Thursday, September 09, 2004

SCARED OF CHOLESTEROL-LOWERING STATIN DRUGS? TRY BLUEBERRIES INSTEAD! Blueberry compound shows promise of lowering cholesterol as effectively as drug PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 23 — A compound in blueberries shows promise in preliminary laboratory studies of lowering cholesterol as effectively as a commercial drug and has the potential for fewer side effects, according to a researcher with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The compound, pterostilbene, has the potential to be developed into a nutraceutical for lowering cholesterol, particularly for those who don't respond well to conventional drugs used for this purpose, the researcher says. Findings were described today at the 228th national meeting of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society. "We are excited to learn that blueberries, which are already known to be rich in healthy compounds, may also be a potent weapon in the battle against obesity and heart disease, which are leading killers in the U.S.," says study leader Agnes M. Rimando, Ph.D., a research chemist with the USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS). She works at the ARS' Natural Products Utilization Research Unit in Oxford, Miss. Researchers have suspected for some time, based on anecdotal studies, that blueberries may play a role in lowering cholesterol, says Rimando. Pterostilbene is an antioxidant that is similar to resveratrol, another antioxidant identified in grapes and red wine that is also believed to lower cholesterol. Other researchers have found pterostilbene in grapes, but this is the first time it has been found in blueberries, says Rimando. She and her associates earlier showed that this compound may help fight cancer. Pterostilbene has been reported previously by others to have anti-diabetic properties as well. In this new laboratory study using rat liver cells, Rimando and her collaborators, Rangaswami Nagmani and Dennis Feller, of the University of Mississippi's School of Pharmacy, exposed the cells to four other compounds found in blueberries. Of the four compounds, pterostilbene showed the highest potency for activating the cells' PPAR-alpha receptor, which in turn plays a role in reducing cholesterol and other lipids. Pterostilbene was similar in activity to ciprofibrate, a commercial drug that lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides. But ciprofibrate, whose mechanism of action on cells is less specific, can have side effects such as muscle pain and nausea. Pterostilbene, which targets a specific receptor, is likely to have fewer side effects, Rimando says, adding that the compound did not show any signs of cell toxicity in preliminary studies. Until studies are conducted in humans, no one knows how many blueberries a person needs to eat to have a positive effect at lowering cholesterol, Rimando cautions. Her study adds to a growing list of health benefits attributed to the little antioxidant-rich fruit, including protection against aging, heart disease and cancer, as well as acting as a memory booster.   4:10:10 AM    comment [] MAYONNAISE AS MEDICINE? HERE IT COMES....Ajinomoto to Introduce Cholesterol lowering Mayonnaise Tokyo (JCNN) - Ajinomoto, a leading Japanese food product company, announced August 30 that it will introduce Pure Select Sararia, a new mayonnaise product, in the domestic market on September 10. Approved by the Ministiry of Health, Labor and Welfare as a specified health food in August, the new product helps lower blood-cholesterol levels. A daily 15-gram intake lowers a total cholesterol level, especially an LDL level, to a normal level, according to the company. The product maintains a taste similar to regular mayonnaise products. The company is aiming for sales of 3 billion yen ($27.3 mil) in sales in fiscal 2005. 3:56:32 AM    comment [] JUST SAY "NO"  TO A FULL BODY SCAN ..... Experts call this an example of reckless medicine. Nobody seems quite sure how many people each year get the full-body scans. In America, the number is believed to mount into the tens of thousands or conceivably hundreds of thousands.  For a prime example of medical screening that has proliferated beyond reason, consider the alarming case of full-body computed tomography scans to detect cancer, cardiovascular disease and other conditions. Narrowly targeted CT scans aimed at particular organs are undeniably valuable when used to pin down a diagnosis in sick patients. But full-body scans to screen healthy individuals for hidden disease have never been shown to be effective, and now there is evidence that the scans may be harmful. A new study finds that the scans impart radiation doses comparable to those received by atomic-bomb survivors in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, causing a small but significant increase in the risk of cancer. No studies have yet shown a health or life-saving benefit, and there is controversy among experts over a high false-positive rate that forces patients to undergo needless further tests. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the American College of Radiology, among other expert groups, oppose full-body scans in people with no disease symptoms. A study published in May found that radiologists and emergency-room physicians were largely unaware of how much radiation the scans delivered, and now a study by Columbia University researchers highlights the risk of dying from radiation- induced cancer. A single full-body scan delivers nearly 100 times the radiation of a screening mammogram and only slightly lower than the dose received by atomic bomb survivors a mile and a half from the burst sites. That's not a huge added risk (only a 1-in-1,250 risk of dying from cancer), but people worried about hidden disease would presumably want repeated screenings. Full-body scans administered annually for 30 years starting at age 45 could cause one cancer death in every 50 patients, the new study estimates.  That is a disturbingly high risk for a procedure of dubious benefit. 3:08:32 AM    comment []

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