Turmeric (Curcuma longa Linn.) and Curcumin

Background
The rhizome (root) of turmeric ( Curcuma longa Linn.) has long been used in traditional Asian medicine to treat gastrointestinal upset, arthritic pain, and "low energy." Laboratory and animal research has demonstrated anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-cancer properties of turmeric and its constituent curcumin. Preliminary human evidence, albeit poor quality, suggests possible efficacy in the management of dyspepsia (heartburn), hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol), and scabies (when used on the skin).

Synonyms
Amomoum curcuma, anlatone (constituent), CUR, Curcuma , Curcuma aromatica , Curcuma aromatica salisbury, Curcuma domestica , Curcuma domestica valet, Curcuma longa , Curcuma longa rhizoma, Curcuma oil, curcumin, curcumin (I, II, III), diferuloylmethane, E zhu, Gelbwurzel, gurkemeje, Haldi, Haridra, Indian saffron, Indian yellow root, Jiang huang, kunir, kunyit, Kurkumawurzelstock, Kyoo, Olena, radix zedoaria longa, rhizome de curcuma, safran des Indes, shati, turmeric oil, turmeric root, tumerone, Ukon, yellowroot, Zedoary, Zingiberaceae (family), zingiberene, Zitterwurzel.

Evidence
These uses have been tested in humans or animals. Safety and effectiveness have not always been proven. Some of these conditions are potentially serious, and should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare provider.

Cancer
Several early animal and laboratory studies report anti-cancer (colon, skin, breast) properties of curcumin. Many mechanisms have been considered, including antioxidant activity, anti-angiogenesis (prevention of new blood vessel growth), and direct effects on cancer cells. Currently it remains unclear if turmeric or curcumin has a role in preventing or treating human cancers. There are several ongoing studies in this area. Grade C

Dyspepsia (heartburn)
Turmeric has been traditionally used to treat stomach problems (such as indigestion from a fatty meal). There is preliminary evidence that turmeric may offer some relief from these stomach problems. However, at high doses or with prolonged use, turmeric may actually irritate or upset the stomach. Reliable human research is necessary before a recommendation can be made. Grade C

Gallstone prevention/bile flow stimulant
It has been said that there are fewer people with gallstones in India, which is sometimes credited to turmeric in the diet. Early studies report that curcumin, a chemical in turmeric, may decrease the occurrence of gallstones. However, reliable human studies are lacking in this area. The use of turmeric may be inadvisable in patients with active gallstones. Grade C

High cholesterol
Early studies suggest that turmeric may lower levels of low-density lipoprotein ("bad cholesterol") and total cholesterol in the blood. Better human studies are needed before a recommendation can be made. Grade C

HIV
Several laboratory studies suggest that curcumin, a component of turmeric, may have activity against HIV. However, reliable human studies are lacking in this area. Grade C

Inflammation
Laboratory and animal studies show anti-inflammatory activity of turmeric and its constituent curcumin. Reliable human research is lacking. Grade C

Osteoarthritis
Turmeric has been used historically to treat rheumatic conditions. Laboratory and animal studies show anti-inflammatory activity of turmeric and its constituent curcumin, which may be beneficial in people with osteoarthritis. Reliable human research is lacking. Grade C

Peptic ulcer disease (stomach ulcer)
Turmeric has been used historically to treat stomach and duodenal ulcers. However, at high doses or with prolonged use, turmeric may actually further irritate or upset the stomach. Currently, there is not enough human evidence to make a firm recommendation. Grade C

Rheumatoid arthritis
Turmeric has been used historically to treat rheumatic conditions, and based on animal research may reduce inflammation. Reliable human studies are necessary before a recommendation can be made in this area. Grade C
Scabies
Historically, turmeric has been used on the skin to treat chronic skin ulcers and scabies. It has also been used in combination with the leaves of the herb Azadirachta indica ADR or "neem." More research is necessary before a firm recommendation can be made. Grade C

Uveitis (eye inflammation)
Laboratory and animal studies show anti-inflammatory activity of turmeric and its constituent curcumin. A poorly designed human study suggests a possible benefit of curcumin in the treatment of uveitis. Reliable human research is necessary before a firm conclusion can be drawn. Grade C

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional disorder for which there is no reliable medical treatment. One study investigated the effects of Curcuma xanthorriza on IBS and found that treatment did not show any therapeutic benefit over placebo. More studies are needed to verify these findings. Grade C

*Key to grades
A: Strong scientific evidence for this use;
B: Good scientific evidence for this use;
C: Unclear scientific evidence for this use;
D: Fair scientific evidence against this use;
F: Strong scientific evidence against this use.

Modern use of honey

Medicinal uses and health effects of honey
The main uses of honey are in cooking, baking, as a spread on breads, and as an addition to various beverages such as tea and as a sweetener in commercial beverages such as Sprecher's root beer. Honey is the main ingredient in the alcoholic beverage mead, which is also known as "honey wine" or "honey beer" (although it is neither wine nor beer). It is also used as an adjunct in beer.For at least 2700 years, honey has been used to treat a variety of ailments through topical application, but only recently have the antiseptic and antibacterial properties of honey been chemically explained. Wound Gels that contain antibacterial honey and have regulatory approval for wound care are now available to help conventional medicine in the battle against drug resistant strains of bacteria MRSA. As an antimicrobial agent honey may have the potential for treating a variety of ailments. One New Zealand researcher says a particular type of honey may be useful in treating MRSA infections. Antibacterial properties of honey are the result of the low water activity causing osmosis, hydrogen peroxide effect, and high acidity. Honey may also be used to alleviate the effects of a sore throat. It is mixed with lemon juice and consumed. The mixture coats the throat alleviating discomfort, and the antibacterial, antiseptic properties are good for the throat as well.

Honey is primarily a saturated mixture of two monosaccharides. This mixture has a low water activity; most of the water molecules are associated with the sugars and few remain available for microorganisms, so it is a poor environment for their growth.

Hydrogen peroxide in honey is activated by dilution. However, unlike medical hydrogen peroxide, commonly 3% by volume, it is present in a concentration of only 1 mmol/l in honey. Iron in honey oxidizes the oxygen free radicals released by the hydrogen peroxide.

C6H12O6 + H2O + O2 → C6H12O7 + H2O2

When used topically (as, for example, a wound dressing), hydrogen peroxide is produced by dilution with body fluids. As a result, hydrogen peroxide is released slowly and acts as an
antiseptic.

In diabetic ulcers
Topical honey has been used successfully in a comprehensive treatment of diabetic ulcers when the patient cannot use other topical antibiotics.
The pH of honey is commonly between 3.2 and 4.5. This relatively acidic pH level prevents the growth of many bacteria.

Nutraceutical effects
Antioxidants in honey have even been implicated in reducing the damage done to the colon in colitis. Such claims are consistent with its use in many traditions of folk medicine.

Other medical applications
Some studies suggest that the topical use of honey may reduce odors, swelling, and scarring when used to treat wounds; it may also prevent the dressing from sticking to the healing wound. Honey has also been used as a treatment for sore throats and coughs for centuries and according to recent research may in fact be more effective than most common medicines. Honey (especially when combined with lemon) is often taken orally by pharyngitis and laryngitis sufferers, in order to soothe them. Though widely believed to alleviate allergies, local honey has been shown to be no more effective than placebos in controlled studies

Precautions
Due to the natural presence of botulinum endospores in honey, children under one year of age should not be given honey. The more developed digestive systems of older children and adults generally destroy the spores. Infants, however, can contract botulism from honey.
Honey produced from the flowers of rhododendrons, mountain laurels, sheep laurel and azaleas may cause honey intoxication. Symptoms include dizziness, weakness, excessive perspiration, nausea and vomiting. Less commonly, low blood pressure, shock, heart rhythm irregularities and convulsions may occur, with rare cases resulting in death. Honey intoxication is more likely when using "natural" unprocessed honey and honey from farmers who may have a small number of hives. Commercial processing, with pooling of honey from numerous sources generally dilutes any toxins.

Toxic honey may also result when bees are in close proximity to tutu bushes (Coriaria arborea) and the vine hopper insect (Scolypopa australis). Both are found throughout New Zealand. Bees gather honeydew produced by the vine hopper insects feeding on the tutu plant. This introduces the poison tutin into honey . Only a few areas in New Zealand (Coromandel Peninsula, Eastern Bay of Plenty and the Marlborough Sound) frequently produce toxic honey. Symptoms of tutin poisoning include vomiting, delirium, giddiness, increased excitability, stupor, coma and violent convulsions. In order to reduce the risk of tutin poisoning, humans should not eat honey taken from feral hives in the risk areas of New Zealand.

Coconut Oil DIET

Coconut Oil: A-Healthy Choice for the Thyroid
Coconut oil, on the other hand, is a saturated fat made up primarily of medium chain fatty acids. Also known as medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), medium chain fatty acids are known to increase metabolism and promote weight loss. Coconut oil can also raise basal body temperatures while increasing metabolism. This is good news for people who suffer with low thyroid function.

I began taking coconut oil to address a hypothyroid issue. Recently, especially over the last month, thyroid activity plunged and my temperatures would top out for the day somewhere between 97.2 and 97.8. Definitely hypothyroid territory. Now in just a couple of days the coconut oil has boosted my metabolism back toward the normal range (still subnormal but getting there)..Mike (Coconut Diet Forums)

Coconut Oil and Oxidative Stress
One of the reasons the long chain fatty acids in vegetable oils are so damaging to the thyroid is that they oxidize quickly and become rancid. Food manufacturers know about this propensity towards rancidity and, therefore, highly refine their vegetable oils. Considerable research has shown that trans fatty acids, present when vegetable oils are highly refined (hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated), are especially damaging to cell tissue and can have a negative affect on the thyroid as well as health in general. Because the longer chain fatty acids are deposited in cells more often as rancid and oxidizing fat, impairment of the conversion of thyroid hormone T4 to T3 occurs, which is symptomatic of hypothyroidism. To create the enzymes needed to convert fats to energy, T4 must be converted to T3.
Dr. Ray Peat says:
When the oils are stored in our tissues, they are much warmer, and more directly exposed to oxygen than they would be in the seeds, and so their tendency to oxidize is very great. These oxidative processes can damage enzymes and other parts of cells, and especially their ability to produce energy. The enzymes which break down proteins are inhibited by unsaturated fats; these enzymes are needed not only for digestion, but also for production of thyroid hormones, clot removal, immunity, and the general adaptability of cells. The risks of abnormal blood clotting, inflammation, immune deficiency, shock, aging, obesity, and cancer are increased. Thyroid [hormones] and progesterone are decreased.

Since the unsaturated oils block protein digestion in the stomach, we can be malnourished even while "eating well." There are many changes in hormones caused by unsaturated fats. Their best understood effect is their interference with the function of the thyroid gland. Unsaturated oils block thyroid hormone secretion, its movement in the circulatory system, and the response of tissues to the hormone. Coconut oil is unique in its ability to prevent weight-gain or cure obesity, by stimulating metabolism. It is quickly metabolized, and functions in some ways as an antioxidant.
Because coconut oil is saturated and very stable (unrefined coconut oil has a shelf life of about three to five years at room temperature), the body is not burdened with oxidative stress as it is with the vegetable oils. Coconut oil does not require the enzyme stress that vegetable oils do, preventing T4 to T3 hormone conversion, not only because it is a stable oil, but also because it is processed differently in the body and does not need to be broken down by enzyme dependent processes as do long chain fatty acids. Also, since the liver is the main place where damage occurs from oxidized and rancid oils that cause cell membrane damage, and since the liver is where much of the conversion of T4 to T3 takes place, eliminating long chain fatty acids from the diet and replacing them with medium chain fatty acids found in coconut oil can, in time, help in rebuilding cell membranes and increasing enzyme production that will assist in promoting the conversion of T4 to T3 hormone
From Banahaw Health Products Corp.

Biological functions of Cysteine

The cysteine thiol group is nucleophilic and easily oxidized. The reactivity is enhanced when the thiol ionized, and cysteine residues in proteins have pKa values close to neutrality, so are often in their reactive thiolate form in the cell. Because of its high reactivity, the thiol group of cysteine has numerous biological functions.

Precursor to the antioxidant glutathione
Due to the ability of thiols to undergo redox reactions, cysteine has antioxidant properties. Cysteine's antioxidant properties are typically expressed in the tripeptide glutathione, which occurs in humans as well as other organisms. The systemic availability of oral glutathione (GSH) is negligible; so it must be biosynthesized from its constituent amino acids, cysteine, glycine, and glutamic acid. Glutamic acid and glycine are readily available in most Western diets, but the availability of cysteine can be the limiting substrate.

Oxidation to cystine linkages
Oxidation of cysteine produces the disulfide cystine. More aggressive oxidants convert cysteine to the corresponding sulfinic acid and sulfonic acid. Cysteine residues play a valuable role by crosslinking proteins, which increases the protein stability in the harsh extracellular environment, and also functions to confer proteolytic resistance (since protein export is a costly process, minimizing its necessity is advantageous). Inside the cell, disulfide bridges between cysteine residues within a polypeptide support the protein's secondary structure. Insulin is an example of a protein with cystine crosslinking, wherein two separate peptide chains are connected by a pair of disulfide bonds.

Protein Disulfide Isomerases catalyze the proper formation of disulfide bonds; the cell transfers dehydroascorbic acid to the endoplasmic reticulum, which oxidises the environment. In this environment, cysteines are, in general, oxidized to cystine and no longer functions as a nucleophile.

Precursor to iron-sulfur clusters
Cysteine is an important source of sulfide in human metabolism. The sulfide in iron-sulfur clusters and in nitrogenase is extracted from cysteine, which is converted to alanine in the process.

Metal ion binding
Beyond the iron-sulfur proteins, many other metal cofactors in enzymes are bound to the thiolate substituent of cysteinyl residues. Examples include zinc in zinc fingers and alcohol dehydrogenase, copper in the blue copper proteins, iron in cytochrome P450, and nickel in the [NiFe]-hydrogenases. The thiol group also has a high affinity for heavy metals, so that proteins containing cysteine will bind metals such as mercury, lead, and cadmium tightly.
Post-translational modifications

Aside from its oxidation to cystine, cysteine participates in numerous Posttranslational modifications. The nucleophilic thiol group allows cysteine to conjugate to other groups, e.g., in prenylation. Ubiquitin ligases transfer ubiquitin to its pendant, proteins, and caspases, which engage in proteolysis in the apoptotic cycle. Inteins often function with the help of a catalytic cysteine. These roles are typically limited to the intracellular milieu, where the environment is reducing, and cysteine is not oxidized to cystine.

Applications
Cysteine, mainly the L-enantiomer, is a precursor in the food, pharmaceutical, and personal care industries. One of the largest applications is the production of flavors. For example, the reaction of cysteine with sugars in a Maillard reaction yields meat flavors. L-cysteine is also used as a processing aid for baking. Small quantities (in the tens of ppm range) help to soften the dough and thus reduce processing

In the field of personal care, cysteine is used for permanent wave applications predominantly in Asia. Again the cysteine is used for breaking up the disulfide bonds in the hair's keratin.
Cysteine is a very popular target for site-directed labeling experiments to investigate biomolecular structure and dynamics. Maleimides will selectively attach to cysteine using a covalent Michael addition. Site-directed spin labeling for EPR or paramagnetic relaxation enhanced NMR also uses cysteine extensively.

In a 1994 report released by five top cigarette companies, cysteine is one of the 599 additives to cigarettes. Like most cigarette additives, however, its use or purpose is unknown. Its inclusion in cigarettes could offer two benefits: Acting as an expectorant, since smoking increases mucus production in the lungs; and increasing the beneficial antioxidant glutathione (which is diminished in smokers).
From : Wikipedia

Ascaridia galli

Ascaridia galli is a nematode parasite that causes ascariasis, or worm infection, in poultry.

The eggs of A. galli have thick, albuminous shells that are resistant to desiccation and persist for a long time in the environment. Larvae do not hatch but moult inside the eggs until they reach the L3 stage. This can take about two weeks but the period depends on other factors such as the weather condition. The infective eggs are ingested by a chicken where it reaches the proventriculus and hatches. Temperature, carbon dioxide levels and pH are thought to be triggering factors that signal the larva to hatch from its egg. The larva then burrows into the mucosal lining of the small intestine where it undergoes two additional moults. It is this phase of their life cycle where these worms causes the most damage to their host. They then re-enter the small intestine and develop into adults where they live their lives out feeding on gut content and making a vast amount of eggs that would then be excreted by a host and free to continue their life cycle. If the animal is able to mount an immune respond to the larvae, i.e. from pre-exposure, the larvae do not develop into adults but hide in the mucosa of the small intestine. This is common for infection of older birds. Transport hosts such as earthworms are thought to play a role in transmission of A. galli and hence, free range birds tend to have a higher risk of infection.

References
1. Helminthiasis: Introduction. The Merck Veterinary Manual (2006). Retrieved on 2007-07-01.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Aerobic Respiration

When oxygen is present (aerobic conditions), most organisms will undergo two more steps, Kreb's Cycle, and Electron Transport, to produce their ATP. In eukaryotes, these processes occur in the mitochondria, while in prokaryotes they occur in the cytoplasm.

Overview of the cellular respiration processes. Image from Purves et al., Life: The Science of Biology, 4th Edition, by Sinauer Associates (http://www.sinauer.com/) and

Euthanasia

Representing action terminate the life of somebody or being live other;dissimilar conducted by a people or side in charge ( medical energy or doctor) because patient request or a[n effort lighten the patient grief by doctor.

Therefore euthanasia must be done just because request of patient or family with the consideration prevent the patient grief.

In general there are 4 kinds of euthanasia :
1. Liability Euthanasia
Representing effort terminate the somebody life by abstracting appliance of life supporter supporting patient life, for example by abstracting appliance breathe or discontinuing medication do not try hence appliance of heart conduct and also let the patient pass away
2. Active Euthanasia
All action of mangakhiri of patient life of through direct action according to pertinent patient request
3. Voluntary Pasive euthanasia
Doctor only give the drug dose which enough kill or gas of carbon monoxide to later patient wittingly full (of) terminating its own life
4. Involuntary Euthanasia
Action terminate the somebody life which is non representing willingness from patient [is] in some cases categorized [by] murder

In various cleft of world of policy euthanasia have invited the controversy by kinds of reaction. Have a lot of pooling try to show how far the way of this agreed or accepted.

Some among other things are :
United States Agree 57% Adverse opinion 35%
Canada Agree 75% Adverse opinion 25%
English Agree 80% Adverse opinion 20%
Australian Agree 81% Adverse opinion 19%
Dutch Agree 92% Adverse opinion 8%

Ascription which enough mengemuka on the part of opposing [is] terminate the ill to somebody life just because show how not existence of appreciation to life as God grant from above. That Matter [is] also supported [by] a religion norm which also oppose the mentioned and also care of this way weared for the bad purpose appreciation.

But if somebody which [shall] have no longger of life activity capable to be conducted [by] its own body and [is] only reckoned on [by] a appliance existence and cause the lose heart patient live and also family experience of the heavy mind burden hence some party very supporting [of] that step with the real consideration [of] that lat-alt life supporter have colonized the freedom live the patient and basically that patient have died medically.
Become in fact until whenever euthanasia will remain become the controversy and delivered [at] your assessment each because each and everyone will look into [it] from the aspect of look into and their way of thinking each. Appropriately we are as animate being created [by] God need not to need and feel have been able to replace the God power. Medium for the man who look into the [the] mentioned from facet but return all depend on your op

Toxoplasmosis Classification & External Resources

Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. The parasite infects most warm-blooded animals, including humans, but the primary host is the felid (cat) family. Animals are infected by eating infected meat, by ingestion of faeces of a cat that has itself recently been infected, or by transmission from mother to fetus. Cats have been shown as a major reservoir of this infection.

Up to one third of the world's population is estimated to carry a Toxoplasma infection.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that overall seroprevalence in the United States as determined with specimens collected by the third National Health and Nutritional Assessment Survey (NHANES III) between 1988 and 1994 was found to be 22.5%, with seroprevalence among women of childbearing age (15 to 44 years) of 15%.People with a weakened immune system, such as those infected with HIV, and fetuses, may become seriously ill, and it can occasionally be fatal. The parasite can cause encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and neurologic diseases and can affect the heart, liver, and eyes (chorioretinitis).

The protozoan was first discovered by Nicolle & Manceaux, who in 1908 isolated it from the African rodent Ctenodactylus gundi, then in 1909 differentiated the disease from Leishmania and named it Toxoplasmosis gondii. The first recorded congenital case was not until 1923, and the first adult case not until 1940. In 1948, a serological dye test was created by Sabin & Feldman, which is now the standard basis for diagnostic tests.

Transmission
Ingestion of raw or partly cooked meat, especially pork, lamb, or venison containing Toxoplasma cysts. Infection prevalence in countries where undercooked meat is traditionally eaten, such as France, has been related to this transmission method. Oocysts may also be ingested during hand-to-mouth contact after handling undercooked meat, or from using knives, utensils, or cutting boards contaminated by raw meat. Ingestion of contaminated cat faeces. This can occur through hand-to-mouth contact following gardening, cleaning a cat's litter box, contact with children's sandpits, or touching anything that has come into contact with cat faeces.
Drinking water contaminated with Toxoplasma.

Transplacental infection in utero.
Receiving an infected organ transplant or blood transfusion, although this is extremely rare.
The cyst form of the parasite is extremely hardy, capable of surviving exposure to freezing down to −12 degrees Celsius (10 degrees Fahrenheit), moderate temperatures and chemical disinfectants such as bleach, and can survive in the environment for over a year. It is, however, susceptible to high temperatures—above 66 degrees Celsius (150 degrees Fahrenheit), and is thus killed by thorough cooking, and would be killed by 24 hours in a typical domestic freezer.
Cats excrete the pathogen in their faeces for a number of weeks after contracting the disease, generally by eating an infected rodent. Even then, cat faeces are not generally contagious for the first day or two after excretion, after which the cyst 'ripens' and becomes potentially pathogenic. Studies have shown that only about 2% of cats are shedding oocysts at any one time, and that oocyst shedding does not recur even after repeated exposure to the parasite. Although the pathogen has been detected on the fur of cats, it has not been found in an infectious form, and direct infection from handling cats is generally believed to be very rare.

Pregnancy precautions
Congenital toxoplasmosis is a special form in which an unborn child is infected via the placenta. A positive antibody titer indicates previous exposure and immunity and largely ensures the unborn baby's safety. A simple blood draw at the first pre-natal doctor visit can determine whether or not the woman has had previous exposure and therefore whether or not she is at risk. If a woman receives her first exposure to toxoplasmosis while pregnant, the baby is at particular risk. A woman with no previous exposure should avoid handling raw meat, exposure to cat feces, and gardening (cat feces are common in garden soil). Most cats are not actively shedding oocysts and so are not a danger, but the risk may be reduced further by having the litterbox emptied daily (oocysts require longer than a single day to become infective), and by having someone else empty the litterbox. However, while risks can be minimized, they cannot be eliminated. For pregnant women with negative antibody titer, indicating no previous exposure to T. gondii, as frequent as monthly serology testing is advisable as treatment during pregnancy for those women exposed to T. gondii for the first time decreases dramatically the risk of passing the parasite to the fetus.

Treatment is very important for recently infected pregnant women, to prevent infection of the fetus. Since a baby's immune system does not develop fully for the first year of life, and the resilient cysts that form throughout the body are very difficult to eradicate with anti-protozoans, an infection can be very serious in the young.

Transplacental transmission:(a) infection in 1st trimester - incidence of transplacental infection is low (15%) but disease in neonate is most severe. (b) infection in 3rd trimester - incidence of transplacental infection is high (65%) but infant is usually asymptomatic at birth.

Infection has two stages:
Acute
During acute toxoplasmosis, symptoms are often influenza-like: swollen lymph nodes, or muscle aches and pains that last for a month or more. Rarely, a patient with a fully functioning immune system may develop eye damage from toxoplasmosis. Young children and immunocompromised patients, such as those with HIV/AIDS, those taking certain types of chemotherapy, or those who have recently received an organ transplant, may develop severe toxoplasmosis. This can cause damage to the brain or the eyes. Only a small percentage of infected newborn babies have serious eye or brain damage at birth.
Latent
Most patients who become infected with Toxoplasma gondii and develop toxoplasmosis do not know it. In most immunocompetent patients, the infection enters a latent phase, during which only bradyzoites are present, forming cysts in nervous and muscle tissue. Most infants who are infected while in the womb have no symptoms at birth but may develop symptoms later in life.

Treatment
Treatment is often only recommended for people with serious health problems, because the disease is most serious when one's immune system is weak.
Medications that are prescribed for acute Toxoplasmosis are:
Pyrimethamine — an antimalarial medication.
Sulfadiazine — an antibiotic used in combination with pyrimethamine to treat toxoplasmosis.
Clindamycin — an antibiotic. This is used most often for people with HIV/AIDS.
Spiramycin — another antibiotic. This is used most often for pregnant women to prevent the infection of their child.
(Other antibiotics such as minocycline have seen some use as a salvage therapy).
In people with latent toxoplasmosis, the cysts are immune to these treatments, as the antibiotics do not reach the bradyzoites in sufficient concentration.
Medications that are prescribed for latent Toxoplasmosis are:
Atovaquone — an antibiotic that has been used to kill Toxoplasma cysts in situ in AIDS patients.
Clindamycin — an antibiotic which, in combination with atovaquone, seemed to optimally kill cysts in mice.
However, in latent infections successful treatment is not guaranteed, and some subspecies exhibit resistance.

The parasite itself can cause various effects on the host body, some of which are not fully understood.
The evidence for behavioral effects on humans is relatively weak. There have been no randomized clinical trials studying the effects of toxoplasma on human behavior. Although some researchers have found potentially important associations with toxoplasma, it is possible that these associations merely reflect factors that predispose certain types of people to infection (e.g., people who exhibit risk-taking behaviors may be more likely to take the risk of eating undercooked meat).

Two risk factors for contracting toxoplasmosis are:

Infants born to mothers who became infected with Toxoplasma for the first time during or just before pregnancy. Persons with severely weakened immune systems, such as those with AIDS. Illness may result from an acute Toxoplasma infection or reactivation of an infection that occurred earlier in

Indian herbal remedy cancer hope

An Indian herbal remedy could one day be used to help fight pancreatic cancer, scientists hope.
A team at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute found extracts of triphala slowed the growth of human pancreatic tumours grafted onto mice.


The findings, presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, offer hope that one day a treatment might be developed.


But experts have warned the research is still at a very early stage.
Triphala is a herbal preparation used in the traditional Indian medicine system Ayurveda.
It contains the dried and powdered fruits of three plants, and it is said to ease intestinal-related disorders, promoting good digestion.


Anti-cancer properties
Previous studies have shown triphala to have an anti-cancer activity in cell cultures, and the new research found this effect also worked in mice fed the herb preparation, without damaging normal pancreatic cells.


The team fed mice grafted with human pancreatic tumours a triphala solution five days per week.


After four weeks they compared the tumour size and proteins contents of the tumours with those of a control group of mice that had not received the triphala.


They found that the tumours in triphala-treated mice were half the size of those in the untreated mice.


The also found the treated mice tumour cells had higher levels of proteins associated with apoptosis - the process by the which the body normally disposes of damaged, old of unneeded cells.


In cancer cells this process is often faulty, allowing the tumours to divide rapidly without any cells dying.


Professor Srivastava said: "Triphala triggered the cancerous cells to die off and significantly reduced the size of the tumours without causing any toxic side effects."


Further testing revealed that triphala had also activated tumour-suppressor genes, but did not negatively affect normal pancreatic cells.


Professor Srivastava said: "Our results demonstrate that triphala has strong

anti-cancer properties given its ability to induce apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells without damaging normal pancreatic cells.
"With follow-up studies, we hope to demonstrate its potential use as a novel agent for the prevention and treatment of pancreatic cancer."


New treatments needed
Pancreatic cancer is the sixth most common cause of cancer death in the UK, causing around 7,000 deaths each year.


It is difficult to treat and survival rates are very low - the latest figures show that the length of time between diagnosis and death is usually less than six months.
Experts said researching new treatments for pancreatic cancer was important, but warned the current research is still at an early stage.


Dr Alison Ross, science information officer at Cancer Research UK, said: "Pancreatic cancer is difficult to treat so it is important to try and find new ways to tackle it, but these are early experiments so much more work needs to be done to see if triphala will work in humans."
Sue Ballard, founder of charity Pancreatic Cancer UK said: "We welcome any developments in this field as there is a lot more work that needs to be done to find new treatments for pancreatic cancer."
From : BBC News

Actinomycosis

Definition
Actinomycosis is an infection primarily caused by the bacterium Actinomyces israelii. Infection most often occurs in the face and neck region and is characterized by the presence of a slowly enlarging, hard, red lump

Description
Actinomycosis is a relatively rare infection occurring in one out of 300,000(1/300,000) people per year. It is characterized by the presence of a lump or mass that often forms, draining sinus tracts to the skin surface. Fifty percent of actinomycosis cases are of the head and neck region (also called "lumpy jaw" and "cervicofacial actinomycosis"), 15% are in the chest, 20% are in the abdomen, and the rest are in the pelvis, heart, and brain. Men are three times more likely to develop actinomycosis than women.

Causes and symptoms
Actinomycosis is usually caused by the bacterium Actinomyces israelii. This bacterium is normally present in the mouth but can cause disease if it enters tissues following an injury. Actinomyces israelii is an anaerobic bacterium which means it dislikes oxygen but grows very well in deep tissues where oxygen levels are low. Tooth extraction, tooth disease, root canal treatment, jaw surgery, or poor dental hygiene can allow Actinomyces israelii to cause an infection in the head and neck region.The main symptom of cervicofacial actinomycosis is the presence of a hard lump on the face or neck. The lump may or may not be red. Fever occurs in some cases.

Diagnosis
Cervicofacial actinomycosis can be diagnosed by a family doctor or dentist and the patient may be referred to an oral surgeon or infectious disease specialist. The diagnosis of actinomycosis is based upon several things. The presence of a red lump with draining sinuses on the head or neck is strongly suggestive of cervicofacial actinomycosis. A recent history of tooth extraction or signs of tooth decay or poor dental hygiene aid in the diagnosis. Microscopic examination of the fluid draining from the sinuses shows the characteristic "sulfur Granules" (small yellow colored material in the fluid) produced by Actinomyces israelii. A biopsy may be performed to remove a sample of the infected tissue. This procedure can be performed under local anesthesia in the doctor's office. Occasionally the bacteria can be cultured from the sinus tract fluid or from samples of the infected tissue.

Actinomycosis in the lungs, abdomen, pelvis, or brain can be very hard to diagnose since the symptoms often mimic those of other diseases. Actinomycosis of the lungs or abdomen can resemble tuberculosis or cancer. Diagnostic x-ray results, the presence of draining sinus tracts, and microscopic analysis and culturing of infected tissue assist in the diagnosis.

Treatment
Actinomycosis is difficult to treat because of its dense tissue location. Surgery is often required to drain the lesion and/or to remove the site of infection. To kill the bacteria, standard therapy has included large doses of penicillin given through a vein daily for two to six weeks followed by six to twelve months of penicillin taken by mouth. Tetracycline, clindamycin, or erythromycin may be used instead of penicillin. The antibiotic therapy must be completed to ensure that the infection does not return. However, a report in 2004 on several cases of actinomycosis said that therapy depends on the individual case and that many patients today will be diagnosed in earlier stages of the disease. Sometimes, shorter courses of antibiotic treatment are effective, with close diagnostic x-ray monitoring. Hyperbaric oxygen (oxygen under high pressure) therapy in combination with the antibiotic therapy has been successful.

Prognosis
Complete recovery is achieved following treatment. If left untreated, the infection may cause localized bone destruction.

Prevention
The best prevention is to maintain good dental hygiene.

Biopsy
The process that removes a sample of tissue for microscopic examination to aid in the diagnosis of a disease.

Sinus tract
A narrow, elongated channel in the body that allows the escape of fluid.

By Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine

Acetyl Co-A: The Transition Reaction

Pyruvic acid is first altered in the transition reaction by removal of a carbon and two oxygens (which form carbon dioxide). When the carbon dioxide is removed, energy is given off, and NAD+ is converted into the higher energy form NADH. Coenzyme A attaches to the remaining 2-C (acetyl) unit, forming acetyl Co-A. This process is a prelude to the Kreb's Cycle.


Kreb's Cycle (aka Citric Acid Cycle)
The Acetyl Co-A (2-C) is attached to a 4-C chemical (oxaloacetic acid). The Co-A is released and returns to await another pyruvic acid. The 2-C and 4-C make another chemical known as Citric acid, a 6-C. Kreb's Cycle is also known as the Citric Acid Cycle. The process after Citric Acid is essentially removing carbon dioxide, getting out energy in the form of ATP, GTP, NADH and FADH2, and lastly regenerating the cycle. Between Isocitric Acid and a-Ketoglutaric Acid, carbon dioxide is given off and NAD+ is converted into NADH. Between a-Ketoglutaric Acid and Succinic Acid the release of carbon dioxide and reduction of NAD+ into NADH happens again, resulting in a 4-C chemical, succinic acid. GTP (Guanine Triphosphate, which transfers its energy to ATP) is also formed here (GTP is formed by attaching a phosphate to GDP).
The remaining energy carrier-generating steps involve the shifting of atomic arrangements within the 4-C molecules. Between Succinic Acid and Fumaric Acid, the molecular shifting releases not enough energy to make ATP or NADH outright, but instead this energy is captured by a new energy carrier, Flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD). FAD is reduced by the addition of two H's to become FADH2. FADH2 is not as rich an energy carrier as NADH, yielding less ATP than the latter.

The last step, between Malic Acid and Oxaloacetic Acid reforms OA to complete the cycle. Energy is given off and trapped by the reduction of NAD+ to NADH. The carbon dioxide released by cells is generated by the Kreb's Cycle, as are the energy carriers (NADH and FADH2) which play a role in the next step.



Summary of the Krebs' (or citric acid) cycle. Image from Purves et al., Life: The Science of Biology, 4th Edition, by Sinauer Associates (http://www.sinauer.com/) and WH Freeman (http://www.whfreeman.com/), used with permission.

Modern use of honey

Medicinal uses and health effects of honey
The main uses of honey are in cooking, baking, as a spread on breads, and as an addition to various beverages such as tea and as a sweetener in commercial beverages such as Sprecher's root beer. Honey is the main ingredient in the alcoholic beverage mead, which is also known as "honey wine" or "honey beer" (although it is neither wine nor beer). It is also used as an adjunct in beer.For at least 2700 years, honey has been used to treat a variety of ailments through topical application, but only recently have the antiseptic and antibacterial properties of honey been chemically explained. Wound Gels that contain antibacterial honey and have regulatory approval for wound care are now available to help conventional medicine in the battle against drug resistant strains of bacteria MRSA. As an antimicrobial agent honey may have the potential for treating a variety of ailments. One New Zealand researcher says a particular type of honey may be useful in treating MRSA infections. Antibacterial properties of honey are the result of the low water activity causing osmosis, hydrogen peroxide effect, and high acidity. Honey may also be used to alleviate the effects of a sore throat. It is mixed with lemon juice and consumed. The mixture coats the throat alleviating discomfort, and the antibacterial, antiseptic properties are good for the throat as well.

Honey is primarily a saturated mixture of two monosaccharides. This mixture has a low water activity; most of the water molecules are associated with the sugars and few remain available for microorganisms, so it is a poor environment for their growth.

Hydrogen peroxide in honey is activated by dilution. However, unlike medical hydrogen peroxide, commonly 3% by volume, it is present in a concentration of only 1 mmol/l in honey. Iron in honey oxidizes the oxygen free radicals released by the hydrogen peroxide.

C6H12O6 + H2O + O2 → C6H12O7 + H2O2

When used topically (as, for example, a wound dressing), hydrogen peroxide is produced by dilution with body fluids. As a result, hydrogen peroxide is released slowly and acts as an antiseptic.

In diabetic ulcers
Topical honey has been used successfully in a comprehensive treatment of diabetic ulcers when the patient cannot use other topical antibiotics.
The pH of honey is commonly between 3.2 and 4.5. This relatively acidic pH level prevents the growth of many bacteria.

Nutraceutical effects
Antioxidants in honey have even been implicated in reducing the damage done to the colon in colitis. Such claims are consistent with its use in many traditions of folk medicine.

Other medical applications
Some studies suggest that the topical use of honey may reduce odors, swelling, and scarring when used to treat wounds; it may also prevent the dressing from sticking to the healing wound. Honey has also been used as a treatment for sore throats and coughs for centuries and according to recent research may in fact be more effective than most common medicines. Honey (especially when combined with lemon) is often taken orally by pharyngitis and laryngitis sufferers, in order to soothe them. Though widely believed to alleviate allergies, local honey has been shown to be no more effective than placebos in controlled studies

Precautions
Due to the natural presence of botulinum endospores in honey, children under one year of age should not be given honey. The more developed digestive systems of older children and adults generally destroy the spores. Infants, however, can contract botulism from honey.
Honey produced from the flowers of rhododendrons, mountain laurels, sheep laurel and azaleas may cause honey intoxication. Symptoms include dizziness, weakness, excessive perspiration, nausea and vomiting. Less commonly, low blood pressure, shock, heart rhythm irregularities and convulsions may occur, with rare cases resulting in death. Honey intoxication is more likely when using "natural" unprocessed honey and honey from farmers who may have a small number of hives. Commercial processing, with pooling of honey from numerous sources generally dilutes any toxins.

Toxic honey may also result when bees are in close proximity to tutu bushes (Coriaria arborea) and the vine hopper insect (Scolypopa australis). Both are found throughout New Zealand. Bees gather honeydew produced by the vine hopper insects feeding on the tutu plant. This introduces the poison tutin into honey . Only a few areas in New Zealand (Coromandel Peninsula, Eastern Bay of Plenty and the Marlborough Sound) frequently produce toxic honey. Symptoms of tutin poisoning include vomiting, delirium, giddiness, increased excitability, stupor, coma and violent convulsions. In order to reduce the risk of tutin poisoning, humans should not eat honey taken from feral hives in the risk areas of New Zealand.

Thrombosis

Thrombosis is the formation of a clot or thrombus inside a blood vessel, obstructing the flow of blood through the circulatory system. Thromboembolism is a general term describing both thrombosis and its main complication which is embolisation.

Causes
In classical terms, thrombosis is caused by abnormalities in one or more of the following (Virchow's triad):
The composition of the blood (hypercoagulability)
Quality of the vessel wall (endothelial cell injury)
Nature of the blood flow (hemostasis)
The formation of a thrombus is usually caused by Virchow's triad. To elaborate, the pathogenesis includes: an injury to the vessel's wall (such as by trauma, infection, or turbulent flow at bifurcations); by the slowing or stagnation of blood flow past the point of injury (which may occur after long periods of sedentary behavior - for example, sitting on a long airplane flight); by a blood state of hypercoagulability (caused for example, by genetic deficiencies or autoimmune disorders).

High altitude has also been known to induce thrombosis Occasionally, abnormalities in coagulation are to blame. Intravascular coagulation follows, forming a structureless mass of red blood cells, leukocytes, and fibrin.

Classification
There are two distinct forms of thrombosis:

Venous thrombosis
Deep venous thrombosis (with or without pulmonary embolism; together classified as venous thromboembolism/VTE) Portal vein thrombosis Renal vein thrombosis Hepatic vein thrombosis (Budd-Chiari syndrome) Paget-Schroetter disease (upper extremity vein) Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis Thoracic outlet syndrome (the cause of most Subclavian Vein Thrombosis unrelated to trauma)

Arterial thrombosis
Stroke (either thrombotic or embolic)
Myocardial infarction (usually coronary thrombosis due to rupture of an atherosclerotic plaque)
Thoracic outlet syndrome (may precipitate arterial thrombosis as well as venous)

Embolisation
If a bacterial infection is present at the site of thrombosis, the thrombus may break down, spreading particles of infected material throughout the circulatory system (pyemia, septic embolus) and setting up metastatic abscesses wherever they come to rest. Without an infection, the thrombus may become detached and enter circulation as an embolus, finally lodging in and completely obstructing a blood vessel (an infarction). The effects of an infarction depend on where it occurs.

Most thrombi, however, become organized into fibrous tissue, and the thrombosed vessel is gradually recanalized.

Ginger

Names :
- Zingiber Officinale Rosc
- Indonesia : Bitter Ginger ( Z.O. var. amarun )
- HaIia Paddy ( likely very sharply )
- Sunti ( Z.O. var. rubrum )
- Boil ginger or H. prawn ( red - Jae / Jhai - Bahing / Pemedas / Sipadeh)
- English : Ginger

Familia :
Zingiberaceae

Regional spreading
This plant come from South arch Asia ( India) and RRC, [is] nowadays found [in] subtropical and tropical region, the example in Indonesia. Ginger crop [is] usually planted [in] area have hot climate [to], especially [in] land;ground gembur, dry and fertility. Ginger which good very yielded [in] Jamaika. Srilangka and Chinese. Ginger Crop can be harvested if its leaf have turned yellow
Breakdown of Plant
Zingiber Officinale represent the chronical plant herba [is] which grow wild [in] farm have rate [to] damp land;ground and obtain;get a lot of sunshine. Its bar straighten, taking root fiber and have corm [to] by rimpang level off the. Plant entangle the to have this sham bar [is] height can reach 30 cm - 1 m. Rimpang Jehe have husk [to] rather thick wrap the tan and fibrous corm flesh [of] typical beraroma. Form the long circular leaf and is not wide have. Single leaf [to], in form of Iancet longly [among/between] 15 - 28 mm. The flower emerge [at] leaf armpit with the sit position. Usually ginger [n planting at lowland until plateau ( subtropical area & tropical) [in] height 1500 m of[is above sea level. Its root grow on the fiber.
Chemical Obstetrical
Oleaginous Ginger [of] atsiri, resin, mineral sineol, fellandren, kamfer, borneol, zingiberin, zingiberol, gigerol ( for example [in] parts of squeezing), zingeron, lipidas, sour of aminos, niacin, vitamin A, B1, C And proteinrust colored Ginger oil and jell. This oil most containing terpen, fellandren, dextrokamfen, substance sesquiterpen named [by] zingiberen, zingeron resin, extract
Benefit
According To Dutch Pharmacopoeia, Zingiber Rhizoma ( Rhizoma Zingiberis- grow on the ginger) what is in the form of corm of Zingerber officinale contain 6% substance obat-obatan which [is] often weared [by] as formula obat-obatan or as formal drug [in] 23 state. According to list of priority WHO, ginger represent the crop obat-obatan which is at most Used in [by] world. [In] state Malaysia, Philippine And Indonesia have a lot of found [by] benefit therapeutis. Since long time Ginger utilized [by] as drug, or kitchen flavour and multifarious [of] need others
Ginger can stimulate the digestion gland, good to awakening passion eat and digestion. Ginger [of] good for as liniment for the disease of rheumatism and headache. Fresh ginger boxed [by] a refinement serve the purpose of external drug to as stomachache drug. Feel and hot aromanya can heat the body and [release] the sweat. Useful l Atsiri oil to eliminate the pain in bone, anti inflammation and anti bacterium.
Generally ginger weared [by] as pencampur [of] some type medicinize that is as cough medicine, curing external and internal paint, and to cure the snakebite
Usefulness of[is other;dissimilar 1. Headache / migrain 2. Cough 3. Rheumatism, pain in bone waist, pain in bone back 4. Releasing gas from stomach 5. Bloated 6. Queasy, get drunk [in] perjalanan 7.. Eksem 8.. Panu 9. Vitiligo 10. Ulcer 11 Nipped [by] snake 12. Itching because insect bite 13. Roundworm disease
Source: asiamaya.com

Examination of Aspergillosis

Laboratory
Direct examination
Clinical material, such as fluids, sputa, or tissue, is mounted in 10% KOH. Long, branching, hyaline, septate hyphae approximately 3.0 µm in diameter typify aspergillosis. The demonstration of hyphae in the clinical specimen and the repeated recovery of the same species of Aspergillus in culture is critical in supporting the diagnosis of aspergillosis. It must always be remembered that a number of other fungi can be morphologically identical to Aspergillus in tissue. On rare occasions, the hyphae of an Aspergillus sp. may have lateral conidia in tissue.

Isolation
Inoculate the clinical material onto Sabouraud glucose agar, Inhibitory Mould Agar (IMA) or other proper medium with antibiotics (gentamicin or chlorampenicol) and incubate at 30°C. The aspergilli are sensitive to cycloheximide, hence they will not grow on media containing this antimicrobial agent. Discard negative cultures after 4 weeks.
Mycology (principal fungi) : Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus glaucus group, Aspergillus nidulans, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus terreus group

Detection of galactomannan antigen in serum
The mortality rate of invasive aspergillosis is as high as 50-100% and definitive diagnosis by culture may take as long as 4 weeks. Thus, early diagnosis is of remarkable significance for earlier initiation of antifungal therapy and reduction of mortality rates. Detection of galactomannan antigen, an exoantigen of Aspergillus, has recently been shown to be a useful screening test for early diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis. Platelia Aspergillus EIA (Bio-Rad Laboratories) is a commercially available kit used to detect galactomannan antigen in body fluids. This method can detect as little as 1 ng/ml of galactomannan in the tested sample. Serum is the most frequently tested specimen and appears to provide highest sensitivity. Use of other samples such as bronchoalveolar lavage and cerebrospinal fluid also appears to provide promising results. Galactomannan antigen positivity is among the microbiological diagnostic criteria proposed by European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EUORTC) and Invasive Fungal Infections Cooperative Group and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Mycoses Study Group (MSG) for diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis This tool continues to gain acceptance: the US Food & Drug Administration approved the marketing of Platelia Aspergillus EIA kit in USA on 16 May 2003. Galactomannan antigen positivity can be detected 5-8 days (average) before clinical signs develop (in 65.2% of patients), findings on chest X-ray are visible (in 71.5% of patients) and culture results become positive (in 100% of patient). The test should be used as a screening test for patients at high risk of developing invasive aspergillosis.Detection of positive results particularly in two consecutive serum samples provides strong support for the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis. Platelia Aspergillus EIA can also be used for follow-up of clinical response to antifungal therapy. The titer of the antigen tends to decrease in case of clinical response, except for patients who are treated with an echinocandin compound.The overall sensitivity and specificity of the method were 80.7% and 89.2%, respectively, in the dataset submitted to the US FDA. False positive reactions have been observed in 1-18% of the tested samples and may be due to cross reactivity or false positive antigenemia. Cross reactivity may be due to the existence of other fungi, such as Penicillium chrysogenum, Penicillium digitatum, Rhodotorula rubra, and Paecilomyces variotii in the tested sample [2208]. The mechanism of false positive antigenemia, on the other hand, has not been fully clarified. It appears to be more frequent in children and may develop after translocation of galactomannan antigen found in various food stuff (bread, pasta, corn flakes, rice, cake, turkey, sausage, etc.) through the damaged intestinal mucosa. In addition to these, very recent data have shown that the serum samples of patients receiving piperacillin/tazobactam (Zosyn®), an injectable antibacterial combination product from Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, may also yield false positive galactomannan antigen test results. Detection of galactomannan antigen in certain batches of Zosyn® strengthened this finding. Thus, Bio-Rad, the manufacturer of the Platelia Aspergillus EIA kit, now states that positive galactomannan antigen test results in patients treated with Zosyn® should be interpreted cautiously. Since the existence of invasive aspergillosis cannot be ruled out in these patients, other methods should be used for confirmation of the diagnosis.