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People with restless legs
syndrome are likely to have a stroke or heart disease
CHICAGO, Deember 31, 2007: (Reuters) - People with restless legs syndrome or RLS are twice as likely to have a stroke or heart disease and those
with the most severe symptoms are at greatest risk, U.S. researchers said on
Monday. "The association of RLS with heart disease and stroke was strongest in those
people who had RLS symptoms at least 16 times per month," Dr. John Winkelman, a
sleep researcher at Harvard Medical School and Brigham & Women's Hospital in
Boston, said in a statement. "There was also an increased risk among people who said their RLS symptoms were
severe compared to those with less bothersome symptoms," said Winkelman, whose
study appeared in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of
Neurology.
Restless legs syndrome is marked by a strong, irresistible urge to move the legs
that is often associated with an itching, tugging or gnawing feeling. These
symptoms tend to worsen when resting, causing difficulty in falling or staying
asleep. About 5 percent to 10 percent of adults have the condition, and some 80
percent of sufferers move their legs periodically during sleep.
Winkelman and colleagues studied 3,433 men and women enrolled in a sleep study
with an average age of 68. Of the participants, nearly 7 percent of women and 3
percent of men had restless legs syndrome, based on a detailed questionnaire.
The researchers found that people with restless legs syndrome were more than
twice as likely to have heart disease or stroke. This finding remained even
after adjusting for several factors, including obesity, diabetes, high blood
pressure, high cholesterol levels and smoking. The study does not show that restless legs syndrome causes heart disease or
stroke. But Winkelman said the periodic leg movements associated with the
condition could be a contributing factor. "Most people with RLS have as many as 200 to 300 periodic leg movements per
night of sleep and these leg movements are associated with substantial acute
increases in both blood pressure and heart rate, which may, over the long term,
produce cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease," Winkelman said.
Drug-resistant TB infecting HIV+ in India
NEW DELHI, December
26, 2007: Extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB), the untreatable form, has now started to infect India's HIV patients. A study conducted by AIIMS's clinical microbiology
department has revealed shocking results, over 33% of those enrolled for the study, with both HIV and TB, were found to be suffering from XDR-TB. What's worse, all the patients with
XDR-TB died within three months of diagnosis.
The study conducted by a three member team, headed by Dr Sarman Singh, head of the department of lab medicine, has been reported in the November issue of the international journal 'AIDS'. According to Dr Singh, XDR-TB is a grave public health threat. "Officials of India's TB Control Programme must stop denying that
XDR-TB exists in India," he said. The study comes months after researchers from Hinduja National Hospital in Mumbai first found XDR-TB in 8% of all TB patients. The team had examined 3,904 lab samples and found 1,274 were positive for TB. Of these, 32% were multiple drug resistance
(MDR-TB), of which 8% were XDR-TB cases. Mortality rate of XDR-TB patients in the study was as high as 42%.
XDR-TB cases are those MDR-TB sufferers who are resistant to all known TB medicines. This occurs when a physician does not prescribe a proper treatment
regimen or when a patient, who is already suffering from MDR-TB, does not complete his lengthy therapy. |
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Chloroquine is no more effective against Malaria
New Delhi, December
20, 2007: The most common and cheap anti-malarial drug available in India, Chloroquine, is no more effective in most of the districts in
Orissa. Health department has noticed up to 90 percent discrepancy to the drugs in the state, as a result the health authority of the state is planning to phase out the drug in 2008. According to the state health department, most of the districts in Orissa have signs of resistance of the drug against the disease and hence it has become very necessary to come up with some other second line drugs like Artesunate, Artemether and
Mefloquine.
Transmitted by the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes the disease is caused by one of the four species of Plasmodium: P.
falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, and P. malariae. However, Plasmodium
falciparum, the cause of the highest number of death has shown stiff resistance. Commonly known as ‘brain malaria’ the P. falciparum now showed a major health danger that forced health researchers in recommending well-matched anti-malaria drugs pair at least to effectively delay the resistance.
Though Quinine was discovered as the first effective treatment against malaria caused by
falciparum, in the second half of the 20 th century there was a
constant need for a substitute i.e. proved to be more effective and hence the drug Chloroquine got discovered. However, extensive use and the cause of multiple mutation or genetic reconstruction may be some of the causes of the rising resistance. Now government has to encourage further research in understanding the resistance mechanism with the role of
immunity in the therapeutic outcome that can help in developing a better low cost and reliable drug to replace Chloroquine or to
improve the efficacy of the present drugs.
source: NI WireViews |
Malaria is transmitted by the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes the disease is caused by one of the four species of Plasmodium: P.
falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, and P.
malariae. |
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INDIAN PHARMACOPOEIA 2007 RELEASED
December 18, 2007: The Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP) 2007 was released by the Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss today. Besides the Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare,
Smt. Panabaka Lakshmi and Dr Nitya Anand, Chairman, Scientific Body, Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC), the other members of the IPC were also present at the occasion. Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said that the Indian Pharmacopoeia is published in
fulfillment of the requirements in accordance with the Drugs and Cosmetic Rules, 1945 for the standards of drugs manufactured and marketed in India. The standards given in this pharmacopoeia are authoritative, legally enforceable and intended to help in the inspection and licensing of manufacturing and distribution of drugs and pharmaceuticals.
The Minister said that the recently formed Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) under the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Government of India, has been able to complete the cumbersome task of Indian
Pharmacopoeia 2007 with the untiring efforts of the expert members of the Scientific Body, CIPL staff and various other professionals and organizations. After independence, the Indian Pharmacopoeia 2007 is the 5th edition subsequent to Indian Pharmacopoeia 1996 and its Addenda 2000, 2002, 2005 and the
Veterinary Products Supplement in 2002. As there had been rapid changes in the standards of drug and pharmaceuticals all over the world and to keep pace with the regulatory requirements, and in the wake of formation of Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission it was desired by one and all stakeholders to bring the new edition of the Indian Pharmacopoeia at the earliest. He further said that the pharmacopoeial standards included in IP 2007 have been encouraged to adhere to the concept of harmonization with those used internationally as well as the technological status for manufacture and analysis of drugs and
pharmaceuticals in different section of the industry without compromising with the quality of products. The publication has been considerably revised and improved by introducing advanced technology and
experimental methods widely adopted in India and abroad.
The Minister said IP 2007 drug standards will come into effect from 1st April 2007.
Soure: PIB Press Release
India has the highest number of Tuberculosis (TB) cases in the world
New Delhi, December 14,
2007: Inaugurating the National Conference on Tuberculosis and Chest Diseases today, the Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss said that India has the highest number of Tuberculosis (TB) cases in the world and significant progress has been made in
controlling as well as treatment of the disease, since the beginning of the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) in 1997. The RNTCP has now completed over nine years of its
implementation. The treatment success of new infectious TB cases under the RNTCP has consistently exceeded the global benchmark of 85%. He added that the whole world is looking towards India to learn
about such a successful and rapid expansion of TB control programme in the form of DOTS. Besides Dr.
R.K. Srivastava, DGHS, Government of India, President and members of Tuberculosis Association of India (TAI) were also present at the meeting.
Source: PTI
Encephalitis Strain Kills 484 India Kids
LUCKNOW, December 06, 2007: An outbreak of a mystery strain of encephalitis has
killed nearly 500 children in northern India this year and seems to be getting
worse, doctors said Thursday.Doctors in Uttar Pradesh state, the center of the outbreak, have been unable
to identify the strain of the disease, which has affected only children, killing
484 of them since the beginning of the year, said state Health Minister Anant
Kumar Mishra. And the outbreak is spreading quickly, doctors said.
"There has been a sudden spurt in encephalitis cases over the last month.
Over 100 children have died and encephalitis cases are pouring in from eastern
parts of the state," said Dr. Akhilesh Srivastava, a senior government
doctor.
Outbreaks of mosquito-borne encephalitis are common in Uttar Pradesh, a state
of 180 million people where most public health facilities are out of reach for
the overwhelmingly poor population. A recent vaccination campaign against Japanese encephalitis was a success
with only a few fatalities reported this year, down from more than 1,400 in
2005. But doctors have not been able to identify the new strain.
"Directives have been issued asking doctors and scientists to identify the
encephalitis strain at the earliest," said Mishra. The problem has been made worse because many people delay bringing their
children to hospitals or seek traditional treatment first, said
Srivastava. "We cannot do anything if children come to us at the last minute," he
said.
Source: AP
Magnetic
pulses to brain can treat depression
Chicago, November 23, 2007: Stimulating the brain with rapid
bursts of magnetic energy is safe and effectively treatment for
major depression, a new large scale study has found. The finding
offers a ray of hope of 20 to 40% of patients who do not
respond to antide- presents and psychotherapy and to those who do
not wish to trust their illness with drugs.
"This study provides a new support for the efficiency
of TMS (Tran cranial magnetic stimulation) as a 'stand alone'
treatment for depression," said John Kryastal, editor of
"Biological Psychiatry' which will publish the study on
December 1, 2007.
Urine can
check high blood pressure
New Delhi, November 10, 2007: Urine is the nitrogenous waste from body and is a primary method to excrete toxins from the body part. The study conducted by the Cornell and the Boyce Thompson Institute, Frank Schroeder, an assistant Scientist at
BTI, developed a new technique for analysing complex mixtures of small molecules, making it possible to finally identify the hormone.
In Ayurveda, Urine is known for its medicinal properties from antiseptic to other holistic treatment but recently a study has identified a hormone from urine called
Xanthurenic-acid derivative which may help to flush sodium out of the body and could help to develop an effective and safe treatment for high blood pressure. Through the NMR spectroscopy one can determine the structures and analyse unknown
chemicals. Schroeder was in opinion that the newly discovered molecule was structurally more similar to dopamine and
serotonin; the amino acid derived neurotransmitters and therefore might also play other roles in the body. The study is published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in its current issue of November.
Vitamin D cuts colon cancer death
risk
WASHINGTON, October 31, 2007 (Reuters):
People with higher vitamin D levels are less likely to die of colorectal cancer,
US researchers says, but the vitamin does not appear to affect the chances of dying from any other type of cancer.
A number of studies have found protective effects from higher intake of vitamin
D for cancer and other ailments.
A team led by U.S. National Cancer Institute epidemiologist Michal Freedman
sought to determine whether vitamin D can reduce a person's chances of dying
from various cancer types.The researchers tracked 16,818 people who joined a nationwide U.S. government
health survey between 1988 and 1994, following them through 2000. Among them,
536 died of cancer. The participants provided blood samples that the researchers used to determine
the level of vitamin D in their blood. People with higher levels of vitamin D when they
entered the study had about a 72 percent reduced risk of dying from colorectal cancer compared to those with
the lowest levels of vitamin D, the researchers reported in the Journal of the
National Cancer Institute.
The body makes vitamin D when skin is exposed to sunlight. Not many foods are
naturally rich in it. It is found in fatty fish such as salmon and milk commonly
is fortified with it. The researchers saw no link between vitamin D levels and the overall risk of
dying from cancer, including lung, prostate, breast, non-Hodgkin lymphoma and
leukemia. |
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Union Health and Family Welfare Minister
Ramadoss favours yoga in schools
New Delhi, October 27, 2007 (PTI): Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Anbumani Ramadoss on Friday favoured making yoga compulsory in schools. India is moving from the prevalence of communicable to non-communicable diseases, Ramadoss said inaugurating 'Arogya', a fair of alternative systems of
medicine.
To help people cope with changing lifestyles, alternative medicinal systems need to be propagated, he said adding "Yoga should be made compulsory in schools". Ramadoss said that the government was taking steps to discourage youth from using tobacco like growing alternative plants in tobacco plantations. "We are trying to grow alternative medicinal plants in place of tobacco," he said. |
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Deadly brain fever is stalking eastern Uttar
Pradesh
GORAKHPUR, October 26, 2007: A new and deadly brain fever is stalking eastern Uttar
Pradesh. Since January this year, it has affected more than 1,450 people of which 320 have died. The outbreak refuses
to recede since peaking in the monsoon season, with 250 deaths having taken place since August.
A new form of encephalitis is caused by an entero virus transmitted through water and food contaminated with faeces rather than through mosquitoes.
This virus - being referred to as acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) - can affect any system.
"AES can hit the heart, kidney, liver, lungs, the GI tract or the brain. The system that is affected differs from case to case,"
said Dr A K Rathi, head of the department of paediatrics at Gorakhpur's Baba Raghav Das Medical
College. Children have been the worst victims accounting for 237 of the deaths so far. "The new entero virus is like a sister virus of polio with the same route of transmission. Water supply and sanitation will be the key in controlling this disease," he added.
AES demands good personal and community hygiene. The virus lives in the digestive tract and spreads when faecal matter of an infected person gets mixed with water and food. There's no vaccine against
AES.
The worst affected are areas surrounding Gorakhpur, including the districts of Maharajganj, Kushinagar, Sant Kabir Nagar, Siddarth Nagar and Azamgarh. Patients are also pouring in from adjoining districts of Bihar — West Champaran, Siwan and
Gopalganj. Dr Rathi said children's low immunity made them very
susceptible to the disease. "Most patients are between 6 months to 10 years of age, though some older children too have been infected."
Cold, Cough Medicines Shouldn't Be Taken by Children Less
Than 6 Years Old
WASHINGTON October
23, 2007 (AP) The medicines long used by parents to treat their children's coughs and
colds don't work and shouldn't be used in those younger than 6, federal health
advisers recommended. The recommendation applies to medicines containing one or more of the following ingredients:
decongestants, antihistamines and antitussives. It doesn't apply to expectorants, though many of the medicines also contain that ingredient.
Whole-grain cereals to avoid heart disease and stroke
New York, October 23,2007(PTI): Add whole-grain cereals in your breakfast if you want to avoid heart disease and stroke. Researchers in the United States have carried out a study and found that regular consumption of whole-grain breakfast cereal lowers the risk of heart failure in the long run. "Our recommendation is that a lay person consuming breakfast cereal should look at fibre. At least four grams of fibre (per serving), that should be sufficient," according to lead researcher Luc
Djousse. In fact, Djousse and his co-researchers at the Harvard Medical School came to the conclusion after analysing data from from the Physicians' Health Study, which included more than 21,400 male doctors followed for 18 years. During the follow-up period, 898 of the doctors were
diagnosed with heart failure.
Compared to those who ate no whole-grain cereal, men who consumed two to six
servings per week saw their risk of heart failure fall by 21 per cent, while those who ate seven or more servings per week reaped a 29 per cent risk reduction.
"The Physicians' Health Study shows that even in a population with overall healthy behaviour, it is possible to see less heart failure in those who eat a whole-grain cereal breakfast," Djousse said. "This effect is due, in part, to the high levels of magnesium, potassium and fibre in those breakfast cereals. While the study included only men, there is no reason at all why the results shouldn't apply to women," he said. The findings have been reported in the latest issue of the 'Archives of Internal Medicine' journal. |
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Malaria vaccine kindles hope
NEW DELHI, October 19,
2007: The world’s first effective vaccine to protect children against malaria could become a reality by 2011. Scientists on Wednesday announced that trials of a new malaria vaccine,
RTSS/AS02, had successfully cut the risk of infection in African children.
For children in the 1-4 age group, the most vulnerable group, the vaccine not only lowered the chances of infection by 65% over three months but also reduced episodes of clinical malaria by 35% in six months. It was also found to be safe. The children received the full course of three shots.
Scientists have been on the lookout for a malaria vaccine since the 1970s but no vaccine has demonstrated a protection rate of more than 35%. Meanwhile, malaria continues to ravage nations and rob children of their lives. Annually, malaria affects half a billion people across the world, killing 2-3 million people. A child is killed every 30 seconds around the world.
In India, five lakh people are affected on average and over 1,000 die of malaria. Last year, 18 lakh people across India had malaria. |
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An orange a day
checks ageing of skin
October, 11, 2007: Ageing of the skin was defined as having a wrinkled appearance, senile dryness and skin
atrophy and an orange a day may actually keep your wrinkles away. A study has revealed that regular intake of foods rich in Vitamin C helps prevent ageing of skin. Vitamin C, also know as ascorbic acid, is found in a wide variety of fruit and vegetables. Good sources include peppers, broccoli, brussels sprouts, oranges, kiwi fruit, strawberries, tomatoes, leafy greens, papaya, mango, watermelon, cauliflower, cabbage, raspberries and pineapples.
British scientists examined links between nutrient intake and skin ageing in 4,025 women aged 40-74 years using data from the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The study by nutritional epidemiologist Maeve C Cosgrove and other researchers found that those who ate plenty of Vitamin C-rich foods had fewer wrinkles than people whose diets contained little of the vitamin. "Vitamin C is an antioxidant that has been shown to play a role in the synthesis of collagen, the protein that helps keep skin elastic.
Vitamin C, a water-soluble vitamin, is important in forming collagen, a protein that gives structure to bones, cartilage, muscle, and blood vessels.
"This is one of the first studies to examine the impact of nutrients from foods rather than supplements on skin ageing.
High-Carbonate
diet is good for you
October 8, 2007: Researcher at
University of Virginia in the US have carried out a study and found
that people who consume diet rich in starch and sugar tend to be slimmer
and healthier. " It is totally contrary to current nutritional
thinking, carbohydrates are not fattening. In fact, just the
opposite. Carbohydrate play an important role in a balanced diet,
providing fibre, vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants." said
lead researcher Professor Glenn Gasser. |
An orange a day keeps wrinkles away.
Orange is Vitamin C helps prevent ageing of skin. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that has been shown to play a role in the synthesis of collagen, the protein that helps keep skin elastic. |
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Take care of your health-
Sunita Williams
NEW DELHI, October 03,
2007: Study a lot of maths and science and take care of your health, was American-Indian astronaut Sunita
Williams' message to numerous children and school students who aspire to be astronauts. Addressing a public lecture here, the
42-year -old astronaut, who spent a record 195 days on-board the International Space Nation, said her life was not at all perfect but she did things with dedication.
"You have to look at things in a different way. My life was not at all perfect, it had a lot of ups and downs," Sunita said as she fielded questions from the young and the old alike at the India Habitat Centre here on Wednesday evening. School children and representatives of NGOs rushed towards the stage to hand over mementos to Sunita before shooting questions at her.
"Study a lot of maths and science. Of course, English is important but you will not have a problem. Take care of your
health. Do not take it for granted," was the astronaut's reply. |
American-Indian astronaut Sunita
Williams. |
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Eat (Less) to Live (Longer)
Scientific American, September 22, 2007:
Now a new study begins to unravel the mystery and the mechanism by which
reducing food intake protects cells against aging and age- related diseases.
Researchers report in the journal Cell that the phenomenon is likely linked to
two enzymes—SIRT3 and SIRT4—in mitochondria (the cell's powerhouse that, among
other tasks, converts nutrients to energy). They found that a cascade of
reactions triggered by lower caloric intake raises the levels of these enzymes,
leading to an increase in the strength and efficiency of the cellular batteries.
By invigorating the mitochondria, SIRT3 and SIRT4 extend the life of cells, by
preventing flagging mitochondria from developing tiny holes (or pores) in their
membranes that allow proteins that trigger apoptosis, or cell death, to seep out
into the rest of the cell.
In 2003 Sinclair's lab published a paper in Nature that described the discovery
of a gene that switched on in the yeast cell in response to calorie restriction,
which Sinclair calls a "master regulator in aging." Since then, his team has
been searching for an analogous gene that plays a similar role in the mammalian
cell. |
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Study finds high amount of lead in household paints
NEW DELHI, September 13, 2007: A study has found high amount of dangerous lead in household paint samples picked from metros like Delhi and
Mumbai. Lead is added to paint to make it durable. Eventually it poisons the air inside
the house and also the soil around, says a new study. “Globally, paints are a
known source of exposure to this killer (lead). Tests conducted on the samples showed an alarming levels of lead in enamel paints (with a gloss finish). The findings were similar for most of the paints available in the market, says the study titled "A brush With toxics: an investigation on lead in household paints in India", conducted by Toxic Links, an NGO.
It had picked a wide range of paint samples which were tested at Galson Laboratories, New York. "Of 31 enamel paint samples analysed for lead concentration, 83.87 per cent had more than 600 parts per million (ppm) of lead," Abhay Kumar, who has conducted the study, said. "High concentration of lead in enamel paints is the most worrying part of the whole issue of lead in paints. Except for one brand, all others had multiple samples that contained high concentration of lead, exceeding the Indian standard of 1000 ppm (0.1 per cent) and the US standard of 600 ppm," he added. The results also indicated that most enamel paint samples had lead concentration ranging from two per cent to 14 per
cent, he said.
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Painted floor
Lead is added to paint to make it durable.
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Health for Wealth
September
07, 2007 : A World Bank report on its health schemes in India identified projects worth $2 billion as being corruption-ridden. These programmes concern malaria, tuberculosis and reproductive and child health, three of the most critical areas in terms of the number of people affected or lives lost. It's shocking. Every year, 400,000 people in India die of TB. For India's growth and democratic dividend to have any
meaning, the government must step up funds for health, focus on delivery systems and, importantly, invite the private sector to invest in health. With the country growing at 9 per cent and the tax to GDP ratio improving in recent years, the time is ripe to effect a policy shift.
For a nation on the move, its basic health indicators are grim. Life expectancy at birth, at 64 years, is more or less on a par with Pakistan and Bangladesh, while Sri Lankans and Chinese can expect to live till they are 74. Infant mortality is 54 per 1,000 live births, against 23 and 19 in the case of China and Sri Lanka, respectively. India's maternal mortality rate, at 301 per 100,000 live births, is terrible when compared to 92 in the case of Sri Lanka. The National Family Health Survey-3 tells us that 46 per cent of young children in India are underweight, compared to 6 per cent in China and 31 per cent in Pakistan. An Indian cannot be expected to be healthy after 54, whereas an average Chinese is healthy till he turns 65. And to think that corrupt individuals are making matters even worse!
Centre and state spending on health accounts for just 1.39 per cent of gross domestic product, or about Rs 57,000 crore. In contrast, education gets a better deal, with Centre and state spending accounting for 2.87 per cent of GDP.
Prenatal and post-natal programmes as well as the nutritional needs of children below five deserve special emphasis. As the World Bank points out, more funds alone will not do the trick. The
government should improve delivery systems as it has done in the case of education and recast its budget to concentrate on a clutch of key areas, while leaving the rest to private enterprise.
Source: The Times of India
Cholera death toll in
Orissa
Bhubaneswar, August 29, 2007: The death toll from an outbreak of cholera in the eastern Indian state of Orissa has risen to 115, officials say. Thirty-five people have died of the disease in three tribal districts in the past two days, they added.
The outbreak has affected Rayagada, Koraput and Kalahandi districts where more than 2,000 people have been admitted to hospitals, officials say. Doctors say contaminated food and water are to blame for the epidemic. Unofficial sources say the death toll could be higher than 200.
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Neem toothpaste unsafe: Health Canada
TORONTO, August 26, 2007: Canadian health department has advised people against using a Neem toothpaste from India, claiming that it
contains high levels of harmful bacteria apart from a chemical found in antifreeze which was discovered earlier. Neem Active Toothpaste with Calcium, made by Calcutta Chemical Co. Ltd. in India, should not be used, Health Canada warned.
It claimed that ingesting the product could trigger fever, urinary tract infections and gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain. The health department warning noted that while
toothpaste is not meant to be swallowed, young children often do so while brushing their teeth. Children and people with weakened immune systems would be at the highest risk of negative side-effects from using the toothpaste, Health Canada said, adding that Neem Active Toothpaste is not approved for sale in Canada.
"Infants, children and vulnerable populations such as patients hospitalised for severe underlying diseases or with compromised immune systems are more sensitive to these effects. Severe vomiting and
diarrhoea could lead to potentially life-threatening dehydration," it said in a press release. Late last month, Health Canada warned Canadians not to use the toothpaste because it alleged that the product had been found to contain unacceptable levels of diethylene glycol or DEG, used in the making of antifreeze. "Further to the Health Canada warning issued July 26, 2007, further testing on Neem Active Toothpaste with Calcium, manufactured by Calcutta Chemical Co. Ltd in India, has revealed that in addition to unacceptable levels of diethylene glycol (DEG), the product also contains high levels of harmful bacteria," Health Canada's press release said.
"This poses additional significant health risks, especially to children and individuals with compromised immune systems." Fluoride-containing toothpastes that have been approved for sale in Canada will contain either an eight-digit Drug Identification Number (DIN) or a Natural Product Number
(NPN), it said.
Source: Economic Times |
Neem Active Toothpaste
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Coming soon, an anti-ageing injection
London, Aug 17, 2007 (IANS): A month after researchers pin pointed two proteins linked
to youth, an injection to erase the health problems associated with ageing is
near at hand. The injection manipulates a body's mitochondria, sausage-shaped 'powerhouses' in
every cell of the body except red blood cells. They turn the food we eat into
energy that can be used by the heart, muscles, brain and other parts of the
body. Research has suggested their deterioration is an important cause of
ageing, according to a report in New Scientist. Correcting genetic mutations in mitochondria can also help fight illnesses such
as diabetes, Parkinson's, stroke, Alzheimer's, heart disease and cancer. The
gradual build-up of the faulty genes over a lifetime is also thought to be an
important cause of ageing. But attempts to introduce normal genes into
mitochondria to replace defective ones have so far failed.
'It is not a panacea but, if successful, it might potentially correct part of
this age-associated damage to mitochondria which might be important in slowing
down ageing,' Professor Patrick Chinnery, a leading British expert on
mitochondrial disorders, was quoted as saying in Daily Mail. Mitochondria have their own DNA. If this is faulty a mitochondrial disease
occurs.
So far, researchers have been unable to transport genes across the mitochondrial
membrane into the mitochondria themselves. In their research, Marisol
Corral-Debrinski and colleagues at the Pierre and Marie Curie University in
Paris selected two mitochondrial gene mutations - one that causes muscle
weakness and another that causes blindness. They tagged normal versions of these
genes with two separate 'address codes' and inserted them into cells grown in a
lab. Both mutations were reversed. The experiments would now be conducted on rats, and eventually humans may get
the 'elixir of life'.
In a recent trial reported in the Lancet, injections of genes into the brain
significantly helped relieve the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. About one in 5,000 children and adults are at risk of developing a
mitochondrial disease, which include disorders of the nervous system and blindness.
Source: Yahoo! India News
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Dengue
hits back in Kolkata
KOLKATA, August, 9, 2007: Dengue has
returned and this time in a lethal form. Apart from chikungunya, the
Indian Council of Medical Research's virology laboratory on Thursday
confirmed three dengue cases, all one of them reportedly hemorrhagic,
in the city. ICMR has conveyed the report to the public health
and communicable disease wing of the state directorate of
health services at Swasthya Bhavan.
The symptoms of hemorrhagic dengue are higher fever, and body
ache. The skin also gets reddish or coppery brown. Haemorrhagic
patients often urinate blood. Doctors treat such cases with
paracetamol, antibiotics, IV fluids and transfusion of platelet
concentrate. |
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Pumpkins may make insulin history
July 11, 2007: A new study by boffins in China has given new hope to diabetics by finding that
compounds in pumpkin could potentially replace or at least drastically reduce
the daily insulin injections. Researchers led by Tao Xia of the East China Normal University, found that
diabetic rats fed the extract had only 5percent less plasma insulin and 8 per
cent fewer insulin-positive (beta) cells compared to normal healthy rats.
Xia now says that the pumpkin extract is a potential treatment for
pre- diabetics as well as diabetics that could help drastically reduce the amount of insulin
they need to take. “Pumpkin extract is potentially a very good product for
pre-diabetic persons, as well as those who have already developed diabetes,” he
said.
The protective effect of pumpkin is thought to be due to both antioxidants and
D- chiro- inositol, a molecule that mediates insulin activity. Boosting insulin levels has the effect of lowering blood sugar levels, which
reduces levels of oxidative oxygen species that damage beta-cell membranes,
preventing further damage and allowing for some regeneration. Beta cells levels in the diabetic rats are, however, unlikely ever to reach that
of controls, because some of the cells will have been damaged beyond repair.
The rats used in this study represent type I diabetes, but the researchers
believe the pumpkin extract may also play a role in type II diabetes. The
findings of the study are published in Chemistry & Industry, the magazine of the
SCI. Source: HT |
Pumpkin
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Air Pollution To Stroke Risk
June 26, 2007: American Stroke Association
in its study found that being outside on a summer day can sometimes be interrupted by nasty fumes from
car exhaust. This pollution not only smells bad, but it may also increase your risk of a
stroke. "Any people over 65 should avoid going outside or avoid car exhaust or emissions
from any sort of combustions of fossil fumes,” said Dr. David Honeycutt, the
co-director of Florida Hospital’s neuroscience unit.
That's because a new study from the American Heart Association linked air
pollution to an increased risk of stroke. “They looked at the different types of particles in air pollution and found the
smaller particles are the most hazardous part of the air pollution and can cause
stroke,” Honeycutt said. Other studies have linked particulate air pollution to heart death, but this is
the first study to link ultrafine particle pollution to stroke. “These smaller particles are thought to be able to go directly into the blood
stream through the lungs and they cause inflammation in the blood vessels and in
the blood itself that increases the risk of stroke,” Honeycutt said.
The study, which was done in Finland, only found an increase stroke risk during
the summer months. Researchers said that's probably because more people are outside during that
time. |
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Turmeric or
haldi used as a Cancer tumour-fighting agent
May 15, 2007: In the laboratory of physician-researcher
Anirban Maitra, a tiny vial of liquid portrays the fusion of a 21st
century technology and traditional Indian medicine, brought together
by a common spice — turmeric or haldi. The liquid contains billions of
microscopic balls constructed out of a polymer-like material, each
loaded with a tiny amount of curcumin, the yellow ingredient of
turmeric. Each ball is a weapon designed to enter tumour cells
and initiate their destruction. Maitra, associate professor at the
John Hopkins University School of Medicine in the US, believes these
balls will allow curcumin to finally emerge as an effective
cancer-fighting agent.
In the past five years, dozens of studies in India and abroad have
established the efficacy of curcumin as a potential treatment for a
number of cancers simulated in the laboratory. Some studies have also
demonstrated the beneficial effects of curcumin in a number of
non-cancerous conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and cystic
fibrosis. |
Turmeric or Haldi |
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Asthma
May 06, 2007: The bitter truth about Asthma:
300 million affected worldwide, 255,000 died of Asthma in 2005, 20
million affected in India, 5% children under 11 years have asthma in
India, 50% rate at which asthma cases have risen in the decade.
What tigers asthma: Expose to allergies (dust mites, pollen, animal
fur, feathers), irritants (fumes, cigarette smoke, chemicals),
obesity, a family history of asthma. Weather, emotional stress, some
medication and physical exercise can exacerbate conditions.
Low on salt
reduces risk of cardiac arrest and stroke
NEW DELHI: April 21, 2007 : Sticking to a diet low on
salt reduces risk of cardiac arrest and stroke by 25% and chances of
premature death by 20%. In the first-ever comprehensive investigation
undertaken to study the effects of salt on cardiovascular health,
researchers from the Harvard Medical School have now offered concrete
evidence that a diet rich on sodium increases risk of heart attack.
The 15-year study closely monitored participants (aged 30-54) from
two trials — 744 people who participated in the first trial of
hypertension prevention, that was completed in 1990, and 2,382 in the
second, which ended in 1995 — to analyse the connection between salt
and high blood pressure. Researchers, after questioning the volunteers
about their health in the present day, found that those who decreased
their salt intake were significantly less affected by heart disease or
stroke.
Lead researcher Dr Nancy Cook and colleagues at Brigham and Women's
Hospital said, "Consuming less salt can not only lower blood pressure,
but may reduce the risk of heart disease overall. Our study provides
unique evidence that sodium reduction might prevent cardiovascular
disease and should dispel any residual concern that sodium reduction
might be harmful."
The report said salt may affect artery and heart health by ways that go
beyond blood pressure. Sodium may make blood vessels less able to
expand and contract and may toughen heart cells, they said. It's a
very important study for Indians who gorge on namkeens and salty
snacks. The study also shows that by changing a simple habit, one can
decrease risk of CVD. People could lower the level of salt in their
diet by reducing the amount of processed food they eat and do their
heart a favour.
Source: TIMES NEWS NETWORK |
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Eat nuts to prevent asthma
April, 6, 2007:
Eating a healthy diet including plenty of fruits and nuts could help protect
children from respiratory allergies and asthma. This benefit is thought to be linked to the vitamins and antioxidants they
contain. Eating oranges, apples, tomatoes and grapes each day was shown to have
a protective effect against wheezing and allergic rhinitis, according to a study
in the international journal of respiratory medicine Thorax. Similarly, nuts are rich sources of vitamin E and those who eat them at least
thrice a week are less likely to wheeze. Vitamin E is the body's main
defense against cell damage caused by free radicals. Nuts also contain high levels of magnesium, which was earlier shown to protect
against asthma and boost lungpower.
The research, reported in the online edition of BBC News, found 80 per cent of
the children ate fresh fruit and over two-thirds of them fresh vegetables at
least twice a day. "The results of this study add to the existing evidence which indicates that a
healthy diet can play an important role in the control of asthma symptoms,"
Leanne Male, assistant director of research at Asthma UK, was quoted as saying.
Sources: HT |
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Orange
a day to keep heart disease at bay
London: March 27, 2007:
Orange and grapefruits contains chemicals that can keep arteries
healthy and prevent a heart attack, says a study that suggest that
eating at least one orange a day could keep cardiac disease away.
The citrus fruits contain the compounds flayanones that reduced
blood cholesterol level by 20-25% during a study on rats, the 'Daily
Mail' reported. Researchers at the Hebrew University in
Jerusalem reported that flavanones not only reduced levels of bad
LDL cholesterol but also increased the ratio of good HDL
cholesterol. |
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Cancer antidote in the attic
Aroul Ramadass and Alexandre Akoulitchev hope that intervention at the genetic level would offer a lasting solution to finding cancer
treatment drugs A scientist born in India and his colleagues at Oxford seem to have unearthed an antidote to cancer from the “junkyards” of the human genome.
Aroul Ramadass and his associates in Alexandre Akoulitchev’s lab at Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford , have discovered RNA (ribonucleic acid) that is capable of stopping the runaway proliferation of cells. The amazing control that this particular RNA — whose role was previously unknown — showed of genes involved in cell division may lead to tools that can prevent the growth of tumour cells, the scientists hope. Their findings were published on January 21 in the online edition of the journal, Nature.
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Magic
Pill for Heart Coming.
December 8, 2006
Hyderabad -based Dr Reddy's Laboratories have developed the world's
first 'polypill' that is expected to cut down the risk of heart disease
and stroke by 60 percent. The pink and white drug is combination of
four drugs - a cholesterol- lowering stain; two blood pressure
medicines, and blood-thinning aspirin - all of which are used to
independently treat cardiovascular disease and stroke. It is
in the final stages of clinical trials and expected to hit the
market in the third quarter of next year.
"The world is waiting for the polypill hat would reduce
all the risk factors of heart disease and stroke at once. We have
developed two formulation for secondary prevention - one for people
at risk of heart disease and another one for those at risk of
ischemic stroke," says Raghu Cidambi, advisor and coordinator
of the project at Dr Reddy's Laboratories.
Source - Hindusatan Times |
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New Technology to treat
brain stroke victims
New Delhi, December 7, 2006
Now treatment for brain stoke, the most common
life-threatening neurological disease, will become easier, quicker
and more precise. Max Institute of Neurosciences has
introduced a technology which helps in seeing live images of brain
while performing the surgery.
A fully integrated microsurgical operating theatre, including
'DynaCT' which enables the surgeon to view real-time images, will
also help in treating aneurysm (swelling in brain vessels leading to
bleedings) and spine ailments. The entire process helps Endovascular
Neurosurgeons and Interventional Neuroradiologists in making
immediate and precise decisions.
Source- Vidya Krishnan - Hindustan Times.
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What causes brain stroke?
It happens when a blood
vessel carrying oxygen to the brain is blocked due to which brain
nerve cells start dying. Once the brain cells die from the lack of
oxygen the part of the body controlled by the section of the brain
is affected through paralysis, loss of speech, motor skills or
vision.
Ischemic strokes
Such strokes are usually the result of ruptured blood vessel or an
aneurysm. |
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