Pretreating patients with friendly bacteria before drug therapy, helps eradicated Helicobacter pylori; the ulcer bacterium, even if it is drug resistant

The bacterium Helicobacter pylori is responsible for most cases of peptic ulcers (a sore on the lining of the stomach or duodenum). 20% of those over 40 years of age and 50% of those over 60 are infected with Helicobacter pylori. Physicians use combinations of antibiotics in addition to acid suppressing drugs to eradicate H. pylori. In this study 138 patients were enlisted; triple therapy failed in all patients. They were placed on a combination of quadruple therapy for one week. However, some of these patients were first treated for a month with Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus bifidus before the quadruple therapy. In those pretreated with friendly bacteria the success rate for eradicating H pylori was 91%. In those not pretreated with friendly bacteria the success rate dropped to 77%. The study is published in the April 2006 issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Yesterday we reported that taking a combination of Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and ibuprofen prevented the onset of Alzheimer's disease in patients who inherited a gene from their parents that puts them at high risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

Grape Seed Extract and Green Tea Polyphenols inhibit the enzymes that allow cancer metastasis and are useful with prostate cancer

Matrix metalloproteinases (abbreviated MMP) are enzymes that break down collagen and other proteins that are normally found in the spaces between cells. MMPs play a crucial role in allowing cancer cells to breakout of an original tumor site and spread to other areas; a process known as metastasis. The basement membrane is the barrier that separates cells from other cells or tissues. One of the earliest events that take place in cancer metastasis is the invasion through the basement membrane - MMPs break down the surrounding proteins such as collagen and elastin. MMPs are important regulators of tumor growth at the primary site and at the site of distant metastasis. Metastatic cancer is the biggest barrier to prevention and cure. Inhibiting MMPs is of crucial importance in fighting cancer. It turns out that both Green Tea Polyphenols and Grape Seed Extract inhibit MMPs and are useful in preventing and inhibiting prostate cancer. The study review was performed at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and is published in the March 2006 issue of the journal Endocrine, Metabolic and Immune Disorders Drug Targets.