Herbal Supplements Health

Green Tea May Protect Against Breast CancerWhile tea has been used as an alternative medicine in China for the last several thousand years, it is only recently that the Western hemisphere started to take notice of the beverages potential health benefits, according to University of Southern California researchers. Now, tea is being hailed as a miracle elixir with the power to do everything from lower stress hormones and sooth the symptoms of PMS to protect against disease. [click link for full article]

Computer-Aided Detection With Computed Radiography Effective In Detecting Breast CancerThe use of computer-aided detection (CAD) with computed radiography (CR) is effective in the detection of breast cancer, according to a recent study conducted by radiologists at George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, DC and iCAD in Nashua, NH.”I wanted to undertake this study because we need to further define the performance of CAD with CR,” said Rachel Brem, MD, lead author of the study. [click link for full article]

Fat Tissue-Derived Hormone Leptin Increases E-Cadherin Expression, Obesity-Breast Cancer Link NotedBeing obese increases the risk of breast cancer in post-menopausal women, shortens the time between return of the disease and lowers overall survival rates. Italian researchers speaking at Experimental Biology 2007 in Washington, DC, now report evidence on how leptin, a hormone found in fat cells, significantly influences breast cancer development and progression in mice. This new understanding, says Dr. [click link for full article]

Mental Health Tsar Maps Out Way Ahead For Mental Health Reform, UKProfessor Louis Appleby, the National Clinical Director for Mental Health explains why improvements in community care must continue and sets out a new phase of reform in mental health services in a report published today. [click link for full article]

THE CONSUMER; The Energy-Drink Buzz Is Unmistakable. The Health Impact Is Unknown.With their increasingly novel additives, energy drinks are taking consumers into uncharted nutritional territory.

Safety Analyses Of Clinical Data For Bifeprunox In Patients With Schizophrenia Showed A Favorable Weight And Lipid Profile, Comparable With PlaceboSolvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, a division of Wyeth (NYSE: WYE), and Lundbeck A/S presented clinical study results on bifeprunox at an international medical congress this week. Safety analyses suggest bifeprunox, an investigational treatment for adult patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, was associated with a favorable weight and lipid profile, comparable with placebo. [click link for full article]

Metabasis Therapeutics Presents Results Of A Clinical Study For Its Novel Liver-Targeted Product Candidate For The Treatment Of HCCMetabasis Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: MBRX) announced today that a poster entitled, “A Phase I/II Study to Assess the Safety, Tolerability and Pharmacokinetics (PK) of Intravenous (IV) Infusion of MB07133 in Subjects with Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC)” was presented during the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). [click link for full article]

Abortion-Rights Advocates, Opponents Respond To Bush’s Letter Threatening To Veto Bills That Would Weaken Federal Abortion LawsPresident Bush’s letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) saying he will veto legislation that would weaken federal policies or laws on abortion drew “strong” responses from abortion-rights advocates and opponents, the Washington Times reports (Ward, Washington Times, 5/5). [click link for full article]

title=”McCain Says Abortion-Rights Supporter Would Have Difficulty Winning Republican Presidential Nomination” >McCain Says Abortion-Rights Supporter Would Have Difficulty Winning Republican Presidential NominationSen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who is running for the Republican presidential nomination, in an interview on Monday said that it would be difficult for an abortion-rights supporter to win the party’s nomination, the AP/Forbes reports. [click link for full article]

Actions Taken On Emergency Contraception, Sex Education-Related Legislation In Connecticut, Massachusetts, WashingtonThe following highlights recent news of state actions on legislation related to emergency contraception access and sex education.Connecticut: The House on Wednesday voted 113-36 to pass a bill ( [click link for full article]

NIH Awards VBI, Mayo Clinic $2.4M To Study Chronic RhinosinusitisVirginia Bioinformatics Institute and Virginia Tech biological sciences associate professor Chris Lawrence is teaming up with Mayo Clinic on a $2.4 million project funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). The work could help researchers develop treatments, diagnostic tools, and preventative measures for patients suffering from chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). [click link for full article]

ISTA Pharmaceuticals Announces Statistically Significant Preliminary Results From Its U.S. Phase II/III Clinical Study Of BepotastineISTA Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(Nasdaq: ISTA), today announced results from the preliminary analysis of its U.S. Phase II/III clinical study of bepotastine for the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis. The study evaluated two concentrations of bepotastine, each dosed once daily and twice daily. The primary endpoints of the study were the assessment of efficacy for bepotastine in treating ocular itching and redness. [click link for full article]

alt=”$7.5 Million NIH Grant To Yale For Autism Center Of Excellence” title=”$7.5 Million NIH Grant To Yale For Autism Center Of Excellence” >$7.5 Million NIH Grant To Yale For Autism Center Of ExcellenceThe Yale Child Study Center has been awarded the Autism Center of Excellence (ACE) status by the National Institutes of Health. This highly competitive and prestigious award comes with $7.5 million of direct funding over five years to the Autism Program led by Ami Klin. [click link for full article]

New Class Of Nontoxic Cancer Treatments Found By UK ResearchersA new class of compounds developed by two University of Kentucky researchers shows promise as a nontoxic treatment of some cancers previously treated with toxic chemotherapy, the researchers report today. [click link for full article]

Risk Factors Associated With Mortality In Veteran Population Following Transtibial Or Transfemoral AmputationWe looked at mortality rates of veterans following an amputation because of diabetes or peripheral vascular disease. Having a better understanding of mortality risk in the months and years following this type of surgery is important for clinicians to be able to target rehabilitation services to the correct population. A balance between early intervention and longer-term goals is the key. [click link for full article]

Lithium Builds Gray Matter In Bipolar Brains, UCLA Study ShowsNeuroscientists at UCLA have shown that lithium, long the standard treatment for bipolar disorder, increases the amount of gray matter in the brains of patients with the illness.The research is featured in the July issue of the journal Biological Psychiatry and is currently available online. [click link for full article]

New Drug Shows Promise For Treating Epileptic Seizures, Bipolar Disorder And Neuropathic PainA new study appearing in the latest issue of Epilepsia shows that a new drug called Eslicarbazepine (ESL) shows promise as a treatment for epilepsy patients whose symptoms remain uncontrolled with existing medications. A once-daily dose was shown to be most effective, offering patients added convenience as current treatments can involve several doses per day. [click link for full article]

“http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=65982&nfid=crss” alt=”New York Times Examines Eli Lilly Program Aimed At Reducing Unnecessary Medicaid Prescriptions For Antipsychotic Drug Zyprexa” title=”New York Times Examines Eli Lilly Program Aimed At Reducing Unnecessary Medicaid Prescriptions For Antipsychotic Drug Zyprexa” >New York Times Examines Eli Lilly Program Aimed At Reducing Unnecessary Medicaid Prescriptions For Antipsychotic Drug ZyprexaThe New York Times on Friday examined an Eli Lilly program that offers state Medicaid programs assistance in monitoring physicians’ prescribing practices for Zyprexa, a treatment for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder that is the single largest drug cost in state Medicaid budgets. [click link for full article]

Bipolar Disorder: Understudied And Much More Common Than Previously ReportedDespite a prevalence of about 5% in the community and 50% in depressed outpatients, the treatment of bipolar II disorder* and related disorders is understudied. Recent advances in this area, which have mainly been related to these conditions, are discussed in a Seminar in The Lancet. [click link for full article]

HHS Establishes Office To Manage Biomedical Advanced Research And Development Authority, USAHHS Secretary Mike Leavitt today announced the establishment of the office that will manage the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). The office will reside under the HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response and its director will report to the Assistant Secretary. [click link for full article]

SLU Scientist Leads National Smallpox StudyGeneral routine vaccinations for smallpox were stopped in the United States in 1971, and the world was declared free of smallpox in 1980. But because of the recent concern about biowarfare and bioterrorism throughout the world, the U.S. government is making efforts to improve its ability to protect its citizens in the event of a bioterrorist attack involving the smallpox virus (Variola major virus). [click link for full article]</p>

The Plague As A Weapon?The possibility of bubonic plague and pneumonic plague being used as bioterrorism agents is discussed in an article published in The Lancet.Professor Mike Prentice, of University College, Cork, Ireland, and Dr Lila Rahalison, of Institut Pasteur, Madagascar, did a comprehensive review of the genetic makeup of the plague, its transmission vectors, and potential use as a biological weapon. [click link for full article]

“Dermatologists Warn Myths About Melanoma Could Lead To Delayed Diagnosis And Treatment” >Dermatologists Warn Myths About Melanoma Could Lead To Delayed Diagnosis And TreatmentWhen it comes to melanoma the most serious form of skin cancer that accounts for more than 75 percent of skin cancer deaths knowing the facts about its causes and characteristics could save your life. Dermatologists hope that dispelling some common myths about melanoma could help more people understand their risk factors and be more aware of melanomas that don’t fit the typical diagnostic mold. [click link for full article]

/www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=69952&nfid=crss” alt=”Bush Sends Letter To Pelosi, Reid Threatening To Veto Legislation That Would Weaken Federal Abortion Laws” title=”Bush Sends Letter To Pelosi, Reid Threatening To Veto Legislation That Would Weaken Federal Abortion Laws” >Bush Sends Letter To Pelosi, Reid Threatening To Veto Legislation That Would Weaken Federal Abortion LawsPresident Bush on Thursday sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) saying he will veto legislation that would weaken federal policies or laws on abortion, including measures that would “allow taxpayer dollars to be used for the destruction of human life,” the New York Times reports (New York Times, 5/4). [click link for full article]

Democratic Presidential Candidate Edwards Promotes Universal Health Insurance Proposal On Campaign TrailFormer Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) has “made health care reform one of his signature issues in his quest for the White House” and is the “only major candidate who has laid out a specific plan for making sure that everyone is insured,” the Raleigh News & Observer reports. Edwards sent a DVD outlining his [click link for full article]

tegaserod, ZelnormTitle: tegaserod, Zelnorm
Category: Medications
Created: 2/27/2003 7:13:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 3/30/2007

Republican Presidential Candidates Discuss Abortion, Stem Cells As Part Of First DebateTen Republican presidential candidates on Thursday in their first televised debate — held at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif. — fielded questions about their views on abortion rights, stem cell research and other issues, the Washington Post reports. [click link for full article]

Opinion Pieces Respond To U.S. Supreme Court Ruling Federal Abortion Ban ConstitutionalSeveral newspapers recently published opinion pieces responding to the Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling last month to reinstate a federal law banning so-called “partial-birth” abortion, overturning the rulings of three appeals courts. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia joined Justice Anthony Kennedy in the majority opinion and Justices Stephen Breyer, John Paul Stevens and David Souter joined Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the dissent. [click link for full article]

Aging Gracefully, With A Chronic DiseaseFor the better part of three decades, Sherrie Kossoudji has endeavored each day to manage the inflammation, chronic pain, tight joints and other types of physical strife caused by rheumatoid arthritis. Now 53, Kossoudji is trying to sort out what is a normal part of aging, and what is a facet of RA. [click link for full article]

Eosinophilic OesophagitisEosinophilic oesophagitis results in an inflamed oesophagus, the muscular tube that connects the mouth to the stomach. Around 8 in 10 cases are seen in people with allergic conditions such as hay fever and asthma. The frequency of eosinophilic oesophagitis appears to be increasing. The reasons are unclear, but it is known that allergies of all types have become more common then they were a generation or two ago. [click link for full article]

alt=”Advancis Pharmaceutical Resubmits New Drug Application For Once-Daily Amoxicillin PULSYS” title=”Advancis Pharmaceutical Resubmits New Drug Application For Once-Daily Amoxicillin PULSYS” >Advancis Pharmaceutical Resubmits New Drug Application For Once-Daily Amoxicillin PULSYSAdvancis Pharmaceutical Corporation (NASDAQ: AVNC), a pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing novel anti-infective products, today announced it has resubmitted a New Drug Application (NDA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), for its once-daily Amoxicillin PULSYS product for the treatment of adolescents and adults with pharyngitis/tonsillitis (commonly referred to as strep throat) via the 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway. [click link for full article]

“http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=70206&nfid=crss” alt=”During Their Lifetime More Than 10 Percent Of Adults Abuse Or Become Dependent On Drugs” title=”During Their Lifetime More Than 10 Percent Of Adults Abuse Or Become Dependent On Drugs” >During Their Lifetime More Than 10 Percent Of Adults Abuse Or Become Dependent On DrugsApproximately 10.3 percent of U.S. adults appear to have problems with drug use or abuse during their lives, including 2.6 percent who become drug dependent at some point, according to a report in the May issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.Drug abuse refers to the intense desire to take drugs at the exclusion of other activities, and dependence occurs when the body becomes physically dependent on an illicit substance. [click link for full article]

Alcohol Consumption More Detrimental To WomenAlcohol consumption more severely affects women than men, according to a new study by researchers at RTI International, Pavlov Medical University, Leningrad Regional Center of Addictions, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. [click link for full article]

Virginia Tech Researches Decontamination Of Chemical, Biological Warfare AgentsThe U.S. Army Research Office has awarded Virginia Tech a $680,000 grant over two years to build an instrument that can be used to study the chemistry of gases that will decompose both chemical and biological warfare agents on surfaces.John Morris, associate professor of chemistry in the College of Science, will lead his research group of graduate students in building the surface science instrument. [click link for full article]

Updated Guidelines Advise New Treatments For Brain HemorrhageThe first scientifically proven treatments for intracerebral hemorrhage, or “bleeding,” strokes, are on the horizon, including a new drug that holds promise for slowing bleeding and limiting brain damage resulting from such a stroke, according to updated American Heart Association/American Stroke Association guidelines. [click link for full article]

“New Lease Of Life For Stroke Victims” >New Lease Of Life For Stroke VictimsA University of Leicester study could help to provide a new lease of life for patients who have suffered a stroke.The research published in the American Journal of Hypertension confirms the safety of a drug, Lisinopril, that lowers their blood pressure-without reducing the blood flow to the brain.Now a larger Leicester trial is under way to investigate the drug’s benefits for victims of strokes. [click link for full article]

CT And MRI Accurate For Pre-transplant Evaluation Of Patients With Cirrhosis</a>CT and MRI are highly accurate at determining which patients would be optimal candidates for liver transplantation, says a recent study.The study evaluated 1,029 cirrhotic patients who underwent liver transplantation at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. The researchers reviewed the last imaging report before surgery (970 on CT and 59 on MRI) and the pathologic report of the explanted liver. [click link for full article]

Vascular And Biliary Complications After Liver Transplant Can Be Reliably Diagnosed When Using CE-USContrast-enhanced ultrasound (CE-US) after a liver transplant is highly accurate in showing vascular as well as biliary complications, according to a recent study.The study consisted of 39 liver transplant recipients who underwent a CE-US exam after developing fluid in the abdomen and/or unclear liver function tests. [click link for full article]

“Court Should Strike Campaign Finance Law Provisions Challenged By Antiabortion Group, Uphold Other Requirements, Editorial Says” title=”Court Should Strike Campaign Finance Law Provisions Challenged By Antiabortion Group, Uphold Other Requirements, Editorial Says” >Court Should Strike Campaign Finance Law Provisions Challenged By Antiabortion Group, Uphold Other Requirements, Editorial SaysAlthough a Supreme Court ruling in favor of a Wisconsin antiabortion group’s constitutional challenge to the McCain-Feingold federal campaign finance law would be “good news for those … who believe that Americans have a constitutional right to petition and criticize public officials,” the court should uphold “reasonable provisions” of the law, a [click link for full article]

New England Journal Of Medicine Publishes Perspective Pieces Responding To Supreme Court Ruling Federal Abortion Ban ConstitutionalThe New England Journal of Medicine on Thursday published three perspective pieces responding to the Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling on Wednesday to reinstate a federal law banning so-called “partial-birth” abortion, overturning the rulings of three appeals courts. [click link for full article]

Spectrum Expands Clinical Trials Into Canada; Directorate Of Health Canada Accepts Spectrum Pharmaceuticals Clinical Trial Application For OzarelixSpectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc., (Nasdaq: SPPI) today announced that the Therapeutic Product Directorate of Health Canada has issued a No Objection Letter to Spectrum’s Clinical Trial Application. This action authorizes the initiation of investigational clinical trials for ozarelix in Benign Prostate Hypertrophy (BPH), as part of a multinational development program in this indication. Advancement into pivotal registration trials is anticipated in late 2007. [click link for full article]

US Government Issues Facemask Advice For Flu PandemicThe US government’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued an interim statement that advises people about using facemasks and respirators in public places (as opposed to workplaces) in the event of a pandemic. The advice is temporary, pending a fuller scientific investigation of the effectiveness of facemasks and respirators.The CDC is part of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). [click link for full article]

U.S. Control Strategies May Make Flu Epidemics Worse, UCLA Study Shows - Novel Mathematical Modeling Adds “human Factor”Regular as clockwork, the flu arrives every year. And, according to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 5 to 20 percent of the U.S. population on average will come down with it. About 36,000 people will die. But among health experts, a bigger concern than the seasonal flu is an outright flu pandemic, such as a human strain of avian flu. And officials say it is not a question of if such a health crisis will come but when. [click link for full article]

Bush, Congress Should Seek To Reduce Cost Of Medicare“The release last week of the annual report of the Medicare trustees underscores an unavoidable fact that too many politicians have nonetheless been avoiding for too long: Of all the entitlement programs, Medicare is on the most dangerously unsustainable financial course, squeezed simultaneously by rising health care costs and an aging population,” a [click link for full article]

Stacking The Deck Against Traditional Medicare</a>Traditional Medicare works. Before Medicare existed, only about 50% of people 65 or older had health insurance. By 1970, four years after Medicare went into effect, 97% of those 65 and older had health insurance. Access to health insurance coverage meant that more older people received needed medical care. [click link for full article]