Natural Standard Blog

Blueberries for Colon Cancer Prevention

Pterostilbene, a compound found in blueberries, may prevent the development of tumors in the colon, a new study suggests.

Researchers from Rutgers University in New Jersey explored the role of types of dietary fat, pterostillbene and other food components in colon cancer prevention.

The study found that rats supplemented with pterostilbene had 57 percent fewer pre-cancerous lesions in the colon than rats not supplemented with the blueberry compound.

In the small pilot study, 18 rats were given a compound (azoxymethane) to induce colon cancer in a manner similar to human colon cancer development. Half of the animals were then placed on a balanced daily diet, while the other nine were given the same diet supplemented with pterostilbene (40 parts per million).

At the end of an eight-week study period, researchers reported that the pterostilbene-supplemented rats showed fewer pre-cancerous lesions in their colon in comparison to the control group. They also report that the blueberry compound reduced colonic cell growth and inhibited certain genes involved in inflammation, both of which are considered colon cancer risk factors.

In a related study, blueberry's cholesterol-lowering activity was investigated. Researchers reported that hamsters that were fed a high-cholesterol diet containing blueberry skins (7.6 percent of the diet) had lower levels of plasma and liver triglycerides (TGs), LDL-cholesterol, free and total cholesterol of 39, 18, 19, 30 and 37 percent, respectively, compared to animals fed the control diet.

Integrative therapies with strong or good scientific evidence in the prevention or treatment of colon cancer include vitamin A, probiotics, psychotherapy and selenium. For more information on integrative therapies for colon cancer, please visit Natural Standard’s Condition Center.

Blue Agave, Tequila for Colon Health

Compounds derived from the blue agave fruit, which is used to make the popular hard liquor tequila, may help deliver drugs to the colon to treat colon diseases, such as irritable bowel syndrome (ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease) and cancer, a new study reports.

Researchers from the University of Guadalajara in Mexcio explained that drug delivery to the colon is an ongoing challenge to physicians. Stomach acids destroy many drugs before they have had a chance to reach the intestine, where they usually are absorbed. According to the authors of this study, researchers have tried to circumvent this problem by inserting the drugs into carrier molecules that resist breakdown in the stomach. However, they have had difficulty finding a suitable carrier compound.

Scientists developed the fructans, a class of polysaccharides, into tiny microspheres capable of carrying existing drugs that are used to treat colon diseases. Researchers suggested that the compounds may allow more of the drugs to reach the colon intact and improve their effectiveness because the compounds resist destruction in the stomach.

Fructans, which are polymers of fructose, are resistant to acid degradation and may be a useful drug delivery vehicle. But only a few plant sources, such as agave, contain fructans in large amounts. According to researchers, fructans make up 80 percent of a ripe agave fruit’s weight.

The scientists extracted fructans from the blue agave, the base ingredient of tequila. They chemically modified the fructan compound to allow drugs to be encapsulated, making the drugs resistant to degradation in the digestive system.

The researchers then prepared microspheres of the compounds and filled them with ibuprofen as a model of drug delivery to the colon. In laboratory tests, the ibuprofen-filled microspheres were exposed to hydrochloric acid for an hour and appeared physically intact upon subsequent microscopic examination, according to the researchers.

The researchers suggested that if further studies show promise, human studies of the agave microspheres are anticipated. The Mexican National Science and Technology Council provided funding for the study.

Agaves are succulent plants from the family Agavaceae, which includes Beschorneria, Furcraea, Hesperaloe, Manfreda, Polianthes, Prochnyanthes and Yucca. Agave plants are common in the American southwest, Mexico, central and tropical South America, the Mediterranean and some parts of India. Plants in the Agavaceae family are recognizable by their distinctive rosettes, which are composed of thick, hard, rigid leaves often with marginal teeth and usually with a sharp terminal spine and flower spikes. There are over 200 known species of Agave. Many species produce musky odors that attract bats serve to pollinate them, while others produce sweet odors to attract insects.

A sweet liquid (sap) called agua miel (honey water) gathers in the plant if the stem is cut before flowering. This sap is collected over a period of about two months, and can then be fermented to produce the alcoholic beverage pulque (octili), which Native Americans use in religious ceremonies. Further distillation creates Mescal (mezcal). A form of tequila is made when Mescal is produced from the blue agave (Agave tequilana) plant within the Tequila region of Mexico. This is the most important economic use of agave, worth millions of dollars to the Mexican economy. Mescal is often sold with the caterpillar of the agave moth in the bottle.

For more information about blue agave, please visit Natural Standard’s Herbs & Supplements Database.

 

 

CDC: Americans Not Getting Enough Fruits and Veggies

A new report, release by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suggests that less than one-third of Americans are getting the recommended daily allowances of fruits and vegetables.

According to the CDC, a diet high in fruits and vegetables is associated with a decreased risk of chronic diseases. Also, since fruits and vegetables have low energy density (few calories relative to volume), eating them as part of a reduced-calorie diet can be beneficial for weight management.

In January 2000, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) launched Healthy People 2010, a national health promotion and disease prevention agenda. According to the CDC, objectives of this initiative include increasing the number of people who are two years of age and older who eat at least two daily servings of fruit by 75 percent, and increasing the number of people who are two years of age or older and eat at least three daily servings of vegetables by 50 percent.

To assess the level of fruit and vegetable consumption among adults by state and demographic characteristics, data from the 2005 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) were analyzed. Results indicated that about 32 percent of adults consumed two or more servings of fruit per day and about 27 percent ate three or more servings of vegetables per day.

The CDC concluded that there is a need for continued interventions that encourage greater fruit and vegetable consumption among U.S. adults. The CDC recently launched a new Web site, FruitsandVeggiesMatter.gov. This new site includes a calculator that determines how many fruits and vegetables an individual needs, based on age, gender and level of physical activity.

Biofeedback Therapy for Migraines

Biofeedback (BFB) therapy is a technique used to help individuals become conscious of otherwise unconscious body processes through conveying information about blood pressure, heart rate, skin temperature, sweating and muscle tension. Patients use their minds to control their bodies. This therapy may effectively treat migraine headaches, a new study suggests.

Researchers from Philipps-University of Marburg in Germany conducted a meta-analysis examining the efficacy of BFB in treating migraine. A computerized literature search of the databases Medline, PsycInfo, Psyndex and the Cochrane library, as well as a hand search, identified 86 outcome studies. A total of 55 studies, including randomized controlled trials and pre-post trials, met inclusion criteria and were integrated.

Researchers found that a medium effect size resulted for all BFB interventions and proved stable over an average follow-up phase of 17 months. Also, BFB was more effective than control conditions. Frequency of migraine attacks and perceived self-efficacy demonstrated the strongest improvements. Blood-volume-pulse feedback yielded higher effect sizes than peripheral skin temperature feedback and electromyography feedback.

Moderator analyses revealed BFB in combination with home training was more effective than therapies without home training. The influence of the meta-analytical methods on the effect sizes was systematically explored, and the results proved to be robust across different methods of effect size calculation.

Researchers found no substantial relationship between the validity of the integrated studies and the direct treatment effects. Finally, an intention-to-treat analysis showed that the treatment effects remained stable, even when dropouts were considered as non-responders.

Biofeedback has been shown to be helpful in treating a variety of medical conditions including asthma, Raynaud's disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), hot flashes, incontinence, headaches, irregular heartbeats, high blood pressure, epilepsy and nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy. Other common uses include the treatment of stress and stress-related conditions such as anxiety and insomnia. Interest in BFB has fluctuated since its development in the 1960s. Today, the therapy is regaining popularity, possibly because of the general increase of interest in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) modalities.

For more information on integrative therapies for migraine headaches, please visit Natural Standard’s Condition Center.

Healthy Soda?

Coca-Cola and PepsiCo plan to market new, vitamin-enhanced sodas in the coming months – Diet Coke Plus and Tava, respectively. The new beverages will be promoted as “sparkling beverages” rather than soda or soft drinks, which have been in the headlines for their link to obesity.

Diet Coke Plus, which will hit the market in April, will contain niacin, vitamins B6 and B12, magnesium and zinc. The new beverage will cost the same as Diet Coke. Tava, which will be available this fall, will be lightly carbonated and contain vitamins B3, B6 and E, as well as chromium. PepsiCo has not determined a price for the new product yet.

In 2005, the $68 billion soda industry in the United States experienced a decrease in sales for the first time in recent history. Even the diet soda industry experienced a decline in sales. Consumers are increasingly choosing bottled water, sparkling juices and green teas over sodas.

This is not the first time vitamin-enhanced soda has been marketed. In 2004, Cadbury Schweppes released 7Up Plus, a low-calorie soda fortified with vitamins and minerals. In 2006, Cadbury also changed the label of its regular 7Up soda to “100 percent natural.” However, after a nutrition group complained that a product made with high-fructose corn syrup should not be considered natural, Cadbury was forced to change the label to “100 percent natural flavor.”

There is debate over the healthfulness of these new sodas. While they contain vitamins and no sugar, they are made with artificial sweeteners. According to a survey conducted by Morgan Stanley, only 10% of consumers interviewed in 2006 considered diet colas a healthy choice, compared with 14% in 2003. Also, 30 percent of consumers who were interviewed last year said they were reluctant to drink beverages with artificial sweeteners, an increase from 21 percent in 2004.

The efforts to increase beverage sales are especially important to Coca-Cola, since soft drinks and energy drinks account for 81 percent of the company’s revenue worldwide. PepsiCo, on the other hand, has entered other food and beverage markets, including Frito-Lay, Gatorade and Quaker Oats. Soft drinks account for 31 percent of PepsiCo’s revenue in North America, and Pepsi-Cola is the company's largest brand worldwide.  

Omega-3s and Blood Pressure

Low doses of the omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may reduce diastolic blood pressure, according to the results of a new study.

Researchers from King's College London, University of Leicester, Glasgow Royal Infirmary and St. Thomas' Hospital in London, England explained that the intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) is associated with a decreased risk of fatal heart attack. Whether or not this effect is attributable to the effects of DHA on vascular function, particularly at intakes less than 1 gram per day, remains unknown.

In the randomized, double-blind, crossover, placebo controlled trial, researchers tested the effects of daily supplementation with 0.7 grams of DHA as a purified algal derived triacylglycerol (1.5 grams) against 1.5 grams of an olive oil placebo on vascular function and biochemical indices of endothelial dysfunction in 38 healthy men and women, aged 40 to 65 years.

Each treatment phase lasted three months, separated by a four-month washout period. The study found that supplementation increased the proportion of DHA in erythrocytes lipids by 58 percent, compared with placebo. Arterial compliance and endothelium independent and dependent responses, plasma concentrations of C-reactive protein, soluble thrombomodulin, E-selectin, von Willebrand factor antigen and urinary microalbumin and isoprostane excretion were unaffected by treatment. Diastolic blood pressure decreased and heart rate tended to be 2.1 beats per minute lower after DHA treatment than after the placebo period.

Researchers concluded that a moderate increase in the daily intake of DHA to about 0.7 grams DHA may lower diastolic BP, but it does not seem to influence indices of endothelial function or arterial stiffness in the short term.

Integrative therapies for high blood pressure with strong or good scientific evidence include fish oil, alpha-linolenic acid, calcium, coenzyme Q10, hibiscus, Qi gong, stevia and yoga. For more information about integrative therapies for high blood pressure, please visit Natural Standard’s Condition Center.

Chiropractic Therapy May Reduce Blood Pressure

A chiropractic procedure may effectively treat high blood pressure, a new study suggests.

Researchers at Rush University Hypertension Center in Chicago, Ill. explained that anatomical abnormalities of the cervical spine at the atlas vertebra (first vertebra) are associated with relative ischaemia of the brainstem circulation and increased blood pressure (BP). Manual correction of this mal-alignment has been associated with reduced arterial pressure.

This study investigated the hypothesis that correcting mal-alignment of the atlas vertebra reduces and maintains a lower BP. Using a double-blind, placebo-controlled design at a single center, 50 drug naive (26 participants) or washed out (24 participants) patients with Stage 1 high blood pressure were randomized to receive either a National Upper Cervical Chiropractic (NUCCA) procedure or a sham procedure. Participants were between 42 and 62 years old, with the average age being 53 years. Seventy percent of participants were male.

Patients received no blood pressure-lowering drugs during the eight-week study duration. The primary end point was changed in systolic and diastolic BP, comparing baseline and week eight, with a 90 percent power to detect an 8/5 mm Hg difference at week eight over the placebo group.

By week eight, the researchers found that there were differences in systolic BP and diastolic BP. Heart rate was not reduced in the NUCCA group and no side effects were reported. Researchers concluded that restoration of atlas alignment is associated with marked and sustained reductions in BP, similar to the use of two-drug combination therapy.

Other integrative therapies with strong or good scientific evidence for high blood pressure include omega-3 fatty acids, fish oil, alpha-linolenic acid, calcium, coenzyme Q10, hibiscus, Qi gong, stevia and yoga. For more information about integrative therapies for high blood pressure, please visit Natural Standard’s Condition Center.

Duct Tape for Warts

A new study refutes earlier evidence that duct tape may effectively treat common warts. However, the study, conducted by researchers from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Saint Louis University and Centers for Chronic Disease Outcomes and Research, Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center used clear duct tape that may have been missing the active constituent found in regular, gray duct tape.

The double-blind controlled trial evaluated the efficacy of duct tape occlusion therapy for the treatment of common warts in adults.

The study took place at a Veterans Affairs medical center and included a total of 90 immunocompetent adult volunteers with at least one wart measuring 2 to 15 millimeters; participants were enrolled between October 1, 2004 and July 31, 2005. Eighty patients completed the study. 

Patients were randomized by a computer-generated code to receive pads consisting of either moleskin with transparent duct tape (treatment group) or moleskin alone (control group). Patients were instructed to wear the pads for seven consecutive days and leave the pad off on the seventh evening. This process was repeated for two months or until the wart resolved, whichever occurred first. Follow-up visits occurred at one and two months. 

The main outcome measure was complete resolution of the target wart. Secondary outcomes included change in size of the target wart and recurrence rates at six months for warts with complete resolution. 

Researchers found no statistically significant differences in the proportions of patients with resolution of the target wart (21 percent of 39 patients in the treatment group verses 22 percent of 41 in the control group). Of patients with complete resolution, six (75 percent) in the treatment group and three (33 percent) in the control group had recurrence of the target wart by the sixth month. 

Though no statistically significant difference between duct tape and moleskin for the treatment of warts in an adult population was found, researchers suggested that this may be because the tape used in the study was clear and contained no rubber, unlike the common, gray duct tape. 

Another study, conducted at the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom (UK), found that gray duct tape was effective at treating warts and suggested that the mechanism of action may be that the tape irritates the skin stimulating the body's immune system to attack the virus that causes warts.

The UK study found that duct tape was the most cost-effective treatment for warts but admitted published evidence of its effectiveness is sparse. Salicylic acid was the most cost-effective over-the-counter treatment commonly used.

The study concluded that duct tape could be adopted as the primary treatment for cutaneous warts if its effectiveness is verified by further rigorous trials.

Integrative therapies with strong or good scientific evidence in the treatment of warts include Vitamin D, aloe vera, evening primrose oil, podophyllum and probiotics.

For more information about integrative therapies for warts, please visit Natural Standard’s Condition Center.

Copper for Heart Disease

Copper supplements may help treat cardiovascular (heart) disease, a new study suggests.

Researchers at University of Louisville School of Medicine in Kentucky tested the effects of dietary copper supplementation on hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a type of heart disease caused by the thickening (enlargement) of the heart muscle.

The researchers found that copper supplementation in rats reversed the overgrowth of their hearts. Researchers explained that sustained pressure overload leads to decreases in cardiac copper and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels along with suppression of myocardial angiogenesis (blood vessel formation). Copper supplementation may replenish cardiac copper, increase VEGF and promote angiogenesis.

The study concluded that dietary copper supplementation may improve the condition of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy at least in part through CCS-mediated HIF-1alpha activation of VEGF expression and angiogenesis.

For more information about integrative therapies for heart disease, please visit Natural Standard’s Condition Center. 

FDA Requests Label Change for Sleep Disorder Drugs

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has requested that all manufacturers of sedative-hypnotic drug products strengthen their product labeling to include stronger language concerning potential risks. Sedative-hypnotic products include all drugs used to induce and/or maintain sleep.

The potential risks that will soon be included on the drug labels include severe allergic reactions and complex sleep-related behaviors, which may include sleep driving. The FDA defines sleep driving as "driving while not fully awake after ingestion of a sedative-hypnotic product, with no memory of the event."

According to the FDA press release, in December 2006, the FDA sent letters to manufacturers of products approved for the treatment of sleep disorders requesting that the whole class of drugs revise product labeling to include warnings about the following potential adverse events: anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction) and angioedema (severe facial swelling), which can occur as early as the first time the product is taken; and complex sleep-related behaviors which may include sleep-driving, making phone calls and preparing and eating food (while asleep).

The FDA has been working with the product manufacturers over the past three months to update labeling, notify healthcare providers and inform consumers of these risks. Along with the labeling revisions, the FDA requested that each product manufacturer send letters to healthcare providers to notify them about the new warnings. Manufacturers began sending these letters on March 14, 2007.

In addition, the FDA has requested that manufacturers of sedative-hypnotic products develop Patient Medication Guides for the products to inform consumers about risks and advise them of potential precautions that can be taken. Patient Medication Guides are handouts given to patients, families and caregivers when a medicine is dispensed. The guides will contain FDA-approved information such as proper use and the recommendation to avoid ingesting alcohol and/or other central nervous system depressants. When these Medication Guides are available, the FDA advises that patients who are treated with sleep medications to read the information before taking the product. Patients should also talk to their doctors if they have any questions or concerns. Patients should not discontinue the use of these medications without first consulting their healthcare providers.

Although all sedative-hypnotic products have these risks, the FDA suggests that there may be differences among products in how often they occur. For this reason, the FDA has recommended that the drug manufacturers conduct clinical studies to investigate the frequency with which sleep-driving and other complex behaviors occur in association with individual drug products.

The medications that are the focus of the revised labeling include the following 13 products: Ambien/Ambien CR® (Sanofi Aventis), Butisol Sodium® (Medpointe Pharm HLC), Carbrital® (Parke-Davis), Dalmane® (Valeant Pharm), Doral® (Questcor Pharms), Halcion® (Pharmacia & Upjohn), Lunesta® (Sepracor), Placidyl® (Abbott), Prosom® (Abbott), Restoril® (Tyco Healthcare), Rozerem® (Takeda), Seconal® (Lilly) and Sonata® (King Pharmaceuticals).

Natural therapies for sleep disorders with strong or good scientific evidence include melatonin (a naturally occurring hormone), music therapy and valerian (perennial flowering plant). For more information about integrative therapies for sleep disorders, please visit Natural Standard’s Condition Center.