Pharmacology
A drug which was developed in Cambridge and initially designed to treat a form of leukaemia has also proven effective against combating the debilitating neurological disease multiple sclerosis (MS).
The study, led by researchers from the University of Cambridge, has found that alemtuzumab not only stops MS from advancing in patients with early stage active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) but may also restore lost function caused by the disease. The findings were published today in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Alemtuzumab has a long connection with Cambridge, England. In…
Researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine may be one step closer to understanding why past oral contraceptive use dramatically lowers the risk of ovarian and uterine cancers later in life.
While studying the effect of post-menopausal dietary soy consumption on estrogen metabolism in cynomolgus monkeys, Latanya M. Scott, Ph.D., discovered that monkeys who had been given birth control earlier in life had a reduced amount of estrogen excreted in their urine. The research was done in collaboration with Xia Xu, Ph.D., and Timothy Veenstra, Ph.D. at Science Applications…
Don't worry, be happy. I mean you can have your own source of clean, natural resveratrol at home and drink it, too. Get the hint from the silkworm and grow mulberry trees all over the land. They already grow wild in North America.
Resveratrol is a polyphenolic phytoalexin (3,5,4'-trihydroxystilbene) found naturally in several plants. I am not going to sing its benefits other than mention that this compound might protect us against cancer and cardiovascular disease as an antioxidant, antimutagen, and anti-inflammatory.
Silkworm -- the larva or caterpillar of Bombyx mori (Latin for 'silkworm…
People who use 'high fructose corn syrup' and 'fructose' interchangeably are either uninformed or intentionally misleading consumers, says the Corn Refiners Association (CRA), and they'd like to set the record straight.
Well, we are certainly against deception by fundamentalists with agendas manipulating data so we are happy to help. Because there are so many recent studies on the effects of sweeteners in the diet, it is important that people understand the differences among various ingredients used in scientific studies.
First, they say, studies that show fructose being metabolized…
Hershey's Center for Health and Nutrition announced the publication of a study that shows resveratrol, the compound often associated with the health benefits of red wine, is also found in cocoa and dark chocolate products. In the September 24 edition of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Hershey scientists conducting a report that cocoa powder, baking chocolate and dark chocolate all have significant levels of resveratrol, a naturally occurring antioxidant.
"This study shows that the levels of resveratrol found in cocoa and chocolate products is second to red wine among known…
Hospital for Special Surgery researchers writing in the Journal of Clinical Investigation say that statins may be able to prevent miscarriages in women who are suffering from pregnancy complications caused by antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), according to a study in mice. In this autoimmune syndrome, the body produces antibodies directed at phospholipids, the main components of cell membranes.
In low risk pregnancies, APS is associated with a nine-fold increase in miscarriage. In high-risk pregnancies (women who have had at least three prior losses), APS is associated with a 90 percent risk…
There is no evidence probiotics can relieve the symptoms of eczema and there is evidence that they may occasionally cause infections and gut problems. These findings from The Cochrane Library come at a time when use of probiotics to treat eczema is increasing.
Eczema is an itchy skin condition that affects more than 1 in 20 people at some time in their lives and is especially common in children. Its cause is complex and not well understood, but sufferers do have different bacteria in their guts compared to unaffected people. Consequently, some nutritionists have suggested that eating live gut…
A link between reduced levels of the 'stress hormone' cortisol and antisocial behaviour in male adolescents has been discovered by a research team at the University of Cambridge.
Levels of cortisol in the body usually increase when people undergo a stressful experience, such as public speaking, sitting an exam, or having surgery. It enhances memory formation and is thought to make people behave more cautiously and to help them regulate their emotions, particularly their temper and violent impulses.
The new research, funded by the Wellcome Trust, shows that adolescents with severe antisocial…
Researchers in Italy report that an ancient Chinese herbal remedy known as "horny goat weed" shows potential in lab studies as source for new future drugs to treat erectile dysfunction (ED), an issue commonly treated with drugs like Viagra. The study says they provide scientific evidence supporting the herb's use as a natural aphrodisiac.
In the new study, Mario Dell'Agli and colleagues point out that Viagra (sildenafil) and several other prescription drugs are now available for ED, or male impotence. ED affects an estimated 18 million men in the United States alone. Studies show, however,…
spinner |
Imagine waking up but not being able to get out of bed. One day you are enjoying life to the fullest, but within a couple of years, you cannot walk unassisted. You lose track of where you are and what you are doing while your muscles refuse to cooperate with your brain. This is a likely scenario if you are one of the millions of people worldwide that suffer from Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Characterized by the destruction of insulation (myelin) around the nervous system, MS is one of the world’s most debilitating diseases. According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society …