Turmeric is being used in India since time immemorial in religious festivals and as a medicine. Turmeric is an excellent natural antibiotic & intestinal antiseptic. Being rich in iron, it is valuable in anemia. Due to its antiseptic properties it is an effective remedy for chronic cough and throat irritation also.
Turmeric contains curcumin and an essential oil called zingiberine. Its chemical study shows that it contains proteins, carbohydrates and fibre. Its mineral and vitamin contents are calcium, phosphorus, iron, carotene, thiamine and niacin. It promotes proper metabolism in the body, corrects the disordered processes of nutrition and restores the normal function of the system. It aids in the digestion of protein.
Researchers have reported about anti-inflammatory activity and anti-arthritic activity of Turmeric in their number of studies. Also regular use of turmeric can reduce the risk of cancer. It has been shown to be as effective as certisone and phenyl-butazone in decreasing inflammation. It improves the body’s ability to break down and eliminate cholesterol.
Turmeric is effective in cleansing and purifying important channels in the body by inhibiting toxin accumulation. Turmeric also supports liver and gall bladder function by stimulating the flow of bile.
Turmeric lore in recent decades drifted outwards from Asian diaspora communities in European cities like Leicester, UK. Local researchers and cancer patients listened up. Clusters of men on Internet prostate cancer support groups (notably Don Cooley's lists) began seriously experimenting with turmeric to cope with a troublesome side-effect of androgen-suppression therapy, gynecomastia (sore swollen breasts). Most men who take antiandrogen drugs like Flutamide (Eulexin) or Casodex experience this breast swelling, which can be painful. Gynecomastia can occur also with use of finasteride(Proscar), prescribed for BPH (benign growth of the prostate) and now under discussion as a chemo-preventive for prostate cancer. Before starting Casodex some patients opt to receive a brief course of radiation to the breasts. Others have tried low-dose tamoxifen, which raises levels of circulating estradiol. Then there are the turmeric warriors, who report that dietary intake of turmeric (in salads, soups and sandwiches made with fresh root) and use of curcumin paste externally brings some relief.
Still more intriguingly, University of Leicester began investigating dietary agents including curcumin, genistein, and the vitamin A analogue 13-cis retinoic acid for tumor-suppressing properties (Br J Clin Pharmacol 1998 Jan;45(1):1-12;update Toxicol Lett 2000 Mar 15;112-113:499-505). They observed that curcumin slows the rate at which hormone-responsive prostate cancer cells become resistant to hormonal therapy.
Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties of turmeric and curcumin are undergoing intense research. Tests in Germany, reported July 2003,found that "All fractions of the turmeric extract preparation exhibited pronounced antioxidant activity...." Turmeric extract tested more potent than garlic, devil's claw, and salmon oil [ J Pharm Pharmacol. 2003 Jul;55(7):981-6].
Biochemists in China reported January 2007 that month that curcumin “downregulates homeobox gene NKX3.1 in prostate cancer cell LNCaP” and could also dampen the androgen receptor's sensitivity to this gene. Independent studies have found that the Nkx3.1 homeobox gene has a key role in the prostate and may be implicated in startup of prostate cancer.
Does this mean, the more the better? Not necessarily. Some studies find no ill effects from large doses while others (listed in references below) disagree. Of note, a study of curcumin to prevent cataracts found, unexpectedly, that in rats low doses indeed did lower cataract rates but heavy doses raised the rate of cataracts (Molecular Vision 2003; 9:223-230, full text free online). Another study found that rats fed large amounts of turmeric for 14 days developed enlarged, damaged livers.
Several studies indicate that curcumin slows the development and growth of a number of types of cancer cells. In Japan this year researchers defined curcumin as a broad-spectrum anti-cancer agent. Its induction of "detoxifying enzymes," the researchers say, indicate its "potential value ... as a protective agent against chemical carcinogenesis and other forms of electrophilic toxicity. The significance of these results can be implicated in relation to cancer chemopreventive effects of curcumin against the induction of tumors in various target organs" (Iqbal M, et al. Pharmacol Toxicol. 2003 Jan;92(1):33-8).
Since India won a claim against two US scientists who shamelessly patented turmeric (see sidebar), the tide of interest may naturally be driven in part by Asian pride in phytomedicinal heritage. But as scientists at M. D. Anderson, Texas, wrote in January 2003: "Extensive research over the last 50 years has indicated [curcumin] can both prevent and treat cancer. The anticancer potential of curcumin stems from its ability to suppress proliferation of a wide variety of tumor cells, down-regulate transcription factors NF-kappa B, AP-1 and Egr-1; down-regulate the expression of COX2, LOX, NOS, MMP-9, uPA, TNF, chemokines, cell surface adhesion molecules and cyclin D1; down-regulate growth factor receptors (such as EGFR and HER2); and inhibit the activity of c-Jun N-terminal kinase, protein tyrosine kinases and protein serine/threonine kinases." In their latest of a series of reports the M. D. Anderson say: "Curcumin can suppress tumor initiation, promotion and metastasis. Pharmacologically, curcumin has been found to be safe. Human clinical trials indicated no dose-limiting toxicity when administered at doses up to 10 g/day. All of these studies suggest that curcumin has enormous potential in the prevention and therapy of cancer." [Aggarwal, BB et al,Anticancer Res. 2003 Jan-Feb;23(1A):363-98].
Several breast tumor cell lines, "including hormone-dependent and -independent and multidrug-resistant (MDR) lines," respond to antiproliferative effects of curcumin. Aggarwal et al examined cell lines "including the MDR-positive ones," and found they were all "highly sensitive to curcumin. The growth inhibitory effect of curcumin was time- and dose-dependent.... Overall our results suggest that curcumin is a potent antiproliferative agent for breast tumor cells and may have potential as an anticancer agent." (Anticancer Drugs. 1997 Jun;8(5):470-81). Other laboratories offer varying explanations but confirm the activity level of curcumin against breast , prostate and other cancers. See e.g., Ramachandran C, Miami 1999; Hidaka H, Japan, 2002(human pancreatic cells lines); Elattar TM, University of Missouri-Kansas City, 2000(oral cancer cell-line).
Some researchers say curcumin inhibits angiogenesis, i.e. formation of new blood vessels, which tumors use to nourish themselves as they spread (Mol Med 1998 Jun;4(6):376-83). As an anti-inflammatory, turmeric triggers heat-shock stress response (see Wiki Online Encyclopedia for heat-shock). Heat shock proteins stimulate the immune system. "The mechanism of the stimulation by curcumin of the stress responses," Japanese researchers say (Cell Stress Chaperones 1998 Sep;3(3):152-60), "might be similar to that of salicylate [active in aspirin and similar drugs derived from willow bark], indomethacin [a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug] and nordihydroguaiaretic acid [an anti-oxidant, antiflammatory, lipoxegenase inhibitor found in chapparel, that interferes with arachidonic acid metabolism].
To sum up -- regular healthy folks may benefit from adding turmeric to the spice rack and using it more liberally on adult and children's foods. Kids love bright colors. And turmeric is an ideal brightener for rice and for steamed or gently fried tofu.
For cancer patients, until curcumin has been shown in well-designed, well-conducted human clinical trials to have measurable effects on existing disease, it remains just another interesting home remedy with a lot of promise. Research at Memorial Sloan-Kettering a few years back indicates that it makes sense to drink green tea along with a meal spiced with turmeric for double-boosted anti-cancer protective effects: "EGCG and curcumin, were noted to inhibit growth by different mechanisms, a factor which may account for their demonstrable interactive synergistic effect." For new developments with curcumin, M. D. Anderson is another place to watch.
Refrences
http://www.garrysun.com/turmeric.html
http://www.garrysun.com/turmeric.html
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Turmeric .......It Seems to have a lot of potential
Thursday, September 13, 2007
SCHIZOPHRENIA
Schizophrenia is a severe, lifelong brain disorder. People who have it may hear voices, see things that aren't there or believe that others are reading or controlling their minds. In men, symptoms usually start in the late teens and early 20s. They include hallucinations, or seeing things, and delusions such as hearing voices. For women, they start in the mid-20s to early 30s. Other symptoms include No one is sure what causes schizophrenia, but your genetic makeup and brain chemistry probably play a role. Medicines can relieve many of the symptoms, but it can take several tries before you find the right drug. You can reduce relapses by staying on your medicine for as long as your doctor recommends. With treatment, many people improve enough to lead satisfying lives. National Institute of Mental Health link: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/schizophrenia.html For more information see http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/schizophrenia.html
Saturday, July 14, 2007
CARDIAC RESUSCITATION (BASIC LIFE SUPPORT)……….. U CAN SAVE A LIFE
If you find a person lying unresponsive some where…….. Few easy steps and u might be able to save his life.
Step 1: ASSESS THE RESPONSIVENESS……..
Call and gently shake the patient and make sure patient is truly unresponsive and not just sleeping.
Be careful about shaking the patient who might have serious traumatic injury, particularly injury to his spine.
STEP2: CALL FOR HELP
STEP 3: OPEN THE AIRWAY
Position the patient on a flat, firm surface and make him face up.
You can open the patient’s airway by performing chin lift maneuver; Make sure you do it gently as patient might be having injury to his cervical spine.
STEP 4: ASSESS THE PATIENTS BREATHING
Assess the patients breathing by look listen and feel technique. You can put you face close the patient’s while looking at his chest. So you can look at movement of his chest , listen to his breath sounds and feel the flow of air from the patient if he is breathing at all..
IF THERE IS NO AIR MOVEMENT….
STEP 5: PERFORM 2 RESCUE BREATHS…
If patient is not breathing give him 2 rescue breaths by mouth to mouth respiration. Close the patient’s nostrils take a deep breath and pump the air in patient’s mouth with full vigor
STEP 6: CHECK FOR THE PULSE
See if there is any pulse… check the carotid pulse of the patient, for 5-10 seconds
IF THERE IS NO PULSE……
STEP 7: PERFORM CHEST COMPRESSIONS
Perform the chest compression at the rate of 80-100 per minute. For 15 compressions give two ventilations.
Perform CPR till help the help arises…
Thursday, July 5, 2007
AIDS treatable but not curable yet....................
History
AIDS is a collection of symptoms and infections resulting from the specific damage to the immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in humans, and similar viruses in other species (SIV, FIV, etc.). The late stage of the condition leaves individuals prone to opportunistic infections and tumors. Although treatments for AIDS and HIV exist to slow the virus' progression, there is no known cure. HIV, et al., are transmitted through direct contact of a mucous membrane or the bloodstream with a bodily fluid containing HIV, such as blood, semen, vaginal fluid, preseminal fluid, and breast milk. This transmission can come in the form of anal, vaginal or oral sex, blood transfusion, contaminated hypodermic needles, exchange between mother and baby during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding, or other exposure to one of the above bodily fluids.
Most researchers believe that HIV originated in sub-Saharan Africa during the twentieth century. it is now a pandemic, with an estimated 38.6 million people now living with the disease worldwide. As of January 2006, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organization (WHO) estimate that AIDS has killed more than 25 million people since it was first recognized on June 5, 1981, making it one of the most destructive epidemics in recorded history. In 2005 alone, AIDS claimed an estimated 2.4–3.3 million lives, of which more than 570,000 were children. A third of these deaths are occurring in sub-Saharan Africa, retarding economic growth and destroying human capital. Antiretroviral treatment reduces both the mortality and the morbidity of HIV infection, but routine access to antiretroviral medication is not available in all countries. HIV/AIDS stigma is more severe than that associated with other life-threatening conditions and extends beyond the disease itself to providers and even volunteers involved with the care of
people living with HIV.
Treatment
Currently available agents are:
1) Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs)@
· Zidovudine (AZT)
· Duadanosine (DDI)
· Stavudine (D4T)
· Lamivudine (3TC)
· Abacavir
2) Protease Inhibitors
· Nelfinavir
· Indianavir
· Saquinqvir
· Ritonavir
3)Non-nucleoside reverse transciptase inhibitors (NNRTIs)
· Efavirenz
· Nevirapine
· Delavirdine
Treatment Regimen
1) 2 NRTIs + 1 protese inhibitor
OR
2) 2NRTIs + Efavirenz
OR
3)2NRTIs + 2 protese inhibitors
Aim of antiretroviral therapy is to increase CD4 count and decrease the viral load.
Antiretroviral therapy should be started :
1) CD4 < 350
Or
2) Viral Load (PCR-RNA) > 55,000 by RNA
Though the antiretroviral therapy is helpful to improve the condition of patient but No definitive cure is available for AIDS for now. The best way out is Prevention.
Link; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIDS
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Headache.............most common local pain which forces you to visit ur physician
A headache (cephalalgia in medical terminology) is a condition of pain in the head; sometimes neck or upper back pain may also be interpreted as a headache. It ranks amongst the most common local pain complaints
CAUSES:
The vast majority of headaches are benign and self-limiting. Common causes are tension, migrane, eye strain, dehydration, low blood sugar, and sinusitis. Much rarer are headaches due to life-threatening conditions such as meningitis, encephalitis, cerebral aneursym, and brain tumors.. When the headache occurs in conjunction with a head injury the cause is usually quite evident.
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY :
The brain in itself is not sensitive to pain, because it lacks pain-sensitive nerve fibers. Several areas of the head can hurt, including a network of nerves which extends over the scalp and certain nerves in the face, mouth, and throat. The meninges and the blood vessels do have pain perception. Headaches often result from traction to or irritation of the meninges and blood vessels. The muscles of the head may similarly be sensitive to pain.
TYPES:
Tension headaches are the most common type of primary headache; as many as 90% of adults have had or will have tension headaches. Tension headaches are more common among women than men.
Migraine headaches are the second most common type of primary headache. An estimated 28 million people in the United States (about 12% of the population) will experience migraine headaches. Migraine headaches affect children as well as adults. Before puberty, boys and girls are affected equally by migraine headaches, but after puberty, more women than men are affected. An estimated 6% of men and up to 18% of women will experience a migrane headache.In the United States, migraine headaches often go undiagnosed or are misdiagnosed as tension or sinus headaches. As a result, many migraine sufferers do not receive effective treatment.
Cluster headaches are a rare type primary headache, affecting 0.1% of the population. An estimated 85% of cluster headache sufferers are men. The average age of cluster headache sufferers is 28-30 years, although headaches may begin in childhood.
Secondary headaches have diverse causes, ranging from serious and life threatening conditions such as brain tumors, strokes, meningitis, and subarachnoid hemorrhages to less serious but common conditions such as withdrawal from caffeine and discontinuation of analgesics.
Many people suffer from "mixed" headache disorders in which tension headaches or secondary headaches trigger migraine headaches.
DIAGNOSIS:
While statistically headaches are most likely to be harmless and self-limiting, some specific headache syndromes may demand specific treatment or may be warning signals of more serious disorders. Some headache subtypes are characterized by a specific pattern of symptoms, and no further testing may be necessary, while others may prompt further diagnostic tests.
Headache associated with specific symptoms may warrant urgent medical attention, particularly sudden, severe headache or sudden headache associated with a stiff neck; headaches associated with fever, convulsions, or accompanied by confusion or loss of conciousness; headaches following a blow to the head, or associated with pain in the eye or ear; persistent headache in a person with no previous history of headaches; and recurring headache in children.
The most important step in diagnosing a headache is for the physician to take a careful history and to examine the patient. In the majority of cases the diagnosis will be tension headache or migraine, both of which can be managed on the basis of a clear-cut clinical picture. Where doubt remains, or if there are abnormalities detected on examination, further investigations are justified.[1] computed tomography (CT/CAT) scans of the brain or sinuses are commonly performed, or megnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in specific settings. Blood test may help narrow down the differential diagnosis, but are rarely confirmatory of specific headache forms.
TREATMENT:
Not all headaches require medical attention, and respond with simple analgesia(painkillers) such as paracitamol/acetaminophen or members of the NSAID class (such as aspirin/acetylsalicylic acid or ibuprofen).
In recurrent unexplained headaches, healthcare professionals may recommend keeping a "headache diary" with entries on type of headache, associated symptoms, precipitating and aggravating factors. This may reveal specific patterns, such as an association with medication, menstruatrion or with certain foods. It was reported in March 2007 by two separate teams of researchers that stimulating the brain with implanted electrodes appears to help ease the pain of cluster headaches
Saturday, June 9, 2007
DRUG ABUSE A SOCIAL EVIL............ HOW TO COMBAT?
In addition to being a major public health problem, some consider drug abuse to be a social problem with far-reaching implications. Stress, poverty, domestic and societal violence, and various diseases (i.e., injecting drug users as a source for HIV/AIDS) are sometimes thought to be spread by drug use. Studies have also shown that individuals dependent on illicit drugs experience higher rates of comorbid psychiatric syndromes
Harm reduction
One alternative involves replacing failed law enforcement policies with harm-reduction strategies, which focus on reducing the societal costs of drug abuse and other drug use. Techniques include education to avoid overdose, needle exchange programs to reduce the spread of blood borne disease, and opioid substitution therapy to reduce crime related to the procurement of drugs. This pragmatic approach is known as the harm reduction paradigm. Harm reduction also addresses special populations, such as drug-using parents, pregnant drug users and users with psychiatric comorbidity. The philosophy of harm reduction accepts that drug use is part of the community, but that it must be addressed as a public health issue rather than a criminal one
Harm-reduction measures are at odds with the prevailing framework of international drug control, which rests on law enforcement and the criminalization of behaviors related to illicit drug use. However, harm-reduction has had a notable impact and is slowly gaining popularity. In Brazil alone, a comprehensive harm-reduction and drug-access program successfully reduced AIDS mortality among injection drug users by 50%
Abstinence-Based
Abstinence-based approaches set as a goal complete abstinence from all addictive substances, including both licit and illicit, prescribed and unprescribed. While the harm-reduction approach has been demonstrated to work well with opioids, the abstinence-based approach is the medical community standard of care for sedative (including alcohol) dependence.
Medical treatment
Beyond the sociological issues, many drugs of abuse can lead to addiction, chemical dependency, or adverse health effects, such as lung cancer or emphysema from cigreete smoking.
Medical treatment therefore centers on two aspects: 1) breaking the addiction, 2) treating the health problems.
Most countries have health facilities that specialize in the treatment of drug abuse, although access may be limited to larger population centers and the social taboos regarding drug use may make those who need the medical treatment reluctant to take advantage of it. For example, it is estimated that only fifteen percent of injection drug abusers thought to be in need are receiving treatment.Patients may require acute and long-term maintenance treatment and relapse prevention, complemented by suitable rehabilitation.
Pharmacotherapy
The development of pharmacotherapies for drug dependency treatment are currently in progress. New immunotherapies that prevent drugs like cocaine, methamphetamine, phencyclidine ,nicotine, and opiods from reaching the brain are in the early stages of testing as is ibogaine, an alkaloid found in the Tabernanthe of West Central Africa. Medications such as buprinorphine , which block the drugs active site in the brain are another new option for the treatment of opioid addiction. Depot forms of medications, which require only weekly or monthly dosing, are also under investigation.
Traditionally, new pharmacotherapies are quickly adopted in primary care settings, however, drugs for substance abuse treatment have faced many barriers. Naltreoxone, a drug originally marketed under the name "ReVia," and now marketed in intramuscular formulation as "Vivitrol" or in oral formulation as a generic, is a medication approved for the treatment of alcohol dependence. This drug has reached very few patients. This may be due to a number of factors, including resistance by Addiction medicines specialists and lack of resources.
Legal approaches
Related articles: prohibition(drugs), Aguments for and against drug prohibition
Most governments have designed legislation to criminalise certain types of drug use. These drugs are often called "illegal drugs" but generally what is illegal is their unlicensed production, distribution, and possession. These drugs are also called "controlled substances". Even for simple possession, legal punishment can be quite severe (including the death penalty in some countries). Laws vary across countries, and even within them, and have fluctuated widely throughout history.
Attempts by government-sponsored drug control policy to interdict drug supply and eliminate drug abuse have been largely unsuccessful. In spite of the huge efforts by the U.S., drug supply and purity has reached an all time high, with the vast majority of resources spent on interdiction and law enforcement instead of public health.In the united states, the number of nonviolent drug offenders in prison exceeds by 100,000 the total incarcerated population in the EU ,despite the fact that the EU has 100 million more citizens.
Despite drug legislation (and some might argue because of it), large, organized criminal drug cartels operate world-wide. Advocates of decriminalization argue that drug prohibition makes drug dealing a lucrative business, leading to much of the associated criminal activity.
Friday, June 8, 2007
DISCLAIMER
Any information like text, graphics , videos and links posted on this site(ehealthindia.blogspot.com) are for educational purpose only. They are not meant to make diagnosis or prescribe any kind of treatment.so comply with your physician for diagnosis and treatment and DO NOT make your own diagnosis and start or modify the treatment given by your physician.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Stay healthy through YOGA way
