The steroidal glycosides from Hoodia Gordonii cactus when used
in animal experiments show a definite pharmacolgical activity in
the central nervous system. The hypothalamus is a part of the brain
that senses food and nutrient intake according to mounting evidence.
The Hoodia Gordonii glycosides increase ATP content in the
hypothalamic neurons by 50% to 150%. This effect on ATP may trigger
the approriate response to food intake and appetite control.
Giving Hoodia deceases food intake by 40% to 60% over a 24 hour
period. The study was performed at the Division of Endocriology,
Halbert Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology, Brown Medical School,
Providence, Rhode Island, and is published in the September 2004
issue of Brain Research.
Coenzyme Q10 may Decease Toxicity from Chemotherapy
A systematic review of oral supplementation with coenzyme Q10 and
its ability to decrease toxicity from chemotherapy was performed at
the Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter and Pymouth.
The study included 3 randomized clinical trials. The results of the
analysis shows that Coenzyme Q 10 supplementation decreases the
toxicity of Adiramycin and similar chemotherapeutic agents to the
heart muscle and to the liver during cancer treatment. The study
is published in the November 1st, 2004 issue of the Journal of
Clinical Oncology.
Alpha-Lipoic Acid Helps Burning Mouth Syndrome - a Neuropathy
The antioxidant Alpha-Lipoic Acid was given to two groups of
patients with burning mouth syndrome (BMS), the first group of 20
patients had already tried tranquilizing drugs to help with their
neuropathy, the second group of 20 patients with BMS had not tried
tranquilizers. The Alpha-Lipic Acid helped both groups but worked
much better in the group that had not used tranquilizers. The study
is published in the Novembr 18th issue of the Journal of the
European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.
Restless Legs Syndrome Tied Into Low Iron
Typically a patient with restless legs syndrome has an intense,
often irresistable urge to move the legs because of an unpleasant
crawly sensation in the legs This happens especially when resting
or trying to sleep. Some people with restless legs syndrome (RLS)
have had poor sleep quality for years. Up to 10% of the US population
has RLS. Recently, researchers form Pennsylvania State University
found that low levels of iron in certain parts of the brain was
linked to RLS. Experts at both Penn State and Johns Hopkins
University have uncovered how a lack of iron affects the brain and
leads to RLS. When a person has low iron, receptors in the brain
rev up the production of an enzyme called tyrosine hydroxylase (TH).
TH increases the production of the neurotransmitter dopamine (a
movement controlling brain chemical), and dopamine sends a message
to the rest of the body and conveys the rains message to the legs
causing body ,movement. Unfortunately, dopamine also requires iron
to function normally, and the message to the legs becomes scrambled
triggering the unpleasant sensations. It is not yet known how to
control the dopamine, how to regulate the iron levels in the brain,
or even if iron supplementation helps. The study is published in
the October 2004 issue of Neuroscience.
