Friday April 10, 2009

Scientists at National University report research in Alzheimer disease
NewsRx.com 04-09-09
According to recent research published in the journal Brain Research, "Lipoic acid (LA), an essential cofactor for mitochondrial enzymes and a natural antioxidant, has been explored for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. However, lipoic acid distribution in brain has not been investigated via oral dosing in human subjects or animals."
"Therefore, we aim to investigate the distribution of orally administered LA from systemic circulation into rat brain tissues and understand the transport efficiency of lipoic acid across the blood-brain barrier. Brain and blood samples were obtained from male Lister Hooded rats at pre-defined time points after single and chronic oral dosing of LA at 50 mg/kg. Levels of LA were determined using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. An equilibrium dialysis method was employed to elucidate LA protein binding in brain and blood tissues. Basal endogenous levels of LA in control rats were found to fluctuate between 0.005 and 0.267 mc M in blood and 0-0.024 mc M in brain after correction for residual blood volume. Pharmacokinetic profiling demonstrated rapid biphasic elimination of LA in blood and poor distribution into various brain regions with levels ranging from 0.0009 to 0.0072 mc M. The in vitro and in vivo LA brain:blood partition ratios were 0.1 and -0.01, respectively," wrote H.T. Chng and colleagues, National University (see also Alzheimer Disease).
The researchers concluded: "Our results demonstrate for the first time that LA does not cross the blood-brain barrier readily and suggest that the antioxidant effect of LA in brain may not be due to its direct effect in the central nervous system."
Chng and colleagues published their study in Brain Research (Distribution study of orally administered lipoic acid in rat brain tissues. Brain Research, 2009;1251():80-86).
For additional information, contact E.C.Y. Chan, Singapore National University, Faculty Science, Dept. of Pharmacy, 18 Science Dr. 4, Singapore 117543, Singapore.
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=8115&Section=Disease

South Florida-based dietitians give nutritional lowdown on five foods with folk-remedy roots
South Florida Sun-Sentinel  04-09-09
Apr. 8--We live in a place where we can learn a lot from our neighbors.
Within the mix of South Florida cultures, we often celebrate the same holidays, but with different traditions. And speak the same languages, but with different accents.
Every culture seems to believe in the power of chicken soup -- but an Argentine might also point to the restorative qualities of yerba mate, while someone from India might live by curry powder.
We asked two South Florida-based registered dietitians, Claudia Gonzalez and Ximena Jimenez, about five "multicultural" edibles you may have heard about. While both were glad to play along, they cautioned that there's not one single good or bad food.
Everything, they say, should be enjoyed in moderation.
Malta This carbonated malt beverage has been described as tasting like Guinness beer without the alcohol. Many Cubans and people with roots in the Caribbean call it the original energy drink.
Dietitian's take: While many brands of malta are fortified with Vitamin B, Gonzalez says, the beverage contains too much sugar to be a good source of energy.
Quinoa Peruvians and Bolivians in particular believe quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) to be a near-perfect food because it's an inexpensive source of protein that is prepared like rice. A staple of the ancient Incas, the bead-like grains are actually the fruit of an herb.
Dietitian's take: It is better than many other grains because ounce-for-ounce it contains more protein, Gonzalez says. Twice as much as white rice, for example, with none of the fat found in animal protein. It's also gluten-free and contains potassium, magnesium, calcium and iron.
Yerba mate This brew (pronounced mah-tay) is thought to help ward off fatigue, boost immunity and help with digestion. People with roots in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and other countries serve the dried leaves, steeped in hot water, in a special gourd with a metal straw.
Dietitian's take: There's caffeine in the plant, so it will help with fatigue. But no single study has found it to contain enough of any nutrient to make it a true immunity booster, Gonzalez says. She added that herbs in general are good for gastrointestinal functions.
Nopal cactus This fruit of the prickly pear cactus is not only plentiful and inexpensive, but many people from Mexico say it can control diabetes and cholesterol. Similar in taste to green beans, it's used in salads, soups and stews.
Dietitian's take: Not enough research has been done to prove its safety and effectiveness, but the fruit does contain fiber, which can help control blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol, Jimenez says. It also contains calcium, potassium and vitamins.
Curry powder Anyone who's eaten Indian food knows that curry powder is a staple of this cuisine. But some also consider it an antioxidant that can ward off Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.
Dietitian's take: Turmeric is the ingredient in curry powder that's thought to protect the brain from Alzheimer's, Jimenez says. While more studies need to be done, turmeric has been shown to reduce inflammation and therefore could be helpful.
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=8117&Section=Nutrition

Diet soda linked to higher diabetes risk
Last Updated: 2009-04-10 8:32:59 -0400 (Reuters Health)
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Middle-aged and older adults who drink diet soda everyday may have a heightened risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a new study suggests.
The study, of more than 5,000 U.S. adults, found that those who drank diet soda daily were 67 percent more likely than those who did not to develop type 2 diabetes over the next several years.
They also had higher odds of blood sugar elevations and weight gain around the middle, according to the researchers, led by Dr. Jennifer A. Nettleton of the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in Houston.
The findings, published in the journal Diabetes Care, add to those from previous studies linking diet soda consumption to metabolic syndrome -- a cluster of risk factors for diabetes and heart disease that includes abdominal obesity, high blood sugar and unhealthy cholesterol levels.
But it remains unclear whether diet soda, per se, is to blame.
One problem is that many people who choose diet drinks may already be overweight and have a less-than-healthy lifestyle.
In their study, Nettleton and her colleagues accounted for participants' self-reported diet habits, initial body weight, education and other health factors. And they found that the link between diet soda and diabetes risk remained.
In fact, diet-soda drinkers generally ate more whole grains, fruit and low-fat dairy, and less high-fat dairy, processed meat and refined grains than other study participants.
One theory is that artificially sweetened drinks and food may whet people's appetites for sweets, causing them to overindulge in high-sugar fare when given the chance. Whether that is the case, however, is unknown.
The current findings, note Nettleton and her colleagues, do not prove cause-and-effect, and further research is needed to understand why diet soda and diabetes are connected.
SOURCE: Diabetes Care, April 2009.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2009/04/10/eline/links/20090410elin016.html

Traumatic stress tied to patchy hair loss
Last Updated: 2009-04-10 8:33:21 -0400 (Reuters Health)
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Adults who suffer from a type of patchy hair loss that doctors refer to as "alopecia areata" are significantly more likely to have experienced traumatic life "events" in childhood or at any time in their life than adults without this condition, according to a study conducted in Belgium.
People with alopecia areata lose patches or clumps of their hair, and in some cases may lose all the hair on their head or body. Most people with the condition begin to lose their hair before the age of 20. The condition may improve on its own, it can get worse, or it may improve and then become worse again.
The new study suggests that early traumatic life events "could be one of the factors that increase the vulnerability for developing alopecia areata in later life," Dr. Ria Willemsen, of Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel told Reuters Health.
"The association of stress as a triggering factor, next to genes, is often assumed but still controversial," Willemsen added. Some studies have shown a higher incidence of stressful events 6 to 12 months before an outbreak of alopecia areata, while others have not shown this association.
Additional interest in the stress theory, Willemsen noted, has emerged recently because it has been scientifically proven by a group of German researchers that stress can lead to alopecia areata in mice.
In their study, Willemsen and colleagues asked 90 people with alopecia areata and 91 without the condition about their history of traumatic events. They found that significantly more alopecia patients than control subjects reported at least one lifetime traumatic event (87 percent vs 73 percent).
In addition, significantly more alopecia patients (42 percent) than controls (25 percent) reported experiencing at least one traumatic event in childhood, especially emotional neglect and abuse within the family.
"Childhood traumatic events have a negative influence on the development of the stress system," Willemsen noted. "Consequently, a traumatic childhood leads to a higher susceptible for stress. More childhood traumatic events have been observed in several stress-related diseases such as (the pain syndrome) fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and irritable bowel syndrome," the investigator added.
SOURCE: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, March 2009.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2009/04/10/eline/links/20090410elin018.html

"Brown fat" may help adults lose weight
Last Updated: 2009-04-09 8:58:10 -0400 (Reuters Health)
BOSTON (Reuters) - A sparse form of fat that helps keep newborns warm is more common in adults than previously thought, and that discovery could lead to a new way to lose weight, researchers said on Wednesday.
Once activated by cold temperatures, so-called brown fat burns calories faster than regular fat. It is normally so dormant in adults that there has been debate over how much adults have or whether they have it at all.
In three studies in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine, researchers report finding brown fat in most adults and discovering they can detect it by exposing people to cold. In some cases, adults who had more active areas of brown fat were thinner.
The hope is that if a way can be found to activate this brown fat and get the body to make more of it, people could burn off extra calories without additional exercise.
"Fifty grams of maximally activated brown fat accounts for 20 percent of your resting energy expenditure," Dr. Aaron Cypress of the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, who led one of the studies, said in an interview. "If you add that up, that's 400 or 500 calories per day.
"Practically speaking, we have a great potential to have a new treatment in our armamentarium against diabetes and obesity."
Dr. Kirsi Virtanen of the University of Turku in Finland and colleagues used positron emission tomography, known as PET scans, to find active brown fat deposits in five volunteers and also took little plugs of both types of fat. Brown fat became more active when the volunteers were cold, they reported.
"If the brown adipose tissue in this example were fully activated, it would burn an amount of energy equivalent to approximately 4.1 kg (9 pounds) of adipose tissue over the course of a year," researchers wrote.
OBESE PEOPLE HAVE LESS
A team at Maastricht University Medical Center in the Netherlands found obese men had less brown fat than lean men.
"Taken together, these studies point to a potential 'natural' intervention to stimulate energy expenditure: turn down the heat and burn calories (and reduce the carbon footprint in the process)," Dr. Francesco Celi of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease in Bethesda, Maryland wrote in a commentary.
But Celi cautioned that the vision may be oversimplified.
Cypress said scientists must first find a way to activate brown fat and, perhaps, even persuade the body to make more of it. In addition, the new studies did not directly test whether activating this fat would make people lose weight.
Celi said further research may reveal that even if brown fat is activated, the body may find a way to compensate by getting people to eat more.
"If you think about it, if you eat three donuts, you hit that calorie count right there," Cypress said.
"Using brown fat to treat obesity has been talked about for 30 or 40 years," he said. "But people essentially gave up on it. Many said it didn't exist in adult human beings and many said it didn't have any connection to obesity and weight at all. What these studies show is that virtually every adult human being has functional brown fat in them."
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2009/04/09/eline/links/20090409elin010.html

Women's 'binge tan' cancer risk
A woman in her 20s is diagnosed with the most serious form of skin cancer almost every day, experts warn.
Cancer Research UK says around 340 women aged 20-29 were diagnosed with potentially deadly malignant melanoma in the UK in 2005, up from 220 in 2003.
It said overusing sunbeds and "binge holiday tanning" had led to it being the most common cancer in young women.
Experts said young skin was particularly delicate and easily damaged by the sun and sunbeds.
Around 50 women under the age of 40 in the UK die from melanoma each year.
Deaths among all ages accounting for around 1,800 each year.
“ The fashion for tanned skin is prompting young women to put their health at risk in a bid to look bronzed ” 
Nina Goad, British Association of Dermatologists 
For women in their 30s, deadly skin cancer is now the third most common cancer after that of the breast and cervix.
Cancer Research UK said people of all ages should stay away from sunbeds and use a high factor sun lotion in the sun.
Experts warn these malignant melanoma rates are set to rise by the year 2024.
Cancer Research UK says malignant melanoma is then likely to be the fourth most common cancer for men and women of all ages and cases will rise from around 9,000 each year to more than 15,500.
Cell damage
Caroline Cerny, of Cancer Research UK's SunSmart campaign, said: "Spending time on sunbeds is just as dangerous as staying out too long in sun. Sunbeds don't offer a safe way to tan.
"The intensity of UV rays in some sunbeds can be more than 10 times stronger than the midday sun.
"Excessive exposure to UV damages the DNA in skin cells which increases the risk of skin cancer and makes skin age faster.
"But, importantly, if people take care not to burn in the sun and don't use sunbeds, the majority of malignant melanoma could be prevented."
'IT WAS WHAT WE DID' 
Jenna Gurney was just 21 when she discovered she had a malignant melanoma. "I had this mole on my stomach and it just looked a little bit different and a bit flaky. "I went to my GP and he advised I had it removed. I was later told it was a malignant melanoma." Doctors also tested Jenna's lymph nodes, but luckily the cancer had not spread. "On average I used a sunbed twice a week. I wanted a tan all year round. It was just what we did. All my friends did it." Jenna, who is 28 now, says she uses false tan if she wants to look brown. "My message to young girls is 'don't use sunbeds at all, and stay safe in the sun - use your suncream."
A survey of 4,000 people carried out last year by the charity found one in three women has used a sunbed at some point, with 80% first using one when they were under the age of 35.
Other data has shown that women who use sunbeds under the age of 35 can increase their risk of developing melanoma by 75%.
Another survey found that 9% of 11- to 17-year-old girls have used a sunbed.
Sara Hiom, Cancer Research UK's director of health information, said: "It is extremely worrying to see that so many young girls are using sunbeds. Young skin is delicate and so easily damaged by the sun.
"Damage from UV builds up over time. Every time young people use a sunbed they are harming their skin and increasing their risk of skin cancer."
Nina Goad of the British Association of Dermatologists said: "The fashion for tanned skin is prompting young women to put their health at risk in a bid to look bronzed.
"Sunbeds are not a safe alternative to sunbathing, and the fact that children can easily access them is a worry.
"That's why we want to see a ban on coin-operated sunbeds and a ban on sunbeds for under 18s."
But Kathy Banks, chief executive of The Sunbed Association said: "The fact is the jury is out on the relationship between UV exposure and malignant melanoma."
She added the association wanted to see all sunbeds in the UK comply with EU rules to reduce the risk of people deliberately or inadvertently over-exposing themselves on a sunbed. The measures have so far only been partially introduced.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7989214.stm

Pomegranate’s anti-inflammatory effects strengthened
Nutraingredients.com 10-Apr-2009
A polyphenol-rich pomegranate extract may reduce inflammation, and positively effect chronic disease risk, according to results of a new cell study from the US.
Findings published in the open access Journal of Inflammation suggest that a polyphenol-rich pomegranate fruit extract (POMx) acts by inhibiting the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines at a gene expression level.
“Our’s is the first report that shows POMx inhibits the inflammatory activity of activated human mast cells [known to play a central role in the inflammatory process] like KU812 cells,” wrote the researchers from the University of South Carolina and Case Western Reserve University.
“POMx or POMx-derived compounds may be of value for the treatment of inflammatory diseases in which mast cells play an active role,” they added.
If the study can be repeated in humans it offers promise for preventing chronic inflammation, brought about by an over-expression or lack of control of the normal protective mechanism. Chronic inflammation has been linked to range of conditions linked to heart disease, osteoporosis, cognitive decline and Alzheimer's, type-2 diabetes, and arthritis.
Pomegranate, a rich source of antioxidants, has been linked to improved heart health, but a growing body of science indicates the fruit protect against prostate cancer. Studies have also reported a role in joint health by slowing cartilage loss in arthritis.
It is these antioxidants, and particularly ellagitannin compounds like punicalagins and punicalins, which accounts for about half of the fruit's antioxidant ability, that are reportedly behind the proposed health benefits.

Study details
“No studies have been undertaken to investigate whether a polyphenol-rich pomegranate fruit extract (POMx) inhibits the inflammatory activity of activated human mast cells and basophils,” said the researchers. “The aim of this study was to examine whether POMx modulates inflammatory reactions using human basophilic cell line KU812.”
The cells were stimulated with a compound (PMACI) to promote an inflammatory response, and incubated with the pomegranate extract. Analysis of the cells showed a significant decrease in the production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8.
The extract was also found to suppress the activation of a protein complex called nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB), which plays an important role in the regulation of the immune system’s response to infection.
“We […] wish to point out that the in vivo efficacy of the extract used here has already been shown by us in an animal model of inflammatory arthritis indicating that after oral consumption pomegranate metabolites can exert anti-inflammatory effect in vivo,” wrote the researchers.
Source: Journal of Inflammation 2009, 6:1
“Polyphenol-rich pomegranate fruit extract (POMx) suppresses PMACI-induced expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines by inhibiting the activation of MAP Kinases and NF-κB in human KU812 cells”
Authors: Z. Rasheed, N. Akhtar, A.N. Anbazhagan, S. Ramamurthy, M. Shukla, T.M. Haqqi
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Pomegranate-s-anti-inflammatory-effects-strengthened

Capsaicin plus green tea combo aids weight loss: Study
Nutraingredients.com, 10-Apr-2009
A combination of capsaicin and green tea could promote the feeling of fullness and sustain satiety, indicating it could be successful for weight management, says a new study.
Researchers from Denmark and the Netherlands report sweet pepper may also reduce energy intake during positive energy balance, according to findings of their 27-person study published in Clinical Nutrition.
“We conclude that thermogenic food ingredients have energy intake reducing effects when used in combinations, and in positive energy balance,” wrote the researchers, led by Professor Margriet Westerterp-Plantenga from Maastricht University.
“These results suggest that bioactive ingredients (capsaicin, green tea, CH-19) may be helpful in reducing energy intake to prevent body weight gain and may support body weight loss by relatively sustaining satiety and suppressing hunger,” they added.
The research taps into the burgeoning weight loss and management market, estimated to already be worth $7bn (€5.2bn) globally. It also has implications for diabetes.
With 50 per cent of Europeans and 62 per cent of Americans classed as overweight, the food industry is waking up to the potential of products for weight loss and management.
The slimming ingredients market can be divided into five groups based on the mechanisms of action - boosting fat burning/ thermogenesis, inhibiting protein breakdown, suppressing appetite/ boosting satiety (feeling of fullness), blocking fat absorption, and regulating mood (linked to food consumption).
Study details
Westerterp-Plantenga and her co-workers recruited 27 people with an average age of 27 and an average BMI of 22.2 kg/m2, and randomised them to three weeks of negative (less calories consumed than used) and three weeks of positive energy balance (more calories consumed than used). During these periods ten separate test days were used to test the effects of capsaicin, green tea, CH-19 sweet pepper, capsaicin plus green tea, or placebo on appetite, energy intake, body weight and heart rate.
Only the CH-19 and the capsaicin plus green tea combinations produced a reduction in energy intake during the positive energy balance period. Moreover, the combined supplement produced suppressed hunger and increased satiety, and this was greater during negative than positive energy balance, wrote the researchers. This indicated that energy balance did not affect energy intake but did affect appetite.
Active components
Commenting on the mechanism, the researchers note that both catechins and caffeine in green tea may be behind the effects, with epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) previously noted to reduced food intake and body weight in rats.
On the use of capsaicin the researchers note that long-term intervention is “hardly possible and results in bad compliance”, and that CH-19 sweet pepper, which is non-pungent, could be “an attractive alternative to capsaicin”.
“Since CH-19 sweet pepper was an efficient suppressor of energy intake it would be of interest to investigate if a combination of CH-19 sweet pepper and green tea leads to a similar synergistic effect on energy intake,” wrote Westerterp-Plantenga
and her co-workers.
“Capsaicin only increases liking of the food when used at lower concentrations, and one can only comply with a relatively small dosage of capsaicin over the longer term.
“Therefore we suggest that a lower dosage of capsaicin should be combined with other bioactive ingredients (e.g. CH-19 sweet pepper) in order to reach optimal effects,” they concluded.
Source: Clinical Nutrition
Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2009.01.010
“Effects of capsaicin, green tea and CH-19 sweet pepper on appetite and energy intake in humans in negative and positive energy balance”
Authors: H.C. Reinbach, A. Smeets, T. Martinussen, P. Møller, M.S. Westerterp-Plantenga
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Capsaicin-plus-green-tea-combo-aids-weight-loss-Study

Probiotics may ease anxiety: Pilot study
Nutraingredients.com, 09-Apr-2009
Supplements of Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota may ease symptoms of anxiety in people with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), according to new research funded by Yakult.
Two months of supplementation with the bacterial strain from a sachet was associated with a decrease in anxiety symptoms, according to findings published in the open-access journal Gut Pathogens.
“These results lend further support to the presence of a gut-brain interface, one that may be mediated by microbes that reside or pass through the intestinal tract,” wrote the authors, led by Venket Rao from the University of Toronto.
The researchers admitted the research was preliminary and raises many questions regarding the mechanism of action. “The results of the present study should be viewed simply as a stimulus for further research,” they added.
The study was described as ‘interesting’ by probiotic expert Professor Gregor Reid from the Canadian R&D Centre for Probiotics at the Lawson Health Research Institute, and The University of Western Ontario. He also agreed that the study raises many questions.
“Do the gut microbiota (and probiotics) influence energy levels (which our own studies of HIV patients indicates is true) and by doing so is there an indirect effect on the brain and perception of how we feel? Do probiotics cause direct gut to brain signaling or indirectly via alterations in the overall microbiota that influence serotonin uptake? The latter seems unlikely as depression per se was not altered,” Prof Reid told NutraIngredients.com.
Study details
The Toronto-based researchers recruited 39 CFS patients and randomly assigned them to receive daily supplements of either Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota (24 billion colony forming units) or placebo for two months.
At the end of the study, the researchers reported significant increases in the faecal levels of both Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria in people receiving the bacterial strain, compared to placebo. A significant reduction in the symptoms of anxiety was also recorded in the Lactobacillus group.
Further study
“Follow-up studies with probiotics should further examine specific gut microbes, intestinal structure and function as well as physiological markers associated with anxiety and depression,” wrote the researchers. “These may include inflammatory cytokines and other immune chemicals, blood tryptophan levels and urinary metabolites of neurotransmitters.”
Commenting on the findings, Professor Reid added: “I hope the researchers study each subject to try to understand when changes in anxiety occurred, what the triggers were and if these triggers occurred while on probiotics or placebo.
“Information from responders and non-responders could provide valuable insight into how real these findings are, and how confirmatory studies should be designed,” he said.
Yakult welcome
Commenting on the study, Dr Kudo, chief of science at Yakult Europe told NutraIngredients.com: "This is a very interesting study exploring how the axis between the gut and brain can affect health and mood. Positive outcomes were shown for chronic fatigue sufferers taking Lactobacillus casei Shirota (the probiotic strain in Yakult). A previous study in the UK with our strain also reported an association between consumption of this probiotic and improved mood in certain subjects.
“It should be noted that this was a pilot study but the results certainly indicate the need for further research in this area, and highlight the wide-ranging potential benefits that come from good gut health.
“This area of enteric neuroscience, which will be discussed further in June at the international Yakult symposium in Amsterdam, is very exciting. Prof. Bienenstock from McMaster University of Canada will discuss how the gut microbiota works together with the brain and nervous system to promote health and well-being.”
Source: Gut Pathogens 2009, 1:6
“A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study of a probiotic in emotional symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome”
Authors: A.V. Rao, A.C. Bested, T.M. Beaulne, M.A. Katzman, C. Iorio, J.M. Berardi, A.C. Logan
http://www.gutpathogens.com/content/pdf/1757-4749-1-6.pdf

Elderly Being Poisoned by Cocktail of Prescription Drugs at Hospitals
by David Gutierrez, NaturalNews.com 

(NaturalNews) An estimated one in seven hospital patients suffer an adverse reaction to a drug they are prescribed there, with many of those reactions caused by drug combination effects, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Liverpool, Liverpool John Moores University and the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospital Trust, and published in the journal PLoS One.

The researchers observed more than 3,000 patients at 12 hospital wards for a period of six months. They found that taking a larger number of drugs placed patients at a much higher risk of dangerous side effects, and that adverse reactions were most common among the elderly.

"A significant predictor of adverse drug reactions in hospitals is the number of medications a patient is taking; each additional drug treatment increases the risk of experiencing an adverse drug reaction," said researcher Munir Pirmohamed. "This is one of the reasons why elderly people experience a higher incidence of reactions than young people, as they have more health conditions and generally take more medications."

In more than 80 percent of cases, the drug that caused the adverse reaction was first given to the patient inside the hospital. The most common culprits were anticoagulants (blood thinners), analgesics (painkillers) and diuretics.

Patients who had adverse reactions ended up spending an average of six hours longer in the hospital than those who did not. Reactions ranged from the relatively mild, such as constipation, to more severe effects such as confusion, drug-resistant infection, kidney damage or internal bleeding. Over the course of the study, 14 patients died in part due to adverse drug reactions, and one was killed directly by such a reaction.

"There is no easy solution, but we can and have to do better as it is putting a burden on the National Health Service," Pirmohamed said. "Hospitals should look to improve their monitoring of patients and doctors should also consider in what situations patients are given drugs, how long they are put on them and consider if it is always necessary. It is vital that doctors and patients understand the need to regularly review prescriptions and personally tailor treatment to clinical need." 
http://www.naturalnews.com/026026.html

Hibiscus Tea Significantly Lowers Blood Pressure
by David Gutierrez, NaturalNews.com

(NaturalNews) Drinking hibiscus tea can significantly reduce blood pressure among people with elevated risks of cardiovascular or kidney disease, according to a new study presented at the annual conference of the American Heart Association.

High blood pressure is a dangerous health condition that triples the risk of heart attack and is responsible for 60 percent of all strokes. The condition is very common in the developed world; one in three people in the United Kingdom, for example, are considered to suffer from high blood pressure.

Researcher Diane McKay and colleagues conducted the study on 65 people between the ages of 30 and 70 whose high blood pressure levels placed them at increased risk of kidney disease, heart attack and stroke. Participants were assigned to drink either hibiscus tea or a placebo three times per day for six weeks.

At the end of the study, blood pressure levels had fallen an average of 7.2 percent in the hibiscus group, compared with only 1.3 percent in the placebo group. Some patients in the hibiscus group actually experienced a 13.2 percent reduction.

"Hibiscus is now the most promising herb for treating blood pressure," said alternative medicine expert Andrew Weill. "Studies have found that people who drank two cups of hibiscus daily for four weeks lowered their diastolic blood pressure by 12 percent -- results similar to those for common blood pressure medication."

Scientists do not know exactly what compounds in hibiscus contribute to its protective effect, but the flowers are known to contain chemicals known as anthocyanins, which have been shown to improve the functioning of blood vessels and strengthen the protein collagen, which helps give structure to cells and tissues, including blood vessels.

Anthocyanins and other components of hibiscus tea are also known to function as antioxidants, cleansing the body of dangerous free radicals that can have been linked to heart disease, cancer and the symptoms of aging.

Beverages made or flavored from the flowers of the plan Hibiscus sabdariffa are popular in many African, Asian and Caribbean countries.

http://www.naturalnews.com/026022.html

Cancer Survival: Pretreatment Alcohol, Tobacco, Fruit, Exercise Habits Linked To Head And Neck Cancer Survival
ScienceDaily (Apr. 10, 2009) — Head and neck cancer patients who smoked, drank, didn't exercise or didn't eat enough fruit when they were diagnosed had worse survival outcomes than those with better health habits, according to a new study from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.
"While there has been a recent emphasis on biomarkers and genes that might be linked to cancer survival, the health habits a person has at diagnosis play a major role in his or her survival," says study author Sonia Duffy, Ph.D., R.N., associate professor of nursing at the U-M School of Nursing, research assistant professor of otolaryngology at the U-M Medical School, and research scientist at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System.
Each of the factors was independently associated with survival. Results of the study appear online in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
The researchers surveyed 504 head and neck cancer patients about five health behaviors: smoking, alcohol use, diet, exercise and sleep. Patients were surveyed every three months for two years then yearly after that.
Smoking was the biggest predictor of survival, with current smokers having the shortest survival. Problem drinking and low fruit intake were also associated with worse survival, although vegetable intake was not. Lack of exercise also appears to decrease survival.
"Health behaviors are only sporadically addressed in busy oncology clinics where the major focus is on surgery, chemotherapy or radiation. Addressing health behaviors may enhance the survival advantage offered by these treatments," says Duffy, a U-M Cancer Center investigator.
Complicating matters is that many of these health behaviors are inter-related. For example, smokers might also be heavy drinkers, making it more difficult to quit. It's not enough, Duffy points out, to refer someone to a smoking cessation program if alcohol is a major underlying problem.
In addition, previous research has associated many of these health behaviors with preventing cancer. In the current study, a third of the patients reported eating fewer than four servings of fruit per month. Nutrition experts recommend two servings of fruit per day.
"Eating fruits and vegetables, not smoking and drinking in moderation can have a big impact on a person's risk of getting cancer in the first place. Now it appears that these factors also impact survival after diagnosis," Duffy says.
The next step for the researchers is to look at behavior changes over time to determine if changing health habits when a person is diagnosed can impact survival. That will help determine what types of interventions or services should be offered to patients in the clinic.
Head and neck cancer statistics: 35,310 Americans will be diagnosed with head and neck cancers this year and 7,590 will die from the disease, according to the American Cancer Society
Additional authors include David L. Ronis, Ph.D., associate research scientist, U-M School of Nursing; Scott McLean, M.D., Ph.D., Henry Ford Health System; Karen E. Fowler, U-M research associate; Stephen B. Gruber, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., associate professor of internal medicine, human genetics and epidemiology, U-M Medical School and U-M School of Public Health; Gregory T. Wolf, M.D., professor of otolaryngology, U-M Medical School; and Jeffrey E. Terrell, M.D., associate professor of otolaryngology, U-M Medical School.
Funding was provided through the National Institutes of Health, Head and Neck Cancer Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) grant.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090401112446.htm

Biology Of Flushing Could Renew Niacin As Cholesterol Drug
ScienceDaily (Apr. 10, 2009) — Deft molecular detective work at Duke University Medical Center suggests that scientists may soon be able to resurrect niacin as one of the best and cheapest ways to manage cholesterol.

Niacin, also known as nicotinic acid or vitamin B3, has long been regarded as one of the most effective weapons in managing cholesterol. It can lower levels of triglycerides, fatty acids and to a lesser extent, the "bad" kind of cholesterol (LDL) while at the same time powerfully increasing the "good" kind (HDL). But there's a catch – a big one. Patients don't like to take niacin because in most of them, it causes embarrassing, uncontrollable intense flushing, a rush of blood to the face and other skin surfaces accompanied by a prickling sensation.
Now, however, scientists have identified the discrete molecular pathways that are triggered when niacin enters the body, and they say that knowledge may lead to a revival of niacin-based treatments as therapies of choice.
"This opens up whole new realms for drug discovery," says Robert Walters, M.D., a dermatologist at Duke and the lead author of the study. "Not only could it lead to new niacin-based therapies for cholesterol that patients could actually stick with, but it could also mean new treatments for flushing that comes with some types of allergic reactions, hives and other disorders."
The discovery builds upon a growing body of knowledge at Duke about G protein coupled receptors, molecules that dot cell surfaces throughout the body and manage its response to drugs, hormones, pain, growth factors and many other incoming chemical signals. Robert Lefkowitz, M.D., a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator at Duke and the senior author of the study, was the first to identify these receptors and some of the roles they play in health and well-being.
Working together, Lefkowitz and Walters conducted various laboratory and animal experiments to track exactly what happens when niacin enters the body. Earlier, others had found that it first activates a specific G protein coupled receptor known as GP109A. This receptor, in turn, alerts other sets of proteins, including G proteins and a group referred to as beta-arrestins. One particular protein in that group, beta-arrestin1, was found to trigger the chemical reaction that led to flushing.
"Niacin stimulates production of a vasodilator that dramatically increases blood flow to the face, causing the flush and the hot, prickly sensation – and beta-arrestin1 is the culprit that enables that to happen," says Walters. "Interestingly, however, beta-arrestin1 plays no role whatsoever in niacin's ability to lower cholesterol and fatty acids. The G proteins do that."
The finding reinforces some of Lefkowitz's recent research that demonstrated that beta-arrestins, which often work in tandem with G proteins, can sometimes work independently of them, initiating their own signals.
Lefkowitz says the discovery opens the door to the possibility of developing a "biased ligand," a drug that would trigger GP109A, but not the beta-arrestins. "That might give us a way to keep all the lipid-modifying benefits of niacin, but isolate its downside," he said.
That might not be as simple as it sounds, however. Other studies suggest that enhancing niacin's ability to boost HDL may be more complex than what appears at, well, first blush.
"GPR109A receptors are most often found in fat, the spleen , adrenal glands and lungs – they are absent from the liver and intestines, where most HDL is made and metabolized, so there may well be other mechanisms of action for the beneficial effects of niacin in addition to those performed by GPR109A," says Lefkowitz.
Lefkowitz is a scientific founder of Trevena, a company that is developing G protein coupled receptor-targeted drugs.
The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and a Dermatology Foundation Physician Scientists Career Development Award to Dr. Walters.
Colleagues from Duke who contributed to the study include Arun Shukla, Jeffrey Kovacs, Christopher Lam and Erin Whalen, from the department of medicine, Jonathan Violin, from the department of biochemistry, Scott DeWire and J. Ruthie Chen, from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Michael Muehlbauer, from the Sarah W. Stedman Nutrition and Metabolism Center.
 Beta-Arrestin1 mediates nicotinic acid–induced flushing, but not its antilipolytic effect, in mice. Journal of Clinical Investigation, May 1, 2009