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Alternative Medicine in the News
August 2010 edition 86
published weekly
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HIV drug causes liver damage, admits FDA
The HIV drug Videx (sold generically as didanosine) may cause fatal liver problems, the FDA has warned.
Since
the drug's initial approval, the agency has received 42 adverse event
reports linking Videx and its delayed release version Videx EC to a
rare liver disorder known as non-cirrotic portal hypertension. In four
of these cases, patients died from liver failure or severe bleeding.
Only three patients were able to fully recover from the condition, and
all of those needed a liver transplant. Patients had been undergoing
treatment with the drug for anywhere from months to years.
Although
it has not yet been proven that the drugs caused the liver disorder,
the FDA noted that there is definitely an association between the two.
In
non-cirrotic portal hypertension, blood flow through a major vein in
the liver becomes constricted, causing blood to back up into the
esophagus. Veins in the throat can become so enlarged that they
rupture, leading to serious and potentially fatal bleeding.
Although
the FDA stated that the benefits for HIV patients still outweigh the
risks, it warned that Videx patients should be closely monitored for
any signs of portal hypertension. Furthermore, it noted that "the
decision to use this drug ... must be made on an individual basis
between the treating physician and the patient."
Videx was first
approved in 1991, and the delayed release version was approved in 2000.
The drug is a type of antiretroviral drug known as a nucleoside
analogue, and slows the proliferation of HIV to prolong the onset of
AIDS and extend the life of patients.
It has previously been
linked to other forms of liver damage, especially in combination with
other antiretroviral drugs including hydroxyurea and ribavirin.
According to a spokesperson for manufacturer Bristol-Myers Squib, worldwide sales of the drug amounted to $71 million in 2009.
Sources for this story include: www.aboutlawsuits.com/hiv-drug-vide... online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100129-714703.html?mod=WSJ_latestheadlines; www.medscape.com/viewarticle/716198.
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The Moringa Tree: Find a Natural Home Water Purification System
One of the big problems in developing countries is the availability of
clean drinking water. Is there an inexpensive, natural, home water
purification system that will allow poor people access to clean
drinking water? Indeed, there is. The seeds of Moringa tree can be used
as an effective water clarifier and home water purification system.
Uses of the Moringa Tree
The
Moringa tree (Moringa Oleifera) has been dubbed "The Miracle Tree" by
many. This is because every part of the Moringa tree, from the roots to
the leaves has beneficial properties that can serve humanity. It is a
deciduous, perennial tree that grows to about 10 m tall with drooping
branches. The tree provides shade, nutritious food, medicine and oil
for biodiesel and other products and can even purify and clarify water.
In addition, the Moringa grows best in dry sandy soil and is drought
resistant, thus providing a source of food and medicine in arid regions.
According to Baptiste Nduwayezu, leader of the Moringa Oleifera Project in Southern Africa,
the tree can be dubbed "The Green Diamond of Africa" because it can
also generate revenue if fully utilized for its medicinal and
nutritional values. He added that "Moringa leaves and seeds can improve
health conditions of HIV positive people, increase breast milk in
lactating mothers, lead to improved health of babies and also treat a
number diseases such as TB, diabetes, heart problems, lower blood sugar
levels, eye and ear infections and other diseases".
Apart from
the problem of poor nutrition in many developing countries, there is
the problem of disease due to polluted drinking water. The fact that
the seeds of the Moringa tree can purify and clarify water, thus
eliminating most of its turbidity and bacteria, means that this tree
truly is a miracle tree for many poor people.
Using Moringa Seeds as a Home Water Purification System
In
order to make an effective water purification system, the Moringa seeds
are dried and then ground into a powder. Unlike other particles in the
water such as clay, bacteria, and other toxic materials which are
negatively charged, the protein in the Moringa seed powder is
positively charged, thereby attracting the negatively charged particles
like a magnet. The flocs formed by the floculation process can then be
easily removed by allowing the water to settle, or removed by
filtration. This process is said not only to clarify turbid water
significantly, but also to remove 90-99% of bacteria contained in water.
It
would appear that there is overwhelming evidence to warrant giving the
Moringa tree the title "Miracle Tree". Not only can the Moringa provide
highly nutritional food to the people who need it the most, but it can
also clean their drinking water.
Sources:
http://allonhealth.com/health-news/...
http://www.miracletrees.org/WaterPu...
http://www.daleysfruit.com.au/Herbs...
http://www.tfljournal.org/article.php
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Selenium Defies FDA Mandate by Preventing and Curing Heart Failure
The FDA states that only drugs can prevent or cure disease, but
fortunately the local medical authorities in areas with low soil
selenium levels are taking a more effective path to the prevention and
treatment of a serious heart condition. Keshan Disease, a type of heart
failure that leads to an enlarged heart, a weakened heart muscle and
eventual death, is named after a low selenium area in China where the
disease was first discovered. Keshan Disease has been found in many
areas of the world that have low soil selenium levels and it is not
only prevented, but also cured with the addition of selenium to the
diet- a fact that the FDA must despise.
Selenium is a
naturally-occurring mineral found in soil, drinking water and plants
and is essential to human health in small amounts. The vast majority of
selenium is obtained through eating plants, but selenium levels in
individual plants vary widely from area to area and depend entirely
upon the selenium content of the soil. Areas that have low soil
selenium levels naturally have plants that contain low levels of
selenium; the people who live in these areas often have overt symptoms
of selenium deficiency unless they receive regular selenium
supplementation. One area of the world that is known to have low
selenium levels is the Keshan province of China where a form of heart
failure, subsequently called Keshan Disease, was first discovered. Once
it was found that the heart condition was related to selenium
deficiency, local medical authorities instituted an inexpensive and
extremely effective selenium supplementation program which virtually
eradicated this serious and often deadly heart condition.
Here
in the US, thousands of mostly elderly people get diagnosed with heart
failure every year and must continually manage their condition with
drugs that require frequent blood tests in order to avoid the ever
present possibility of electrolyte imbalance. Their heart's inability
to pump strongly forces sufferers to constantly walk a razor's edge
between dehydration and fluid overload- either of which could require a
frightening trip to the emergency room. Because most sufferers are
elderly and often manage a complicated medication regimen for other
health conditions as well, heart failure patients have an extremely
high rate of emergency room visits and hospital admissions causing
untold emotional and financial costs to the sufferers, their families
and society.
Yet despite the fact that selenium deficiency is a
known and entirely reversible cause of heart failure, virtually none of
these patients will be checked for selenium deficiency even though an
accurate blood test is available. Few will even be offered simple
multivitamin supplementation despite multiple studies showing that
heart failure patients, as a group, are almost always malnourished;
even fewer will have selenium supplementation as a part of their
treatment regimen. Unless a heart failure patient is diagnosed in a
known selenium deficient area and has a cardiologist who is familiar
with Keshan Disease, heart failure is considered 'incurable'. In other
words, nearly 100% of these mostly elderly patients are doomed to a
lifetime of managing a complex, frightening and debilitating heart
problem without ever even being evaluated for selenium deficiency with
just a simple blood test.
Resources
http://www.springerlink.com/content...
http://www.easy-immune-health.com/c...
http://www.springerlink.com/content...
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Radiation scan problems only noticed after patients' hair falls out
New concern over lack of regulation in medical radiation has been
spurred by a case in which more than 300 patients received excessive
levels of radiation, but doctors only uncovered the problem when
patients' hair began to fall out.
The radiation errors occurred
at three hospitals in Los Angeles and one in Alabama, during heart
tests performed with a special form of computed tomography (CT) scan.
Some patients received more than eight times the intended radiation
dose.
Since the case became public, there has been a growing
call for tighter regulation of diagnostic and therapeutic radiation
techniques. The American Society for Radiation Oncology, the country's
foremost radiation oncology association, recently called for new safety
measures, including a central database where technicians can report any
errors in CT scanners or the linear accelerators that produce medical
radiation. The New York Times has printed features documenting
the severe health problems that can result from the improper use of
medical radiation, especially in women and children.
This
concern is made all the more urgent by the ever-growing popularity of
diagnostic radiation. Largely because of a vast increase in the use CT
scans and similar tests, the average U.S. resident's lifetime radiation
dose has increased to seven times above 1980 levels. Even if no errors
occur in any of these tests, harm may still result simply from the
overuse of inherently risky procedures.
Congress is
investigating why oversight into medical radiation remains so weak in
the United States. Many observers have attributed the problem to the
lack of a clear regulatory framework, with the New York Times
noting that laws and rules designed to protect patients from excessive
radiation exposure are weak, unevenly applied, and inconsistent across
states and institutions. For example, some states do not even require
the reporting of radiation accidents involving medical scanning devices.
"There
is a patchwork of licensure and registration across the country," said
David N. Fisher, managing director of the Medical Imaging and
Technology Alliance, a manufacturers' group, "and we believe in setting
standards for physicians, physicists, technologists -- all sorts of
operators, the whole shooting match."
Although the FDA
technically has jurisdiction over all medical devices, it has rarely
made use of its authority. Consumer groups have criticized the agency
for failing to make manufacturers even perform safety tests before
putting radiation scanners or other medical devices on the market.
Spurred
in part by the recent scandal, however, the FDA is moving to impose
some measure of federal regulation on the use of radioactive imaging
machines.
"These types of imaging exams expose patients to
ionizing radiation, a type of radiation that can increase a person's
lifetime cancer risk," the FDA said in a press release. "Accidental
exposure to very high amounts of radiation also can cause injuries,
such as skin burns, hair loss and cataracts."
The agency has
introduced a three-pronged plan to regulate the use of three radiation
scanning devices: CT scans, nuclear medicine studies and fluoroscopies.
It is currently considering several options for ways to make devices
safer, allow doctors and patients to make informed decisions about
their use, and increase patient awareness about the devices' risks.
The FDA's effort has been well received by workers in the field.
"I
think it is very timely in light of concerns about radiation exposure
and the possibility of overexposure," said James Thrall, chair of the
American College of Radiology. "I think it will nudge the industry."
The
Medical Imaging and Technology Alliance has said it supports the FDA's
plan. It is asking the agency to impose mandatory accreditation for all
facilities that carry out advanced imaging, and minimum standards for
all health workers who use devices that deliver radiation.
Sources for this story include: www.nytimes.com/2010/02/10/health/p....
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China's reckless use of antibiotics unleashes deadly superbugs on the world
China's profligate use of antibiotics in both medicine and agriculture
is creating a grave threat to global health, scientists have warned.
Overuse
of antibiotics encourages the evolution of antibiotic-resistant
bacteria, also known as "superbugs," which are far more dangerous than
their antibiotic-sensitive relatives.
The overuse of medical
antibiotics in China is well-documented, and is attributed in part to
the country's underfunded health care system. Because hospitals are
forced to raise money for their own operations through drug sales,
doctors have a powerful incentive to prescribe antibiotics for health
complaints as simple as sore throats. In the city of Chongqing,
antibiotics account for nearly 50 percent of all drugs sales.
"In
Chinese hospitals our data shows that 60 percent of in-patients are
being prescribed antibiotics compared with the WHO guideline of 30
percent," said Xiao Yonghong of the Beijing University, head of China's
National Antibiotic Resistance Investigation Network.
In
addition, pharmacists regularly violate the law by selling antibiotics
without prescriptions to those -- including doctors -- who wish to
self-medicate. In an experiment by the Daily Telegraph, three out of five pharmacists questioned were willing to do so.
Combined
with widespread agricultural use, these practices have turned China
into an ideal breeding ground for antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
"Over
just the last five years, for example, our studies show the rate
antibiotic-resistant e. coli has quadrupled from 10 percent to 40
percent."
Antibiotic resistance rates of methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Chinese hospitals have increased from
30 to 70 percent, he said.
Recently, a team of researchers found a previously unknown strain of MRSA in Chinese pigs exported to Hong Kong.
Scientists warn that with the modern ease of global travel, China's new superbugs will quickly spread around the world.
"The
Chinese Ministry of Health has all the data," said a Beijing-based
health expert, "but they seem unable or unwilling to believe it. The
situation has global implications and is highly disturbing."
Sources for this story include: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/....
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Choose Unrefined Sea Salt over Table Salt
Are there any benefits to switching out your traditional iodized table
salt for unrefined sea salt? Aside from the superior taste that many
say sea salt possesses, there are indeed several reasons you may want
to consider choosing sea salt.
The first benefit of sea salt
over table salt is that it actually contains less sodium overall. The
reason for this is table salt is highly refined and what is left after
this refining process is almost pure sodium chloride. It is mined from
the earth, so it starts off as a raw form of sodium chloride with other
beneficial minerals mixed in. However, the refining process strips
these other natural minerals away, leaving a higher per-granule sodium
content behind. Granule for granule if table salt, you are getting a
higher sodium content.
Sea salt is collected in vast trays from
the ocean. The water that is caught in these trays is dried by the sun,
and what is left after the water evaporates is totally unrefined sea
salt. Most of the time, it is minimally processed. This minimal
processing leaves a lot of the natural trace mineral intact, which also
reduces the actual sodium content.
Some may be concerned about
the lack of an iodine additive in sea salt, as you find in table salt.
Table salt added this necessary nutrient several decades ago when a
significant part of the population began developing goiters due to an
iodine deficiency. It is still added in most table salt today, as one
can tell by reading the label.
Iodine is actually found in small
trace amounts naturally in sea salt, as it is in most seafood, so you
are still getting iodine in its natural, untouched form. It is not as
much iodine as you will find in table salt, but most people today who
eat a balanced diet need not worry about being deficient in this
nutrient. If you are concerned about iodine, there are actually some
sea salt brands that offer an iodine-enriched product.
Sea salt
also contains the necessary minerals of magnesium, calcium, potassium,
and bromide, to name a few. You don't get these additional minerals
with table salt, because they have all been stripped away by high-heat
processing.
One concern we should all keep in mind, regardless
of which type of salt we like to use, is keeping sodium consumption to
a minimum. Although there are additional health benefits to choosing
sea salt over table salt, sodium is sodium.
Excess sodium intake
can cause high blood pressure, excess water retention and irregular
heart beat and can be the underlying cause of a myriad of devastating
health issues such as heart attacks and strokes. If you use salt
sparingly in your diet, you will help keep your blood pressure at
normal, healthy levels.
Since many people report having to use
less sea salt than table salt to get that savory flavor in their food,
you may want to consider choosing sea salt as a strategy for lowering
the sodium content in your diet.
Sources :
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles...
http://cookingresources.suite101.co...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3790216...
http://www.epicurious.com/articlesg...
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Medical Disclaimer:
The information contained within does not take the place of medical diagnosis or
prescription. See your health care provider in case of sickness.
Editorial Disclaimer: Publication of these articles are to promote food for thought. The opinions expressed in these articles may not be the opinion of editors.
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