The Boston Globe on Monday examined the Brookline, Mass.-based Pan-African Acupuncture Project, a not-for-profit group that trains Ugandan health care workers to administer acupuncture to people living with HIV/AIDS (Jeltsen, Boston Globe, 7/16). There are about 1.1 million HIV-positive people in Uganda, and the number of cases is expected to increase to 1.8 million by 2012 (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 1/29).
The program -- established in 2003 by Richard Mandell, an instructor at the New England School of Acupuncture -- was created in response to the "overwhelming" number of people living with the disease in the country, the Globe reports. To train students on acupuncture techniques, Mandell wrote a manual with simplified instructions that teaches students how to find acupuncture points on the body and how to use needles. The manual allows students to practice acupuncture even if they do not understand why a point on the body correlates with a particular disorder or illness, the Globe reports. According to NIH, acupuncture significantly helps relieve chronic insomnia and diarrhea, two symptoms often experienced by HIV-positive people.
According to Mandell, introducing acupuncture in developing countries such as Uganda has many benefits, including economic ones. Providing acupuncture treatment to one person once weekly for one month in the country -- where the average annual salary is $280 -- costs $6, Mandell said. The program has trained 120 Ugandan health care workers in three districts, the Globe reports. Mandell said he hopes to expand the program to Malawi and other African countries (Boston Globe, 7/16).
"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
вторник, 30 августа 2011 г.
суббота, 27 августа 2011 г.
Ginseng Just Got Better -- Not As Bitter
University of Illinois scientists have learned to mask the bitterness of ginseng, a common ingredient of energy drinks.
"Consumers like to see ginseng on a product's ingredient list because studies show that it improves memory, enhances libido and sexual performance, boosts immunity, and alleviates diabetes. But the very compounds that make ginseng good for you also make it taste bitter," said Soo-Yeun Lee, a U of I associate professor of food science and human nutrition.
In an earlier study, Lee and U of I professor of food chemistry Shelly J. Schmidt found that ginseng contributes more to the bitter perception in energy drinks than caffeine, an indispensable component of these beverages and the very compound that sensory scientists use as their reference for bitter perception.
"Ginseng has over 30 bitter compounds, and scientists still don't know which compound or group of compounds is responsible for the bitter taste," Lee said.
While experimenting with five possible solutions to ginseng's bitterness problem, they discovered that cyclodextrins - hydrophobic compounds made of glucose molecules that occur in a ring form - were able to capture the bitter flavor compounds and reduce bitterness by more than half.
Lauren Tamamoto, a graduate student who worked on the study, assembled a group of 13 non-smokers who also lacked allergies that would affect their bitter perception. Panelists had to be able to detect a chemical called 6-n-propyl-2-thiouracil (PROP) on a piece of filter paper (some people can, some people can't) and also pass basic taste tests for sweet, sour, bitter, and salty perceptions. They then participated in 12 training sessions and taste-tested 84 samples, rating each on a 16-point scale.
The researchers used the panelists to test these potentially effective bitterness-reducing treatments:
adding a related complementary flavor (in this case, citrus) as a sensory distraction
incorporating a bitterness blocking agent that neutralizes the taste buds
using ingredient interaction (the scientists added large amounts of taurine because research indicated that it might be useful in blocking bitterness)
utilizing an enzyme that would break down the peptide bonds of bitter components
experimenting with complexation, or the use of cyclodextrins to form inclusion complexes with the bitter compounds, which masks the bitter taste
"Cyclodextrins were by far the most effective method of reducing the bitterness of ginseng solutions. We also found that gamma-cyclodextrins were more successful than beta-cyclodextrins and were more cost-effective," Schmidt said.
These compounds have been used to mask bitterness before, but not at the level of ginseng used in a typical energy drink, she said.
Lee and Schmidt intend to continue studying ginseng's bitterness compounds to learn which are most responsible for producing objectionable flavors, and to gain insight into exactly how these compounds interact with cyclodextrins.
That knowledge would facilitate the use of ginseng as a functional ingredient in energy drinks and allow their manufacturers to add health benefits to the beverages beyond general nutrition and the calories they provide, Lee said.
"The U.S. energy drink industry is expected to reach $19.7 billion in sales by 2013, even though these beverages often have a medicinal taste because of their functional ingredients. If we can create more palatable products, manufacturers will be able to expand this market even further.
"But, beyond that, this new method for masking bitterness in ginseng gives food scientists an opportunity to improve the health of consumers," she said.
The study was published in the September 2010 issue of the Journal of Food Science. Lee, Schmidt, and Tamamoto were co-authors of the paper.
"Consumers like to see ginseng on a product's ingredient list because studies show that it improves memory, enhances libido and sexual performance, boosts immunity, and alleviates diabetes. But the very compounds that make ginseng good for you also make it taste bitter," said Soo-Yeun Lee, a U of I associate professor of food science and human nutrition.
In an earlier study, Lee and U of I professor of food chemistry Shelly J. Schmidt found that ginseng contributes more to the bitter perception in energy drinks than caffeine, an indispensable component of these beverages and the very compound that sensory scientists use as their reference for bitter perception.
"Ginseng has over 30 bitter compounds, and scientists still don't know which compound or group of compounds is responsible for the bitter taste," Lee said.
While experimenting with five possible solutions to ginseng's bitterness problem, they discovered that cyclodextrins - hydrophobic compounds made of glucose molecules that occur in a ring form - were able to capture the bitter flavor compounds and reduce bitterness by more than half.
Lauren Tamamoto, a graduate student who worked on the study, assembled a group of 13 non-smokers who also lacked allergies that would affect their bitter perception. Panelists had to be able to detect a chemical called 6-n-propyl-2-thiouracil (PROP) on a piece of filter paper (some people can, some people can't) and also pass basic taste tests for sweet, sour, bitter, and salty perceptions. They then participated in 12 training sessions and taste-tested 84 samples, rating each on a 16-point scale.
The researchers used the panelists to test these potentially effective bitterness-reducing treatments:
adding a related complementary flavor (in this case, citrus) as a sensory distraction
incorporating a bitterness blocking agent that neutralizes the taste buds
using ingredient interaction (the scientists added large amounts of taurine because research indicated that it might be useful in blocking bitterness)
utilizing an enzyme that would break down the peptide bonds of bitter components
experimenting with complexation, or the use of cyclodextrins to form inclusion complexes with the bitter compounds, which masks the bitter taste
"Cyclodextrins were by far the most effective method of reducing the bitterness of ginseng solutions. We also found that gamma-cyclodextrins were more successful than beta-cyclodextrins and were more cost-effective," Schmidt said.
These compounds have been used to mask bitterness before, but not at the level of ginseng used in a typical energy drink, she said.
Lee and Schmidt intend to continue studying ginseng's bitterness compounds to learn which are most responsible for producing objectionable flavors, and to gain insight into exactly how these compounds interact with cyclodextrins.
That knowledge would facilitate the use of ginseng as a functional ingredient in energy drinks and allow their manufacturers to add health benefits to the beverages beyond general nutrition and the calories they provide, Lee said.
"The U.S. energy drink industry is expected to reach $19.7 billion in sales by 2013, even though these beverages often have a medicinal taste because of their functional ingredients. If we can create more palatable products, manufacturers will be able to expand this market even further.
"But, beyond that, this new method for masking bitterness in ginseng gives food scientists an opportunity to improve the health of consumers," she said.
The study was published in the September 2010 issue of the Journal of Food Science. Lee, Schmidt, and Tamamoto were co-authors of the paper.
среда, 24 августа 2011 г.
Latest Research Shows How Mantrams Can Even Tackle Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Repeating mantrams can help control the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, have a calming effect in traffic and even ease the boredom of exercise, according to a study in the latest issue of Journal of Advanced Nursing.
83 per cent of veterans and hospital staff surveyed after a five-week mantram course told researchers from the US Department of Veterans Affairs that they found the technique ??" which involves silently and continuously repeating calming words or phrases throughout the day - useful on a number of occasions.
Just under a quarter of these occasions (24 per cent) related to traffic and work-related stress, 13 per cent to insomnia and 12 per cent to unwanted thoughts. More than half (51 per cent) related to emotional situations.
"Repeating the mantram seemed to stop post-traumatic stress disorder-type dreams that had occurred for 10 to 11 years" said a former veteran and one of the 66 people taking part in the survey.
"I have racing thoughts. I think about a ton of things ??" what I'm going to do about this and what I'm going to do about that ??" and then I start the mantram and it helps" added another.
A third found that using a mantram had an unexpectedly healthy side effect, commenting: "I use it sometimes when I'm on the treadmill at the gym. When I'm wishing that the time would go a little faster. And I'll just start using my mantram and then I forget about it and it helps me exercise a little longer."
"The people taking part in the study found that silently repeating a specific word or phrase helped them to handle a number of difficult situations" explains lead researcher Jill E Bormann, Research Nurse Scientist at the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System in California.
Dr Bormann and her fellow researchers ??" from the Universities of California and North Carolina ??" deliberately chose two highly stressed groups to take part in the study.
"Veterans are well known to have many chronic physical and mental health symptoms that interfere with their quality of life and their ability to live normal everyday lives. Similarly, hospital employees have high levels of job stress, leading to decreased job satisfaction and subsequent increases in healthcare costs" she explains.
People taking part in the five-week course, which comprised a one-and-a-half hour session a week, were taught to choose and repeat a cue word or mantram frequently during the day, using guidelines drawn from The Mantram Handbook by Eknath Easwaran of the Blue Mountain Center of Meditation in Tomales, California.
Easwaran describes mantrams as a "spiritual formula for transformation". Dr Bormann calls them a "jacuzzi for the mind", adding that "using a word that embodies spirituality helps to initiate the relaxation response and centeredness."
"People taking part in our study were encouraged to use the mantram during ordinary and relaxing times, so that they associated it with a calming effect when they needed to use it during times of turmoil" she explains. "Easwaran advises that people use it when they need it and use it when they don't!"
Most of the volunteers from southern California who took part chose words or phrases that reflected their religious beliefs. People without specific beliefs chose other soothing phrases.
29 of the 30 veterans were male, with an average age of 63. Seven had been diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder and six suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder.
31 of the 36 hospital staff were female with an average age of 50 and two had a psychiatric diagnosis.
"Mantram repetition may be useful in diverse modern populations for managing a variety of internal emotional states that sometimes appear endemic to technological society, such as anger, frustration and impatience" says Dr Bormann.
Dr Bormann has just received research funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs to carry out further investigation into the benefits of mantram repetition for veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
She has also been working on a project to see if mantram repetition decreases anger and increases spiritual faith in adults with HIV.
Further information and press copies of the full paper are available from Annette Whibley, Wizard Communications wordwizardclara.co.uk
Notes to editors
# Mantram repetition for stress management in veterans and employees: a critical incident study. Bormann et al. VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, California, USA. Journal of Advanced Nursing. Volume 53.5. Pages 502-512. (March 2006).
# The Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System provides acute and primary care to San Diego veterans through its medical center and community clinics. It is a designated Center of Excellence for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
# Journal of Advanced Nursing, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2006, is read by experienced nurses, midwives, health visitors and advanced nursing students in over 80 countries. It informs, educates, explores, debates and challenges the foundations of nursing health care knowledge and practice worldwide. Edited by Professor Alison Tierney, it is published 24 times a year by Blackwell Publishing Ltd, part of the international Blackwell Publishing group. journalofadvancednursing/
Contact: Annette Whibley
wordwizardclara.co.uk
Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
83 per cent of veterans and hospital staff surveyed after a five-week mantram course told researchers from the US Department of Veterans Affairs that they found the technique ??" which involves silently and continuously repeating calming words or phrases throughout the day - useful on a number of occasions.
Just under a quarter of these occasions (24 per cent) related to traffic and work-related stress, 13 per cent to insomnia and 12 per cent to unwanted thoughts. More than half (51 per cent) related to emotional situations.
"Repeating the mantram seemed to stop post-traumatic stress disorder-type dreams that had occurred for 10 to 11 years" said a former veteran and one of the 66 people taking part in the survey.
"I have racing thoughts. I think about a ton of things ??" what I'm going to do about this and what I'm going to do about that ??" and then I start the mantram and it helps" added another.
A third found that using a mantram had an unexpectedly healthy side effect, commenting: "I use it sometimes when I'm on the treadmill at the gym. When I'm wishing that the time would go a little faster. And I'll just start using my mantram and then I forget about it and it helps me exercise a little longer."
"The people taking part in the study found that silently repeating a specific word or phrase helped them to handle a number of difficult situations" explains lead researcher Jill E Bormann, Research Nurse Scientist at the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System in California.
Dr Bormann and her fellow researchers ??" from the Universities of California and North Carolina ??" deliberately chose two highly stressed groups to take part in the study.
"Veterans are well known to have many chronic physical and mental health symptoms that interfere with their quality of life and their ability to live normal everyday lives. Similarly, hospital employees have high levels of job stress, leading to decreased job satisfaction and subsequent increases in healthcare costs" she explains.
People taking part in the five-week course, which comprised a one-and-a-half hour session a week, were taught to choose and repeat a cue word or mantram frequently during the day, using guidelines drawn from The Mantram Handbook by Eknath Easwaran of the Blue Mountain Center of Meditation in Tomales, California.
Easwaran describes mantrams as a "spiritual formula for transformation". Dr Bormann calls them a "jacuzzi for the mind", adding that "using a word that embodies spirituality helps to initiate the relaxation response and centeredness."
"People taking part in our study were encouraged to use the mantram during ordinary and relaxing times, so that they associated it with a calming effect when they needed to use it during times of turmoil" she explains. "Easwaran advises that people use it when they need it and use it when they don't!"
Most of the volunteers from southern California who took part chose words or phrases that reflected their religious beliefs. People without specific beliefs chose other soothing phrases.
29 of the 30 veterans were male, with an average age of 63. Seven had been diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder and six suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder.
31 of the 36 hospital staff were female with an average age of 50 and two had a psychiatric diagnosis.
"Mantram repetition may be useful in diverse modern populations for managing a variety of internal emotional states that sometimes appear endemic to technological society, such as anger, frustration and impatience" says Dr Bormann.
Dr Bormann has just received research funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs to carry out further investigation into the benefits of mantram repetition for veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
She has also been working on a project to see if mantram repetition decreases anger and increases spiritual faith in adults with HIV.
Further information and press copies of the full paper are available from Annette Whibley, Wizard Communications wordwizardclara.co.uk
Notes to editors
# Mantram repetition for stress management in veterans and employees: a critical incident study. Bormann et al. VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, California, USA. Journal of Advanced Nursing. Volume 53.5. Pages 502-512. (March 2006).
# The Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System provides acute and primary care to San Diego veterans through its medical center and community clinics. It is a designated Center of Excellence for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
# Journal of Advanced Nursing, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2006, is read by experienced nurses, midwives, health visitors and advanced nursing students in over 80 countries. It informs, educates, explores, debates and challenges the foundations of nursing health care knowledge and practice worldwide. Edited by Professor Alison Tierney, it is published 24 times a year by Blackwell Publishing Ltd, part of the international Blackwell Publishing group. journalofadvancednursing/
Contact: Annette Whibley
wordwizardclara.co.uk
Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
воскресенье, 21 августа 2011 г.
Integrative Medicine For Children Is "a Useful Reference For A Medical Library."
According to a new review published in The Ulster Medical Journal, the Integrative Medicine for Children is "a useful reference for a medical library."
The book aims to help caregivers safely and effectively prescribe complementary and alternative (CAM) therapies along with standard treatment.
It is divided into two main parts. The first section covers a wide range of CAM therapies that are most commonly used among children, including hypnosis, massage, nutrition and Qi gong. Natural Standard authored chapter seven: Herbs and Biological Agents. In this chapter, the history, theory, evidence and safety of Chinese herbs are comprehensively presented.
The second section of the book covers more than 50 of the most common childhood conditions, first with a focus on conventional diagnostic and treatment information, then with authoritative information on the most effective and evidence-based CAM therapies available for treatment of the condition.
In the review article, Nuala M Flanagan states that the reference book "certainly offers an encyclopedic base to broaden knowledge of CAM and would be a useful starting point for further research into CAM options available for a specific patient."
References:
1. Flanagan, NM. Book Reviews. Ulster Med J 2009;78(2):140.
2. Natural Standard: The Authority on Integrative Medicine. naturalstandard. Copyright © 2009.
Source
Natural Standard
The book aims to help caregivers safely and effectively prescribe complementary and alternative (CAM) therapies along with standard treatment.
It is divided into two main parts. The first section covers a wide range of CAM therapies that are most commonly used among children, including hypnosis, massage, nutrition and Qi gong. Natural Standard authored chapter seven: Herbs and Biological Agents. In this chapter, the history, theory, evidence and safety of Chinese herbs are comprehensively presented.
The second section of the book covers more than 50 of the most common childhood conditions, first with a focus on conventional diagnostic and treatment information, then with authoritative information on the most effective and evidence-based CAM therapies available for treatment of the condition.
In the review article, Nuala M Flanagan states that the reference book "certainly offers an encyclopedic base to broaden knowledge of CAM and would be a useful starting point for further research into CAM options available for a specific patient."
References:
1. Flanagan, NM. Book Reviews. Ulster Med J 2009;78(2):140.
2. Natural Standard: The Authority on Integrative Medicine. naturalstandard. Copyright © 2009.
Source
Natural Standard
четверг, 18 августа 2011 г.
York Study Maps The Effects Of Acupuncture On The Brain
Important new research about the effects of acupuncture on the brain may provide an understanding of the complex mechanisms of acupuncture and could lead to a wider acceptability of the treatment.
The study, by researchers at the University of York and the Hull York Medical School published in Brain Research, indicates that acupuncture has a significant effect on specific neural structures. When a patient receives acupuncture treatment, a sensation called deqi can be obtained; scientific analysis shows that this deactivates areas within the brain that are associated with the processing of pain.
Dr Hugh MacPherson, of the Complementary Medicine Research Group in the University's Department of Health Sciences, says: "These results provide objective scientific evidence that acupuncture has specific effects within the brain which hopefully will lead to a better understanding of how acupuncture works."
Neuroscientist Dr Aziz Asghar, of the York Neuroimaging Centre and the Hull York Medical School, adds: "The results are fascinating. Whether such brain deactivations constitute a mechanism which underlies or contributes to the therapeutic effect of acupuncture is an intriguing possibility which requires further research."
Last summer, following research conducted in York, acupuncture was recommended for the first time by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) as a treatment option for NHS patients with lower back pain. NICE guidelines now state that GPs should 'consider offering a course of acupuncture comprising a maximum of 10 sessions over a period of up to 12 weeks' for patients with this common condition.
Current clinical trials at the University of York are investigating the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of acupuncture for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and for depression. Recent studies in the US have also shown that acupuncture can be an effective treatment for migraines and osteoarthritis of the knee.
The York team believe that the new research could help to clear the way for acupuncture to be more broadly accepted as a treatment option on the NHS for a number of medical conditions.
The study, by researchers at the University of York and the Hull York Medical School published in Brain Research, indicates that acupuncture has a significant effect on specific neural structures. When a patient receives acupuncture treatment, a sensation called deqi can be obtained; scientific analysis shows that this deactivates areas within the brain that are associated with the processing of pain.
Dr Hugh MacPherson, of the Complementary Medicine Research Group in the University's Department of Health Sciences, says: "These results provide objective scientific evidence that acupuncture has specific effects within the brain which hopefully will lead to a better understanding of how acupuncture works."
Neuroscientist Dr Aziz Asghar, of the York Neuroimaging Centre and the Hull York Medical School, adds: "The results are fascinating. Whether such brain deactivations constitute a mechanism which underlies or contributes to the therapeutic effect of acupuncture is an intriguing possibility which requires further research."
Last summer, following research conducted in York, acupuncture was recommended for the first time by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) as a treatment option for NHS patients with lower back pain. NICE guidelines now state that GPs should 'consider offering a course of acupuncture comprising a maximum of 10 sessions over a period of up to 12 weeks' for patients with this common condition.
Current clinical trials at the University of York are investigating the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of acupuncture for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and for depression. Recent studies in the US have also shown that acupuncture can be an effective treatment for migraines and osteoarthritis of the knee.
The York team believe that the new research could help to clear the way for acupuncture to be more broadly accepted as a treatment option on the NHS for a number of medical conditions.
понедельник, 15 августа 2011 г.
Morning Sickness, Still No Relief
There are currently no reliably safe and effective treatments for morning sickness, according to Cochrane researchers who conducted a systematic review of the available evidence. There was very limited evidence for all pharmaceutical and alternative medicines tested.
Morning sickness is the term used to describe vomiting and feelings of nausea in pregnant women. Symptoms can in fact occur at any time of the day and affect more than half of all women in the early stages of pregnancy. Due to concerns that pharmaceutical medicines may damage their unborn children, women are increasingly turning to non-drug treatments, including complementary and alternative therapies, to treat these symptoms. However, there is less evidence that alternative therapies work and they tend to be less well-regulated.
The review included 27 randomised controlled trials, which together involved 4,041 women who were up to 20 weeks pregnant. Benefit was measured by various scales commonly used to gauge the severity of nausea at a time as close as possible to three days after treatment. In six studies of acupressure and two of acupuncture there were no significant differences in benefit compared to control groups. One study of acustimulation did, however, report some improvement over three weeks. There was limited evidence of an effect of ginger in relieving nausea, as there was for vitamin B6, antihistamines and antiemetic (anti-vomiting) drugs including the antenatal drug Debendox.
In addition, some of the treatments caused adverse effects including drowsiness in those taking antiemetics. Ginger caused heartburn in some people.
"A number of the studies we looked at appeared to show benefits, but in general the results were inconsistent and it was difficult to draw firm conclusions about any one treatment in particular," said lead researcher Dr Anne Matthews, of the School of Nursing at Dublin City University in Dublin Ireland. "We were also unable to obtain much information about whether these treatments are actually making a difference to women's quality of life."
"Despite the wealth of different treatments available, it is not possible currently to identify with confidence any safe and effective interventions for nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy," said Matthews. "The difficulties in interpreting the results of the studies highlight the need for further, more rigorous trials in this area."
Sources: Wiley - Blackwell, AlphaGalileo Foundation.
Morning sickness is the term used to describe vomiting and feelings of nausea in pregnant women. Symptoms can in fact occur at any time of the day and affect more than half of all women in the early stages of pregnancy. Due to concerns that pharmaceutical medicines may damage their unborn children, women are increasingly turning to non-drug treatments, including complementary and alternative therapies, to treat these symptoms. However, there is less evidence that alternative therapies work and they tend to be less well-regulated.
The review included 27 randomised controlled trials, which together involved 4,041 women who were up to 20 weeks pregnant. Benefit was measured by various scales commonly used to gauge the severity of nausea at a time as close as possible to three days after treatment. In six studies of acupressure and two of acupuncture there were no significant differences in benefit compared to control groups. One study of acustimulation did, however, report some improvement over three weeks. There was limited evidence of an effect of ginger in relieving nausea, as there was for vitamin B6, antihistamines and antiemetic (anti-vomiting) drugs including the antenatal drug Debendox.
In addition, some of the treatments caused adverse effects including drowsiness in those taking antiemetics. Ginger caused heartburn in some people.
"A number of the studies we looked at appeared to show benefits, but in general the results were inconsistent and it was difficult to draw firm conclusions about any one treatment in particular," said lead researcher Dr Anne Matthews, of the School of Nursing at Dublin City University in Dublin Ireland. "We were also unable to obtain much information about whether these treatments are actually making a difference to women's quality of life."
"Despite the wealth of different treatments available, it is not possible currently to identify with confidence any safe and effective interventions for nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy," said Matthews. "The difficulties in interpreting the results of the studies highlight the need for further, more rigorous trials in this area."
Sources: Wiley - Blackwell, AlphaGalileo Foundation.
пятница, 12 августа 2011 г.
Absorption Of Curcuminoids Increased 29-Fold With Meriva(R)
In a new comparative absorption study[1] published in the Journal of Natural Products Meriva®, an Indena proprietary formulation of curcumin with soy lecithin, has shown a marked increase of absorption in comparison to plain curcumin.
In this randomized, double-blind, crossover study, a collaboration between USANA and Indena scientists, the plasma concentration of the three curcuminoids present in commercial curcumin (curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin) was measured in nine volunteers after supplementation with two dosages of Meriva® and one dosage of a corresponding curcuminoid mixture. Subjects consumed five (low-dose) or nine (high-dose) capsules of Meriva®, corresponding to 209 and 376 mg total curcuminoids, or, alternatively, five capsules of the corresponding non-formulated curcuminoid mixture containing 1799 mg of total curcuminoids.
The results showed that the overall curcuminoid absorption was about 29-fold higher for Meriva® compared to the unformulated curcuminoid mixture, while a 50 to 60-fold higher absorption was observed for demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin. The improved absorption, and possibly also a better plasma curcuminoid profile, might underlie the clinical efficacy of Meriva® at doses significantly lower than unformulated curcuminoid mixtures. [2-4]
Commenting on the results of the study Giovanni Appendino, Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Eastern Piedmont and Indena Scientific Advisor, said: "this Meriva® study represents one of the more significant advances in turmeric research. For the first time, a dramatic formulation-dependent increase in the bioavailability of curcuminoids in humans has been demonstrated, highlighting that curcuminoids have different absorption properties, and that the presence of lipids, as in Meriva® and in the traditional culinary use of turmeric, critically magnifies them. These results will open up new areas of clinical research on curcumin, rationalizing the clinical efficacy of Meriva®at dosages much lower than those of curcumin, and successfully addressing the issue of megadoses that has plagued the clinical research on curcumin."
About curcumin
Curcumin is the yellow pigment of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), the most important spice of the Indian cuisine, and a major ingredient of curry powders. In Asian Medicine, turmeric is used for the treatment of inflammation and joint pain. In Western countries, it is mainly employed as a food additive to color dairy products (cheese and yogurts), margarine and canned food. With over 100 molecular targets identified and almost 3,000 pre-clinical investigations, curcumin is one of the best investigated natural products of the whole biomedical literature; these studies have demonstrated its action as a master switch of inflammation. Nevertheless, just like most dietary phenolics, curcumin shows a very poor oral absorption. These problems have now been largely overcome by the patented formulation of curcumin with soy phospholipids that is capitalizing the basic tenets of the Phytosome® strategy to improve the bioavailability by offering a higher stability and oral absorption in comparison with unformulated curcumin.
About Meriva®
Meriva® is a patented formulation of curcumin, a dietary phenolic, with soy phospholipids. The two ingredients are combined in a 1:2 weight ratio, and two parts of microcrystalline cellulose are then added to improve the flowability, with an overall content of curcumin of 20%. Meriva® is already included as an ingredient in food supplements marketed in USA, Canada and EU.
Meriva® has been elected "Best New Product" of the year by the judging panel of the European Outsourcing Awards.
References:
1. Cuomo, J., et al., Comparative Absorption of a Standardized Curcuminoid Mixture and Its Lecithin Formulation. J Nat Prod, 2011. Full study available here.
2. Belcaro, G., et al., Product-evaluation registry of Meriva(R), a curcumin-phosphatidylcholine complex, for the complementary management of osteoarthritis. Panminerva Med, 2010. 52(2 Suppl 1): p. 55-62. Full study available here.
3. Belcaro, G., et al., Efficacy and safety of Meriva(R), a curcumin-phosphatidylcholine complex, during extended administration in osteoarthritis patients. Altern Med Rev, 2010. 15(4): p. 337-44. Full study available here.
4. Allegri, P., A. Mastromarino, and P. Neri, Management of chronic anterior uveitis relapses: efficacy of oral phospholipidic curcumin treatment. Long-term follow-up. Clin Ophthalmol, 2010. 4: p. 1201-6. Full study available here.
In this randomized, double-blind, crossover study, a collaboration between USANA and Indena scientists, the plasma concentration of the three curcuminoids present in commercial curcumin (curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin) was measured in nine volunteers after supplementation with two dosages of Meriva® and one dosage of a corresponding curcuminoid mixture. Subjects consumed five (low-dose) or nine (high-dose) capsules of Meriva®, corresponding to 209 and 376 mg total curcuminoids, or, alternatively, five capsules of the corresponding non-formulated curcuminoid mixture containing 1799 mg of total curcuminoids.
The results showed that the overall curcuminoid absorption was about 29-fold higher for Meriva® compared to the unformulated curcuminoid mixture, while a 50 to 60-fold higher absorption was observed for demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin. The improved absorption, and possibly also a better plasma curcuminoid profile, might underlie the clinical efficacy of Meriva® at doses significantly lower than unformulated curcuminoid mixtures. [2-4]
Commenting on the results of the study Giovanni Appendino, Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Eastern Piedmont and Indena Scientific Advisor, said: "this Meriva® study represents one of the more significant advances in turmeric research. For the first time, a dramatic formulation-dependent increase in the bioavailability of curcuminoids in humans has been demonstrated, highlighting that curcuminoids have different absorption properties, and that the presence of lipids, as in Meriva® and in the traditional culinary use of turmeric, critically magnifies them. These results will open up new areas of clinical research on curcumin, rationalizing the clinical efficacy of Meriva®at dosages much lower than those of curcumin, and successfully addressing the issue of megadoses that has plagued the clinical research on curcumin."
About curcumin
Curcumin is the yellow pigment of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), the most important spice of the Indian cuisine, and a major ingredient of curry powders. In Asian Medicine, turmeric is used for the treatment of inflammation and joint pain. In Western countries, it is mainly employed as a food additive to color dairy products (cheese and yogurts), margarine and canned food. With over 100 molecular targets identified and almost 3,000 pre-clinical investigations, curcumin is one of the best investigated natural products of the whole biomedical literature; these studies have demonstrated its action as a master switch of inflammation. Nevertheless, just like most dietary phenolics, curcumin shows a very poor oral absorption. These problems have now been largely overcome by the patented formulation of curcumin with soy phospholipids that is capitalizing the basic tenets of the Phytosome® strategy to improve the bioavailability by offering a higher stability and oral absorption in comparison with unformulated curcumin.
About Meriva®
Meriva® is a patented formulation of curcumin, a dietary phenolic, with soy phospholipids. The two ingredients are combined in a 1:2 weight ratio, and two parts of microcrystalline cellulose are then added to improve the flowability, with an overall content of curcumin of 20%. Meriva® is already included as an ingredient in food supplements marketed in USA, Canada and EU.
Meriva® has been elected "Best New Product" of the year by the judging panel of the European Outsourcing Awards.
References:
1. Cuomo, J., et al., Comparative Absorption of a Standardized Curcuminoid Mixture and Its Lecithin Formulation. J Nat Prod, 2011. Full study available here.
2. Belcaro, G., et al., Product-evaluation registry of Meriva(R), a curcumin-phosphatidylcholine complex, for the complementary management of osteoarthritis. Panminerva Med, 2010. 52(2 Suppl 1): p. 55-62. Full study available here.
3. Belcaro, G., et al., Efficacy and safety of Meriva(R), a curcumin-phosphatidylcholine complex, during extended administration in osteoarthritis patients. Altern Med Rev, 2010. 15(4): p. 337-44. Full study available here.
4. Allegri, P., A. Mastromarino, and P. Neri, Management of chronic anterior uveitis relapses: efficacy of oral phospholipidic curcumin treatment. Long-term follow-up. Clin Ophthalmol, 2010. 4: p. 1201-6. Full study available here.
вторник, 9 августа 2011 г.
Spiritual Healing Threatening Adherence To Antiretrovirals In Uganda, Official Says
Unverified spiritual healing promoted by some churches throughout Uganda is threatening HIV-positive patients' adherence to antiretroviral drugs, Robert Ochai, executive director of The AIDS Support Organisation, said recently during the organization's 17th annual general meeting, Uganda's Monitor reports. According to the Monitor, several Pentecostal churches in the country invite the ill, including those living with HIV/AIDS, to participate in spiritual healing. Some churches promise miracles, sometimes in exchange for the patients' valuables, according to the Monitor.
"Some clients have been misled into prematurely stopping their medication, which is extremely harmful to their health," Ochai said, adding, "While we believe in God and his ability to perform miracles, we also encourage our clients to adhere to their medications." Ochai did not provide statistics on the number of HIV-positive people abandoning their antiretroviral regimens for faith healing but said that the problem is growing and requires urgent intervention.
Robert Nakibumba, TASO public relations officer, stressed the importance of antiretroviral adherence and said that although TASO clients have a more than 95% antiretroviral adherence rate, patients under different health care providers must remain on the drugs.
Speaker of Parliament Edward Ssekandi said the government would allocate funding in the Ministry of Health's budget during the next fiscal year to address the increasing needs of HIV-positive people (Kirunda, Monitor, 9/30).
Reprinted with kind permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.
© 2008 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation.? All rights reserved.
"Some clients have been misled into prematurely stopping their medication, which is extremely harmful to their health," Ochai said, adding, "While we believe in God and his ability to perform miracles, we also encourage our clients to adhere to their medications." Ochai did not provide statistics on the number of HIV-positive people abandoning their antiretroviral regimens for faith healing but said that the problem is growing and requires urgent intervention.
Robert Nakibumba, TASO public relations officer, stressed the importance of antiretroviral adherence and said that although TASO clients have a more than 95% antiretroviral adherence rate, patients under different health care providers must remain on the drugs.
Speaker of Parliament Edward Ssekandi said the government would allocate funding in the Ministry of Health's budget during the next fiscal year to address the increasing needs of HIV-positive people (Kirunda, Monitor, 9/30).
Reprinted with kind permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.
© 2008 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation.? All rights reserved.
суббота, 6 августа 2011 г.
Transcendental Meditation Effective In Reducing High Blood Pressure, Study Shows
People with high blood pressure may find relief from Transcendental Meditation, according to a definitive new meta-analysis of 107 published studies on stress reduction programs and high blood pressure, which will be published in the December issue of Current Hypertension Reports.
The Transcendental Meditation technique produces a statistically significant reduction in high blood pressure that is not found with other forms of relaxation, meditation, biofeedback or stress management.
The new meta-analysis reviewed randomized, controlled trials of all stress reduction and relaxation methods in participants with high blood pressure that have been published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
Blood pressure changes for the Transcendental Meditation technique included average reductions of 5.0 points on systolic blood pressure and 2.8 on diastolic blood pressure, which were statistically significant, according to the review. The other stress reduction programs did not show significant changes in blood pressure.
Blood pressure changes associated with Transcendental Meditation practice were consistent with other controlled studies showing reductions in cardiovascular risk factors, improved markers of heart disease, and reduced mortality rates among participants in the Transcendental Meditation program.
The new meta-analysis was conducted by researchers at the NIH-funded Institute of Natural Medicine and Prevention at Maharishi University of Management and the University of Kentucky College of Medicine.
According to Dr. James Anderson, professor of medicine at the University of Kentucky and co-author of the new meta-analysis, the findings of the new review rebut a July 2007 report sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the NIH-National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, which concluded that most research on meditation is low quality and found little evidence that any specific stress reduction effectively lowers blood pressure. The new meta-analysis identified all high quality meditation studies published through 2006 and rigorously analyzed their effects, which the previous government report failed to do.
Anderson said the new meta-analysis includes only high quality studies on all available stress reduction interventions. The studies on Transcendental Meditation were conducted at five independent universities and medical institutions, and the majority of them were funded by competitive grants from the National Institutes of Health.
"The magnitude of the changes in blood pressure with the Transcendental Meditation technique are at least as great as the changes found with major changes in diet or exercise that doctors often recommend," Anderson said. "Yet the Transcendental Meditation technique does not require changes in lifestyle. Thus many patients with mild hypertension or prehypertension may be able to avoid the need to take blood pressure medications--all of which have adverse side effects. Individuals with more severe forms of hypertension may be able to reduce the number or dosages of their BP medications under the guidance of their doctor."
Anderson added that long-term changes in blood pressure of this magnitude are associated with at least a 15 percent reduction in rates of heart attack and stroke. "This is important to everyone because cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the U.S. and worldwide," Anderson said.
The study's biostatistician, Maxwell Rainforth, assistant professor of Physiology and Health Statistics at Maharishi University of Management, said the meta-analysis used state-of-the-art statistical methods to review 107 published studies in the field of stress reduction, relaxation and blood pressure. "The twenty-three separate studies included in the final analysis met well-known criteria for high scientific quality. That is, these studies used repeated blood pressure measurements and participants were randomized to either a stress reduction technique or placebo-type control for at least eight weeks. The data we used are all published in peer-reviewed scientific journals," Rainforth said.
According to Dr. Robert Schneider, director of the Institute of Natural Medicine and Prevention and co-author, this rigorously conducted meta-analysis indicates that the Transcendental Meditation program is distinctively effective compared to other scientifically studied techniques in lowering high blood pressure.
"For those 100 million Americans with elevated blood pressure, here is a scientifically documented, yet simple and easy way to lower blood pressure without drugs and harmful side effects. In addition, related studies show an integrated set of positive 'side benefits,' such as reduced stress, reduced heart disease levels and longer lifespan with this technique to restore balance in the cardiovascular system, mind and body," Schneider said.
In striving to become a Top 20 public research institution, the University of Kentucky is a catalyst for a new Commonwealth - a Kentucky that is healthier, better educated, and positioned to compete in a global and changing economy. For more information about UK's efforts to become a Top 20 university, please go to uky/OPBPA/Top20.html
The Transcendental Meditation technique produces a statistically significant reduction in high blood pressure that is not found with other forms of relaxation, meditation, biofeedback or stress management.
The new meta-analysis reviewed randomized, controlled trials of all stress reduction and relaxation methods in participants with high blood pressure that have been published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
Blood pressure changes for the Transcendental Meditation technique included average reductions of 5.0 points on systolic blood pressure and 2.8 on diastolic blood pressure, which were statistically significant, according to the review. The other stress reduction programs did not show significant changes in blood pressure.
Blood pressure changes associated with Transcendental Meditation practice were consistent with other controlled studies showing reductions in cardiovascular risk factors, improved markers of heart disease, and reduced mortality rates among participants in the Transcendental Meditation program.
The new meta-analysis was conducted by researchers at the NIH-funded Institute of Natural Medicine and Prevention at Maharishi University of Management and the University of Kentucky College of Medicine.
According to Dr. James Anderson, professor of medicine at the University of Kentucky and co-author of the new meta-analysis, the findings of the new review rebut a July 2007 report sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the NIH-National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, which concluded that most research on meditation is low quality and found little evidence that any specific stress reduction effectively lowers blood pressure. The new meta-analysis identified all high quality meditation studies published through 2006 and rigorously analyzed their effects, which the previous government report failed to do.
Anderson said the new meta-analysis includes only high quality studies on all available stress reduction interventions. The studies on Transcendental Meditation were conducted at five independent universities and medical institutions, and the majority of them were funded by competitive grants from the National Institutes of Health.
"The magnitude of the changes in blood pressure with the Transcendental Meditation technique are at least as great as the changes found with major changes in diet or exercise that doctors often recommend," Anderson said. "Yet the Transcendental Meditation technique does not require changes in lifestyle. Thus many patients with mild hypertension or prehypertension may be able to avoid the need to take blood pressure medications--all of which have adverse side effects. Individuals with more severe forms of hypertension may be able to reduce the number or dosages of their BP medications under the guidance of their doctor."
Anderson added that long-term changes in blood pressure of this magnitude are associated with at least a 15 percent reduction in rates of heart attack and stroke. "This is important to everyone because cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the U.S. and worldwide," Anderson said.
The study's biostatistician, Maxwell Rainforth, assistant professor of Physiology and Health Statistics at Maharishi University of Management, said the meta-analysis used state-of-the-art statistical methods to review 107 published studies in the field of stress reduction, relaxation and blood pressure. "The twenty-three separate studies included in the final analysis met well-known criteria for high scientific quality. That is, these studies used repeated blood pressure measurements and participants were randomized to either a stress reduction technique or placebo-type control for at least eight weeks. The data we used are all published in peer-reviewed scientific journals," Rainforth said.
According to Dr. Robert Schneider, director of the Institute of Natural Medicine and Prevention and co-author, this rigorously conducted meta-analysis indicates that the Transcendental Meditation program is distinctively effective compared to other scientifically studied techniques in lowering high blood pressure.
"For those 100 million Americans with elevated blood pressure, here is a scientifically documented, yet simple and easy way to lower blood pressure without drugs and harmful side effects. In addition, related studies show an integrated set of positive 'side benefits,' such as reduced stress, reduced heart disease levels and longer lifespan with this technique to restore balance in the cardiovascular system, mind and body," Schneider said.
In striving to become a Top 20 public research institution, the University of Kentucky is a catalyst for a new Commonwealth - a Kentucky that is healthier, better educated, and positioned to compete in a global and changing economy. For more information about UK's efforts to become a Top 20 university, please go to uky/OPBPA/Top20.html
среда, 3 августа 2011 г.
Illegal Dietary Supplements Seized, USA
At the request of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the US Attorney's Office for the Western District
of Pennsylvania filed a Complaint for Forfeiture against $13,500 worth of adulterated and misbranded dietary supplement
containing ephedrine alkaloids that were located at ATF Fitness Products, Inc. (ATF) in Oakmont, PA. The U.S. Marshals seized
the products in response to a warrant issued by the court.
The products seized include SciFit Procut lots 18822, 16312, 16918, 16834, and 19023 and Thermogen II lot 18981 in an
assortment of cases and bottles valued at $13,500.
The seizure follows an FDA investigation that determined the products either contained prohibited ephedrine alkaloids or
claimed to contain ephedrine or ephedrine alkaloids but did not.
Under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, FDA may remove a dietary supplement from the market if it presents a significant or
unreasonable risk of illness or injury when used according to its labeling or under ordinary conditions of use, if no
conditions of use are suggested or recommended in the labeling. On February 11, 2004, FDA made such a finding for dietary
supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids. On April 12, 2004, FDA's final rule prohibiting the sale of dietary supplements
containing ephedrine alkaloids went into effect. Prior to the final rule, the agency notified firms manufacturing and
marketing dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids of its intent to issue a final rule prohibiting their sale.
The Act also prohibits firms from marketing dietary supplements that contain label information that is false or misleading
such as claiming to contain ingredients that are not actually present. Under the Act, FDA may remove such products from the
market because they are misbranded.
FDA is committed to promoting and protecting the public health by taking action against unsafe products and products that
make false and misleading claims.
Media Inquiries: 301-827-6242
Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA
This is a press release from the FDA
of Pennsylvania filed a Complaint for Forfeiture against $13,500 worth of adulterated and misbranded dietary supplement
containing ephedrine alkaloids that were located at ATF Fitness Products, Inc. (ATF) in Oakmont, PA. The U.S. Marshals seized
the products in response to a warrant issued by the court.
The products seized include SciFit Procut lots 18822, 16312, 16918, 16834, and 19023 and Thermogen II lot 18981 in an
assortment of cases and bottles valued at $13,500.
The seizure follows an FDA investigation that determined the products either contained prohibited ephedrine alkaloids or
claimed to contain ephedrine or ephedrine alkaloids but did not.
Under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, FDA may remove a dietary supplement from the market if it presents a significant or
unreasonable risk of illness or injury when used according to its labeling or under ordinary conditions of use, if no
conditions of use are suggested or recommended in the labeling. On February 11, 2004, FDA made such a finding for dietary
supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids. On April 12, 2004, FDA's final rule prohibiting the sale of dietary supplements
containing ephedrine alkaloids went into effect. Prior to the final rule, the agency notified firms manufacturing and
marketing dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids of its intent to issue a final rule prohibiting their sale.
The Act also prohibits firms from marketing dietary supplements that contain label information that is false or misleading
such as claiming to contain ingredients that are not actually present. Under the Act, FDA may remove such products from the
market because they are misbranded.
FDA is committed to promoting and protecting the public health by taking action against unsafe products and products that
make false and misleading claims.
Media Inquiries: 301-827-6242
Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA
This is a press release from the FDA
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