 |
 |
| Volume 8, No. 40 |
Provided To You By COPD-Support, Inc. | September 5,
2008 |
|
NOVEL THERAPEUTIC OPTIONS UNCOVERED BY KHAT CHEWING (Editor's note) I thought that was a foreign spelling of an American Sneeze. IT'S a plant that supposedly helps airway diseases. Fresh khat (Catha edulis) leaves have been chewed for centuries in eastern Africa and in the Arabian Peninsula in order to reach a state of euphoria and stimulation. This is due to its main active constituent, cathinone, which increases the release of catecholamines in the brain, evoking an "amphetamine-like" effect. In these countries, khat has been traditionally used as a social drug. However, new patterns of khat consumption are now emerging in these countries, and the development of air transportation has contributed to the spread of this habit to the rest of the world. Khat growing, distribution and use are therefore becoming an international issue, as shown by the significant press interest in this substance. Interestingly, fresh khat leaves prepared as an infusion in some African countries are considered a traditional remedy for airway diseases, but until now the precise mechanism of action underlying this effect was unknown. In this study, Maria Belvisi (National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College School of Medicine, London, UK) and her colleagues...reveal its mechanism of action, thereby uncovering new therapeutic options for the treatment of airway diseases. This study is the first to address how khat, when used as a traditional remedy, can alleviate respiratory disease symptoms...In revealing this dual mechanism of action for cathinone, this study may provide key information for the development of new treatment options for airway diseases displaying heightened cholinergic tone, such as asthma associated with gastro-esophageal reflux, nocturnal asthma or COPD. Indeed, in COPD in particular, increased parasympathetic drive is responsible for increased bronchial smooth muscle tone and excessive mucus production. Muscarinic antagonists (also known as anti- cholinergics, e.g. ipratropium and tiotropium) are particularly effective as bronchodilators in the treatment of COPD where the vagal tone appears to be the only reversible component of airflow limitation. In this respect, the development of new anti-cholinergic molecules based on a mechanism of action other than antagonizing muscarinic receptors may be of particular interest in the treatment of airway diseases with heightened cholinergic tone. Therefore, cathinone, with its original dual pre-junctional mechanism of action, may lead to the development of novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment of such diseases. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/119351.php
INJECTIONS OF HOPE - STEM CELLS ON THE RUN OUTSIDE THE USA Forwarded by Dick/MO: The story (following) discussed a stem cell operation in Tijuana, where an injection costs $25,000.00...the draw here was to eliminate the need for oxygen for the COPD patients. Some returned home with infections and ended up in the hospital and nobody got rid of their oxygen. Fueled by demand from desperate patients, dozens of companies around the globe are peddling stem cell injections for $15,000 to $50,000 and more. Based merely on the claims made by these companies, at least a few thousand patients from the United States have paid for stem cells overseas. Patients dart across the border to Mexico or jet to the Caribbean, India, China and elsewhere for injections of stem cells from embryos, fetuses, umbilical cords and the patients' own fat, blood and bone marrow. These shots would be illegal in the United States, where the FDA has yet to approve any such treatments. Because the companies operate offshore, they are not subject to the FDA's strict safety regulations. And because they collect little, if any, data, it's impossible to assess whether their treatments work. Excerpted from Quackwatch by EQuack. http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com:80/2008/09/injections-of-hope-stem-cells-on-run.html BREAKING THE 'MUCUS BARRIER' WITH A NEW DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM ScienceDaily: Chemical engineers from Johns Hopkins University have broken the "mucus barrier," engineering the first drug-delivery particles capable of passing through human mucus — regarded by many as nearly impenetrable — and carrying medication that could treat a range of diseases. Those conditions include lung cancer, cervical cancer and cystic fibrosis, the research noted in a presentation scheduled for the 236th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society. "We studied the properties of disease-causing viruses that evolved to infect mucosal surfaces to engineer a coating that enables our drug delivery particles to penetrate mucus layers in minutes. In our new work, we have improved the coatings considerably to allow faster penetration for a wider array of particle sizes," says lead presenter Samuel K. Lai, Ph.D. Mucus, the slippery secretion lining the lung airways, surface of the eye, gastrointestinal tract, and female reproductive tract, may seem delicate. But it is a tenacious barrier, effectively keeping out most pathogens and limiting infections. "Mucus has evolved to be a highly efficient barrier," says Justin Hanes, professor of chemical & biomolecular engineering at Johns Hopkins University, the lead investigator of the study. "For example, we constantly inhale particles into our lungs, but they typically stick to mucus rather than penetrate it. Particles that stick are removed rapidly from the lungs on a mucus 'conveyor belt,' and are swallowed and sterilized in the gut. Mucus barriers protect us from constant infection, as well as everyday things like the millions of particles in the black cloud emitted from a bus when it takes off from a stop." Unfortunately, mucus also prevents the passage of many beneficial drugs. And when the mucus gets thicker — most notably in diseases like chronic sinusitis, cystic fibrosis and COPD — drug treatment of the lungs and other mucus-lined areas becomes more difficult. With this mucus-penetrating mechanism, drugs could be delivered locally and with enhanced durations to treat diseases at mucosal surfaces. And in the case of patients with cystic fibrosis —which causes thick mucus buildup in the lungs — mucus-penetrating drugs could create more effective therapies to fight the disease. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080820163059.htm
DID THRUSH MAKE MY ASTHMA WORSE? By Beth Corn, M.D. Q: Fungus was found in my entire esophagus as the result of inhaled asthma medication, which is being treated with fluconazole and probiotics because of daily need for Prilosec (omeprazole). How much of a factor is this in hard-to-control asthma? I had surgery five years ago for GERD. I cannot identify my triggers; I've completed allergy testing with no issues. I'm on Symbicort (budesonide) and prednisone, 10 mg twice daily. A: When you take inhaled asthma medication, it's important to rinse out your mouth and spit afterwards. You inhale the medication deeply into your lungs, but you want to keep it out of the throat and mouth. Inhaled steroids can control inflammation, but they also suppress you immune system's ability to fight infections. In the mouth, this can lead to an overgrowth of yeast, also known as oral thrush. As you suspected, thrush can worsen asthma symptoms. Most patients who rinse will not develop thrush, but everyone is different. Based on your medical regimen, it sounds as though your asthma would be categorized by the new federal guidelines as moderate to severe. You should have your IgE level checked and RAST for allergy to airborne allergens, to see if you qualify for omalizamab treatment. http://www2.healthtalk.com/go/asthma/ask-the-doctor/content/did-thrush-make-my-asthma-worse SKYROCKETING DRUG CO-PAYMENTS Here's a list of Web sites and organizations that provide information about patient assistance programs: Free Medicine Foundation: A nationwide patient advocacy program that links consumers to companies and organizations that provide free or no-cost prescriptions. http://www.freemedicinefoundation.com/ Needy Meds: This site provides a roundup of prescription drug assistance from state, local and federal governments as well as foundations, organizations and companies. http://www.needymeds.com/ The following is a list of organizations that directly provide financial help to patients who are uninsured or underinsured and need help with prescription drug co-pays, co-insurance or free drugs. Some of these organizations help people with specific illnesses while others are open to all. Partnership for Prescription Assistance: A clearinghouse for prescription drug assistance programs, including 150 pharmaceutical companies that offer help, this organization will assess your need and connect you with companies and programs that can help. https://www.pparx.org/Intro.php Patient Access Network Foundation: Offers assistance with insurance co-pays, co-insurance and other out of pocket health care costs. Health conditions covered include breast cancer, chemotherapy induced anemia/neutropenia, colorectal cancer and other cancers and lymphomas. http://www.patientaccessnetwork.org/ Healthwell Foundation: A nonprofit foundation that provides co-payment and health insurance premium payments for individuals and families who earn no more than 400 percent of the federal poverty level and who suffer from conditions where funding is available. http://www.healthwellfoundation.org/index.aspx Patient Advocate Foundation's Co-Pay Relief Program: Covers co-pays and co-insurance for prescriptions taken for an eligible medical condition, including cancer, diabetes and macular degeneration. http://www.copays.org/ Patient Services Incorporated: Provides financial assistance with co-pays and co-insurance for patients with certain medical conditions and also pays for medical supplies needed by patients with bleeding disorders. http://www.uneedpsi.org/cms400min/index.aspx Cancer Care: Provides limited financial assistant grants for transportation, child care and home care; also provides counseling and assistance for cancer patients. http://www.cancercare.org/ National Organization for Rare Disorders: Helps patients pay for prescriptions they can't afford as well as medications that are not yet on the market. Rare diseases covered include HIV/AIDs, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease. http://www.rarediseases.org/
Caring Voice Coalition: Offers assistance in paying for prescription drugs to patients with pulmonary hypertension, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis or Alpha 1. http://www.caringvoice.org/ Chronic Disease Fund: Offers assistance with co-pays and co-insurance for drugs needed by patients with certain chronic conditions. Patients who have no drug insurance may get free medications as long as they meet income, asset and medical condition guidelines. http://www.cdfund.org/ The above and three pages of advice at: http://www.bankrate.com/dls/news/insurance/rising-prescription-costs-a4.asp?caret=2c
THE CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF DEPRESSION What Is Depression? Unlike the blues, sadness, or even grief, depression is a condition in which a person feels an overwhelming and debilitating unhappiness. People who are depressed may have trouble thinking clearly and be unable to perform normal functions. They may be uninterested in eating and be unable to sleep, or they may engage in these activities excessively. Persons with depression may even have thoughts of suicide. Depression is a treatable illness caused by a decrease in neurotransmitter levels. Here's more information on the causes, effects, and treatment of depression. http://video.about.com/depression/Depression.htm
|
||||
MISCELLANEOUS Highway Pursuit Driving Sim Ready to race? Highway Pursuit puts you into a virtual high-tech car equipped with enough gadgets for James Bond. You outrun your opponents as they try to run you off the road. You'll depend on more than driving skills. Your car can lay down oil slicks, smoke screens and gunfire. The graphics are a bit retro but the game is fun, and free! From Kim Komando's featured downloads at: http://www.adamdawes.com Roger Rick and Marilyn Morning Show Bits. A guy witnesses an accident. http://www.chumfm.com/MorningShow/bits/march24.swf How to peel a hard boiled egg. (Editor's note: ) I don't believe this, but it may be worth a try. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/07/24/how-to-peel-hard-boiled-eggs-without-peeling.aspx?source=nl Research Yourself or the Folks Around You From Kim Komando's Cool Sites: The Web is full of information on nearly everyone. But finding that information can be difficult. There are dozens of sites to search through. A Google search is a good place to start. But it may not go deep enough. Plus, it can be hard to sort out all of the results. There are several sites that can help you search for people. CVgadget is one of the fastest and most complete. Just enter the person's first and last name. Then, hit Search! It will look through more than a dozen resources. You'll get results from popular social-networking sites. It will also do a deep search of several Google services. You'll get related images, documents, blogs, news articles and videos. The site is simple and easy to use. For fun, do a search for yourself. (Editor's Note:) If you have a common name like mine you
will find "yourself" all over the world.
http://www.cvgadget.com This page will be next updated on September 12, 2008 |
||||
