Acupuncture Channels Transmit Electricity- New Study

A new study finds unique electrical phenomena through acupuncture meridians, channels. Researchers discovered that needling proximal acupuncture points causes significantly increased bioelectric amplitudes in distal acupuncture points along the same meridian. The same was not true of non-acupuncture points in similar regions of the body. The researchers note that the measurements indicate “electrophysiological uniqueness in the form of a greater bioelectric potential amplitude when a proximal acupoint is stimulated and the response is measured at a distal acupoint along the same meridian.”

Acupuncture point P4 was stimulated with an acupuncture needle. The bioelectric potential was measured at acupuncture point P6 to determine if needling P4 elicited a change in the current. Non-acupuncture control points were also needled at nearby points on test subjects. The amplitude of induced signals at acupuncture point P6 showed significant increases on the test subjects whereas the non-acupuncture points did not have the same effects. The researchers measured that “a signal with statistically greater amplitude appeared only when a verum acupuncture point was stimulated and when the distal measurement was recorded on the acupuncture meridian.”

The researchers note that this type of bioelectric investigation is uncommon because most bioelectric investigations of acupuncture points and their meridians measure electrical impedances whereas this study measured endogenous bioelectric potentials. The electrical impedance studies involve the application of an externally generated electric current applied to an acupuncture point with subsequent measurements at other acupuncture points and regions of the body. This study, however, did not involve any externally generated currents. Rather, the current was naturally produced by the body as a result of manual acupuncture point needling. The “endogenous bioelectric potentials”, note the researchers, reflect changes in amplitudes without conflation with external currents. In this way, the researchers suggest that this new finding is more accurate. Another difficulty with prior bioelectric investigations was reading only high frequency currents. In this study, slower frequencies were also examined and the equipment was able to detect significant changes as a result of acupuncture point stimulation.

Reference: Spaulding, Keith, Andrew Ahn, and Agatha P. Colbert. "Acupuncture Needle Stimulation Induces Changes in Bioelectric Potential." Medical Acupuncture (2013). New England School of Acupuncture, Newton, Massachusetts. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Charlestown, Massachusetts. Researcher, St. Augustine, Florida.

- See more at: http://www.healthcmi.com/acupuncturist-news-online/767-bioelectricp6p4#sthash.Q8JiNINT.dpuf

Evidence That Flaxseed Is A Heart Disease Reversing Food

Flaxseeds contain unique heart friendly properties, which the scientific research is only now beginning to reveal in greater clarity. Should we wait around for randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded trials and the FDA's explicit drug approval, or take out our coffee grinders and start incorporating the meal into our diet right now? Thankfully, its a choice you still get to make for yourself.

The biomedical literature freely available to view on the National Library of Medicine's bibliographic citation database MEDLINE reveals a growing number of foods, nutrients and plant compounds with cardiovascular disease reversing properties, with 129 of these characterized on our research project alone [see Clogged Arteries].

Of course, the vast majority of these studies are preclinical, non-human in nature, as only so much precious capital flows into research on natural substances, which by their very nature do not grant patents (and therefore offer little to no return on investment), nor easily reveal their secrets through the optic of pharmacology. This does not mean, however, that we must wait around for future randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, multicenter trials to take some of this data to heart, letting it guide us into making simple dietary and lifestyle changes that could in fact prevent or regress disease at the same moment that it is most certainly nourishing us.

All the more reason why we should be encouraged by new research into the fabulous flaxseed's ability to reverse cardiovascular disease progression in a new animal study, especially considering that 30 billion dollars is pumped every year into the statin class of cholesterol-lowering drugs, which have been linked to over 300 adverse health effects.

If the science is now showing that a simple food could outperform a highly toxic patented chemical class of drugs, perhaps we are getting closer to the realization of Thomas A. Edison's famous prediction:

"The doctor of the future will give no medication, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, diet and in the cause and prevention of disease. "

Flaxseed's Potential Cardiovascular Disease Reversing Properties

A promising new study published in the American Journal of Physiology and Circulation Research titled, "The Effects of Dietary Flaxseed on Atherosclerotic Plaque Regression," looked at whether flaxseed in the diet of rabbits is capable of regressing atherosclerotic plaque, the primary pathological process associated with gradual constriction or sudden blockage in the arteries leading to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. [i]

According to the study, "Dietary flaxseed can retard the progression of atherosclerotic plaques. However, it remains unclear whether these anti-atherogenic effects extend to plaque regression."

Rabbits were divided into either a regular diet (Group I) or a 1% cholesterol-supplemented diet (Group II), with the latter group showing signs of steady plaque growth, as well as lowered response to stress hormone (norepinephrine) induced vessel contraction and impaired relaxation response to acetylcholine, which are indications of endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerotic plaque progression.

Another group (Group IV) was given a 10% dietary flaxseed-supplemented diet, which resulted in "a significant ≈40% reduction in plaque formation (P = 0.033)," leading the researchers to conclude: "Dietary flaxseed is a valuable strategy to accelerate the regression of atherosclerotic plaques."

This is not the first report of flaxseed's seemingly miraculous ability to regress the pathological process that leads to the #1 cause of death in the developed world. 

Back in 2004, the journal Atherosclerosis published a study in hamsters revealed that flaxseed might provide an ideal solution for aging women, who following the failure of their ovarian reserve in the mid-40's to late 50's, begin to develop adverse changes in their blood lipids and increased atherosclerotic lesions. 

What the researchers found by using an animal model was that dietary flaxseed consumption was as effective estrogen (estradiol) for preventing some of the adverse blood lipid changes associated with the 'change of life,' and the furthermore, flaxseed was capable of preventing fatty streak area and the incidence of lesions that were also induced by hormone deficiency. [ii]

This finding is consistent with previously reported research that indicates that flaxseed has significant estrogen-like activity, however, without the well-known cancer risks associated with the use of estradiol (E2). [See: Confirmed: Flaxseed Contains 'Estrogens' That Regress Cancer.]

How Does Flaxseed's Cardiovascular Benefits Work?

Like any complex food, flaxseed has multiple modes of action.  The three primary beneficial compounds are:

• Omega-3: Known as alpha-linoleic acid, this dietary fatty acid, which is relatively rare in theWestern diet, is essential to human metabolism (meaning, we can't produce it ourselves), and has been the subject of thousands of studies, many of which indicate its value in reducing risk factors for heart disease.
• Soluble Fiber: Flaxseed is a rich source of soluble fiber, one of the benefits of which is to that it binds to bile acids (which include oxidized cholesterol and other fat-soluble waste products like toxic hormone metabolites, and other bile constituents) and help to pull them out of the body.
• Lignan: Lignans are a class of plant compounds with both estrogen-like and antioxidant properties. The major lignan found in flaxseed is known as secoisolariciresinol diglucoside, is metabolized into enterodial and enterolactone within the human body, which can affect a wide range of bodily tissues, including the reproductive and the cardiovascular systems.

What Are Some of the Other Benefits of Flaxseed?

Flaxseed is a true medicinal marvel. GreenMedInfo.com has identified research indicating it has potential value in preventing or treating over 50 health conditions. [See Flaxseed Benefits research]

Here are some highlights:

• Flaxseed Improves Skin Quality: A 2010 study found that supplementation of flaxseed oil diminishes skin sensitivity and improves skin barrier function and condition.[iii]
• Flaxseed Protects Against Radiation: A 2009 study found that dietary flaxseed prevents radiation-induced oxidative lung damage, inflammation and fibrosis in a mouse model of thoracic radiation injury.[iv]
• Flaxseed Helps the Swollen Prostate: A 2007 study found that dietary flaxseed improves lower urinary tract symptoms in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia as well as drug therapy.[v] A 2004 study found that flaxseed supplementation in combination with a low-fat diet reduced the proliferation of prostate cells and PSA in men.[vi] There are also 3 studies on GreenMedInfo.com indicating flaxseed has direct anti-prostate cancer properties.[vii]

How Much Flaxseed Should You Take?

While there is no hard and fast "right amount" for everyone, it makes sense to incorporate a tablespoon of ground flaxseed a day in a culinary application, such as oatmeal or a smoothie, if you are looking to attain a 'medicinal' dose.  It helps to remember that regardless of flaxseed's evidence-based therapeutic properties, it is actually an excellent food, and should be incorporated into the diet in a way that actually provides some enjoyment (vitamin P[leasure] is of course as important as the nutritional composition of the food].

I personally try to consume a tablespoon of ground flaxseed daily. Grinding it fresh is ideal. This will also release the nutrient-dense interior of the seed for easy digestion, increasing the surface area by several orders of magnitude vs. consuming the seed whole.  

Remember that you must consume enough liquid with the flax meal or it may constipate (this seed suck up quite a bit of water and produces a soothing mucilaginous gel as a result). On the other hand, when used properly with water, it is a traditional 'cure' for constipation.

For additional research on flaxseed's nutritional composition, you can visit the NutritionData.com page on flaxseed here: http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/nut-and-seed-products/3163/2

Finally, for a discussion of other foods that may regress plaque buildup in the arteries, read our recent article on the topic, 7 Ways to Prevent and Even Reverse Heart Disease with Nutrition, or, view our research page on the topic: http://www.greenmedinfo.com/guide/health-guide-heart-health

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[i] Andrew A Francis, Justin F Deniset, Jose A Austria, Renee K Lavallee, Graham G Maddaford, Thomas E Hedley, Elena Dibrov, Grant N Pierce. The Effects of Dietary Flaxseed on Atherosclerotic Plaque Regression. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2013 Apr 12. Epub 2013 Apr 12. PMID: 23585134

[ii] Edralin A Lucas, Stanley A Lightfoot, Lisa J Hammond, Latha Devareddy, Dania A Khalil, Bruce P Daggy, Brenda J Smith, Neil Westcott, Veronica Mocanu, Do Yu Soung, Bahram H Arjmandi. Flaxseed reduces plasma cholesterol and atherosclerotic lesion formation in ovariectomized Golden Syrian hamsters. Atherosclerosis. 2004 Apr ;173(2):223-9. PMID: 15064095

[iii] K Neukam, S De Spirt, W Stahl, M Bejot, J-M Maurette, H Tronnier, U Heinrich. Supplementation of flaxseed oil diminishes skin sensitivity and improves skin barrier function and condition.Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2010 Nov 18;24(2):67-74. Epub 2010 Nov 18. PMID: 21088453

[iv] James C Lee, Ryan Krochak, Aaron Blouin, Stathis Kanterakis, Shampa Chatterjee, Evguenia Arguiri, Anil Vachani, Charalambos C Solomides, Keith A Cengel, Melpo Christofidou-Solomidou.Dietary flaxseed prevents radiation-induced oxidative lung damage, inflammation and fibrosis in a mouse model of thoracic radiation injury. Cancer Biol Ther. 2009 Jan;8(1):47-53. Epub 2009 Jan 1. PMID: 18981722

[v] Wei Zhang, Xiaobing Wang, Yi Liu, Haimei Tian, Brent Flickinger, Mark W Empie, Sam Z Sun.Effects of dietary flaxseed lignan extract on symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia. J Ren Nutr. 2007 Jan;17(1):23-9. PMID: 18358071

[vi] Wendy Demark-Wahnefried, Cary N Robertson, Philip J Walther, Thomas J Polascik, David F Paulson, Robin T Vollmer. Pilot study to explore effects of low-fat, flaxseed-supplemented diet on proliferation of benign prostatic epithelium and prostate-specific antigen. Urology. 2004 May;63(5):900-4. PMID: 15134976

[vii] GreenMedInfo.com, Flaxseed and Prostate Cancer

New Research - Chinese Herb Kills Breast Cancer Cells

New research has discovered that a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herbal medicine prevents the proliferation of tumors and causes the elimination of tumors comprised of breast cancer cells. A chromatographically purified form of the herb Tian Hua Fen was injected into laboratory mice with tumors caused by estrogen dependent and non-estrogen dependent breast cancer cells. Sterilized Tian Hua Fen, Trichosanthes Kirilowii Maximowicz, was injected intraperitoneally and caused significant reductions in both tumor weight and volume within 16 days of treatment. Immunohistochemistry corroborated the findings

The dose had no detectable toxicity.  Analysis revealed that Tian Hua Fen effectively induces apoptosis, cell death, in both estrogen dependent and non-estrogen dependent breast cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. The researchers note that the herbal medicine’s ability to eradicate breast cancer cells without toxicity warrants further clinical trials. The researchers also note that Tian Hua Fen may possibly be developed for combination with other chemotherapeutic therapies.

The researchers note that mature Tian Hua Fen contains 247 amino acids and “shares remarkable sequence similarity with other antitumor proteins in plant genera Trichosanthes and Momordica….” The study cited prior research demonstrating Tian Hua Fen’s “ability to ablate the replication of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1).” They suggested that Tian Hua Fen is a “potential antidote against some tumors” because it interferes with tumor growth through varying molecular mechanisms. The pathways that block tumor growth were outlined in detail. Notably, the researchers cited that Tian Hua Fen has “specific tumor cell recognition as well as binding and cellular entry characteristics” and that Tian Hua Fen does so based on its “binging on different membrane proteins” including those of human carcinoma cells.

It is important to distinguish this herb’s common use in an acupuncture clinic versus its application in this research. A licensed acupuncturist uses Tian Hua Fen for a variety of treatment therapies in powders, tablets, capsules and decocted teas. In this investigation, Tian Hua Fen is sterilized and injected directly into the laboratory mice. As a result, the effective action and medicinal function varies greatly between the oral and injection applications of Tian Hua Fen. This herb lends great hope in the development of cures for breast cancer but this is not to suggest that the oral ingestion of this herb has the ability to eradicate breast cancer. That said, we can only hope that funding for future research will help develop the full potential of Tian Hua Fen in the fight against breast cancer.


Reference:
Fang, Evandro Fei, Chris Zhi Yi Zhang, Lin Zhang, Jack Ho Wong, Yau Sang Chan, Wen Liang Pan, Xiu Li Dan, Cui Ming Yin, Chi Hin Cho, and Tzi Bun Ng. "Trichosanthin inhibits breast cancer cell proliferation in both cell lines and nude mice by promotion of apoptosis." PloS One 7, no. 9 (2012): e41592.

- See more at: http://www.healthcmi.com/acupuncturist-news-online/765-tianhuafentcm#sthash.uVgAkPGp.dpuf

New MRI Images Reveal Acupuncture Point Specificity

New MRI research concludes that needling acupuncture points causes specific brain patterns associated with the treatment of specific diseases. Investigators compared two acupuncture points on the foot with a nearby sham acupuncture point. They discovered that the true acupuncture points consistently elicited specific brain responses in regions associated with their Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) medical indications and functions for therapeutic effects.


Acupuncture Model
Acupuncture points LR3 (Taichong) and ST44 were compared with a sham point located between the two points. MRI scans revealed that LR3 uniformly stimulates specific regions of the cerebrum as does acupuncture point ST44. Although physically located in close proximity, each acupuncture point elicited its own, unique fMRI response in the brain. The researchers note that, “Acupuncture at adjacent acupoints elicits distinct cerebral activation patterns, and those specific patterns might be involved in the mechanism of the specific therapeutic effects of different acupoints.”

The researchers noted that LR3 and ST44 stimulated distinct brain response patters and also shared some common areas of cerebral activation. Unique to LR3 was its stimulation of the middle occipital gyrus, an area related to the visual cortex. Acupuncture point LR3, although located on the foot, is traditionally indicated for the treatment of eye disorders within the Traditional Chinese Medicine system. The researchers note that this MRI finding is not isolated to this study. Other research also finds visual cortex activation elicited by needling foot acupuncture points that are specifically indicated for the treatment of eye disorders.

LR3 also activated the medial frontal gyrus, superior parietal lobe, thalamus and the limbic system. These areas are associated with the physiological processes of both pain and paralysis. LR3, according to TCM theory, is indicated for the treatment of pain and paralysis. The researchers note that, “The results confirmed the view that therapeutic
effects of acupuncture may work through the central nervous system pathway.”

The study notes that Traditional Chinese Medicine indications for acupuncture point ST44 are for the treatment of toothaches, sore throat, stomachache, swelling and pain of the foot. MRI imaging demonstrated that ST44 activated areas of the brain associated with pain processing: superior and inferior frontal gyrus, secondary somatosensory area. The researchers note that, “Our results provide supplementary neuroimaging evidence for the existence of acupoint specificity.”

This investigation concurs with another recent finding. Researchers concluded that acupuncture points CV12 and UB32 specifically stimulate the heart, stomach and intestines consistent with their TCM indications and functions. The study used electrogastrogram and HRV readings to verify the results. Another related MRI study of acupuncture points TB5 (Waiguan), GB34 (Yanglingquan) and GB20 (Fengchi) finds that these acupuncture points traditionally used for the treatment of migraines activate specific brain regions associated with pain reductions. PET-CT neuroimaging revealed that acupuncture “induce(s) different cerebral glucose metabolism changes in pain-related brain regions and reduce(s) intensity of pain” for patients with migraines.

A wealth of recent MRI research has measured acupuncture point specificity. University of California School of Medicine (Irvine) researchers analyzed MRI based acupuncture studies and concluded that, “Recent evidence shows that stimulation of different points on the body causes distinct responses in hemodynamic, fMRI and central neural electrophysiological responses.” The MRI findings demonstrated that “stimulation of different sets of acupoints leads to disease-specific neuronal responses, even when acupoints are located within the same spinal segment.” The culmination of this research helps us to gain greater understanding as to the mechanisms by which acupuncture exerts its effective actions.

References:
Liu, Hua, Jian-Yang Xu, Lin Li, Bao-Ci Shan, Bin-Bin Nie, and Jing-quan Xue. "fMRI Evidence of Acupoints Specificity in Two Adjacent Acupoints." Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2013 (2013).

Minagawa, Munenori, Yasuzo Kurono, Tatsuyo Ishigami, Atsushi Yamada, Toshinori Kakamu, Ryoichi Akai, and Junichiro Hayano. "Site-specific organ-selective effect of epifascial acupuncture on cardiac and gastric autonomic functions." Autonomic Neuroscience (2013).

A PET-CT study on specificity of acupoints through acupuncture treatment on migraine patients. Jie Yang1, Fang Zeng1, Yue Feng1,Li Fang1, Wei Qin2, Xuguang Liu1, Wenzhong Song3, Hongjun Xie3 , Ji Chen1, Fanrong Liang1.

Point specificity in acupuncture. Chinese Medicine 2012, 7:4 doi:10.1186/1749-8546-7-4. Emma M Choi, Fang Jiang, John C Longhurst. ?Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine CA.

- See more at: http://www.healthcmi.com/acupuncturist-news-online/764-mrilr4st44#sthash.0p2iSA9k.dpuf

7 Benefits of Quinoa: The Supergrain of the Future

Quinoa dates back three to four thousand years ago when the Incas first realized that the quinoa seed was fit for human consumption. According to WHFoods quinoa “was the gold of the Incas” because the Incas believed it increased the stamina of their warriors. The Quinoa Corporation calls quinoa the “Supergrain of the Future. ”

Here are seven health benefits of quinoa:

1. Quinoa is one of the most protein-rich foods we can eat. It is a complete protein containing all nine essential amino acids.

2. Quinoa contains almost twice as much fiber as most other grains. Fiber is most widely known to relieve constipation. It also helps to prevent heart disease by reducing high blood pressure and diabetes. Fiber lowers cholesterol and glucose levels, may lower your risk of developing hemorrhoids and may help you to lose weight as it takes a longer time to chew than does other foods because it makes you feel fuller for longer and is less “energy dense” which means it has fewer calories for the same volume of food.

3. Quinoa contains Iron. Iron helps keep our red blood cells healthy and is the basis of hemoglobin formation. Iron carries oxygen from one cell to another and supplies oxygen to our muscles to aid in their contraction. Iron also increases brain function because the brain takes in about 20% of our blood oxygen. There are many benefits of iron some more of which include neurotransmitter synthesis, regulation of body temperature, aids enzyme activity and energy metabolism.

4. Quinoa contains lysine. Lysine is mainly essential for tissue growth and repair.

5. Quinoa is rich in magnesium. Magnesium helps to relax blood vessels and thereby to alleviate migraines. Magnesium also may reduce Type 2 diabetes by promoting healthy blood sugar control. Other health benefits of magnesium include transmission of nerve impulses, body temperature regulation, detoxification, energy production, and the formation of healthy bones and teeth.

6. Quinoa is high in Riboflavin (B2). B2 improves energy metabolism within brain and muscle cells and is known to help create proper energy production in cells.

7. Quinoa has a high content of manganese. Manganese is an antioxidant, which helps to prevent damage of mitochondria during energy production as well as to protect red blood cells and other cells from injury by free radicals.

This Is Your Brain on Coffee

This column appears in the June 9 issue of The New York Times Magazine.

For hundreds of years, coffee has been one of the two or three most popular beverages on earth. But it’s only recently that scientists are figuring out that the drink has notable health benefits. In one large-scale epidemiological study from last year, researchers primarily at the National Cancer Institute parsed health information from more than 400,000 volunteers, ages 50 to 71, who were free of major diseases at the study’s start in 1995. By 2008, more than 50,000 of the participants had died. But men who reported drinking two or three cups of coffee a day were 10 percent less likely to have died than those who didn’t drink coffee, while women drinking the same amount had 13 percent less risk of dying during the study. It’s not clear exactly what coffee had to do with their longevity, but the correlation is striking.

Other recent studies have linked moderate coffee drinking — the equivalent of three or four 5-ounce cups of coffee a day or a single venti-size Starbucks — with more specific advantages: a reduction in the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, basal cell carcinoma (the most common skin cancer), prostate cancer, oral cancer and breast cancer recurrence.

Perhaps most consequential, animal experiments show that caffeine may reshape the biochemical environment inside our brains in ways that could stave off dementia. In a 2012 experiment at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, mice were briefly starved of oxygen, causing them to lose the ability to form memories. Half of the mice received a dose of caffeine that was the equivalent of several cups of coffee. After they were reoxygenated, the caffeinated mice regained their ability to form new memories 33 percent faster than the uncaffeinated. Close examination of the animals’ brain tissue showed that the caffeine disrupted the action of adenosine, a substance inside cells that usually provides energy, but can become destructive if it leaks out when the cells are injured or under stress. The escaped adenosine can jump-start a biochemical cascade leading to inflammation, which can disrupt the function of neurons, and potentially contribute to neurodegeneration or, in other words, dementia.

In a 2012 study of humans, researchers from the University of South Florida and the University of Miami tested the blood levels of caffeine in older adults with mild cognitive impairment, or the first glimmer of serious forgetfulness, a common precursor of Alzheimer’s disease, and then re-evaluated them two to four years later. Participants with little or no caffeine circulating in their bloodstreams were far more likely to have progressed to full-blown Alzheimer’s than those whose blood indicated they’d had about three cups’ worth of caffeine.

There’s still much to be learned about the effects of coffee. “We don’t know whether blocking the action of adenosine is sufficient” to prevent or lessen the effects of dementia, says Dr. Gregory G. Freund, a professor of pathology at the University of Illinois who led the 2012 study of mice. It is also unclear whether caffeine by itself provides the benefits associated with coffee drinking or if coffee contains other valuable ingredients. In a 2011 study by the same researchers at the University of South Florida, for instance, mice genetically bred to develop Alzheimer’s and then given caffeine alone did not fare as well on memory tests as those provided with actual coffee. Nor is there any evidence that mixing caffeine with large amounts of sugar, as in energy drinks, is healthful. But a cup or three of coffee “has been popular for a long, long time,” Dr. Freund says, “and there’s probably good reasons for that.”

Science Confirms Turmeric As Effective As 14 Drugs

Turmeric is one the most thoroughly researched plants in existence today.  Its medicinal properties and components (primarily curcumin) have been the subject of over 5600 peer-reviewed and published biomedical studies.  In fact, our five-year long research project on this sacred plant has revealed over 600 potential preventive and therapeutic applications, as well as 175 distinct beneficial physiological effects. This entire database of 1,585 ncbi-hyperlinked turmeric abstracts can be downloaded as a PDF at our Downloadable Turmeric Document page, and acquired either as a retail item or with 200 GMI-tokens, for those of you who are already are members and receive them automatically each month.

Given the sheer density of research performed on this remarkable spice, it is no wonder that a growing number of studies have concluded that it compares favorably to a variety of conventional medications, including:

• Lipitor/Atorvastatin(cholesterol medication): A 2008 study published in the journal Drugs in R & D found that a standardized preparation of curcuminoids from Turmeric compared favorably to the drug atorvastatin (trade name Lipitor) on endothelial dysfunction, the underlying pathology of the blood vessels that drives atherosclerosis, in association with reductions in inflammation and oxidative stress in type 2 diabetic patients. [i]  [For addition curcumin and 'high cholesterol' research – 8 abstracts]
• Corticosteroids (steroid medications): A 1999 study published in the journal Phytotherapy Research found that the primary polyphenol in turmeric, the saffron colored pigment known as curcumin, compared favorably to steroids in the management of chronic anterior uveitis, an inflammatory eye disease.[ii]  A 2008 study published in Critical Care Medicine found that curcumin compared favorably to the corticosteroid drug dexamethasone in the animal model as an alternative therapy for protecting lung transplantation-associated injury by down-regulating inflammatory genes.[iii] An earlier 2003 study published in Cancer Letters found the same drug also compared favorably to dexamethasone in a lung ischaemia-repurfusion injury model.[iv]  [for additional curcumin and inflammation research – 52 abstracts]
• Prozac/Fluoxetine & Imipramine  (antidepressants): A 2011 study published in the journalActa Poloniae Pharmaceutica found that curcumin compared favorably to both drugs in reducing depressive behavior in an animal model.[v] [for additional curcumin and depression research – 5 abstracts]
• Aspirin (blood thinner): A 1986 in vitro and ex vivo study published in the journalArzneimittelforschung found that curcumin has anti-platelet and prostacyclin modulating effects compared to aspirin, indicating it may have value in patients prone to vascular thrombosis and requiring anti-arthritis therapy.[vi]  [for additional curcumin and anti-platelet research]
• Anti-inflammatory Drugs: A 2004 study published in the journal Oncogene found that curcumin (as well as resveratrol) were effective alternatives to the drugs aspirin, ibuprofen, sulindac, phenylbutazone, naproxen, indomethacin, diclofenac, dexamethasone, celecoxib, and tamoxifen in exerting anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative activity against tumor cells.[vii] [for additional curcumin and anti-proliferative research – 15 abstracts]
• Oxaliplatin (chemotherapy drug): A 2007 study published in the International Journal of Cancer found that curcumin compares favorably with oxaliplatin as an antiproliferative agenet in colorectal cell lines.[viii] [for additional curcumin and colorectal cancer research – 52 abstracts]
• Metformin (diabetes drug): A 2009 study published in the journal Biochemitry and Biophysical Research Community explored how curcumin might be valuable in treating diabetes, finding that it activates AMPK (which increases glucose uptake) and suppresses gluconeogenic gene expression  (which suppresses glucose production in the liver) in hepatoma cells. Interestingly, they found curcumin to be 500 times to 100,000 times (in the form known as tetrahydrocurcuminoids(THC)) more potent than metformin in activating AMPK and its downstream target acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC). [ix]

Another way in which turmeric and its components reveal their remarkable therapeutic properties is in research on drug resistant- and multi-drug resistant cancers.  We have two sections on our site dedicated to researching natural and integrative therapies on these topics, and while there are dozens of substances with demonstrable efficacy against these chemotherapy- and radiation-resistant cancers, curcumin tops both lists:

• Cancers: Drug Resistant
• Cancers: Multi-Drug Resistant

We have found no less than 54 studies indicating that curcumin can induce cell death or sensitize drug-resistant cancer cell lines to conventional treatment.[x]

We have identified 27 studies on curcumin's ability to either induce cell death or sensitize multi-drug resistant cancer cell lines to conventional treatment.[xi]

Considering how strong a track record turmeric (curcumin) has, having been used as both food and medicine in a wide range of cultures, for thousands of years, a strong argument can be made for using curcumin as a drug alternative or adjuvant in cancer treatment.  

Or, better yet, use certified organic (non-irradiated) turmeric in lower culinary doses on a daily basis so that heroic doses won't be necessary later in life after a serious disease sets in.  Nourishing yourself, rather than self-medicating with 'nutraceuticals,' should be the goal of a healthy diet.  [learn more at Sayer Ji's new collaborative project EATomology]

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Resources

• [i] P Usharani, A A Mateen, M U R Naidu, Y S N Raju, Naval Chandra. Effect of NCB-02, atorvastatin and placebo on endothelial function, oxidative stress and inflammatory markers in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized, parallel-group, placebo-controlled, 8-week study. Drugs R D. 2008;9(4):243-50. PMID: 18588355

• [ii] B Lal, A K Kapoor, O P Asthana, P K Agrawal, R Prasad, P Kumar, R C Srimal. Efficacy of curcumin in the management of chronic anterior uveitis. Phytother Res. 1999 Jun;13(4):318-22. PMID: 10404539

• [iii] Jiayuan Sun, Weigang Guo, Yong Ben, Jinjun Jiang, Changjun Tan, Zude Xu, Xiangdong Wang, Chunxue Bai. Preventive effects of curcumin and dexamethasone on lung transplantation-associated lung injury in rats. Crit Care Med. 2008 Apr;36(4):1205-13. PMID: 18379247

• [iv] J Sun, D Yang, S Li, Z Xu, X Wang, C Bai. Effects of curcumin or dexamethasone on lung ischaemia-reperfusion injury in rats. Cancer Lett. 2003 Mar 31;192(2):145-9. PMID: 18799504

• [v] Jayesh Sanmukhani, Ashish Anovadiya, Chandrabhanu B Tripathi. Evaluation of antidepressant like activity of curcumin and its combination with fluoxetine and imipramine: an acute and chronic study. Acta Pol Pharm. 2011 Sep-Oct;68(5):769-75. PMID:21928724

• [vi] R Srivastava, V Puri, R C Srimal, B N Dhawan. Effect of curcumin on platelet aggregation and vascular prostacyclin synthesis. Arzneimittelforschung. 1986 Apr;36(4):715-7. PMID:3521617

• [vii] Yasunari Takada, Anjana Bhardwaj, Pravin Potdar, Bharat B Aggarwal. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents differ in their ability to suppress NF-kappaB activation, inhibition of expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and cyclin D1, and abrogation of tumor cell proliferation.Oncogene. 2004 Dec 9;23(57):9247-58. PMID: 15489888

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• [ix] Teayoun Kim, Jessica Davis, Albert J Zhang, Xiaoming He, Suresh T Mathews. Curcumin activates AMPK and suppresses gluconeogenic gene expression in hepatoma cells.Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2009 Oct 16;388(2):377-82. Epub 2009 Aug 8. PMID: 19665995

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