HealthCare

Medicinal plants such as tulsi, ashwgandha and shilajit, which have so far been used as home remedies for cough and cold, may hold the key to the treatment of people living with HIV/AIDS. The Department of Virology in Haffkine Institute for Training, Research and Testing in Parel, conducted
in-vitro tests (tests done outside living systems) on the herbal extracts of the three plants against Reverse Transcriptase, an enzyme that is found in the Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) and causes it to multiply.

The tests showed that these herbs have the potential to act effectively against the enzyme.

“We wanted to know whether these herbal plants have any anti-HIV activity and if they can inactivate the virus or at least prevent it from replicating, or modulate the body’s immunity,” said Dr Sweta Kothari, senior scientific officer, Department of Virology, Haffkine Institute.

The study began in 2006 with the three herbal extracts being tested against Reverse Transcriptase. Simultaneously, a drug named azidothymidine (AZT), which is used for the treatment of HIV/AIDS, was also tested.

Results of this comparative study showed that tulsi and shilajit gave better results than that of AZT drug on the enzyme. “When AZT was 70% effective in blocking the enzyme activity, tulsi and shilajit showed 80% to 90% activity,” said Kothari.

Now that the herbal extracts of these plants have shown positive results, the institute is planning to take the research to the next level.

“We will work on finding the exact molecules in those herbal extracts which are acting against the virus. This can

also help in evaluating other herbal plants which have similar active molecules,” said Ritwik Dahake, scientific officer, Department of Virology, Haffkine Institute.

“We know a large number of herbal preparations which are used in traditional Indian system of medicine, however, they must be analysed and evaluated in the light of the mechanism of their action and specific site of action.

“We are planning to have a mechanism-based screening of medicinal plants which are used in treatment of various infectious and other ailments,” said Dr Abhay Chowdhary, director, Haffkine Institute for Training, Research and Testing. “The institute is also trying to study the green ways of controlling various insects.”

Medicinal plants such as tulsi, ashwgandha and shilajit, which have so far been used as home remedies for cough and cold, may hold the key to the treatment of people living with HIV/AIDS. The Department of Virology in Haffkine Institute for Training, Research and Testing in Parel, conducted

in-vitro tests (tests done outside living systems) on the herbal extracts of the three plants against Reverse Transcriptase, an enzyme that is found in the Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) and causes it to multiply.

The tests showed that these herbs have the potential to act effectively against the enzyme.

“We wanted to know whether these herbal plants have any anti-HIV activity and if they can inactivate the virus or at least prevent it from replicating, or modulate the body’s immunity,” said Dr Sweta Kothari, senior scientific officer, Department of Virology, Haffkine Institute.

The study began in 2006 with the three herbal extracts being tested against Reverse Transcriptase. Simultaneously, a drug named azidothymidine (AZT), which is used for the treatment of HIV/AIDS, was also tested.

University of Wisconsin, School of Pharmacy, Madison, WI 53705-2222, USA

The most practical approach to reduce the morbidity and mortality of cancer is to delay the process of carcinogenesis through the use of chemopreventive agents. This necessitates that safer compounds, especially those derived from natural sources must be critically examined for chemoprevention. A spice common to India and the surrounding regions, is turmeric, derived from the rhizome of Curcuma longa. Pre-clinical studies in a variety of cancer cell lines including breast, cervical, colon, gastric, hepatic, leukemia, oral epithelial, ovarian, pancreatic, and prostate have consistently shown that curcumin possesses anti-cancer activity in vitro and in pre-clinical animal models. The robust activity of curcumin in colorectal cancer has led to five phase I clinical trials being completed showing the safety and tolerability of curcumin in colorectal cancer patients. The success of these trials has led to the development of phase II trials that are currently enrolling patients. Overwhelming in vitro evidence and completed clinical trials suggests that curcumin may prove to be useful for the chemoprevention of colon cancer in humans.

National Research Laboratory of Molecular Carcinogenesis and Chemoprevention, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, South Korea

Chemoprevention, which is referred to as the use of nontoxic natural or synthetic chemicals to intervene in multistage carcinogenesis, has emerged as a promising and pragmatic medical approach to reduce the risk of cancer. Numerous components of edible plants, collectively termed "phytochemicals" have been reported to possess substantial chemopreventive properties. Curcumin, a yellow coloring ingredient derived from Curcuma longa L. (Zingiberaceae), is one of the most extensively investigated and well-defined chemopreventive phytochemicals. Curcumin has been shown to protect against skin, oral, intestinal, and colon carcinogenesis and also to suppress angiogenesis and metastasis in a variety animal tumor models. It also inhibits the proliferation of cancer cells by arresting them in the various phases of the cell cycle and by inducing apoptosis. Moreover, curcumin has a capability to inhibit carcinogen bioactivation via suppression of specific cytochrome P450 isozymes, as well as to induce the activity or expression of phase II carcinogen detoxifying enzymes.

New York Presbyterian Hospital and the Weill Medical College

Worldwide clinical trials have chiseled out a definite place for curcumin in oncology. Among them are New York Presbyterian Hospital and the Weill Medical College, which reported that curcumin, a curcuminoid found in turmeric, directly inhibited the COX-2 enzyme (Zhang et al. 1999). So excited are various oncologists regarding curcumin that curcumin has been classed as a potential third generation cancer chemopreventive agent.

Various pre clinical cell culture and animal studies suggest that curcumin has potential as an antiproliferative, anti-invasive, and antiangiogenic agent; as a mediator of chemoresistance and radioresistance; as a chemopreventive agent; and as a therapeutic agent. The spice once relegated to the kitchen shelf, has moved into the clinic and may prove to be "Curecumin".

Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is a polyphenol derived from the plant Curcuma longa, commonly called turmeric. Extensive research over the last 50 years has indicated this polyphenol can both prevent and treat cancer.

www.turmeric-cancer.com

Cancer treatment using curcumin derivatives :United States Patent Application 20060276536

NF-kB (nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells) is a protein complex that controls the transcription of DNA. NF-kB is found in almost all animal cell types and is involved in cellular responses to stimuli such as stress, cytokines, free radicals, ultraviolet irradiation, oxidized LDL, and bacterial or viral antigens. Aberrant activation of NF-kB is frequently observed in many cancers. Moreover, suppression of NF-kB limits the proliferation of cancer cells. Curcumin blocks activation of NF-kB In addition, curcumin inhibits the proliferation of a variety of tumor cells and has anti-metastatic activity.

http://turmeric-cancer.com/

We have to be armed to the teeth in order to protect us from cancer. Nothing can be done about the cancer causing environment as of now. A healthy diet and a source of supplements that supply us with all the nutrients, vitamins and antioxidants can fortify our body against this deadly disease. We need help and armaments from all the sources in order to fight the war against cancer and win. Fortunately preventive care with nutrients is very inexpensive and is almost free when it is compared to treatment cost of cancer. For example chemotherapy using various types of drugs can cost us anything from U.S.$1500 to U.S.$10,000 per month depending on the type and the stage of cancer. But a fraction of that cost can offer almost a lifetime protection.

You will never be wasting your time and effort by taking the supplements in order to defend against cancer. So much of financial loss, suffering and pain can be avoided by taking a small effort to fortify your precious body. Turmeric Curcumin - the supplement that we offer can indeed offer high degree of protection against cancer. It is never late to take curcumin extract. It will be beneficial at any stage and age.  Turmeric is a powerful antioxidant and anti inflammation agent. These benefits of turmeric can be felt within a couple of days.

http://turmeric-cancer.com/

www.turmeric-cancer.com

Enter Turmeric Hills The Most Powerful Anti Oxidant supplement

"When it comes to tackling cancer it doesnt hurt to belive in miracles along with all the regular treatments."
Dr.Wilmar Robinson

Turmeric is a herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family that is native to Asia. Turmeric is one of nature's most powerful healers, antioxidants and immuno defense boosters. Turmeric is regularly used as a spice almost on daily basis in Asian Indian cuisine. There are hundreds of research report by various organizations, universities, laboratories which repeatedly confirm the preventive and mitigative effects of turmeric in degenerative diseases like cancer and alzheimer's. Turmeric Plant Turmeric Root Powdered Turmeric Turmeric is a very powerful antioxidant. It is 300 times more effective than Vitamin E as an antioxidant. This is documented and measured on the basis of the amount of free radicals mopped up by the compound Curcumin in turmeric. Curcumin, the substance that gives the spice turmeric its yellow color has compounds that have potential health benefits. In lab tests the active ingredient in turmeric, called curcumin, was found to enhance the cancer fighting power of treatment with TRAIL, a naturally occurring molecule that helps kill cancer cells. TRAIL stands for tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand. In an experiment with human breast cancer cells in a laboratory, the combination treatment with curcumin killed off two to three times more cancer cells than either treatment alone. Wikipedia page on Turmeric- Curcumin. (Wikipedia is the most authentic encyclopedia in the internet.) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curcumin It has been estimated that everyday around 350 cancerous cells are formed in the body of a young healthy individual. But most of these deviant cells are killed by body's natural immune system even before these cells cross the microscopic stage. When the number of such deviant cells formed in the body increases and when the natural killer cell activity (immune system) decreases then these tumors can grow into a malignant form. At this stage clinical diagnosis of cancer happens. Turmeric is known to kill such deviant cancerous cells when they are in the microscopic stage itself. Cancer is not formed in a day. Normally cancers are detected only after an average of 10 years. For example mammography can detect signs of breast cancer only 11 years after the initial cancer cells had begun to form. Certain tests like AMAS (anti-malignin antibody in serum) can detect early signs of cancer but that too only after 5-6 years the cancer cells had begun to form. Modern medicine, particularly oncology does not concern itself with preventive and prophylactic care.It only focusses on treating after the diseases has grown. It uses the typical poisoning, burning and slashing method a slang used for chemotherapy, radiation and surgery respectively. This is termed as the cancer assembly line. It starts with series of expensive diagnostic tests leading to chemotherapy which solves part of the problem then comes radiation which solves bit more of the problem and lastly it is surgery which weeds out the problem. By this time cancer would have spread to some other organs which a process known as metastatic cancer spread. The patient then has to go through the same cancer assembly line again. In the process he comes out mutilated, tortured and half dead if not completely dead. www.turmeric-cancer.com