by Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D.
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| One Study in India compared the wound-healing Effects of honey to a conventional treatment (silver sulfadiazene) in 104 first-degree burn patients. After one week of treatment, 91 percent of honey-treated burns were infection-free compared with only 7 percent receiving the conventional treatment. At the conclusion of the Study, a greater percentage of patients' burns were healed more readily in the honey-treated group. Another Study examined the wound-healing benefits of honey applied topically to patients following cesarean section and hysterectomy surgeries. |
| In a second Study, a similar group of patients received 75 milligrams of the celery extract twice daily for three weeks. At this higher dosage, the subjects reported even better results than in the first Study. Statistically and clinically significant reductions were noted in pain scores, mobility, and quality of life. As in the first Study, no side Effects were noted other than a diuretic effect.
When the data on the subset of patients with gout were analyzed, it was clear that they responded extremely well. |
| On Study in particular compared the Effects of the cholesterol-lowering Mediterranean diet to that of a Mediterranean diet that had 35 percent of the calories derived from monounsaturated fats from walnuts. The Study found that the 49 participants who ate the walnut-enhanced diet had lower levels of total cholesterol, LDL, and lipoprotein a (Lp(a), a form of lipoprotein that is even a more serious risk for heart dis- &| ease than LDL). .JO
Other research studies have ^a^^W^ra corroborated these beneficial Q»3l«r7 Effects of walnuts. |
| In a large-scale safety Study involving 3,250 patients conducted in Germany, undesired side Effects were reported in 79 patients (2.43 percent). The most frequently noted side Effects were gastrointestinal irritation (0.55 percent), allergic reactions (0.52 percent), fatigue (0.4 percent), and restlessness (0.26 percent).
People taking prescription drugs need to check with their doctor or pharmacist before taking Saint John's wort extract, as it appears to induce enzymes in the liver and gut that detoxify certain drugs. |
| In one Study, the effect of a flavonoid-rich cocoa drink containing 25 grams (a little less than an ounce) of semisweet chocolate compared to an 81 milligram dose of aspirin (i.e., a baby aspirin) showed that the two were similar in their Effects on preventing platelets from clumping together or clotting. However, aspirin's Effects are longer-lasting than those produced by chocolate flavonoids, so unlike aspirin, which can be taken once daily, a dose of flavonoid-rich chocolate would need to be consumed every six to eight hours. |
Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
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 A second Study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), was the first clinical Study of ginkgo extract conducted in the United States. In this Study, 202 people with Alzheimer's disease, at six research centers supervised by Harvard Medical School and the New York Institute for Medical
Research, were given either 120 milligrams of ginkgo extract or a placebo daily for a year. Ginkgo treatment improved symptoms in 64 percent of those who received it, and there were no reports of side Effects. |
| One Study found that it aggravated
Indian clinical studies have found that even larger doses of fenugreek seeds, 100 grams (3 ounces) per day, have even more dramatic Effects in people with type 1 diabetes. In one Study, fenugreek treatment reduced the excretion of glucose via the urine by 54 percent. This Study also found that fenugreek lowered levels of LDL cholesterol without affecting high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or "good") cholesterol. The seeds contain natural saponins, or "soaps," which cleanse the bulkier forms of cholesterol from the bile.
• Mastitis. |
| A three-year Study of fifty-six people with rheumatoid arthritis found that about 75 percent of the subjects achieved relief from pain and swelling by taking powdered ginger. The herbal treatment relieved symptoms without the side Effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and steroids, which are helpful but can cause serious side Effects, especially if used for long periods.
• Atherosclerosis and high cholesterol. Ginger retards the production of cholesterol by the liver, where most of the body's cholesterol originates. |
| In this Study, 202 people with Alzheimer's disease, at six research centers supervised by Harvard Medical School and the New York Institute for Medical
Research, were given either 120 milligrams of ginkgo extract or a placebo daily for a year. Ginkgo treatment improved symptoms in 64 percent of those who received it, and there were no reports of side Effects.
The authors of the Study reported in JAMA did not find ginkgo to be a miracle cure, but they did find that its use was worthwhile. |
| In one Study, eight of nine men experiencing sexual difficulties after beginning treatment with fluoxetine reported better sexual function after treatment with yohimbine. In another Study, all the participants taking yohimbine as prescribed experienced an improvement in sexual performance even after treatment with SSRIs. Yohimbine may also correct sexually depressive side Effects of the high blood pressure drug clonidine (Catapres).
CONSIDERATIONS FOR USE
Yohimbe is best used as a tincture. |
| A Study in Taiwan found that men between the ages of thirty-three and eighty who drink more than eight glasses of water a day have a 92 percent lower risk of developing colon cancer than men who drink fewer than five glasses of water a day, even when all other factors are taken into account. i-J Melanoma, a cancer that originates in the skin, may occur in the rectum. {See Melanoma under skin cancer in Part Two.)
Q For measures to reduce the side Effects and increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy and /or radiation therapy, see Side Effects of Cancer Treatment under cancer in Part Two. |
T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D. and Thomas M. Campbell II
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 One was for a human Study, the other for an experimental animal Study. I did not "cry wolf in either application by suggesting that protein might promote cancer. I had everything to lose and nothing to gain by acting like a heretic. Besides, I wasn't convinced that protein actually might be harmful. In the experimental animal Study, I proposed to investigate the "effect of various factors [my italics] on aflatoxin metabolism." The human Study, mostly focused on anatoxin's Effects on liver cancer in the Philippines, was briefly reviewed in the last chapter and was concluded after three years. |
| FOR MORE INFORMATION
We take great pride in the comprehensiveness and quality of the China Study. To see why, read Appendix B on page 353. You'll find a more complete discussion of the basic design and characteristics of the Study.
THE CHINESE DIETARY EXPERIENCE
Critical to the importance of the China Study was the nature of the diet consumed in rural China. It was a rare opportunity to Study health-related Effects of a mostly plant-based diet.
In America, 15-16% of our total calories comes from protein and upwards of 80% of this amount comes from animal-based foods. |
| UNIQUENESS OF DATA
One idea that makes our Study unique is our use of the ecologic Study design. Critics of the ecologic Study design correctly assume that it is a weak design for determining cause-and-effect associations when one is interested in the Effects of single causes acting on single outcomes. But this is not the way that nutrition works. Rather, nutrition causes or prevents disease by multiple nutrients and other chemicals acting together, as in foods. An ecologic Study is almost ideal if we wish to learn how an array of dietary factors act together to cause disease. |
| The human Study, mostly focused on anatoxin's Effects on liver cancer in the Philippines, was briefly reviewed in the last chapter and was concluded after three years. It was later renewed in a much more sophisticated Study in China (chapter four).
A Study of this protein effect on tumor development had to be done extremely well. Anything less would not have convinced anyone, especially my peers who would review my future request for renewed funding! In hindsight, we must have succeeded. |
| This would be true even if there were a few million subjects in the Study. Like the Nurses' Health Study, these studies all involved typical Western diets highly skewed toward the consumption of animal-based foods, where people are tinkering with the intake of only one nutrient or one food at a time. Every Study failed to take into account a broader range of dietary choices—including those which demonstrated positive Effects on breast cancer risk in the past. |
Sydney Walker III, M.D.
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 In addition, the Cross-National Panic Study showed that imipramine, a drug already on the market, was as effective (or, from another point of view, as ineffective) as Xanax. Yet the "data" from this Study, published in major medical journals and promoted in glossy ads, were enough to convince doctors to write millions of prescriptions for Xanax, quickly making it one of America's most popular psychotropic drugs.
Lest you think this was a one-time occurrence, consider Up-john's marketing of Halcion, a tranquilizer that caused severe side Effects in many patients. The U.S. |
| But even doctors who know a great deal about drug Effects and side Effects may not pass sufficient information on to patients; one Study found that, more than three-fourths of the time, doctors failed to give their patients clear instructions about how drugs should be taken.
When you get a correctly written prescription and clear instructions from the physician, you're still not home free, because pharmacy errors happen more often than you'd think. Half of the druggists responding to one poll said that they had dispensed incorrect prescriptions because they couldn't read doctors' handwriting. |
| A recent Japanese Study found that Elavil speeded the growth of cancerous colon tumors in mice and rats, and German researchers have reported that melanomas— the deadliest form of cancer—grew faster in rodents given the antidepressant desipramine.
Human Guinea Pigs
One of the hazards of widespread prescribing of new drugs such as Prozac is that these drugs are marketed after short-term studies on limited populations. They almost inevitably have long-term side Effects, but no one knows what these Effects are until the drugs have been in use for years or decades. |
| But few of these parents saw the types of results claimed by the initial research Study. In fact, dozens of later studies failed to detect any significant improvements in children given the drug, and several suggested that fenfluramine might cause permanent damage to brain cells. None of this information appeared in newspapers or on TV.
Even when a drug's side Effects are so devastating that they do make the news, there's usually a long lag between the initial glowing reports and the later "Oops!" reports. |
| A Study by Steven Dilsaver, in International Clinical Psychopharmacology, reported that more than half of patients taking antidepressants have difficulty cutting back on their dosage, and experience symptoms such as anxiety, panic, and irrationality. Reports of addiction to monoamine oxidase inhibitors, one form of antidepressants, are beginning to trickle in. Ritalin, which mimics the Effects of amphetamines when taken in high doses, and pemoline, another drug prescribed for hyperactivity, can also be addictive. |
| Yet the "data" from this Study, published in major medical journals and promoted in glossy ads, were enough to convince doctors to write millions of prescriptions for Xanax, quickly making it one of America's most popular psychotropic drugs.
Lest you think this was a one-time occurrence, consider Up-john's marketing of Halcion, a tranquilizer that caused severe side Effects in many patients. The U.S. |
David Winston, RH(AHG), and Steven Maimes
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 ADAPTOGENS AND PHYTOCHEMICALS
Pharmacology is the Study of drugs and their Effects on the human body. A drug is a substance that is given to treat or prevent a disease. The Study of the chemical makeup of plants is called phytochemistry, and the Study of naturally derived drugs is known as pharmacognosy.
Plants contain both primary and secondary metabolites, which are substances needed for metabolism—the plant's energy production process. The primary metabolites are necessary to sustain the life of the plant and include enzymes, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and chlorophyll. |
| Selected Research Study
Progress of Study on Brain Protective Effect and Mechanism of Polygonum multiflorum (Wang and Wang 2005).
In this paper, researchers reviewed the various studies on the neuroprotective Effects of he shou wu. They determined that it has antioxidant activity and that, in some ways, it mimics medications that act as calcium channel blockers, cholinesterase inhibitors, and cholinomimetic medications. The Effects were broad-based, and it is suggested that this herb may have benefits for people with Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and impaired cerebral circulation. |
| In one quoted Study, 65 percent of patients with lung cancer had an improved quality of life and enhanced cellular immune response after using reishi.
A Randomized, Double-Blind and Placebo-Controlled Study of a Ganoderma lucidum Polysaccharide Extract in Neurasthenia (Tang et al. 2005).
One hundred and thirty-two patients diagnosed with neurasthenia (fatigue), mild depression, and chronic fatigue immune deficiency syndrome took part in a Study of reishi's Effects on those diseases. |
| A recent Study found no significant interaction between ginkgo and warfarin (Coumadin) in the usual dose levels. Still, it is a good idea to use caution if you are using ginkgo with such drugs and ask your doctor to schedule regular blood tests to be sure there is no interaction. Older reports claim that ginkgo has monoamine oxidase-inhibiting Effects, but this information seems to be incorrect. In one Study, ginkgo reduced anorgasmia in women taking antidepressant medications.
GOTU KOLA
Botanical Name: Centella asiatica Part Used: Herb
Gotu kola is known as kula kud in India. |
| In one Study, it was found to have significant anti-inflammatory activity and it reduced autoimmune response to an animal model of arthritis to a similar degree as a cortisone drug. In another Study, ashwagandha reduced both degeneration of the joints and the swelling induced by an arthritis-inducing drug.
Ashwagandha is used alone or in combination with bacopa for animals suffering from cognitive dysfunction and other Effects of old age. The results are usually gradual, but definite improvements can be seen in a reduction of aimless wandering, barking, and confusion. |
| In this small Study, twenty-eight patients were given an herbal combination that included astragalus. After six weeks of treatment, inflammatory markers and airway reactivity were reduced significantly.
The Protective Effects of Radix Astragali and Rhizoma Ligustici chuanx-iong on Endothelial Dysfunction in Type 2 Diabetic Patients with Microalbuminuria (Lu et al. 2005).
In this Study, twenty-one patients with type 2 diabetes were given a combination of huang qi and chuan xiong. |
Joe Graedon, M.S. and Teresa Graedon, Ph.D.
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 One large, long-term (26-week) Study supervised by researchers at the University of Maryland carried out just such a controlled protocol. Acupuncture relieved pain and improved function without side Effects.150 Another research group found that when true acupuncture was added to NSAID (diclofenac) therapy, it was more effective than drug treatment alone.151
How long do the Effects of acupuncture last? One fascinating Study compared 8 weeks of standard acupuncture (average of 17 needles) to minimal acupuncture (average of 12 needles) or nothing. |
| A more recent German Study demonstrated that a supercritical carbon dioxide extract of feverfew was more effective than placebo in reducing the frequency of migraine headaches.337 In this Study, side Effects were equally uncommon with the feverfew extract and the placebo.
Feverfew is generally thought not to be effective for treatment once a migraine headache has begun, but a small preliminary study
** Feverfew
A feverfew extract with at least 0.1 percent parthenolide might be helpful in preventing migraines. It is taken daily. |
| The natural form of vitamin E used in this Study (alpha-tocopherol at 400 IU daily) was surprisingly effective in reducing the lesions and itching of eczema.
Side effects: Minor digestive upset is possible, but unlikely.
Downside: There has been only one Study of this therapy for eczema. Although vitamin E is inexpensive and relatively nontoxic, more studies to substantiate the benefit would be desirable.
Cost: Approximately $3 to $8 a month Topical Creams
Over the years, we have learned of a number of surprising remedies for itchy eczema. |
| One small Dutch Study found a significant effect, with Promensil reducing hot flashes by 44 percent more than placebo.751 But a larger, multicenter trial in the United States found no clinically significant effect on hot flashes with either Promensil or Rimostil.752
On the bright side, though, very few women dropped out of the Study, and no side Effects were significantly more common among those taking red clover extracts than among those on placebo. Analyzing the data for subgroups uncovered a trend toward heavier women getting more benefit from Promensil. |
| Both "acupuncture" treatments were clearly superior to doing nothing, as shown by the results from patients in a second control group, who received no treatment during the Study. Both were also equal to standard preventive drug treatment in another well-designed Study.349
Not everyone responds to acupuncture, but for those who do, it appears to be a reasonable way to cope with migraine headaches, with a minimal risk of side Effects. For treating an acute headache, acupuncture is better than placebo, but not quite as good as sumatriptan (Imitrex). |
Grace Ross Lewis
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 A recent Study indicated that it may dry out the mucous membrane of the mouth, causing canker sores in susceptible individuals.
Miscellaneous questions
1. What is the single most important chemical?
This is really difficult to answer because chemicals do so many different things. In one respect, chlorine is the chemical that has saved more human lives than any other as a result of its water purifying Effects.
2. If I have a choice of paper towels, hot air dryers, or pull-down linen towels to dry my hands, which should I use to avoid bacteria? |
| One Study indicated that high alcohol content products can increase a person's risk of oral cancer by as much as 60%. More recent studies have questioned this.
14. What is the harmful ingredient in nail polish?
It is toluene. It is mildly toxic by breathing and can cause hallucinations, CNS
(central nervous system) Effects, bone marrow changes, and birth defects, among other problems.
15. What other products contain toluene?
Toluene is also in paints, spot removers, rubber cement, gasoline, detergents, and perfumes, among others.
16. What is meant by aroma-free zones? |
| Through the years, toxicologists, those who Study chemicals and their Effects, have come to some agreement on doses and their results. The following table is based on consumption by a 150-lb person.
Possible oral human lethal dose
Toxicity rating
Dose
For 150-lb person
6 5 4 3 2 1
Super toxic Extremely toxic Very toxic Moderately toxic Slightly toxic Practically nontoxic
Less than 5 mg/kg 5-50 mg/kg 50-500 mg/kg
Between 1 tsp and 1 oz Between 1 oz and 1 pt Between 1 pt and 1 qt More than 1 qt
Less than 7 drops Between 7 drops and 1 tsp
0. |
Michael T. Murray, N.D., Joseph E. Pizzorno, N.D.
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 The results of the Study were strikingly in favor of glucosamine sulfate alone. Not only was glucosamine sulfate more effective, but it was without significant side Effects. In fact, patients who took glucosamine sulfate had fewer side Effects than the placebo group, and no dropouts occurred in the glucosamine sulfate group. In contrast, over forty percent of the subjects taking Feldene experienced side Effects, and twenty patients taking Feldene had to drop out of the Study because the side Effects were so severe. |
| The Study was conducted at six research centers with the design of the Study being approved by the Harvard Medical School and the New York Institute for Medical Research. In the Study, 202 patients with Alzheimer's disease were given either GBE (120 mg per day) or a placebo for one year. The Study provided tremendous evidence on the value of GBE in Alzheimer's disease. GBE not only stabilized Alzheimer's disease but led to significant improvements in mental function in sixty-four percent of the patients. There were no side Effects with GBE. |
| An early Study involving 128 subjects demonstrated that an aqueous extract of valerian root significantly improved sleep quality.17 This double-blind Study compared the Effects of the aqueous extract to a placebo and an over-the-counter preparation of valerian from Switzerland, in both good and poor sleepers. The Study measured sleep latency, night awakenings, subjective sleep quality, and sleepiness the next morning. |
| The results of the Study were strikingly in favor of glucosamine sulfate alone. The effectiveness was based on a clinical index known as the Lequesne Index. This index allots numerical values to all the major signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis.
These impressive results from treatment with glucosamine sulfate were achieved without side Effects. In fact, patients who took glucosamine sulfate had fewer side Effects than the placebo group and no dropouts. Here are the side-effect and dropout values among the four groups:
GS +
PLACEBO GS PIROXICAM PIR
Incidence of side Effects Drop outs
24. |
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