley Pharmaceuticals, its U.S. subsidiary, to be developed
for possible use in humans. Although the compound is promising, officials say, potential use for people is still years away.
In the study, researchers exposed human leukemia cells and white blood cells to the compound. While the leukemia cells
quickly died, the white blood cells remained essentially unharmed.
The trick to the compound's effectiveness, according to Lai, appears to be in taking advantage of how cancer cells function.
Because they multiply so rapidly, most cancer cells need more iron than normal cells to replicate DNA. To facilitate that,
cancer cells have inlets on their surface, known as transferrin receptors, in greater numbers than other cells. Those
receptors allow quick transport into the cell of transferrin, an iron-carrying protein found in blood.
In creating the compound, researchers bound artemisinin to transferrin at the molecular level. The combination of the two
ingredients appears to fool the cancer cell.
"We call it a Trojan horse because the cancer cell recognizes transferrin as a natural, harmless protein," Lai said. "So the
cell picks up the compound without knowing that a bomb - artemisinin - is hidden inside."
Once inside the cell, the artemisinin reacts with the iron, spawning highly reactive chemicals called "free radicals." The
free radicals attack other molecules and the cell membrane, breaking it apart and killing the cell.
According to Lai, that process is what initially piqued his interest in artemisinin about 10 years ago. The wormwood extract
was used centuries ago in China, but the treatment became lost over time. In the 1970s, it was rediscovered as part of an
ancient manuscript containing medical remedies, including a recipe that used a wormwood extract. The medical community soon
discovered that the extract, artemisinin, worked well against malaria, and it is currently used for that purpose throughout
Asia and Africa.
Artemisinin combats malaria because the malaria parasite collects high iron concentrations as it metabolizes hemoglobin in
the blood. As science began to understand how artemisinin functioned, Lai said, he began to wonder if the process had
implications for cancer treatment.
"I started thinking that maybe we could use this knowledge to selectively target cancer cells," he said. "So far, the outlook
appears good."
The next step in development under the Holley licensing agreement will likely be testing in animals and, if that pans out,
human trials to gauge the compound's effectiveness. The current study was funded by the Artemisinin Research Foundation and
Chongqing Holley Holdings.
For more information, contact Lai at (206) 543-1071 or hlaiu.washington. The Holley contact is Michael Liu at (714)
606-8415 or michaelholleypharma.
The article is available on-line at sciencedirect/science. Click the "journals" button and look under Life Sciences, Volume
76, Issue 11. The article is No. 9 on the Web page (page 1267-1279).
Rob Harrill - rharrillu.washington
University of Washington
четверг, 23 июня 2011 г.
Beta Sitosterol Gains Popularity For Natural Alternative In US And Europe For Prostate Problems
Men in Europe and the United States have turned to an all natural ingredient called beta sitosterol for relief of enlarged prostate and prostatitis symptoms to avoid prescription drug side effects.
Beta-Sitosterol is a popular natural alternative used for years by men in Europe. Doctors in Europe commonly prescribe natural plant type alternatives to help prostate enlargement and lower urinary tract symptoms. Beta Sitosterol, Saw palmetto, pygeum, and nettle root are common plant-based drugs prescribed to millions of men in Europe.
Men in the US are now following the popular natural remedy to solve their prostate problems, according to the product's makers.
Studies have confirmed that use of beta-sitosterol has helped in alleviating the types of prostate discomfort that aging men so frequently encounter.
Men worry about the side effects taking prescription medicine for prostate problems. They are seeking all natural alternatives like Beta Sitosterol to relieve prostate problems. "Beta-Sitosterol is a natural key ingredient in natural prostate health". Beta-sitosterol is plant sterol found in almost all plants. It is one of the main subcomponents of a group of plant sterols known as phytosterols. It is white in color and waxy in nature. It has a chemical structure that is very similar to cholesterol. High levels of Beta Sitosterol are found in rice bran, wheat germ, corn oils, and soybeans.
According to its makers, it is totally safe, highly effective and all natural with absolutely no side effects or interactions with other medications. The benefits of Beta Sitosterol: solve frequent urination problems, defend against prostate cancer, improve urination flow, gain complete control, avoid drugs, prostate surgery, side effects, restore sex drive, virility, sexual stamina, lower PSA score, eliminate worry.
HealthyChoiceNaturals is a company dedicated to providing natural health care alternatives, has received numerous testimonials from customers taking natural Beta Sitosterol stating this "natural alternative has been highly effective with absolutely no side effects or interactions with other medications".
References:
Berges RR, Windeler J, Trampisch HJ, Senge T. Randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial of beta-sitosterol in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Beta-sitosterol Study Group. Lancet. 1995 Jun 17;345(8964):1529-32. PMID 7540705
Awad AB, Gan Y, Fink CS. Effect of beta-sitosterol, a plant sterol, on growth, protein phosphatase 2A, and phospholipase D in LNCaP cells. Nutr Cancer. 2000;36(1):74-8. PMID 10798219
healthychoicenaturals
Beta-Sitosterol is a popular natural alternative used for years by men in Europe. Doctors in Europe commonly prescribe natural plant type alternatives to help prostate enlargement and lower urinary tract symptoms. Beta Sitosterol, Saw palmetto, pygeum, and nettle root are common plant-based drugs prescribed to millions of men in Europe.
Men in the US are now following the popular natural remedy to solve their prostate problems, according to the product's makers.
Studies have confirmed that use of beta-sitosterol has helped in alleviating the types of prostate discomfort that aging men so frequently encounter.
Men worry about the side effects taking prescription medicine for prostate problems. They are seeking all natural alternatives like Beta Sitosterol to relieve prostate problems. "Beta-Sitosterol is a natural key ingredient in natural prostate health". Beta-sitosterol is plant sterol found in almost all plants. It is one of the main subcomponents of a group of plant sterols known as phytosterols. It is white in color and waxy in nature. It has a chemical structure that is very similar to cholesterol. High levels of Beta Sitosterol are found in rice bran, wheat germ, corn oils, and soybeans.
According to its makers, it is totally safe, highly effective and all natural with absolutely no side effects or interactions with other medications. The benefits of Beta Sitosterol: solve frequent urination problems, defend against prostate cancer, improve urination flow, gain complete control, avoid drugs, prostate surgery, side effects, restore sex drive, virility, sexual stamina, lower PSA score, eliminate worry.
HealthyChoiceNaturals is a company dedicated to providing natural health care alternatives, has received numerous testimonials from customers taking natural Beta Sitosterol stating this "natural alternative has been highly effective with absolutely no side effects or interactions with other medications".
References:
Berges RR, Windeler J, Trampisch HJ, Senge T. Randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial of beta-sitosterol in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Beta-sitosterol Study Group. Lancet. 1995 Jun 17;345(8964):1529-32. PMID 7540705
Awad AB, Gan Y, Fink CS. Effect of beta-sitosterol, a plant sterol, on growth, protein phosphatase 2A, and phospholipase D in LNCaP cells. Nutr Cancer. 2000;36(1):74-8. PMID 10798219
healthychoicenaturals
среда, 22 июня 2011 г.
Banned Chinese Medicine Circulating In The UK
More than 900 packs of a potentially dangerous traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) are currently on the UK market despite warnings issued by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
The unlicensed herbal product Jingzhi Kesou Tan Chuan Wan was distributed to 20 TCM and herbal medicine outlets throughout the UK.
A recall was initiated by the distributor, Ekong International (UK) Ltd, in February 2010, however, more than three quarters of the stock brought in from China has still not been returned.
Concerns were raised after it was revealed that new labelling in English had been applied to packs to conceal the original label which contained the Chinese symbols for Aristolochia, a banned toxic and carcinogenic plant derivative.
Exposure to aristolochic acids can result in kidney failure and the development of cancer, particularly of the urinary tract.
MHRA Head of Herbal Policy Richard Woodfield said, "This is a clear example where natural does not necessarily mean safe. Aristolochia is a highly toxic plant that can cause serious injury and even death if taken.
"I would strongly advise anyone who has used this product to stop taking it and to immediately consult their doctor."
The MHRA has written to TCM trade and practitioner associations to ensure that none of their members are supplying the product.
Notes
1. The affected product is packaged in white plastic bottles containing 180 white round tablets.
2. The product bottle is originally labelled in Chinese, however, it has been over-labelled with the English text 'Jingzhi Kesou Tan Chuan Wan'.
3. Pictures of the bottles and labelling are available on request (note: they are not high resolution images).
4. The use of the plant species Aristolochia in unlicensed medicines was banned in the UK in 1999.
5. The MHRA has previously warned healthcare professionals of the risks posed by products containing the herbal ingredient Aristolochia:
MHRA warns against Traditional Chinese Medicines found to contain Aristolochia
Aristolochia - Jingzhi Kesou Tanchuan
6. Standards of safety and manufacture vary widely in the unlicensed herbal sector and the MHRA has issued a number of warnings about unlicensed herbal medicines and traditional Chinese medicines (TCM). Under the UK traditional herbal registration scheme, introduced in 2005, manufactured over-the-counter traditional herbal medicines are required to meet standards of safety, quality and patient information. For further information, please see the herbal safety advice section of our website.
7. The MHRA is the government agency responsible for ensuring that medicines and medical devices work, and are acceptably safe. No product is risk-free. Underpinning all our work lie robust and fact-based judgments to ensure that the benefits to patients and the public justify the risks. We keep watch over medicines and devices, and take any necessary action to protect the public promptly if there is a problem. We encourage everyone - the public and healthcare professionals as well as the industry - to tell us about any problems with a medicine or medical device, so that we can investigate and take any necessary action.
Source
MHRA
The unlicensed herbal product Jingzhi Kesou Tan Chuan Wan was distributed to 20 TCM and herbal medicine outlets throughout the UK.
A recall was initiated by the distributor, Ekong International (UK) Ltd, in February 2010, however, more than three quarters of the stock brought in from China has still not been returned.
Concerns were raised after it was revealed that new labelling in English had been applied to packs to conceal the original label which contained the Chinese symbols for Aristolochia, a banned toxic and carcinogenic plant derivative.
Exposure to aristolochic acids can result in kidney failure and the development of cancer, particularly of the urinary tract.
MHRA Head of Herbal Policy Richard Woodfield said, "This is a clear example where natural does not necessarily mean safe. Aristolochia is a highly toxic plant that can cause serious injury and even death if taken.
"I would strongly advise anyone who has used this product to stop taking it and to immediately consult their doctor."
The MHRA has written to TCM trade and practitioner associations to ensure that none of their members are supplying the product.
Notes
1. The affected product is packaged in white plastic bottles containing 180 white round tablets.
2. The product bottle is originally labelled in Chinese, however, it has been over-labelled with the English text 'Jingzhi Kesou Tan Chuan Wan'.
3. Pictures of the bottles and labelling are available on request (note: they are not high resolution images).
4. The use of the plant species Aristolochia in unlicensed medicines was banned in the UK in 1999.
5. The MHRA has previously warned healthcare professionals of the risks posed by products containing the herbal ingredient Aristolochia:
MHRA warns against Traditional Chinese Medicines found to contain Aristolochia
Aristolochia - Jingzhi Kesou Tanchuan
6. Standards of safety and manufacture vary widely in the unlicensed herbal sector and the MHRA has issued a number of warnings about unlicensed herbal medicines and traditional Chinese medicines (TCM). Under the UK traditional herbal registration scheme, introduced in 2005, manufactured over-the-counter traditional herbal medicines are required to meet standards of safety, quality and patient information. For further information, please see the herbal safety advice section of our website.
7. The MHRA is the government agency responsible for ensuring that medicines and medical devices work, and are acceptably safe. No product is risk-free. Underpinning all our work lie robust and fact-based judgments to ensure that the benefits to patients and the public justify the risks. We keep watch over medicines and devices, and take any necessary action to protect the public promptly if there is a problem. We encourage everyone - the public and healthcare professionals as well as the industry - to tell us about any problems with a medicine or medical device, so that we can investigate and take any necessary action.
Source
MHRA
вторник, 21 июня 2011 г.
Acupuncture May Relieve Joint Pain Caused By Some Breast Cancer Treatments
A new study, led by researchers at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, demonstrates that acupuncture may be an effective therapy for joint pain and stiffness in breast cancer patients who are being treated with commonly used hormonal therapies. Results were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Joint pain and stiffness are common side effects of aromatase inhibitor therapy, in which the synthesis of estrogen is blocked. The therapy, which is a common and effective treatment for early-stage, hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer in post-menopausal women, has been shown in previous research to cause some joint pain and stiffness in half of women being treated.
"Since aromatase inhibitors have become an increasingly popular treatment option for some breast cancer patients, we aimed to find a non-drug option to manage the joint issues they often create, thereby improving quality of life and reducing the likelihood that patients would discontinue this potentially life-saving treatment," said Dawn Hershman, M.D, M.S., senior author of the paper, and co-director of the breast cancer program at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, and an assistant professor of medicine (hematology/oncology) and epidemiology at Columbia University Medical Center.
To explore the effects of acupuncture on aromatase inhibitor-associated joint pain, the research team randomly assigned 43 women to receive either true acupuncture or sham acupuncture twice a week for six weeks. Sham acupuncture, which was used to control for a potential placebo effect, involved superficial needle insertion at body points not recognized as true acupuncture points. All participants were receiving an aromatase inhibitor for early breast cancer, and all had reported musculoskeletal pain.
Among the women treated with true acupuncture, findings demonstrated that they experienced significant improvement in joint pain and stiffness over the course of the study. Pain severity declined, and overall physical well-being improved. Additionally, 20 percent of the patients who had reported taking pain relief medications reported that they no longer needed to take these medications following acupuncture treatment. No such improvements were reported by the women who were treated with the sham acupuncture.
"This study suggests that acupuncture may help women manage the joint pain and stiffness that can accompany aromatase inhibitor treatment," said Katherine D. Crew, M.D., M.S., first author of the paper, and the Florence Irving Assistant Professor of Medicine (hematology/oncology) and Epidemiology at Columbia University Medical Center and a hematological oncologist at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center. "To our knowledge, this is the first randomized, placebo-controlled trial establishing that acupuncture may be an effective method to relieve joint problems caused by these medications. However, results still need to be confirmed in larger, multicenter studies."
The Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at Columbia University Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital encompasses pre-clinical and clinical research, treatment, prevention and education efforts in cancer. The Cancer Center was initially funded by the NCI in 1972 and became a National Cancer Institute (NCI) designated comprehensive cancer center in 1979. The designation recognizes the Center's collaborative environment and expertise in harnessing translational research to bridge scientific discovery to clinical delivery, with the ultimate goal of successfully introducing novel diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive approaches to cancer.
Columbia University Medical Center provides international leadership in basic, pre-clinical and clinical research, in medical and health sciences education, and in patient care. The medical center trains future leaders and includes the dedicated work of many physicians, scientists, public health professionals, dentists, and nurses at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, the Mailman School of Public Health, the College of Dental Medicine, the School of Nursing, the biomedical departments of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and allied research centers and institutions. Established in 1767, Columbia's College of Physicians and Surgeons was the first institution in the country to grant the M.D. degree and is now among the most selective medical schools in the country. Columbia University Medical Center is home to the most comprehensive medical research enterprise in New York City and state and one of the largest in the United States. Columbia University Medical Center is affiliated with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, the nation's largest not-for-profit hospital provider.
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, based in New York City, is the nation's largest not-for-profit, non-sectarian hospital, with 2,353 beds. The Hospital has more than 1 million inpatient and outpatient visits in a year, including more than 220,000 visits to its emergency departments more than any other area hospital. NewYork-Presbyterian provides state-of-the-art inpatient, ambulatory and preventive care in all areas of medicine at five major centers: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/The Allen Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Westchester Division. One of the largest and most comprehensive health care institutions in the world, the Hospital is committed to excellence in patient care, research, education and community service. NewYork-Presbyterian is the #1 hospital in the New York metropolitan area and is consistently ranked among the best academic medical institutions in the nation, according to U.S.News & World Report. The Hospital has academic affiliations with two of the nation's leading medical colleges: Weill Cornell Medical College and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.
Joint pain and stiffness are common side effects of aromatase inhibitor therapy, in which the synthesis of estrogen is blocked. The therapy, which is a common and effective treatment for early-stage, hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer in post-menopausal women, has been shown in previous research to cause some joint pain and stiffness in half of women being treated.
"Since aromatase inhibitors have become an increasingly popular treatment option for some breast cancer patients, we aimed to find a non-drug option to manage the joint issues they often create, thereby improving quality of life and reducing the likelihood that patients would discontinue this potentially life-saving treatment," said Dawn Hershman, M.D, M.S., senior author of the paper, and co-director of the breast cancer program at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, and an assistant professor of medicine (hematology/oncology) and epidemiology at Columbia University Medical Center.
To explore the effects of acupuncture on aromatase inhibitor-associated joint pain, the research team randomly assigned 43 women to receive either true acupuncture or sham acupuncture twice a week for six weeks. Sham acupuncture, which was used to control for a potential placebo effect, involved superficial needle insertion at body points not recognized as true acupuncture points. All participants were receiving an aromatase inhibitor for early breast cancer, and all had reported musculoskeletal pain.
Among the women treated with true acupuncture, findings demonstrated that they experienced significant improvement in joint pain and stiffness over the course of the study. Pain severity declined, and overall physical well-being improved. Additionally, 20 percent of the patients who had reported taking pain relief medications reported that they no longer needed to take these medications following acupuncture treatment. No such improvements were reported by the women who were treated with the sham acupuncture.
"This study suggests that acupuncture may help women manage the joint pain and stiffness that can accompany aromatase inhibitor treatment," said Katherine D. Crew, M.D., M.S., first author of the paper, and the Florence Irving Assistant Professor of Medicine (hematology/oncology) and Epidemiology at Columbia University Medical Center and a hematological oncologist at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center. "To our knowledge, this is the first randomized, placebo-controlled trial establishing that acupuncture may be an effective method to relieve joint problems caused by these medications. However, results still need to be confirmed in larger, multicenter studies."
The Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at Columbia University Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital encompasses pre-clinical and clinical research, treatment, prevention and education efforts in cancer. The Cancer Center was initially funded by the NCI in 1972 and became a National Cancer Institute (NCI) designated comprehensive cancer center in 1979. The designation recognizes the Center's collaborative environment and expertise in harnessing translational research to bridge scientific discovery to clinical delivery, with the ultimate goal of successfully introducing novel diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive approaches to cancer.
Columbia University Medical Center provides international leadership in basic, pre-clinical and clinical research, in medical and health sciences education, and in patient care. The medical center trains future leaders and includes the dedicated work of many physicians, scientists, public health professionals, dentists, and nurses at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, the Mailman School of Public Health, the College of Dental Medicine, the School of Nursing, the biomedical departments of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and allied research centers and institutions. Established in 1767, Columbia's College of Physicians and Surgeons was the first institution in the country to grant the M.D. degree and is now among the most selective medical schools in the country. Columbia University Medical Center is home to the most comprehensive medical research enterprise in New York City and state and one of the largest in the United States. Columbia University Medical Center is affiliated with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, the nation's largest not-for-profit hospital provider.
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, based in New York City, is the nation's largest not-for-profit, non-sectarian hospital, with 2,353 beds. The Hospital has more than 1 million inpatient and outpatient visits in a year, including more than 220,000 visits to its emergency departments more than any other area hospital. NewYork-Presbyterian provides state-of-the-art inpatient, ambulatory and preventive care in all areas of medicine at five major centers: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/The Allen Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Westchester Division. One of the largest and most comprehensive health care institutions in the world, the Hospital is committed to excellence in patient care, research, education and community service. NewYork-Presbyterian is the #1 hospital in the New York metropolitan area and is consistently ranked among the best academic medical institutions in the nation, according to U.S.News & World Report. The Hospital has academic affiliations with two of the nation's leading medical colleges: Weill Cornell Medical College and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.
понедельник, 20 июня 2011 г.
Vitamin D Deficit Doubles Risk Of Stroke In Whites, But Not In Blacks
Low levels of vitamin D, the essential nutrient obtained from milk, fortified cereals and exposure to sunlight, doubles the risk of stroke in whites, but not in blacks, according to a new report by researchers at Johns Hopkins.
Stroke is the nation's third leading cause of death, killing more than 140,000 Americans annually and temporarily or permanently disabling over half a million when there is a loss of blood flow to the brain.
Researchers say their findings, to be presented Nov. 15 at the American Heart Association's (AHA) annual Scientific Sessions in Chicago, back up evidence from earlier work at Johns Hopkins linking vitamin D deficiency to higher rates of death, heart disease and peripheral artery disease in adults.
The Hopkins team says its results fail to explain why African Americans, who are more likely to be vitamin D deficient due to their darker skin pigmentation's ability to block the sun's rays, also suffer from higher rates of stroke. Of the 176 study participants known to have died from stroke within a 14-year period, 116 were white and 60 were black. Still, African Americans had a 65 percent greater likelihood of suffering such a severe bleeding in or interruption of blood flow to the brain than whites, when age, other risk factors for stroke, and vitamin D deficiency were factored into their analysis.
"Higher numbers for hypertension and diabetes definitely explain some of the excess risk for stroke in blacks compared to whites, but not this much risk," says study co-lead investigator and preventive cardiologist Erin Michos, M.D., M.H.S., an assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and its Heart and Vascular Institute. "Something else is surely behind this problem. However, don't blame vitamin D deficits for the higher number of strokes in blacks."
Nearly 8,000 initially healthy men and women of both races were involved in the latest analysis, part of a larger, ongoing national health survey, in which the researchers compared the risk of death from stroke between those with the lowest blood levels of vitamin D to those with higher amounts. Among them, 6.6 percent of whites and 32.3 percent of blacks had severely low blood levels of vitamin D, which the experts say is less than 15 nanograms per milliliter.
"It may be that blacks have adapted over the generations to vitamin D deficiency, so we are not going to see any compounding effects with stroke," says Michos, who notes that African Americans have adapted elsewhere to low levels of the bone-strengthening vitamin, with fewer incidents of bone fracture and greater overall bone density than seen in Caucasians.
"In blacks, we may not need to raise vitamin D levels to the same level as in whites to minimize their risk of stroke" says Michos, who emphasizes that clinical trials are needed to verify that supplements actually do prevent heart attacks and stroke. In her practice, she says, she monitors her patients' levels of the key nutrient as part of routine blood work while also testing for other known risk factors for heart disease and stroke, including blood pressure, glucose and lipid levels.
Michos cautions that the number of fatal strokes recorded in blacks may not have been statistically sufficient to find a relationship with vitamin D deficits. And she points out that the study only assessed information on deaths from stroke, not the more common "brain incidents" of stroke, which are usually non-fatal, or even mini-strokes, whose symptoms typically dissipate in a day or so. She says the team's next steps will be to evaluate cognitive brain function as well as non-fatal and transient strokes and any possible tie-ins to nutrient deficiency.
Besides helping to keep bones healthy, vitamin D plays an essential role in preventing abnormal cell growth, and in bolstering the body's immune system. The hormone-like nutrient also controls blood levels of calcium and phosphorus, essential chemicals in the body. Shortages of vitamin D have also been tied to increased rates of breast cancer and depression in the elderly.
Michos recommends that people maintain good vitamin D levels by eating diets rich in such fish as salmon and tuna, consuming vitamin-D fortified dairy products, and taking vitamin D supplements. She also promotes brief exposure daily to the sun's vitamin D-producing ultraviolet light. And to those concerned about the cancer risks linked to too much time spent in the sun, she says as little as 10 to 15 minutes of daily exposure is enough during the summer months.
If vitamin supplements are used, Michos says that daily doses between 1,000 and 2,000 international units are generally safe and beneficial for most people, but that people with the severe vitamin D deficits may need higher doses under close supervision by their physician to avoid possible risk of toxicity.
The U.S. Institute of Medicine (IOM) previously suggested that an adequate daily intake of vitamin D is between 200 and 600 international units. However, Michos argues that this may be woefully inadequate for most people to raise their vitamin D blood levels to a healthy 30 nanograms per milliliter. The IOM has set up an expert panel to review its vitamin D guidelines, with new recommendations expected by the end of the year.
Previous results from the same nationwide survey showed that 41 percent of men and 53 percent of women have unhealthy amounts of vitamin D, with nutrient levels below 28 nanograms per milliliter.
Funding for this study was provided by the American College of Cardiology and the P.J. Schafer Cardiovascular Research Fund.
Besides Michos, other Hopkins researchers involved in this study were Rebecca Gottesman, M.D., Ph.D.; Wendy Post, M.D., M.S.; and A. Richey Sharrett, M.D., Dr.P.H., who is at the University's Bloomberg School of Public Health. Other researchers included Jared Reis, Ph.D., at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, a member of the National Institutes of Health, in Bethesda, Md.; Pamela Lutsey, Ph.D., at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis; and Thomas Mosley, Ph.D., at the University of Mississippi in Jacksonville. The study senior investigator was Michal Melamed, M.D., M.H.S., an assistant professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University in New York City.
(Presentation title: Vitamin D Deficiency Is Associated with Increased Risk of Fatal Stroke Among Whites, but Not Blacks, the NHANES-linked Mortality Files)
Stroke is the nation's third leading cause of death, killing more than 140,000 Americans annually and temporarily or permanently disabling over half a million when there is a loss of blood flow to the brain.
Researchers say their findings, to be presented Nov. 15 at the American Heart Association's (AHA) annual Scientific Sessions in Chicago, back up evidence from earlier work at Johns Hopkins linking vitamin D deficiency to higher rates of death, heart disease and peripheral artery disease in adults.
The Hopkins team says its results fail to explain why African Americans, who are more likely to be vitamin D deficient due to their darker skin pigmentation's ability to block the sun's rays, also suffer from higher rates of stroke. Of the 176 study participants known to have died from stroke within a 14-year period, 116 were white and 60 were black. Still, African Americans had a 65 percent greater likelihood of suffering such a severe bleeding in or interruption of blood flow to the brain than whites, when age, other risk factors for stroke, and vitamin D deficiency were factored into their analysis.
"Higher numbers for hypertension and diabetes definitely explain some of the excess risk for stroke in blacks compared to whites, but not this much risk," says study co-lead investigator and preventive cardiologist Erin Michos, M.D., M.H.S., an assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and its Heart and Vascular Institute. "Something else is surely behind this problem. However, don't blame vitamin D deficits for the higher number of strokes in blacks."
Nearly 8,000 initially healthy men and women of both races were involved in the latest analysis, part of a larger, ongoing national health survey, in which the researchers compared the risk of death from stroke between those with the lowest blood levels of vitamin D to those with higher amounts. Among them, 6.6 percent of whites and 32.3 percent of blacks had severely low blood levels of vitamin D, which the experts say is less than 15 nanograms per milliliter.
"It may be that blacks have adapted over the generations to vitamin D deficiency, so we are not going to see any compounding effects with stroke," says Michos, who notes that African Americans have adapted elsewhere to low levels of the bone-strengthening vitamin, with fewer incidents of bone fracture and greater overall bone density than seen in Caucasians.
"In blacks, we may not need to raise vitamin D levels to the same level as in whites to minimize their risk of stroke" says Michos, who emphasizes that clinical trials are needed to verify that supplements actually do prevent heart attacks and stroke. In her practice, she says, she monitors her patients' levels of the key nutrient as part of routine blood work while also testing for other known risk factors for heart disease and stroke, including blood pressure, glucose and lipid levels.
Michos cautions that the number of fatal strokes recorded in blacks may not have been statistically sufficient to find a relationship with vitamin D deficits. And she points out that the study only assessed information on deaths from stroke, not the more common "brain incidents" of stroke, which are usually non-fatal, or even mini-strokes, whose symptoms typically dissipate in a day or so. She says the team's next steps will be to evaluate cognitive brain function as well as non-fatal and transient strokes and any possible tie-ins to nutrient deficiency.
Besides helping to keep bones healthy, vitamin D plays an essential role in preventing abnormal cell growth, and in bolstering the body's immune system. The hormone-like nutrient also controls blood levels of calcium and phosphorus, essential chemicals in the body. Shortages of vitamin D have also been tied to increased rates of breast cancer and depression in the elderly.
Michos recommends that people maintain good vitamin D levels by eating diets rich in such fish as salmon and tuna, consuming vitamin-D fortified dairy products, and taking vitamin D supplements. She also promotes brief exposure daily to the sun's vitamin D-producing ultraviolet light. And to those concerned about the cancer risks linked to too much time spent in the sun, she says as little as 10 to 15 minutes of daily exposure is enough during the summer months.
If vitamin supplements are used, Michos says that daily doses between 1,000 and 2,000 international units are generally safe and beneficial for most people, but that people with the severe vitamin D deficits may need higher doses under close supervision by their physician to avoid possible risk of toxicity.
The U.S. Institute of Medicine (IOM) previously suggested that an adequate daily intake of vitamin D is between 200 and 600 international units. However, Michos argues that this may be woefully inadequate for most people to raise their vitamin D blood levels to a healthy 30 nanograms per milliliter. The IOM has set up an expert panel to review its vitamin D guidelines, with new recommendations expected by the end of the year.
Previous results from the same nationwide survey showed that 41 percent of men and 53 percent of women have unhealthy amounts of vitamin D, with nutrient levels below 28 nanograms per milliliter.
Funding for this study was provided by the American College of Cardiology and the P.J. Schafer Cardiovascular Research Fund.
Besides Michos, other Hopkins researchers involved in this study were Rebecca Gottesman, M.D., Ph.D.; Wendy Post, M.D., M.S.; and A. Richey Sharrett, M.D., Dr.P.H., who is at the University's Bloomberg School of Public Health. Other researchers included Jared Reis, Ph.D., at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, a member of the National Institutes of Health, in Bethesda, Md.; Pamela Lutsey, Ph.D., at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis; and Thomas Mosley, Ph.D., at the University of Mississippi in Jacksonville. The study senior investigator was Michal Melamed, M.D., M.H.S., an assistant professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University in New York City.
(Presentation title: Vitamin D Deficiency Is Associated with Increased Risk of Fatal Stroke Among Whites, but Not Blacks, the NHANES-linked Mortality Files)
воскресенье, 19 июня 2011 г.
Complementary Therapies Investigated To Treat Type 2 Diabetes
Scientists are investigating a range of weird and wonderful complementary therapies that have the potential to help treat Type 2 diabetes.
The roots of a cucumber-like vegetable, a herb found in the forests of India and extracts from the bark of a Himalayan plant are just three of the surprising research subjects being presented at Diabetes UK's Annual Professional Conference.
Some plants seem to improve diabetes control
Many cultures have claimed for centuries that plants can be used to treat diabetes. Scientists looking into the relationship between people and plants - the study of ethnobotany - will present findings at the conference in Glasgow on the mechanisms by which some plants seem to improve diabetes control.
Potential for diabetes treatments
"Complementary therapy is an interesting but often understudied area of research for potential diabetes treatments," said Dr Iain Frame, Director of Research at Diabetes UK.
More research needed
"Although there is still a long way to go before we could say for certain that any of these plants can help to control Type 2 diabetes, it is important to continue investigating the possibilities. More research is needed before we can fully assess their true importance for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes UK's diverse research programme
"Diabetes UK works hard to ensure people with diabetes have a wide choice of high quality treatments for their condition and our diverse research programme reflects this."
Momordica cymbalaria roots
Scientists testing the effect of a cucumber-like vegetable on Type 2 diabetes control found that extract from the roots of the plant improved glucose tolerance in rats with diabetes.
If this effect could be replicated in humans then it might help to control Type 2 diabetes, a condition where the amount of glucose in the blood is too high because the body does not produce enough insulin or can not use its insulin properly. Insulin is the hormone needed to turn glucose into fuel for the body.
The vegetable (pictured here) is called Momordica cymbalaria and is similar to an ampalaya (pictured top) which is widely used in India and the Far East and is also known as karela, bitter melon or bitter gourd.
Gymnema sylvestre herb
Another group of researchers examined the effect of Gymnema sylvestre on the body's ability to produce insulin.
They concluded that extracts from the herb, native to the tropical forests of India, seem to have a direct effect on human insulin-producing cells found in the pancreas.
Swertia chirayita bark
A third group of experts will present their findings on the anti-diabetic activity of the bark of Swertia chirayita, a plant traditionally grown in the Himalayas and also known as chirette.
Their early laboratory work indicates that some compounds extracted from the bark of the plant appear to stimulate insulin production and improve its action.
Dr Yasser Abdel-Wahab, Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Ulster where Swertia chirayita is being investigated, said: "Natural anti-diabetic drug discovery is a key area of research that is attracting a lot of interest.
"More research is needed to establish definitively how and if our findings could be translated into new therapeutic agents for treatments for people with Type 2 diabetes, but we are hopeful that this will one day be the case."
Diabetes UK
The roots of a cucumber-like vegetable, a herb found in the forests of India and extracts from the bark of a Himalayan plant are just three of the surprising research subjects being presented at Diabetes UK's Annual Professional Conference.
Some plants seem to improve diabetes control
Many cultures have claimed for centuries that plants can be used to treat diabetes. Scientists looking into the relationship between people and plants - the study of ethnobotany - will present findings at the conference in Glasgow on the mechanisms by which some plants seem to improve diabetes control.
Potential for diabetes treatments
"Complementary therapy is an interesting but often understudied area of research for potential diabetes treatments," said Dr Iain Frame, Director of Research at Diabetes UK.
More research needed
"Although there is still a long way to go before we could say for certain that any of these plants can help to control Type 2 diabetes, it is important to continue investigating the possibilities. More research is needed before we can fully assess their true importance for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes UK's diverse research programme
"Diabetes UK works hard to ensure people with diabetes have a wide choice of high quality treatments for their condition and our diverse research programme reflects this."
Momordica cymbalaria roots
Scientists testing the effect of a cucumber-like vegetable on Type 2 diabetes control found that extract from the roots of the plant improved glucose tolerance in rats with diabetes.
If this effect could be replicated in humans then it might help to control Type 2 diabetes, a condition where the amount of glucose in the blood is too high because the body does not produce enough insulin or can not use its insulin properly. Insulin is the hormone needed to turn glucose into fuel for the body.
The vegetable (pictured here) is called Momordica cymbalaria and is similar to an ampalaya (pictured top) which is widely used in India and the Far East and is also known as karela, bitter melon or bitter gourd.
Gymnema sylvestre herb
Another group of researchers examined the effect of Gymnema sylvestre on the body's ability to produce insulin.
They concluded that extracts from the herb, native to the tropical forests of India, seem to have a direct effect on human insulin-producing cells found in the pancreas.
Swertia chirayita bark
A third group of experts will present their findings on the anti-diabetic activity of the bark of Swertia chirayita, a plant traditionally grown in the Himalayas and also known as chirette.
Their early laboratory work indicates that some compounds extracted from the bark of the plant appear to stimulate insulin production and improve its action.
Dr Yasser Abdel-Wahab, Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Ulster where Swertia chirayita is being investigated, said: "Natural anti-diabetic drug discovery is a key area of research that is attracting a lot of interest.
"More research is needed to establish definitively how and if our findings could be translated into new therapeutic agents for treatments for people with Type 2 diabetes, but we are hopeful that this will one day be the case."
Diabetes UK
суббота, 18 июня 2011 г.
Menopause And Insomnia -- New Findings Link Estrogen Decline, Sleeplessness And Mineral Deficiency
Women in the pre-menopause and menopause years are more and more finding themselves experiencing symptoms of chronic insomnia, hot flashes, night sweats, migraine headaches, anxiety, fatigue and depression. Uzzi Reiss, M.D., author of Natural Hormone Balance for Women, says: "Some of the above reactions occur nearly simultaneously whenever the level of estrogen falls."
Hormone drugs, nutritional remedies, and lifestyle changes are some of the options available to women. Consumer Affairs reports that while 70 percent of women entering menopause will have some symptoms, most symptoms can be managed with healthy lifestyle improvements. In their recent report, they do not recommend hormone drugs for women who have an elevated risk of heart disease, stroke or cancer - which is 35 to 50 percent of all women 50 and older.
As menopause approaches, another emerging link between estrogen decline and its symptoms is the aspect of mineral deficiency. Mildred Seeling, M.D. describes this in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. She says "Estrogen enhances magnesium utilization and uptake by soft tissues and bone and may explain the resistance of young women to heart disease and osteoporosis -- as well as the increased prevalence of these diseases when estrogen production ceases."
Magnesium works best when it's balanced with calcium. The pioneering nutritionist Adelle Davis writes of mineral deficiency during menopause in her book Let's Get Well. Davis says: "Calcium is less well absorbed and the urinary losses are greater when the output of estrogen decreases. Such calcium-deficiency symptoms as nervousness, irritability, insomnia, and headaches are common."
Sleep in magnesium deficiency is restless, agitated and disturbed by frequent nighttime awakenings. However, all forms of magnesium are not equally effective. In a study of more than 200 patients, Dr. W. Davis used magnesium chloride as a possible means of combating insomnia. The researcher reported that sleep was induced rapidly, was uninterrupted, and that waking tiredness disappeared in ninety-nine percent of the patients. In addition, anxiety and tension diminished during the day. (W. Davis and F. Ziady, "The Role of Magnesium in Sleep," Montreal Symposium).
Magnesium chloride crystals are made from seawater. Separately, both magnesium and chloride have important functions in keeping us healthy. Chloride combines with hydrogen in the stomach to make hydrochloric acid, a powerful digestive aid that declines in the body as we grow older. Using other forms of magnesium is less beneficial as these have to be converted into chlorides before they can be digested. For example, when we take magnesium in the oxide or carbonate form, we then have to produce additional hydrochloric acid to absorb it.
Another benefit of magnesium chloride crystals is that they instantly dissolve in any temperature of water. In addition to it's relaxing effects, magnesium chloride has been shown to provide improved digestion, a stronger immune system, calmer nervous system, lower blood sugar levels, and stronger nails and hair.
Natural remedies for sleep, such as Sleep Minerals from Nutrition Breakthroughs, have begun to include this highly digestible form of magnesium.
Jobee Knight, a nutritional researcher and founder of Nutrition Breakthroughs in Glendale, CA., is someone who fought her own battle against insomnia. She decided to put her background to use by searching out effective natural ingredients for relaxation and deeper sleep. The result was Sleep Minerals, a unique blend of magnesium chloride and calcium lactate gluconate.
Nancy Richardson of Burbank, CA. says: "The Sleep Minerals put me to sleep pretty fast and I slept like a rock for many hours. It was quite beneficial. And I've been having trouble getting to sleep and staying that way, but this was quite helpful."
Consumer Reports advises that hormone drugs can increase the risk of heart disease, breast cancer, blood clots and stroke. An increasing number of women are turning to non-pharmaceutical solutions for insomnia. Highly absorbable forms of natural minerals can be a soothing alternative.
References:
1. Consumer Affairs Study: "Most Women Don't Need Hormones for Menopause", Nov. 21, 2005.
2. Mildred Seeling, M.D. Journal Amer. College of Nutrition 1993 Aug;12 (4):442-58. "Interrelationship of magnesium and estrogen in cardiovascular and bone disorders, eclampsia, migraine and premenstrual syndrome."
3. Saris N.E., Mervaala E, Karppanen H, Khawaja J.A., Lewenstam A. "Magnesium: an update on physiological, clinical, and analytical aspects." Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 2002, vol. 21, no. 2).
NutritionBreakthroughs
Hormone drugs, nutritional remedies, and lifestyle changes are some of the options available to women. Consumer Affairs reports that while 70 percent of women entering menopause will have some symptoms, most symptoms can be managed with healthy lifestyle improvements. In their recent report, they do not recommend hormone drugs for women who have an elevated risk of heart disease, stroke or cancer - which is 35 to 50 percent of all women 50 and older.
As menopause approaches, another emerging link between estrogen decline and its symptoms is the aspect of mineral deficiency. Mildred Seeling, M.D. describes this in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. She says "Estrogen enhances magnesium utilization and uptake by soft tissues and bone and may explain the resistance of young women to heart disease and osteoporosis -- as well as the increased prevalence of these diseases when estrogen production ceases."
Magnesium works best when it's balanced with calcium. The pioneering nutritionist Adelle Davis writes of mineral deficiency during menopause in her book Let's Get Well. Davis says: "Calcium is less well absorbed and the urinary losses are greater when the output of estrogen decreases. Such calcium-deficiency symptoms as nervousness, irritability, insomnia, and headaches are common."
Sleep in magnesium deficiency is restless, agitated and disturbed by frequent nighttime awakenings. However, all forms of magnesium are not equally effective. In a study of more than 200 patients, Dr. W. Davis used magnesium chloride as a possible means of combating insomnia. The researcher reported that sleep was induced rapidly, was uninterrupted, and that waking tiredness disappeared in ninety-nine percent of the patients. In addition, anxiety and tension diminished during the day. (W. Davis and F. Ziady, "The Role of Magnesium in Sleep," Montreal Symposium).
Magnesium chloride crystals are made from seawater. Separately, both magnesium and chloride have important functions in keeping us healthy. Chloride combines with hydrogen in the stomach to make hydrochloric acid, a powerful digestive aid that declines in the body as we grow older. Using other forms of magnesium is less beneficial as these have to be converted into chlorides before they can be digested. For example, when we take magnesium in the oxide or carbonate form, we then have to produce additional hydrochloric acid to absorb it.
Another benefit of magnesium chloride crystals is that they instantly dissolve in any temperature of water. In addition to it's relaxing effects, magnesium chloride has been shown to provide improved digestion, a stronger immune system, calmer nervous system, lower blood sugar levels, and stronger nails and hair.
Natural remedies for sleep, such as Sleep Minerals from Nutrition Breakthroughs, have begun to include this highly digestible form of magnesium.
Jobee Knight, a nutritional researcher and founder of Nutrition Breakthroughs in Glendale, CA., is someone who fought her own battle against insomnia. She decided to put her background to use by searching out effective natural ingredients for relaxation and deeper sleep. The result was Sleep Minerals, a unique blend of magnesium chloride and calcium lactate gluconate.
Nancy Richardson of Burbank, CA. says: "The Sleep Minerals put me to sleep pretty fast and I slept like a rock for many hours. It was quite beneficial. And I've been having trouble getting to sleep and staying that way, but this was quite helpful."
Consumer Reports advises that hormone drugs can increase the risk of heart disease, breast cancer, blood clots and stroke. An increasing number of women are turning to non-pharmaceutical solutions for insomnia. Highly absorbable forms of natural minerals can be a soothing alternative.
References:
1. Consumer Affairs Study: "Most Women Don't Need Hormones for Menopause", Nov. 21, 2005.
2. Mildred Seeling, M.D. Journal Amer. College of Nutrition 1993 Aug;12 (4):442-58. "Interrelationship of magnesium and estrogen in cardiovascular and bone disorders, eclampsia, migraine and premenstrual syndrome."
3. Saris N.E., Mervaala E, Karppanen H, Khawaja J.A., Lewenstam A. "Magnesium: an update on physiological, clinical, and analytical aspects." Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 2002, vol. 21, no. 2).
NutritionBreakthroughs
пятница, 17 июня 2011 г.
Compliance With TB Treatment, Ventilatory Control
Patients with tuberculosis should be more involved in decisions about their treatment
Tuberculosis (TB) is a major killer, causing up to two million deaths worldwide every year. Treatment takes many months and many patients fail to complete the course of drugs prescribed. Now a study published in PLoS Medicine casts new light on the difficulties patients face in trying to stick to the treatment they are given.
Salla Munro of the South African Medical Research Council, with colleagues in South Africa, Norway and the UK, conducted a systematic review of research into adherence to TB treatment that has been carried out using qualitative methods. In other words, they searched the medical literature for studies where patients and their families had been asked to say how they felt about their treatment. (This is different from 'quantitative' research where numbers are collected, rather than recording what patients actually say.)
The researchers found 44 qualitative studies on TB treatment that met their prespecified criteria. From a careful appraisal of these studies they were able to classify the major factors associated with difficulties in completing treatment. They conclude that adherence to treatment is influenced by: structural factors (including poverty and gender discrimination), social context factors, health service factors and personal factors (including attitudes towards treatment and illness).
From this research, it is clear that patients often take their TB medications under very difficult conditions and that they cannot control many of the factors that prevent them from taking their drugs. So, although current efforts to improve adherence to tuberculosis treatments emphasize instilling into patients a willingness to take their medications, this new study suggests that more must be done to address how factors such as poverty and gender affect treatment adherence and to tailor support systems to patients' needs.
Most importantly, it indicates that future interventions should involve patients far more in the decisions made about their treatment. As Salla Munro of the Medical Research Council notes: "Adherence to treatment is a complex phenomenon. We need more patient-centred interventions, and more attention to structural barriers, to improve treatment adherence and reduce the global disease burden of tuberculosis."
Citation: Munro SA, Lewin SA, Smith H, Engel ME, Fretheim A, et al. (2007) Patient adherence to tuberculosis treatment: A systematic review of qualitative research. PLoS Med 4(7): e238.
CLICK HERE FOR ACCESS TO THE PUBLISHED PAPER.
CONTACT:
Salla Munro
Medical Research Council of South Africa Health Systems Research Unit PO Box 19070 Tygerberg, Cape Town 7505 South Africa
Neuroplasticity in ventilatory control
Albert Dahan and colleagues from the University of Leiden describe the results of bilateral carotid body resection in three individuals. This procedure led to reduced sensitivity of central chemoreceptors to CO2, followed by a gradual return. They thus provide evidence of central plasticity within the human ventilatory control system.
Citation: Dahan A, Nieuwenhuijs D, Teppema L (2007) Plasticity of central chemoreceptors: Effect of bilateral carotid body resection on central CO2 sensitivity. PLoS Med 4(7): e239.
CLICK HERE FOR ACCESS TO THE PUBLISHED PAPER.
CONTACT:
Albert Dahan
Leiden University Medical Center
Anesthesiology
Albinusdreef 2
Leiden, 2300 RC
Netherlands
About PLoS Medicine
PLoS Medicine is an open access, freely available international medical journal. It publishes original research that enhances our understanding of human health and disease, together with commentary and analysis of important global health issues. For more information, visit plosmedicine
About the Public Library of Science
The Public Library of Science (PLoS) is a non-profit organization of scientists and physicians committed to making the world's scientific and medical literature a freely available public resource.
For more information please visit plos/
Tuberculosis (TB) is a major killer, causing up to two million deaths worldwide every year. Treatment takes many months and many patients fail to complete the course of drugs prescribed. Now a study published in PLoS Medicine casts new light on the difficulties patients face in trying to stick to the treatment they are given.
Salla Munro of the South African Medical Research Council, with colleagues in South Africa, Norway and the UK, conducted a systematic review of research into adherence to TB treatment that has been carried out using qualitative methods. In other words, they searched the medical literature for studies where patients and their families had been asked to say how they felt about their treatment. (This is different from 'quantitative' research where numbers are collected, rather than recording what patients actually say.)
The researchers found 44 qualitative studies on TB treatment that met their prespecified criteria. From a careful appraisal of these studies they were able to classify the major factors associated with difficulties in completing treatment. They conclude that adherence to treatment is influenced by: structural factors (including poverty and gender discrimination), social context factors, health service factors and personal factors (including attitudes towards treatment and illness).
From this research, it is clear that patients often take their TB medications under very difficult conditions and that they cannot control many of the factors that prevent them from taking their drugs. So, although current efforts to improve adherence to tuberculosis treatments emphasize instilling into patients a willingness to take their medications, this new study suggests that more must be done to address how factors such as poverty and gender affect treatment adherence and to tailor support systems to patients' needs.
Most importantly, it indicates that future interventions should involve patients far more in the decisions made about their treatment. As Salla Munro of the Medical Research Council notes: "Adherence to treatment is a complex phenomenon. We need more patient-centred interventions, and more attention to structural barriers, to improve treatment adherence and reduce the global disease burden of tuberculosis."
Citation: Munro SA, Lewin SA, Smith H, Engel ME, Fretheim A, et al. (2007) Patient adherence to tuberculosis treatment: A systematic review of qualitative research. PLoS Med 4(7): e238.
CLICK HERE FOR ACCESS TO THE PUBLISHED PAPER.
CONTACT:
Salla Munro
Medical Research Council of South Africa Health Systems Research Unit PO Box 19070 Tygerberg, Cape Town 7505 South Africa
Neuroplasticity in ventilatory control
Albert Dahan and colleagues from the University of Leiden describe the results of bilateral carotid body resection in three individuals. This procedure led to reduced sensitivity of central chemoreceptors to CO2, followed by a gradual return. They thus provide evidence of central plasticity within the human ventilatory control system.
Citation: Dahan A, Nieuwenhuijs D, Teppema L (2007) Plasticity of central chemoreceptors: Effect of bilateral carotid body resection on central CO2 sensitivity. PLoS Med 4(7): e239.
CLICK HERE FOR ACCESS TO THE PUBLISHED PAPER.
CONTACT:
Albert Dahan
Leiden University Medical Center
Anesthesiology
Albinusdreef 2
Leiden, 2300 RC
Netherlands
About PLoS Medicine
PLoS Medicine is an open access, freely available international medical journal. It publishes original research that enhances our understanding of human health and disease, together with commentary and analysis of important global health issues. For more information, visit plosmedicine
About the Public Library of Science
The Public Library of Science (PLoS) is a non-profit organization of scientists and physicians committed to making the world's scientific and medical literature a freely available public resource.
For more information please visit plos/
четверг, 16 июня 2011 г.
Taking Vitamin D Supplements Seems To Lower Risk Of Death
After following up on individuals who took vitamin D supplements for six years, researchers have concluded that it does lower one's risk of death from any cause. The researchers looked at 18 previously published articles and wrote a report which appears in Archives of Internal Medicine (JAMA/Archives), September 10 issue.
Previous studies had indicated that there is a link between a higher risk of death from heart disease, cancer and diabetes for people with vitamin D deficiencies. In developed countries, these illnesses make up 60-70% of all deaths due to illness, the writers explain. They write "If the associations made between vitamin D and these conditions were consistent, then interventions effectively strengthening vitamin D status should result in reduced total mortality."
In this study, Philippe Autier, M.D., International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France, and Sara Gandini, Ph.D., European Institute of Oncology, Milano, Italy, looked at randomized controlled vitamin D supplement trials published prior to November 2006. This led them to 18 different trials involving 57,311 participants. They evaluated the doses of vitamin D - this ranged from 300 to 2,000 international units, the average dose being 528 international units. Most supplements one buys in the high street are around 400-600 international units.
4,777 of the participants died during an average follow-up of 5.7 years. The authors wrote that those who took vitamin D had a 7% lower risk of dying compared to those who did not. Blood samples were taken in nine of the trials that the researchers examined. They found that people who took vitamin D supplements had 1.4 to 5.2 times the level of vitamin D in their blood compared to those who did not.
The authors explained that the mechanisms by which vitamin D supplementation would decrease all-cause mortality are not clear. Vitamin D may undermine some mechanisms which help cancer cells proliferate, on the one hand, or it could boost the function of blood vessels or the immune system, they added.
The authors concluded that "..the intake of ordinary doses of vitamin D supplements seems to be associated with decreases in total mortality rates. The relationship between baseline vitamin D status, dose of vitamin D supplements and total mortality rates remains to be investigated. Population-based, placebo-controlled randomized trials in people 50 years or older for at least six years with total mortality as the main end point should be organized to confirm these findings."
Arch Intern Med. 2007;167(16):1730-1737
archinte.ama-assn
Previous studies had indicated that there is a link between a higher risk of death from heart disease, cancer and diabetes for people with vitamin D deficiencies. In developed countries, these illnesses make up 60-70% of all deaths due to illness, the writers explain. They write "If the associations made between vitamin D and these conditions were consistent, then interventions effectively strengthening vitamin D status should result in reduced total mortality."
In this study, Philippe Autier, M.D., International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France, and Sara Gandini, Ph.D., European Institute of Oncology, Milano, Italy, looked at randomized controlled vitamin D supplement trials published prior to November 2006. This led them to 18 different trials involving 57,311 participants. They evaluated the doses of vitamin D - this ranged from 300 to 2,000 international units, the average dose being 528 international units. Most supplements one buys in the high street are around 400-600 international units.
4,777 of the participants died during an average follow-up of 5.7 years. The authors wrote that those who took vitamin D had a 7% lower risk of dying compared to those who did not. Blood samples were taken in nine of the trials that the researchers examined. They found that people who took vitamin D supplements had 1.4 to 5.2 times the level of vitamin D in their blood compared to those who did not.
The authors explained that the mechanisms by which vitamin D supplementation would decrease all-cause mortality are not clear. Vitamin D may undermine some mechanisms which help cancer cells proliferate, on the one hand, or it could boost the function of blood vessels or the immune system, they added.
The authors concluded that "..the intake of ordinary doses of vitamin D supplements seems to be associated with decreases in total mortality rates. The relationship between baseline vitamin D status, dose of vitamin D supplements and total mortality rates remains to be investigated. Population-based, placebo-controlled randomized trials in people 50 years or older for at least six years with total mortality as the main end point should be organized to confirm these findings."
Arch Intern Med. 2007;167(16):1730-1737
archinte.ama-assn
среда, 15 июня 2011 г.
Fighting Infection With Manuka Honey
Manuka honey may kill bacteria by destroying key bacterial proteins. Dr Rowena Jenkins and colleagues from the University of Wales Institute - Cardiff investigated the mechanisms of manuka honey action and found that its anti-bacterial properties were not due solely to the sugars present in the honey. The work was presented this week (7-10 September), at the Society for General Microbiology's meeting at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh.
Meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was grown in the laboratory and treated with and without manuka honey for four hours. The experiment was repeated with sugar syrup to determine if the effects seen were due to sugar content in honey alone. The bacterial cells were then broken and the proteins isolated and separated on a system that displayed each protein as an individual spot. Many fewer proteins were seen from the manuka honey-treated MRSA cells and one particular protein, FabI, seemed to be completely missing. FabI is a protein that is needed for fatty acid biosynthesis. This essential process supplies the bacteria with precursors for important cellular components such as lipopolysaccarides and its cell wall. The absence of these proteins in honey-treated cells could help explain the mode of action of manuka honey in killing MRSA.
"Manuka and other honeys have been known to have wound healing and anti-bacterial properties for some time," said Dr Jenkins, "But the way in which they act is still not known. If we can discover exactly how manuka honey inhibits MRSA it could be used more frequently as a first-line treatment for infections with bacteria that are resistant to many currently available antibiotics".
Meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was grown in the laboratory and treated with and without manuka honey for four hours. The experiment was repeated with sugar syrup to determine if the effects seen were due to sugar content in honey alone. The bacterial cells were then broken and the proteins isolated and separated on a system that displayed each protein as an individual spot. Many fewer proteins were seen from the manuka honey-treated MRSA cells and one particular protein, FabI, seemed to be completely missing. FabI is a protein that is needed for fatty acid biosynthesis. This essential process supplies the bacteria with precursors for important cellular components such as lipopolysaccarides and its cell wall. The absence of these proteins in honey-treated cells could help explain the mode of action of manuka honey in killing MRSA.
"Manuka and other honeys have been known to have wound healing and anti-bacterial properties for some time," said Dr Jenkins, "But the way in which they act is still not known. If we can discover exactly how manuka honey inhibits MRSA it could be used more frequently as a first-line treatment for infections with bacteria that are resistant to many currently available antibiotics".
вторник, 14 июня 2011 г.
For Women With PCOS, Acupuncture And Exercise May Bring Relief, Reduce Risks
Exercise and electro-acupuncture treatments can reduce sympathetic nerve activity in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), according to a new study. The finding is important because women with PCOS often have elevated sympathetic nerve activity, which plays a role in hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, obesity and cardiovascular disease
The study also found that the electro-acupuncture treatments led to more regular menstrual cycles, reduced testosterone levels and reduced waist circumference.
Exercise had no effect on the irregular or non-existent menstrual cycles that are common among women with PCOS, nor did it reduce waist circumference. However, exercise did lead to reductions in weight and body mass index.
"The findings that low-frequency electro-acupuncture and exercise decrease sympathetic nerve activity in women with PCOS indicates a possible alternative non-pharmacologic approach to reduce cardiovascular risk in these patients," said one of the researchers, Dr. Elisabet Stener-Victorin of the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. The findings regarding menstrual cycles and decrease in testosterone levels in the low-frequency electro-acupuncture are also of interest, according to the researcher.
The study, "Low-frequency electro-acupuncture and physical exercise decrease high muscle sympathetic nerve activity in polycystic ovary syndrome" was conducted by Elisabet Stener-Victorin, Elizabeth Jedel, Per Olof Janson and Vrsa Bergmann Sverrisdottir, all of the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden and the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. The study is in the online edition of the American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, published by The American Physiological Society.
Common endocrine disorder
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine disorders, affecting an estimated 10% of women of reproductive age. Among the problems associated with the condition are elevated levels of androgens (such as testosterone, the 'male' hormone found in both sexes), ovarian cysts, irregular menstrual cycles and infertility.
PCOS is associated with increased sympathetic nerve activity in the blood vessels, part of the 'fight or flight' response that results in blood vessel constriction. Chronic activation of the sympathetic nervous system increases the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke.
The Swedish researchers had previously found that PCOS is associated with increased sympathetic nerve activity and said it may arise from the elevated testosterone level that is characteristic of PCOS.
Three groups
The researchers wanted to find a long-lasting treatment for PCOS that would have no adverse side effects, and so they looked at whether acupuncture or exercise could decrease the sympathetic nerve activity in women with PCOS. The study included 20 women, average age of 30 years, divided into the following groups:
- low-frequency electro-acupuncture (9)
- exercise (5)
- untreated controls, (6)
The acupuncture group underwent 14 treatments during the 16-week study. Acupuncture points were located in abdominal muscles and back of the knee, points thought to be associated with the ovaries. The needles in the abdomen and leg were stimulated with a low-frequency electrical charge, enough to produce muscle contraction but not enough to produce pain or discomfort.
The exercise group received pulse watches and were told to take up regular exercise: brisk walking, cycling or any other aerobic exercise that was faster than walking but that they could sustain for at least 30 minutes. They exercised at least three days per week for 30-45 minutes, maintaining a pulse frequency above 120 beats per minute.
The researchers instructed the control group in the importance of exercise and a healthy diet, the same instructions the experimental groups received, but were not specifically assigned to do anything differently.
Key Findings
The researchers measured the muscle sympathetic nerve activity before and after the 16-week study. Following treatment, the study found the following:
- Both the acupuncture and exercise groups significantly decreased muscle sympathetic nerve activity compared to the control group.
- The acupuncture group experienced a drop in waist size, but not a drop in body mass index or weight.
- The exercise group experienced a drop in weight and body mass index but not in waist size.
- The acupuncture group experienced fewer menstrual irregularities but the exercise group's irregularities did not change.
- In the acupuncture group, there was a significant drop in testosterone. This is an important indicator because the strongest independent predictor of high sympathetic nerve activity in women is the level of testosterone.
"This is the first study to demonstrate that repeated low-frequency electro-acupuncture and physical exercise can reduce high sympathetic nerve activity seen in women with PCOS," according to the authors. "Furthermore, both therapies decreased measures of obesity while only low-frequency electro-acupuncture improved menstrual bleeding pattern."
The study has some limitations, including a small sample size, so further research is necessary, the authors wrote. To find the full study, go here.
Physiology is the study of how molecules, cells, tissues and organs function to create health or disease. The American Physiological Society (APS) has been an integral part of this scientific discovery process since it was established in 1887.
Source
American Physiological Society
The study also found that the electro-acupuncture treatments led to more regular menstrual cycles, reduced testosterone levels and reduced waist circumference.
Exercise had no effect on the irregular or non-existent menstrual cycles that are common among women with PCOS, nor did it reduce waist circumference. However, exercise did lead to reductions in weight and body mass index.
"The findings that low-frequency electro-acupuncture and exercise decrease sympathetic nerve activity in women with PCOS indicates a possible alternative non-pharmacologic approach to reduce cardiovascular risk in these patients," said one of the researchers, Dr. Elisabet Stener-Victorin of the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. The findings regarding menstrual cycles and decrease in testosterone levels in the low-frequency electro-acupuncture are also of interest, according to the researcher.
The study, "Low-frequency electro-acupuncture and physical exercise decrease high muscle sympathetic nerve activity in polycystic ovary syndrome" was conducted by Elisabet Stener-Victorin, Elizabeth Jedel, Per Olof Janson and Vrsa Bergmann Sverrisdottir, all of the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden and the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. The study is in the online edition of the American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, published by The American Physiological Society.
Common endocrine disorder
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine disorders, affecting an estimated 10% of women of reproductive age. Among the problems associated with the condition are elevated levels of androgens (such as testosterone, the 'male' hormone found in both sexes), ovarian cysts, irregular menstrual cycles and infertility.
PCOS is associated with increased sympathetic nerve activity in the blood vessels, part of the 'fight or flight' response that results in blood vessel constriction. Chronic activation of the sympathetic nervous system increases the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke.
The Swedish researchers had previously found that PCOS is associated with increased sympathetic nerve activity and said it may arise from the elevated testosterone level that is characteristic of PCOS.
Three groups
The researchers wanted to find a long-lasting treatment for PCOS that would have no adverse side effects, and so they looked at whether acupuncture or exercise could decrease the sympathetic nerve activity in women with PCOS. The study included 20 women, average age of 30 years, divided into the following groups:
- low-frequency electro-acupuncture (9)
- exercise (5)
- untreated controls, (6)
The acupuncture group underwent 14 treatments during the 16-week study. Acupuncture points were located in abdominal muscles and back of the knee, points thought to be associated with the ovaries. The needles in the abdomen and leg were stimulated with a low-frequency electrical charge, enough to produce muscle contraction but not enough to produce pain or discomfort.
The exercise group received pulse watches and were told to take up regular exercise: brisk walking, cycling or any other aerobic exercise that was faster than walking but that they could sustain for at least 30 minutes. They exercised at least three days per week for 30-45 minutes, maintaining a pulse frequency above 120 beats per minute.
The researchers instructed the control group in the importance of exercise and a healthy diet, the same instructions the experimental groups received, but were not specifically assigned to do anything differently.
Key Findings
The researchers measured the muscle sympathetic nerve activity before and after the 16-week study. Following treatment, the study found the following:
- Both the acupuncture and exercise groups significantly decreased muscle sympathetic nerve activity compared to the control group.
- The acupuncture group experienced a drop in waist size, but not a drop in body mass index or weight.
- The exercise group experienced a drop in weight and body mass index but not in waist size.
- The acupuncture group experienced fewer menstrual irregularities but the exercise group's irregularities did not change.
- In the acupuncture group, there was a significant drop in testosterone. This is an important indicator because the strongest independent predictor of high sympathetic nerve activity in women is the level of testosterone.
"This is the first study to demonstrate that repeated low-frequency electro-acupuncture and physical exercise can reduce high sympathetic nerve activity seen in women with PCOS," according to the authors. "Furthermore, both therapies decreased measures of obesity while only low-frequency electro-acupuncture improved menstrual bleeding pattern."
The study has some limitations, including a small sample size, so further research is necessary, the authors wrote. To find the full study, go here.
Physiology is the study of how molecules, cells, tissues and organs function to create health or disease. The American Physiological Society (APS) has been an integral part of this scientific discovery process since it was established in 1887.
Source
American Physiological Society
понедельник, 13 июня 2011 г.
Young Patients With Chronic Illnesses Find Relief In Acupuncture
Doctors at Rush University Medical Center are offering pediatric patients diagnosed with chronic illnesses acupuncture therapy to help ease the pain and negative side effects like nausea, fatigue, and vomiting caused by chronic health conditions and intensive treatments. The confluence of Chinese and Western medicine at Rush Children's Hospital is part of a study to analyze and document how acupuncture might help in reducing pain in children and increase quality of life.
"Treating children with acupuncture is a new frontier," said Dr. Paul Kent, pediatric hematology and oncology expert, Rush Children's Hospital. "We are looking to see if there is an effective pain management therapy we can offer that does not have the serious side effects that can be caused by narcotics and other serious pain medications."
The lack of options for pain management in children has been reported as one of the most difficult aspects of providing care to pediatric patients. Research indicates that up to 70 percent of pediatric patients experience pain and those with chronic illnesses often do not have adequate relief or prevention of pain.
"Acupuncture could be a potential solution to this dilemma of controlling pain in pediatric patients," said Angela Johnson, Chinese medicine practitioner at Rush.
Acupuncture is the use of tiny, hair-thin needles which are gently inserted along various parts of the body. The therapy is based on the premise that patterns of energy flowing through the body are essential for health. This energy, called Qi, flows along certain pathways. It is believed that placing the tiny needles at points along the pathways reduce pain and improve the healing process.
The National Institute of Health (NIH) has published a statement concluding that acupuncture is effective for treating adults for nausea following chemotherapy and for pain after dental surgery. The agency also said that the therapy might be useful in treating other health issues such as addiction, migraines, headaches, menstrual cramps, abdominal pain, tennis elbow, fibromyalgia, arthritis, low-back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome and asthma. In some pediatric studies, both patients and parents have stated that acupuncture treatments were both helpful and relaxing.
Rush will be offering acupuncture therapy to pediatric patients between the ages of 5-20 years of age, who are experiencing pain. A practitioner who is licensed in acupuncture by the State of Illinois and certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine will be giving the treatments. Study participants will receive eight acupuncture treatments at no charge.
"Many children with chronic or acute health issues turn to complementary or integrative approaches after all other conventional treatment options are exhausted," said Johnson. "Parents should be aware that integrative therapies like acupuncture can be helpful from the onset of disease and can have a tremendously positive influence on a child's quality of life."
About Rush University Medical Center
Rush University Medical Center is an academic medical center that encompasses the more than 600 staffed-bed hospital (including Rush Children's Hospital), the Johnston R. Bowman Health Center and Rush University. Rush University, with more than 1,730 students, is home to one of the first medical schools in the Midwest, and one of the nation's top-ranked nursing colleges. Rush University also offers graduate programs in allied health and the basic sciences. Rush is noted for bringing together clinical care and research to address major health problems, including arthritis and orthopedic disorders, cancer, heart disease, mental illness, neurological disorders and diseases associated with aging.
"Treating children with acupuncture is a new frontier," said Dr. Paul Kent, pediatric hematology and oncology expert, Rush Children's Hospital. "We are looking to see if there is an effective pain management therapy we can offer that does not have the serious side effects that can be caused by narcotics and other serious pain medications."
The lack of options for pain management in children has been reported as one of the most difficult aspects of providing care to pediatric patients. Research indicates that up to 70 percent of pediatric patients experience pain and those with chronic illnesses often do not have adequate relief or prevention of pain.
"Acupuncture could be a potential solution to this dilemma of controlling pain in pediatric patients," said Angela Johnson, Chinese medicine practitioner at Rush.
Acupuncture is the use of tiny, hair-thin needles which are gently inserted along various parts of the body. The therapy is based on the premise that patterns of energy flowing through the body are essential for health. This energy, called Qi, flows along certain pathways. It is believed that placing the tiny needles at points along the pathways reduce pain and improve the healing process.
The National Institute of Health (NIH) has published a statement concluding that acupuncture is effective for treating adults for nausea following chemotherapy and for pain after dental surgery. The agency also said that the therapy might be useful in treating other health issues such as addiction, migraines, headaches, menstrual cramps, abdominal pain, tennis elbow, fibromyalgia, arthritis, low-back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome and asthma. In some pediatric studies, both patients and parents have stated that acupuncture treatments were both helpful and relaxing.
Rush will be offering acupuncture therapy to pediatric patients between the ages of 5-20 years of age, who are experiencing pain. A practitioner who is licensed in acupuncture by the State of Illinois and certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine will be giving the treatments. Study participants will receive eight acupuncture treatments at no charge.
"Many children with chronic or acute health issues turn to complementary or integrative approaches after all other conventional treatment options are exhausted," said Johnson. "Parents should be aware that integrative therapies like acupuncture can be helpful from the onset of disease and can have a tremendously positive influence on a child's quality of life."
About Rush University Medical Center
Rush University Medical Center is an academic medical center that encompasses the more than 600 staffed-bed hospital (including Rush Children's Hospital), the Johnston R. Bowman Health Center and Rush University. Rush University, with more than 1,730 students, is home to one of the first medical schools in the Midwest, and one of the nation's top-ranked nursing colleges. Rush University also offers graduate programs in allied health and the basic sciences. Rush is noted for bringing together clinical care and research to address major health problems, including arthritis and orthopedic disorders, cancer, heart disease, mental illness, neurological disorders and diseases associated with aging.
воскресенье, 12 июня 2011 г.
Report To Ministers From The Department Of Health Steering Group On The Statutory Regulation Of Practitioners Of Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, UK
The British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) welcomes the report out from the Department of Health Steering Group on the Regulation of Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine. The report recommends the statutory regulation of acupuncture through the Health Professions Council as soon as is practicable. This has brought a successful conclusion to a process in which the BAcC has been involved for well over a decade and to which it has made a major contribution.
CEO of the British Acupuncture Council, Mike O'Farrell said; "The report highlights the need to protect the public from poorly trained practitioners. Long aware of this, the BAcC has been in the forefront of setting and promoting standards of excellence for the acupuncture profession. Our educational guidelines, safe practice standards, professional conduct procedures and accreditation body are at least the equivalent in quality of those of professions already regulated. The BAcC has been working tirelessly alongside the two other professions of herbal medicine and traditional chinese medicine to ensure that the transition to statutory regulation are based on true parity of standards".
Notes
The British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) was formed in 1995. With nearly 3,000 members we represent the largest body of professional acupuncturists in the UK and guarantee excellence in the following areas:
- Training Standards - entry to the profession is at three year undergraduate degree level training
- Safe Practice - its standards are drawn up in consultation with internationally renowned experts
Ethical Behaviour - rules are monitored and enforced with the help of experienced practitioners and independent non-acupuncturists
British Acupuncture Council
CEO of the British Acupuncture Council, Mike O'Farrell said; "The report highlights the need to protect the public from poorly trained practitioners. Long aware of this, the BAcC has been in the forefront of setting and promoting standards of excellence for the acupuncture profession. Our educational guidelines, safe practice standards, professional conduct procedures and accreditation body are at least the equivalent in quality of those of professions already regulated. The BAcC has been working tirelessly alongside the two other professions of herbal medicine and traditional chinese medicine to ensure that the transition to statutory regulation are based on true parity of standards".
Notes
The British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) was formed in 1995. With nearly 3,000 members we represent the largest body of professional acupuncturists in the UK and guarantee excellence in the following areas:
- Training Standards - entry to the profession is at three year undergraduate degree level training
- Safe Practice - its standards are drawn up in consultation with internationally renowned experts
Ethical Behaviour - rules are monitored and enforced with the help of experienced practitioners and independent non-acupuncturists
British Acupuncture Council
суббота, 11 июня 2011 г.
NPA To Continue Market Development Program In China Through 2010
The Natural Products Association (NPA) has announced that it will continue its participation in the U.S. Department of Commerce's (USDOC) China Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP) through fiscal year 2010. The award was granted to NPA in 2007, as part of the annual Market Development Cooperator Program, which builds public and private partnerships by providing federal assistance to non-profit "export multipliers" like trade associations that are particularly effective in reaching small- and medium-size enterprises. The grant allows the NPA to expand its business in China, one of the world's fastest growing markets, while also helping to safeguard the global supply chain for natural products.
Jeff Crowther, executive director of NPA-China, said, "NPA is grateful for receiving the MDCP grant. It has allowed the association to be the first and only non-profit trade association dedicated to the natural product industry in China. Over the last three years, NPA-China has established solid relationships with Chinese government agencies and organizations, which have assisted the association in its China endeavors and developed important partners for the association's members."
Since beginning its participation in MDCP, NPA and Beijing-based NPA-China have provided nearly a dozen extensive training sessions in quality assurance and U.S. regulations to well over 200 Chinese firms that export raw materials to the United States for use in natural products like dietary supplements and personal care products. China's oversight agencies, State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) and General Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ), have attended the training sessions as well, to become more familiar with U.S. food safety and quality regulations.
"The combination of our NPA-USP China program, our strong history in quality assurance and our prior China experience helped us win this award. We're happy to see it continue and we look forward to having greater success in the upcoming year," said Daniel Fabricant, Ph.D., interim executive director and CEO of the Natural Products Association.
Through a combination of its own efforts and MDCP initiatives, the Natural Products Association has implemented other quality, market and supply-chain actions:
- NPA's raw materials quality assurance program, launched in 2007, was highlighted in the 2008 "Action Plan for Import Safety -- a Report to the President Interagency Working Group on Import Safety," which sited NPA's partnership with U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) to test raw ingredients for identity, purity and safety before export to the U.S. market.
- In 2009, NPA-China published an industry report and priority request to the U.S. International Trade Administration for inclusion in the agency's U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade talks, the highest level of talks between the two countries on trade.
- The American Chamber of Commerce in China (AmCham-China), a non-profit organization representing U.S. companies and individuals doing business in China, published NPA-China's annual industry paper on dietary supplements, read by decision-makers in both the U.S. and Chinese governments.
- NPA-China submitted comments and an industry report to the Legislative Branch of the State Council as well as to China's SFDA. The comments and report were reviewed by USDOC.
NPA's efforts through the MDCP strengthen this valuable international supply chain and helps improve market access conditions for U.S. manufacturers; safeguard and manage the supply chain, and expose both U.S and Chinese manufacturers to market opportunities through trade missions and trade show participation.
"Currently, China's health product industry trails the U.S, Japan and the E.U. in sales, but has tremendous potential for sizeable growth," said Crowther. "With proper regulatory change, China will become the largest market for natural products by 2020. Simply put, China cannot be ignored nor can it lack industry representation."
Source
Natural Products Association
Jeff Crowther, executive director of NPA-China, said, "NPA is grateful for receiving the MDCP grant. It has allowed the association to be the first and only non-profit trade association dedicated to the natural product industry in China. Over the last three years, NPA-China has established solid relationships with Chinese government agencies and organizations, which have assisted the association in its China endeavors and developed important partners for the association's members."
Since beginning its participation in MDCP, NPA and Beijing-based NPA-China have provided nearly a dozen extensive training sessions in quality assurance and U.S. regulations to well over 200 Chinese firms that export raw materials to the United States for use in natural products like dietary supplements and personal care products. China's oversight agencies, State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) and General Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ), have attended the training sessions as well, to become more familiar with U.S. food safety and quality regulations.
"The combination of our NPA-USP China program, our strong history in quality assurance and our prior China experience helped us win this award. We're happy to see it continue and we look forward to having greater success in the upcoming year," said Daniel Fabricant, Ph.D., interim executive director and CEO of the Natural Products Association.
Through a combination of its own efforts and MDCP initiatives, the Natural Products Association has implemented other quality, market and supply-chain actions:
- NPA's raw materials quality assurance program, launched in 2007, was highlighted in the 2008 "Action Plan for Import Safety -- a Report to the President Interagency Working Group on Import Safety," which sited NPA's partnership with U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) to test raw ingredients for identity, purity and safety before export to the U.S. market.
- In 2009, NPA-China published an industry report and priority request to the U.S. International Trade Administration for inclusion in the agency's U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade talks, the highest level of talks between the two countries on trade.
- The American Chamber of Commerce in China (AmCham-China), a non-profit organization representing U.S. companies and individuals doing business in China, published NPA-China's annual industry paper on dietary supplements, read by decision-makers in both the U.S. and Chinese governments.
- NPA-China submitted comments and an industry report to the Legislative Branch of the State Council as well as to China's SFDA. The comments and report were reviewed by USDOC.
NPA's efforts through the MDCP strengthen this valuable international supply chain and helps improve market access conditions for U.S. manufacturers; safeguard and manage the supply chain, and expose both U.S and Chinese manufacturers to market opportunities through trade missions and trade show participation.
"Currently, China's health product industry trails the U.S, Japan and the E.U. in sales, but has tremendous potential for sizeable growth," said Crowther. "With proper regulatory change, China will become the largest market for natural products by 2020. Simply put, China cannot be ignored nor can it lack industry representation."
Source
Natural Products Association
пятница, 10 июня 2011 г.
Urologist Dr. J. Francois Eid, MD Warns Against The Dangers Of Online Herbal Remedies For Erectile Dysfunction (ED)
News reports coming out of the UK and Australia show evidence of prescription ingredients in many "natural" herb remedies sold on the Internet to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). These popular online supplements, which claim to consist only of homeopathic ingredients, are often improperly labeled and may actually contain dangerous ingredients. Dr. J. Francois Eid, director and founder of Advanced Urological Care in New York City, is concerned about this practice, especially since, in his experience, men with erectile dysfunction choose to suffer in silence rather than seek medical help for their condition.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the governing body for medication sales in the United Kingdom, tested 138 unlicensed ED treatments and found random, uncontrolled quantities of prescription ingredients in almost two-thirds of them. "Erectile dysfunction is a condition that is easily treatable in a variety of safe ways under the careful watch of a physician," said Dr. Eid, who has successfully treated ED patients over the last 22 years of practice. "However, since many men are embarrassed by ED, they look for help elsewhere and expose themselves to serious problems such as heart attack, stroke and severe hypertension."
Even more troubling is the fact that many of these "natural" products falsely claimed to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration. In actuality, more than one-third of the supplements that claim to treat ED or enhance sexual performance contain sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, or vardenafil, the active ingredient in Levitra. Advertisements for Viagra, Levitra and other drugs for ED warn of the dangers of taking these drugs if you are also on prescription medications that contain nitrates. Nitrates are prescribed for conditions such as angina or coronary artery disease in patients that also may suffer from ED.
The combination of nitrates with the active ingredients in ED medications could potentially lower blood pressure to an unsafe level. Under a physician's care, blood pressure levels are carefully monitored. However, an online consumer of these supplements, not approved by a doctor, will be unaware of the Viagra- or Levitra-type of ingredients in these supplements, which could either present a serious problem or exacerbate a pre-existing condition.
Conversely, according to Bloomberg News, Pfizer's Viagra patent was partially rejected after it was discovered that the active ingredient [sildenafil citrate] was too similar to a Chinese herb known as Horny Goat Weed. An appeals board upheld the decision that "an element, or claim, of the patent for a method of treating male erectile dysfunction didn't cover a new invention." The patent claim was part of an infringement suit Pfizer filed in 2002 against Eli Lilly over its rival Cialis drug. The decision on that part of the patent will now go into appeals.
So should men go with the prescription drugs or the supplements? "The take-away message is that many men may not realize that some medicines or supplement may actually cause or worsen ED," said Dr. Eid. "Only your physician can determine the best course of medication and mitigate these side effects successfully." A world-renowned surgeon and a foremost specialist in urological prosthetic reconstruction, Eid believes that, with so many approved treatment options for ED, there is no reason for men to take unnecessary risks with ED. "Many advances in this area have resulted in performance guarantees of at least 20 years, allowing men to have full control of their durability, rigidity and reliability," said Dr. Eid.
ED is not a problem that will just correct itself, which is why Dr. Eid advises anyone suffering from the condition to not take matters into their own hands and, instead, consult with their doctor. Eid initially treats ED by suggesting exercise, diet, avoiding tobacco and alcohol, before prescribing medications or more comprehensive treatments, such as pumps or implants (IPP). Eid believes in the efficacy of IPP's, since he has performed more internal penile implant surgeries than anyone in the world, over 300 per year. Eid developed the "No-Touch" penile prosthesis surgery, which boasts an infection rate of less than one percent. His practice, Advanced Urological Care, is dedicated to erectile dysfunction treatment and urinary incontinence treatment.
"ED is very under-reported because many men choose to suffer in silence, but this can wreak havoc not only on your health but on your relationships and self-esteem," says Dr. Eid. In many instances, investigating one problem might uncover another underlying health concern, such as cardiovascular disease, which is important especially when dealing with ED. This is why medical intervention is so important. "The first step in any difficult situation is acknowledging there is a problem and then deciding to take care of it, the right way," concluded Eid.
Source
Advanced Urological Care
View drug information on Cialis; Levitra; Viagra.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the governing body for medication sales in the United Kingdom, tested 138 unlicensed ED treatments and found random, uncontrolled quantities of prescription ingredients in almost two-thirds of them. "Erectile dysfunction is a condition that is easily treatable in a variety of safe ways under the careful watch of a physician," said Dr. Eid, who has successfully treated ED patients over the last 22 years of practice. "However, since many men are embarrassed by ED, they look for help elsewhere and expose themselves to serious problems such as heart attack, stroke and severe hypertension."
Even more troubling is the fact that many of these "natural" products falsely claimed to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration. In actuality, more than one-third of the supplements that claim to treat ED or enhance sexual performance contain sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, or vardenafil, the active ingredient in Levitra. Advertisements for Viagra, Levitra and other drugs for ED warn of the dangers of taking these drugs if you are also on prescription medications that contain nitrates. Nitrates are prescribed for conditions such as angina or coronary artery disease in patients that also may suffer from ED.
The combination of nitrates with the active ingredients in ED medications could potentially lower blood pressure to an unsafe level. Under a physician's care, blood pressure levels are carefully monitored. However, an online consumer of these supplements, not approved by a doctor, will be unaware of the Viagra- or Levitra-type of ingredients in these supplements, which could either present a serious problem or exacerbate a pre-existing condition.
Conversely, according to Bloomberg News, Pfizer's Viagra patent was partially rejected after it was discovered that the active ingredient [sildenafil citrate] was too similar to a Chinese herb known as Horny Goat Weed. An appeals board upheld the decision that "an element, or claim, of the patent for a method of treating male erectile dysfunction didn't cover a new invention." The patent claim was part of an infringement suit Pfizer filed in 2002 against Eli Lilly over its rival Cialis drug. The decision on that part of the patent will now go into appeals.
So should men go with the prescription drugs or the supplements? "The take-away message is that many men may not realize that some medicines or supplement may actually cause or worsen ED," said Dr. Eid. "Only your physician can determine the best course of medication and mitigate these side effects successfully." A world-renowned surgeon and a foremost specialist in urological prosthetic reconstruction, Eid believes that, with so many approved treatment options for ED, there is no reason for men to take unnecessary risks with ED. "Many advances in this area have resulted in performance guarantees of at least 20 years, allowing men to have full control of their durability, rigidity and reliability," said Dr. Eid.
ED is not a problem that will just correct itself, which is why Dr. Eid advises anyone suffering from the condition to not take matters into their own hands and, instead, consult with their doctor. Eid initially treats ED by suggesting exercise, diet, avoiding tobacco and alcohol, before prescribing medications or more comprehensive treatments, such as pumps or implants (IPP). Eid believes in the efficacy of IPP's, since he has performed more internal penile implant surgeries than anyone in the world, over 300 per year. Eid developed the "No-Touch" penile prosthesis surgery, which boasts an infection rate of less than one percent. His practice, Advanced Urological Care, is dedicated to erectile dysfunction treatment and urinary incontinence treatment.
"ED is very under-reported because many men choose to suffer in silence, but this can wreak havoc not only on your health but on your relationships and self-esteem," says Dr. Eid. In many instances, investigating one problem might uncover another underlying health concern, such as cardiovascular disease, which is important especially when dealing with ED. This is why medical intervention is so important. "The first step in any difficult situation is acknowledging there is a problem and then deciding to take care of it, the right way," concluded Eid.
Source
Advanced Urological Care
View drug information on Cialis; Levitra; Viagra.
четверг, 9 июня 2011 г.
Cancer Cures In The Herbal Pharmacy
Curing cancer with natural products - a case for shamans and herb women? Not at all, for many chemotherapies to fight cancer applied in modern medicine are natural products or were developed on the basis of natural substances. Thus, taxanes used in prostate and breast cancer treatment are made from yew trees. The popular periwinkle plant, which grows along the ground of many front yards, is the source of vinca alkaloids that are effective, for example, against malignant lymphomas. The modern anti-cancer drugs topotecan and irinotecan are derived from a constituent of the Chinese Happy Tree.
Looking for new compounds, doctors and scientists are increasingly focusing on substances from plants used in traditional medicine. About three quarters of the natural pharmaceutical compounds commonly used today are derived from plants of the traditional medicine of the people in various parts of the world. The chances of finding new substances with interesting working profiles in traditional medicinal plants are better than in common-or-garden botany.
In his search for active ingredients, Professor Dr. Thomas Efferth of the DKFZ has been concentrating on herbal remedies from traditional Chinese medicine with particularly well documented application range. Working together with colleagues in Mainz and D??sseldorf, Germany, Graz, Austria and Kunming in China, he launched a systematic compound search in 76 Chinese medicinal plants that are believed to be effective against malignant tumors and other growths. First results of this study have now been published.
Extracts from 18 of the plants under investigation were found to substantially suppress the growth of a cancer cell line in the culture dish. "With this success rate of about 24 percent, we are way above the results that could be expected from searching through large chemical substance libraries," Thomas Efferth explains.
The scientists proceeded to chemically separate, step by step, all active extracts, tracing the active component after each separation step by cell tests. The chemical structure of the compounds is analyzed using nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectroscopy. "We are combining natural substance research with advanced analytical and molecular-biological methods", Efferth explains. "Plant constituents that seem particularly promising are immediately subjected to further tests." Such constituents include, for example, substances derived from the Rangoon Creeper, an ornamental plant with red flowers, or from Red-Root Sage. The latter contains three ingredients with powerful anti-tumor activity. The substances were found to suppress the growth of a specific tumor cell line that is particularly resistant to many commonly used cytotoxins due to overproduction of a transport protein in the cell wall. In contrast, a whole range of standard anti-cancer drugs fail to be effective against this cell.
We can expect to find many interesting, yet unknown working mechanisms among the chemically highly diverse natural substances. Currently, we are aligning the effectiveness of the substances on 60 different cancer cell lines with the gene activity profiles of these cells. Thus, we can determine the exact gene products that are the cellular targets of our compounds. Thereby, it may be possible to discover whole new Achilles' heels of the cancer cell," said Efferth describing the next steps.
Thomas Efferth, Stefan Kahl, Kerstin Paulus, Michael Adams, Rolf Rauh, Herbert Boechzelt, Xiaojiang Hao, Bernd Kaina and Rudolf Bauer: Phytochemistry and Pharmacogenomics of Natural products derived from traditional Chinese medica with activity against tumor cells. Molecular Cancer Therapy 7 (1) 2008, page 152
The task of the Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum in Heidelberg (German Cancer Research Center, DKFZ) is to systematically investigate the mechanisms of cancer development and to identify cancer risk factors. The results of this basic research are expected to lead to new approaches in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The Center is financed to 90 percent by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and to 10 percent by the State of Baden-Wuerttemberg. It is a member of the Helmholtz Association of National Research Centers (Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft Deutscher Forschungszentren e.V.).
Looking for new compounds, doctors and scientists are increasingly focusing on substances from plants used in traditional medicine. About three quarters of the natural pharmaceutical compounds commonly used today are derived from plants of the traditional medicine of the people in various parts of the world. The chances of finding new substances with interesting working profiles in traditional medicinal plants are better than in common-or-garden botany.
In his search for active ingredients, Professor Dr. Thomas Efferth of the DKFZ has been concentrating on herbal remedies from traditional Chinese medicine with particularly well documented application range. Working together with colleagues in Mainz and D??sseldorf, Germany, Graz, Austria and Kunming in China, he launched a systematic compound search in 76 Chinese medicinal plants that are believed to be effective against malignant tumors and other growths. First results of this study have now been published.
Extracts from 18 of the plants under investigation were found to substantially suppress the growth of a cancer cell line in the culture dish. "With this success rate of about 24 percent, we are way above the results that could be expected from searching through large chemical substance libraries," Thomas Efferth explains.
The scientists proceeded to chemically separate, step by step, all active extracts, tracing the active component after each separation step by cell tests. The chemical structure of the compounds is analyzed using nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectroscopy. "We are combining natural substance research with advanced analytical and molecular-biological methods", Efferth explains. "Plant constituents that seem particularly promising are immediately subjected to further tests." Such constituents include, for example, substances derived from the Rangoon Creeper, an ornamental plant with red flowers, or from Red-Root Sage. The latter contains three ingredients with powerful anti-tumor activity. The substances were found to suppress the growth of a specific tumor cell line that is particularly resistant to many commonly used cytotoxins due to overproduction of a transport protein in the cell wall. In contrast, a whole range of standard anti-cancer drugs fail to be effective against this cell.
We can expect to find many interesting, yet unknown working mechanisms among the chemically highly diverse natural substances. Currently, we are aligning the effectiveness of the substances on 60 different cancer cell lines with the gene activity profiles of these cells. Thus, we can determine the exact gene products that are the cellular targets of our compounds. Thereby, it may be possible to discover whole new Achilles' heels of the cancer cell," said Efferth describing the next steps.
Thomas Efferth, Stefan Kahl, Kerstin Paulus, Michael Adams, Rolf Rauh, Herbert Boechzelt, Xiaojiang Hao, Bernd Kaina and Rudolf Bauer: Phytochemistry and Pharmacogenomics of Natural products derived from traditional Chinese medica with activity against tumor cells. Molecular Cancer Therapy 7 (1) 2008, page 152
The task of the Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum in Heidelberg (German Cancer Research Center, DKFZ) is to systematically investigate the mechanisms of cancer development and to identify cancer risk factors. The results of this basic research are expected to lead to new approaches in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The Center is financed to 90 percent by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and to 10 percent by the State of Baden-Wuerttemberg. It is a member of the Helmholtz Association of National Research Centers (Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft Deutscher Forschungszentren e.V.).
среда, 8 июня 2011 г.
NPA Working To Improve Trade Policies For Dietary Supplements
The Natural Products Association (NPA) has submitted comments titled "Dietary Supplement Industry Priority Issues" to the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Office of the United States Trade Representative for the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT). NPA focused on removing barriers for trade to China with recommendations on increasing transparency, clarifying and reforming regulations, and enhancing export opportunities.
"Ranking fourth in sales behind the United States, Japan, and Europe, China is a market of growing importance for dietary supplement makers and the natural products industry at large. NPA continues to play a constructive role with U.S. and Chinese officials to work toward the goal of increasing U.S. exports," said John Gay, NPA executive director and CEO. "The JCCT process is an important way to make progress."
NPA's recommendations focused on five key areas:
- Product Registration: Reduce the time and cost of registering new and existing products with China's State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA).
- Functional Claims: Expand China's list of approved functional claims and simplify the regulatory process.
- Potency Restrictions: Modify potency-level restrictions to conform to current dietary supplement research.
- Dosage Form: Clarify among regulators, custom agents, and manufacturers the form in which dietary supplements may be sold in China.
- Gray Market Activity: Eliminate ambiguity and the restrictive nature of current regulations to encourage companies to follow SFDA's regulations.
NPA will continue its efforts to improve the market for U.S. products in China, and provide updates to its members.
"Ranking fourth in sales behind the United States, Japan, and Europe, China is a market of growing importance for dietary supplement makers and the natural products industry at large. NPA continues to play a constructive role with U.S. and Chinese officials to work toward the goal of increasing U.S. exports," said John Gay, NPA executive director and CEO. "The JCCT process is an important way to make progress."
NPA's recommendations focused on five key areas:
- Product Registration: Reduce the time and cost of registering new and existing products with China's State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA).
- Functional Claims: Expand China's list of approved functional claims and simplify the regulatory process.
- Potency Restrictions: Modify potency-level restrictions to conform to current dietary supplement research.
- Dosage Form: Clarify among regulators, custom agents, and manufacturers the form in which dietary supplements may be sold in China.
- Gray Market Activity: Eliminate ambiguity and the restrictive nature of current regulations to encourage companies to follow SFDA's regulations.
NPA will continue its efforts to improve the market for U.S. products in China, and provide updates to its members.
вторник, 7 июня 2011 г.
Helping Young Asthma Sufferers Breathe Easier With Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT)
Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) has a therapeutic effect on young children with asthma, a study has shown. Following the use of OMT, the peak expiratory flow rate (PEF) for children increased by 25%-75%. The study also showed that OMT significantly improved pulmonary function in pediatric patients with asthma.
Around 1 in 6 Australian children are currently diagnosed with asthma, according to the Asthma Foundations of Australia. In addition, the prevalence level and mortality rate for pediatric asthma across the world is rising, making this study particularly relevant.
The randomised controlled trial took place over 2 years and included children between the ages of 5 and 17 years. Out of the 140 children who participated, 90 children received OMT by an Osteopathic practitioner, while the other 50 children received simulated OMT (a sham procedure) performed by an allopathic practitioner.
Patients in the OMT group for this study showed a (mean) increase of PEFs by 13L per minute, while the children in the simulated OMT group demonstrated no increase at all. PEF readings are widely understood as a good indicator of asthma severity and patient response to treatment. This study adhered to the 1989 Asthma Management Plan guidelines.
Osteopathy is a safe noninvasive treatment for young children with asthma. "Osteopaths often work in cooperation with GP's or natural therapists who oversee the medications and environmental factors of asthma sufferers", says Scott Baxter, Federal President of the Australian Osteopathic Association (AOA).
Osteopathy is a form of drug-free, manual medicine that focuses on total body health by treating and strengthening the Musculoskeletal framework. This framework is integral to the respiratory system, so the more effective the Musculoskeletal system is, the more effective the respiratory system can be. OMT works on all aspects of the breathing mechanisms, including the ribs, spine, diaphragm and other muscles of breathing; nerve supply to the chest; and the blood supply to the airways and lungs.
"The role of the Osteopath is to increase the mobility of the ribs and joints of the thorax, free the constricted diaphragm and intercostal-muscles between the ribs. By freeing the rigidity of the chest and assisting the blood, nerves and lymphatics in the area, the patient is able to breathe more easily," says Baxter from the AOA.
Osteopathy can be utilised as the primary form of health care or in addition to the care provided by a General Practitioner. Osteopathy is acknowledged by all major health funds as well as Medicare Plus and attracts a rebate with a GP referral for chronic conditions.
Study cited:
Guiney PA, Chou R, Vianna A, et al.
Effects of osteopathic manipulative treatment on pediatric patients with asthma: a randomized controlled trial.
J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2005;105:7-12.
Australian Osteopathic Association
osteopathic.au
Around 1 in 6 Australian children are currently diagnosed with asthma, according to the Asthma Foundations of Australia. In addition, the prevalence level and mortality rate for pediatric asthma across the world is rising, making this study particularly relevant.
The randomised controlled trial took place over 2 years and included children between the ages of 5 and 17 years. Out of the 140 children who participated, 90 children received OMT by an Osteopathic practitioner, while the other 50 children received simulated OMT (a sham procedure) performed by an allopathic practitioner.
Patients in the OMT group for this study showed a (mean) increase of PEFs by 13L per minute, while the children in the simulated OMT group demonstrated no increase at all. PEF readings are widely understood as a good indicator of asthma severity and patient response to treatment. This study adhered to the 1989 Asthma Management Plan guidelines.
Osteopathy is a safe noninvasive treatment for young children with asthma. "Osteopaths often work in cooperation with GP's or natural therapists who oversee the medications and environmental factors of asthma sufferers", says Scott Baxter, Federal President of the Australian Osteopathic Association (AOA).
Osteopathy is a form of drug-free, manual medicine that focuses on total body health by treating and strengthening the Musculoskeletal framework. This framework is integral to the respiratory system, so the more effective the Musculoskeletal system is, the more effective the respiratory system can be. OMT works on all aspects of the breathing mechanisms, including the ribs, spine, diaphragm and other muscles of breathing; nerve supply to the chest; and the blood supply to the airways and lungs.
"The role of the Osteopath is to increase the mobility of the ribs and joints of the thorax, free the constricted diaphragm and intercostal-muscles between the ribs. By freeing the rigidity of the chest and assisting the blood, nerves and lymphatics in the area, the patient is able to breathe more easily," says Baxter from the AOA.
Osteopathy can be utilised as the primary form of health care or in addition to the care provided by a General Practitioner. Osteopathy is acknowledged by all major health funds as well as Medicare Plus and attracts a rebate with a GP referral for chronic conditions.
Study cited:
Guiney PA, Chou R, Vianna A, et al.
Effects of osteopathic manipulative treatment on pediatric patients with asthma: a randomized controlled trial.
J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2005;105:7-12.
Australian Osteopathic Association
osteopathic.au
понедельник, 6 июня 2011 г.
U.S. Clinical Nutrition Products Market Nears $1 Billion
The US market for clinical nutritional
supplements will surpass the $1 billion mark in the next few years, according
to a new study released today from Kalorama Information. Parenteral nutrition
products lead growth in the sector that is increasingly moving out of the
hospital and into alternative settings, such as the home.
The new study, The U.S. Market for Clinical Nutrition Products, explores
the new dynamism in the enteral and parenteral feeding market -- a dynamism
driven not by dramatic product improvements, but by clinical, demographic, and
ancillary technological changes.
"Unlike many other medical markets, advances in clinical nutrition have
not evolved from exciting new scientific breakthroughs," remarks James P.
Smith, Ph.D., the author of the report. "Instead, steady improvements in
formulations and clinical practice combined with the application of
technologies from other areas, such as pharmaceutical development, biosensors,
wireless communications, and more efficient pumps and controllers, is changing
the market in which these nutritionals compete."
The study examines clinical nutritional products, including oral enteral,
tube enteral, parenteral, and total parenteral nutrition products, in terms of
number of patients, products sales, and type of facility. The report also
provides analyses of the market forces shaping the clinical nutrition market,
including the effect the consumer market is having on supplement development,
the changing face of clinical decision making and practice, the reimbursement
environment, and the demographic patterns that will define patient populations
in the future.
The U.S. Market for Clinical Nutrition Products can be purchased directly
from Kalorama Information by clicking
kaloramainformation/pub/1089382.html. It is also available at
marketresearch.
About Kalorama Information
Kalorama Information, a division of MarketResearch, supplies the
latest in independent market research in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology,
medicals devices, and Diagnostics. For more information, contact Steven
Heffner at 212-807-2634 or sheffnerkaloramainformation, or visit
KaloramaInformation.
About MarketResearch
MarketResearch is the leading provider of global market intelligence
products and services. With over 100,000 research publications from more than
370 research publishers, MarketResearch has the world's most extensive
database of expert insights on global industries. For more information,
contact Irina Frukhtbeyn at 301-468-3650 x.203 or
ifrukhtbeynmarketresearch, or visit marketresearch.
Kalorama Information
KaloramaInformation
marketresearch
supplements will surpass the $1 billion mark in the next few years, according
to a new study released today from Kalorama Information. Parenteral nutrition
products lead growth in the sector that is increasingly moving out of the
hospital and into alternative settings, such as the home.
The new study, The U.S. Market for Clinical Nutrition Products, explores
the new dynamism in the enteral and parenteral feeding market -- a dynamism
driven not by dramatic product improvements, but by clinical, demographic, and
ancillary technological changes.
"Unlike many other medical markets, advances in clinical nutrition have
not evolved from exciting new scientific breakthroughs," remarks James P.
Smith, Ph.D., the author of the report. "Instead, steady improvements in
formulations and clinical practice combined with the application of
technologies from other areas, such as pharmaceutical development, biosensors,
wireless communications, and more efficient pumps and controllers, is changing
the market in which these nutritionals compete."
The study examines clinical nutritional products, including oral enteral,
tube enteral, parenteral, and total parenteral nutrition products, in terms of
number of patients, products sales, and type of facility. The report also
provides analyses of the market forces shaping the clinical nutrition market,
including the effect the consumer market is having on supplement development,
the changing face of clinical decision making and practice, the reimbursement
environment, and the demographic patterns that will define patient populations
in the future.
The U.S. Market for Clinical Nutrition Products can be purchased directly
from Kalorama Information by clicking
kaloramainformation/pub/1089382.html. It is also available at
marketresearch.
About Kalorama Information
Kalorama Information, a division of MarketResearch, supplies the
latest in independent market research in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology,
medicals devices, and Diagnostics. For more information, contact Steven
Heffner at 212-807-2634 or sheffnerkaloramainformation, or visit
KaloramaInformation.
About MarketResearch
MarketResearch is the leading provider of global market intelligence
products and services. With over 100,000 research publications from more than
370 research publishers, MarketResearch has the world's most extensive
database of expert insights on global industries. For more information,
contact Irina Frukhtbeyn at 301-468-3650 x.203 or
ifrukhtbeynmarketresearch, or visit marketresearch.
Kalorama Information
KaloramaInformation
marketresearch
воскресенье, 5 июня 2011 г.
Long-Term Use Of Vitamin E May Decrease COPD Risk
Long-term, regular use of vitamin E in women 45 years of age and older may help decrease the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by about 10 percent in both smokers and non-smokers, according to a study conducted by researchers at Cornell University and Brigham and Women's Hospital.
"As lung disease develops, damage occurs to sensitive tissues through several proposed processes, including inflammation and damage from free radicals," said Anne Hermetet Agler, doctoral candidate with Cornell University's Division of Nutritional Sciences. "Vitamin E may protect the lung against such damage."
The results of the study will be presented at the ATS 2010 International Conference in New Orleans.
"The findings from our study suggest that increasing vitamin E prevents COPD," said Ms. Agler. "Previous research found that higher intake of vitamin E was associated with a lower risk of COPD, but the studies were not designed to answer the question of whether increasing vitamin E intake would prevent COPD. Using a large, randomized controlled trial to answer this question provided stronger evidence than previous studies."
Ms. Agler and colleagues reviewed data compiled by the Women's Health Study, a multi-year, long-term effort ending in 2004 that focused on the effects of aspirin and vitamin E in the prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer in nearly 40,000 women aged 45 years and older. Study participants were randomized to receive either 600 mg of vitamin E or a placebo every other day during the course of the research.
Although fewer women taking vitamin E developed COPD, Ms. Agler noted the supplements appeared to have no effect on asthma, and women taking vitamin E supplements were diagnosed with asthma at about the same rate as women taking placebo pills. Importantly, Ms. Agler noted the decreased risk of COPD in women who were given vitamin E was the same for smokers as for non-smokers.
Ms. Agler said further research will explore the way vitamin E affects the lung tissue and function, and will assess the effects of vitamin E supplements on lung diseases in men.
"If results of this study are borne out by further research, clinicians may recommend that women take vitamin E supplements to prevent COPD," Ms. Agler noted. "Remember that vitamin E supplements are known to have detrimental effects in some people; for example vitamin E supplementation increased risk of congestive heart failure in cardiovascular disease patients. Broader recommendations would need to balance both benefits and risks. "
"Randomized Vitamin E Supplementation and Risk of Chronic Lung Disease (CLD) in the Women's Health Study" (Session C103, Tuesday, May 18, 1:30- 4:00 p.m., CC-Room 353-355 (Third Level), Morial Convention Center; Abstract 3727)
"As lung disease develops, damage occurs to sensitive tissues through several proposed processes, including inflammation and damage from free radicals," said Anne Hermetet Agler, doctoral candidate with Cornell University's Division of Nutritional Sciences. "Vitamin E may protect the lung against such damage."
The results of the study will be presented at the ATS 2010 International Conference in New Orleans.
"The findings from our study suggest that increasing vitamin E prevents COPD," said Ms. Agler. "Previous research found that higher intake of vitamin E was associated with a lower risk of COPD, but the studies were not designed to answer the question of whether increasing vitamin E intake would prevent COPD. Using a large, randomized controlled trial to answer this question provided stronger evidence than previous studies."
Ms. Agler and colleagues reviewed data compiled by the Women's Health Study, a multi-year, long-term effort ending in 2004 that focused on the effects of aspirin and vitamin E in the prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer in nearly 40,000 women aged 45 years and older. Study participants were randomized to receive either 600 mg of vitamin E or a placebo every other day during the course of the research.
Although fewer women taking vitamin E developed COPD, Ms. Agler noted the supplements appeared to have no effect on asthma, and women taking vitamin E supplements were diagnosed with asthma at about the same rate as women taking placebo pills. Importantly, Ms. Agler noted the decreased risk of COPD in women who were given vitamin E was the same for smokers as for non-smokers.
Ms. Agler said further research will explore the way vitamin E affects the lung tissue and function, and will assess the effects of vitamin E supplements on lung diseases in men.
"If results of this study are borne out by further research, clinicians may recommend that women take vitamin E supplements to prevent COPD," Ms. Agler noted. "Remember that vitamin E supplements are known to have detrimental effects in some people; for example vitamin E supplementation increased risk of congestive heart failure in cardiovascular disease patients. Broader recommendations would need to balance both benefits and risks. "
"Randomized Vitamin E Supplementation and Risk of Chronic Lung Disease (CLD) in the Women's Health Study" (Session C103, Tuesday, May 18, 1:30- 4:00 p.m., CC-Room 353-355 (Third Level), Morial Convention Center; Abstract 3727)
суббота, 4 июня 2011 г.
Low Vitamin D Levels Linked To Allergies In Kids
A study of more than 3,000 children shows that low vitamin D levels are associated with increased likelihood that children will develop allergies, according to a paper published in the February 17 online edition of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Researchers from Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University headed the study.
Researchers looked at the serum vitamin D levels in blood collected in 2005-2006 from a nationally representative sample of more than 3,100 children and adolescents and 3,400 adults. The samples are derived from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a program of studies designed to assess the health and nutritional status of adults and children in the United States. The survey is unique in that it combines interviews, physical examinations and laboratory studies. One of the blood tests assessed was sensitivity to 17 different allergens by measuring levels of Immunoglobulin E (IgE), a protein made when the immune system responds to allergens.
When the resulting data was analyzed by Einstein researchers, no association between vitamin D levels and allergies was observed in adults. But for children and adolescents, low vitamin D levels correlated with sensitivity to 11 of the 17 allergens tested, including both environmental allergens (e.g., ragweed, oak, dog, cockroach) and food allergens (e.g., peanuts). For example, children who had vitamin D deficiency (defined as less than 15 nanograms of vitamin D per milliliter of blood), were 2.4 times as likely to have a peanut allergy than were children with sufficient levels of vitamin D (more than 30 nanograms of vitamin D per milliliter of blood).
The research shows only an association and does not prove that vitamin D deficiency causes allergies in children, cautioned Michal Melamed, M.D., M.H.S., assistant professor of medicine and of epidemiology & population health at Einstein and senior author of the study. Nevertheless, she said, children should certainly consume adequate amounts of the vitamin. "The latest dietary recommendations calling for children to take in 600 IU of vitamin D daily should keep them from becoming vitamin-D deficient," she said.
The title of the paper is "Vitamin D levels and food and environmental allergies in the United States: Results from NHANES 2005-2006."
Researchers looked at the serum vitamin D levels in blood collected in 2005-2006 from a nationally representative sample of more than 3,100 children and adolescents and 3,400 adults. The samples are derived from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a program of studies designed to assess the health and nutritional status of adults and children in the United States. The survey is unique in that it combines interviews, physical examinations and laboratory studies. One of the blood tests assessed was sensitivity to 17 different allergens by measuring levels of Immunoglobulin E (IgE), a protein made when the immune system responds to allergens.
When the resulting data was analyzed by Einstein researchers, no association between vitamin D levels and allergies was observed in adults. But for children and adolescents, low vitamin D levels correlated with sensitivity to 11 of the 17 allergens tested, including both environmental allergens (e.g., ragweed, oak, dog, cockroach) and food allergens (e.g., peanuts). For example, children who had vitamin D deficiency (defined as less than 15 nanograms of vitamin D per milliliter of blood), were 2.4 times as likely to have a peanut allergy than were children with sufficient levels of vitamin D (more than 30 nanograms of vitamin D per milliliter of blood).
The research shows only an association and does not prove that vitamin D deficiency causes allergies in children, cautioned Michal Melamed, M.D., M.H.S., assistant professor of medicine and of epidemiology & population health at Einstein and senior author of the study. Nevertheless, she said, children should certainly consume adequate amounts of the vitamin. "The latest dietary recommendations calling for children to take in 600 IU of vitamin D daily should keep them from becoming vitamin-D deficient," she said.
The title of the paper is "Vitamin D levels and food and environmental allergies in the United States: Results from NHANES 2005-2006."
пятница, 3 июня 2011 г.
Are We Getting Enough Vitamin D?
Researchers at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR) are on a mission to find out if we need to supplement our diet with vitamin D.
According to lead researcher, Dr Rachel Neale from QIMR, "There has been increasing scientific and media attention paid to the potential health benefits vitamin D, known as the sunshine vitamin."
"Adequate vitamin D levels are essential for maintaining good bone health. It may have other potential health benefits such as prevention of heart disease, colon, lung and several other cancers, multiple sclerosis, schizophrenia and diabetes among others."
"There is currently insufficient information about how much vitamin D we need in our blood stream. We don't yet know if increasing vitamin D levels by taking supplements is beneficial."
The researchers are currently running a study called D-Health. They aim to recruit 560 participants from Queensland, NSW, Victoria and Tasmania aged 60-85 for a pilot study to investigate the health benefits of taking a dietary supplement. If successful they plan to embark on a larger scale trial of vitamin D for the prevention of chronic disease in the general population.
Volunteers will be asked to take a vitamin D tablet or a placebo tablet once each month for 12 months. They will also be asked a series of questions about their general health.
"We hope people will be willing to participate in this very important research. The success of this research depends on people who are invited to take part saying yes."
The study follows research conducted by QIMR as part of Suncorp's skin cancer awareness program SunWise. This research has found there is a great deal of misinformation in the general community when it comes to vitamin D.
"It is urgent that we obtain information to enable us to develop recommendations about sun exposure and vitamin D supplementation," said Dr Neale.
The research is in collaboration with researchers at the University of Sydney, the Queensland University of Technology, the University of Melbourne, and the Menzies Research Institute in Tasmania.
According to lead researcher, Dr Rachel Neale from QIMR, "There has been increasing scientific and media attention paid to the potential health benefits vitamin D, known as the sunshine vitamin."
"Adequate vitamin D levels are essential for maintaining good bone health. It may have other potential health benefits such as prevention of heart disease, colon, lung and several other cancers, multiple sclerosis, schizophrenia and diabetes among others."
"There is currently insufficient information about how much vitamin D we need in our blood stream. We don't yet know if increasing vitamin D levels by taking supplements is beneficial."
The researchers are currently running a study called D-Health. They aim to recruit 560 participants from Queensland, NSW, Victoria and Tasmania aged 60-85 for a pilot study to investigate the health benefits of taking a dietary supplement. If successful they plan to embark on a larger scale trial of vitamin D for the prevention of chronic disease in the general population.
Volunteers will be asked to take a vitamin D tablet or a placebo tablet once each month for 12 months. They will also be asked a series of questions about their general health.
"We hope people will be willing to participate in this very important research. The success of this research depends on people who are invited to take part saying yes."
The study follows research conducted by QIMR as part of Suncorp's skin cancer awareness program SunWise. This research has found there is a great deal of misinformation in the general community when it comes to vitamin D.
"It is urgent that we obtain information to enable us to develop recommendations about sun exposure and vitamin D supplementation," said Dr Neale.
The research is in collaboration with researchers at the University of Sydney, the Queensland University of Technology, the University of Melbourne, and the Menzies Research Institute in Tasmania.
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