Saw Palmetto, May Be Effective In Prostate Hyperplasia

Some pharma companies are coming with preparations containing extracts of saw palmetto. The quote below from the researcher say in affirmative regarding its use. In India, some times some herbal products are used for benign prostatic hyperplasia, and patient sometimes feels some response; but we heavily depend on allopathic drugs and surgery.

clipped from www.sciencedirect.com Serenoa repens: The Scientific Basis for the Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Fouad K. Habib, a, aProstate Research Group, School of Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK Medical therapies derived from natural sources have been used for centuries. Many are as effective as synthetic medications. The use of plant-derived medications for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is no exception. In particular, extracts of Serenoa repens (SrE), the fruit of the American dwarf palm, are widely available, and their use is rising throughout the world. Serenoa repens (saw palmetto) extracts are complex mixtures of compounds that act simultaneously on several biologic pathways known to be associated with the development of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in man. Reversal of the prohyperplastic pathways by the drug accounts for its clinical efficacy in the treatment of BPH.

Dirt can be good for children

Acute dermatitis.

"Dirt can be good for children,

say scientists."

Children should be allowed to getdirty, according to scientists who have found being too clean can impair the skin's ability to heal.

Normal bacteria living on the skin trigger a pathway that helps prevent inflammation when we get hurt, the US team discovered.The bugs dampen down overactive immune responses that can cause cuts and grazes to swell, they say.Their work is published in the online edition of Nature Medicine.

Experts said the findings provided an explanation for the "hygiene hypothesis", which holds that exposure to germs during early childhood primes the body against allergies.

Many believe our obsession with cleanliness is to blame for the recent boom in allergies in developed countries.

This is the story published in the BBC, quoted above. It is quite possible that immunity develops to a particular agent if one is exposed to it, somewhat like vaccines act. It has been seen that, allergy is less in the home, where there are cats. But that does not mean hygiene of babies will not be looked after.

Keeping Clean

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Facial Wounds Much Higher Among Poorest

The author describes with statistics, that how facial injuries are common in poorest in Scotland. Here in Paradip, Orissa, India; though no statistics is provided, the scenario is no different. It is mostly accidents following alcohol abuse. And We see the same person several times in a year in the same condition.

clipped from news.bbc.co.uk Men from Scotland's deprived areas are almost seven times more likely to suffer serious facial wounds than those in wealthier areas, a study suggests. The researchers found that between 2001 and 2006, more than 82,000 people suffered facial scars in Scotland. The paper claims the annual cost of alcohol misuse to Scottish society is an estimated £2.25bn, with the cost to the National Health Service in Scotland put at £405m. The study also highlights a recent run of 249 patients from a Scottish trauma unit which found about 80% of their facial injuries were alcohol-related. "Brief alcohol counselling sessions have been shown to be effective in helping facial trauma patients to cut down their drinking both by ourselves and by other groups around the country."

Toilet, A Necessity

Stool is composed of bacteria, dietary residues, water and other chemicals. Bacteria residing normally in the intestine are lactobacilli, Escherichia Coli and streptococci are called commensals. Lactobacilli are protective to the gut. When foreign pathologic bacteria, parasites and viruses invade our digestive system, able to overpower our defense mechanism, colonize in the gut to cause the diseases. Several disease causing bacteria and other parasites enter our body through feco-oral route. Those may cause either intestinal diseases or diseases of other systems. Some microbes listed below cause diseases mentioned against their names are transmitted through feco-oral route.
Salmonella –Typhoid Fever,
Escherichia Coli-Dysentery,
Shigella –Dysentery,
V. Choleri/Elter-Cholera,
Entamoeba Histolytica- Amoebic colitis/Dysentery/Liver amoebiasis,
Hepatitis A virus-Hepatitis,
Echinococcus- Hydatid disease at different organs,
Worm diseases like hook worm, round and tape worm etc,
Viruses like Rota virus-Diarrhea.
Hook worm larva present in contaminated soil penetrate the skin of bare foot to lodge into the body to cause disease. Some are carried to the system by contaminated water, food and raw eaten vegetables. So, prevention of the food and drink contamination is an important step to prevent a large number of diseases. That is why; latrine is essential in each house.
In India, having a toilet in the home near to the bed room or kitchen is thought to be unhealthy practice. This concept is gradually changing. But, the main constraint is economic backwardness, where people first think of food with the limited earnings, than to have a toilet in place. This is the main cause of open air defecation. Since long Govt. and voluntary organizations in India providing latrines in collaboration, at a subsidized rate and sometimes free. But, problem is encountered where the person does not have own land for construction of a latrine. This is typically the scenario in urban slums built on encroached govt. land. Rehabilitation of these people and prevention of further menace of slum will be an appropriate step in preventing food and water contamination in a locality.
It is not an impossible task, if will power is exhibited.

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Medical News: AHA: Niacin Bests Ezetimibe as Add-On Therapy - in Meeting Coverage, AHA from MedPage Today

Medical News: AHA: Niacin Bests Ezetimibe as Add-On Therapy - in Meeting Coverage, AHA from MedPage Today

Bad Breath

Image by play4smee via Flickr

People having bad breath, many a times do not know themselves that they are having bad breath. But, those who know it hesitate to mix in the gatherings. Medically it is called as halitosis. There are several causes of halitosis. Commonly it is due to (a) gingivitis, (b) Tonsillitis, (c) Cancer of tongue, (d) Oral sepsis, (e) Septic lungs diseases like (i) Lungs abscess and (ii) Bronchiectasis etc. Another condition requires special mention is atrophic rhinitis; where first the patient is aware of bad breath and not others, later on he becomes unaware of bad breath whereas others become aware of it. In this condition, there is gradual death of smell buds which receive the smell of something. Amongst these, cancer of tongue, lungs abscess and bronchiectasis are more serious conditions. This halitosis is due to growth of anaerobic bacteria.
A careful examination will reveal the diagnosis. Cancer of tongue will need surgery, radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. Gingivitis is treated by drugs. Lungs abscess and bronchiectasis may need specialized drug treatment with periodic review by x-rays, and may sometimes need surgery.Specialized treatment is required for atrophic rhinitis.

A Pearl Of Garlic To Protect Heart

Garlic has antioxidant and lipid lowering property which help to lower high blood pressure. Since long it is being used in India. Some ready made capsules containing garlic as an ingredient are available for hypertensive patients. Raw garlic is more beneficial. As a folk remedy garlic boiled in mustard oil is massaged on the foot to alleviate cold. Whether it acts there I do not know, but it feels great to have that massage.

clipped from www.cnn.com That garlic has health benefits is nothing new. Since at least 1500 BC, healers in China and India have used the odiferous bulb as a blood thinner. Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, used it to treat cervical cancer. Louis Pasteur reported on garlic's antibacterial and antifungal powers, which inspired Albert Schweitzer to use it against dysentery in Africa. But now, a team of researchers from the Cardiovascular Research Center at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine have learned how freshly crushed garlic -- as opposed to dried or cooked garlic -- protects the heart. The amount of garlic you need to get the heart-healthy benefits is about a clove a day. According to Herbal Therapy & Supplements, a handy guide by herbalists David Winston and Merrily A. Kuhn, RN, PhD, the best way to use garlic is to mince a clove, let it stand 10 to 15 minutes, then mix it with yogurt, applesauce, honey, or some other carrier agent.

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Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth In chronic Stomach Acid Suppression.

Image by Ca(non) via Flickr

“Sir,please prescribe the medicines I am continuing”, is a standard request by the employees of organizations getting free treatment; be it an analgesic, vitamin, calcium or any other thing. I sometimes think, how these people will cope up after retirement. This is abuse of drugs to some extent. These people react violently when an advice to discontinue the drugs will be given.


Now, it has been found that chronic use of stomach acid suppressing drugs may be associated with overgrowth of intestinal bacteria. Those produce hydrogen and methane. There was speculation earlier, when proton pump inhibitor drugs were introduced for the purpose, that there is risk of benign adenoma formation in the stomach. Later on it was published that the apprehension may not be correct. But there is sufficient reason to believe that stomach acid suppression may cause an intestinal bacterial overgrowth. So, these group of drugs should be used judiciously. Those need these drugs, must not be denied. But, it should be improved in such a way that, there will be stomach acid suppression not to the extent that, it will promote intestinal bacterial overgrowth. This bacterial overgrowth may lead ti flatulence and may be, irritable bowel syndrome.

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Support For Abstinence From Smoking

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Abstinence from smoking, a difficult to achieve affair, has been supported variously by drug treatment. Traditionally, nicotine patch, lozenges and bupropion were being prescribed. I addition to it, smokeless and electronic cigarettes were also given to lessen the damage. But, more often they do not help in quiting smoking. The adverse effects if nicotine and the risks remained unchanged. Now, a new drug varenicline is showing promise in many cases.It's property, as a partial agonist of alpha4beta2 nicotine acetylcholine receptor, helps the patient to get some satisfaction and quiet smoking. There are also side effects of this drug. Please go through the full article in The Medpagetoday.

clipped from www.medpagetoday.com SAN DIEGO -- Much as it aided the general population of smokers, varenicline (Chantix) helped patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) quit too, a randomized trial showed. From weeks nine to 12 of treatment, 42.3% of those taking varenicline remained abstinent, compared with 8.8% of those taking placebo (P<0.001), Donald Tashkin, MD, of the University of California Los Angeles, reported at the American College of Chest Physicians meeting here. Varenicline and bupropion are the two first-line pharmacologic aids for smoking cessation recommended by the Department of Health and Human Services' Public Health Service in guidelines updated in 2008. There was one report of aggression in the varenicline group. Reports of anxiety, depression, depressed mood, and depressive symptoms were infrequent and similar in number between the two groups.

Hot Liquid Injury

A Blister

A common accidental injury, scald; is seen in women of India following spillage of hot liquid over body. The sufferers are mostly the housewives. Hot liquid may range from water to oil. It occurs following serving of hot tea, cooking fishes and while extracting excessive water from cooked rice etc.There may be simple redness to blister formation. It may get infected and consequent delay in healing.
As a first-aid measure, the hot liquid should be washed off with copious amount of tap water; the part be kept in water for at least 10 minutes. That will cool the part of body and give a soothing touch. Many times, this small step will prevent blister formation. I have seen people applying tooth paste in the hope of getting relief, which should not be performed. A silver sulphadiazine cream if available should be applied. The victim is to be shifted to a nearby hospital.
In the hospital, the percentage of scald is assessed in the same line as employed for burn; the rule of nine of Wallace. A replacement fluid, if required will be administered; an analgesic will be given as well as immunization against tetanus. A suitable antibiotic is prescribed.
The important aspect of treatment is dressing. An occlusive dressing is preferred over an open dressing. Blisters more than 2 cms. in diameter are to be de-roofed after cleaning the dirt, if any. A soothing antibacterial cream like silver sulphadiazine is to be applied, over that sterile paraffin soaked gouge is to be put along with a layer of sterile cotton, and the whole is to be bandaged. Dressing is changed at least after 3 to 4 days or if it is soaked with the fluid, whichever is earlier. The progress of wound healing is to be monitored carefully. If a deeper injury is noticed earlier or observed subsequently where scar formation is likely, a skin grafting should be contemplated. The skin grafting will prevent future contracture to develop, give a neat healing and good cosmesis.
Prevention of scald is better than treatment.

Contaminated Food and Amoebiasis

Amoebiasis is an infection by E. Histolytica. It is an unicellular protozoa. Amoebiasis is a world wide problem, but more serious in less developed counties. It has the potential to infect wide range of organs of body. It is transmitted through faeco-oral route, commonly through contaminated food and drinks. Vegetable crops irrigated by water contaminated with sewerage is a potent way of transmission.
It causes;

• Amoebic dysentery
• Non-dysenteric colitis
• amoebic appendicitis
• Amoebic liver abscess and hepatitis
• Splenic abscess
• Amoebiasis of skin
• Amoeboma of colon
• Encephalitis, sometimes.

The symptoms vary according to the site of infection. Important among these are amoeboma, liver involvement and encephalitis. Amoeboma confuses with cancer of colon. Liver and brain involvement in form of abscess formation and encephalitis respectively are life threatening.

Cysts of E.Histolytica

A stool examination is by far the most common mode of diagnosing amoebiasis. The disease sometimes becomes very difficult to treat, and often prolongs to a chronic stage. Preventive measures are good. Thorough washing of raw eaten fruits and vegetables washes away the cysts. Washing fruits and raw eaten vegetables with diluted iodine, diluted acetic acid or full strength vinegar will destroy the cysts. Boiling drinking water destroys the cysts.