Brain Cancer

While modernisation and rapid technological advancement have made our lives easier, it has also had an adverse effect on our lifestyles. Researches show that bad diet, inactivity, regular alcohol consumption and smocking are among the causes of 90% of cancers. On this World Cancer Day, we should invest a little time in understanding how we can avoid this? How a cancer patient can lead a better life during treatment and while recovering?   Just a few decades ago, cancer was not that common, unfortunately now there is a huge increase in the number of cancer cases found at all stages. Cancer and especially bone cancer is very painful for patients, both physically as well as emotionally. The diagnosis of cancer shatters not just the person but also their relatives creating anxiety and fear of loss. While treatments for some types of cancers are available, some types such as Bone Cancer are incurable. The struggle with this disease is extremely tedious and stressful.  Ayurveda can help patients suffering from such conditions lead better quality of life by improving their physical as well as mental health with various medicines, herbs & Panchkarma. These have no side effects and have the power to provide relief.  Panchkarma plays a major role in giving strength to the body by expelling toxic vitiated doshas out of the body. Panchakarma is a five procedure method of cleansing the body of all unwanted waste. The ancient Panchakarma treatment is unique as it includes preventive, curative and promotive actions for various diseases. Ayurveda also recommends few herbs and ingredients which are proven good in case of pain in bone cancer and are easily available. The use of Turmeric, Chitrak, Ashwaghandha, Garlic and Amla to aid people suffering from Bone Cancer.  Turmeric (Curcuma longa): a well-known spice of India is popular for its benefits and use for medicinal purposes. Research has shown the curcumin in turmeric may play a role in preventing cancer growth, killing cancer cells, and even easing treatment side effects. Patients suffering from Bone Cancer are often treated with high doses of chemotherapy and surgery which mostly have harmful side-effects. Curcumin in Turmeric has shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and bone building capabilities, so is helpful for patients suffering from this disease. Chitrak: Also called Doctor Bush or Ceylon, is considered as rasyan that is immunomodulatory and works on cellular level. It helps in prevention of excruciating cancerous pain in bone. It also helps in strengthening immune system and protect body from free radicals. The potential of plumbagin, derived from the root of Chitrak can be used to modulate RANK signaling and bone loss. Ashwaghandha (Withania somnifera): there is some evidence to suggest that the herb can have neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects. Inflammation occurs due to many health conditions, and reducing inflammation can protect the body against a variety of conditions. It also helps in preventing growth of new cancer cells in several ways. It also helps in preventing chronic stress. Garlic (Allium sativum): is a medicinal plant and a spice that is quite pungent when raw. Garlic has direct anticancer properties in cell culture. It has natural antibiotic and anti-oxidant properties. Amla (Indian Gooseberry): has proven to be beneficial for patients, it is likely that the combination of compounds present in Amla extract acting in synergy soak up free radicals with efficiency. Amla as we know is an excellent source of Vitamin C, which increases the activity of natural killer cells. This leads to toxicity and breakdown of cancerous cells. Also Alma inhibits the multiplication of cancer cells to some extent.   Due to its innate sustainability and use of easily available ingredients, Ayurveda has the power to close the care gap and provide effective solutions for those in need. A qualified and experienced Ayurveda Doctor can guide how best these ingredients can help a Bone Cancer patient to lead a better quality of life. (By Ram N Kumar, Founder & CEO, NirogStreet) Read More► Cancer Management Through Ayurveda

Moscow: The Omicron strain of the Covid-19 may lead to neurological complications much like other Covid variants, according to a Russian expert. According to founder and chief executive of DNKOM research center Andrey Isaev, although Omicron has been touted as causing mild infections, it can lead to long Covid in adults and systemic inflammations among children, TASS news agency reported. The Omicron variant carries a large number of mutations and is also known to evade vaccine-induced immunity. Yet, several studies have shown that the Omicron variant is less able to infect the lungs and, as a result, is leading to less patients being admitted with pneumonia who require oxygen and ventilators. However, in many countries, particularly in the US and Israel, it spiked hospitalisations. Isaev stated that since Omicron is a variant of the SARS-CoV-2 which had been known to affect the brain as well as cause inflammation it may have some or the other post-infection effects, the report said. "Despite the lighter course of the Omicron, it is necessary to understand: if the coronavirus does not lead to pneumonia and artificial lung ventilation, it may have other consequences," he was quoted as saying. "Covid-19 in the past may lead to severe nervous system disturbances - neuro Covid and long Covid-19 may occur when infected with the Omicron as well," Isaev added. The variant also significantly affected children. Many children across US were hospitalised. Isaev noted that "systemic inflammations may evolve with children" due to Omicron. The predominant symptoms of Omicron include headache, lethargy, throat pain, dry cough, fever, and loss of appetite. So far studies have shown it to be largely affecting the upper respiratory system and are not known to affect the lungs much. But in January, Israel reported a case of a person with Omicron being treated for myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle.) Studies have shown that even mild cases of Covid-19 can trigger persistent symptoms. Long Covid is a possibility regardless of the variant, top US infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci was quoted as saying in a recent interview. "Long Covid can happen no matter what virus variant occurs. There's no evidence that there's any difference between Delta or Beta or now Omicron," he had said. (Agency) Read More► Previous Covid Infection May Improve Performance of Antibodies

New York: Ebola virus, which can persist in certain areas of the body, can re-emerge to cause fatal disease, even long after treatment with monoclonal antibodies, according to a study. The study, published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, was conducted using a nonhuman primate model of Ebola virus infection. The research team from US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases found that about 20 per cent of monkeys that survived lethal Ebola virus exposure after treatment with monoclonal antibody therapeutics still had persistent Ebola virus infection specifically in the brain ventricular system, in which cerebrospinal fluid is produced, circulated, and contained even when Ebola virus was cleared from all other organs. "Ours is the first study to reveal the hiding place of brain Ebola virus persistence and the pathology causing subsequent fatal recrudescent Ebola virus-related disease in the nonhuman primate model," explained Xiankun (Kevin) Zeng, from the institute. In particular, two monkeys that initially recovered from Ebola virus-related disease after treatment with antibody therapeutics had recurrence of severe clinical signs of Ebola virus infection and succumbed to the disease, Zeng said. Severe inflammation and massive Ebola virus infection were present in the brain ventricular system; no obvious pathology and viral infection were found in other organs. Previous research using nonhuman primate survivors as a model has showed that the virus, despite being cleared from all other organs, can hide and persist in specific regions of immune-privileged organs, such as the vitreous chamber of eyes, the seminiferous tubules of testes, and the ventricular system of the brain reported in this study. "The persistent Ebola virus may reactivate and cause disease relapse in survivors, potentially causing a new outbreak," said Jun Liu, from USAMRIID. Recurrence of Ebola virus disease has previously been reported in human survivors, according to the researchers. For example, a British nurse experienced Ebola virus relapse in the brain, suffering from meningoencephalitis nine months after recovering from severe Ebola virus disease. She had received therapeutic antibodies during the 2013-2016 outbreak in Western Africa, the largest such outbreak to date. In addition, a vaccinated patient who had been treated with monoclonal antibody therapeutics for Ebola virus disease six months earlier relapsed and died at the end of the 2018-2020 outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Unfortunately, that case also led to many subsequent human-to-human transmissions Ebola virus causes one of the deadliest infectious diseases known to humankind. It is still a major threat in Africa, and there were three outbreaks in Africa in 2021 alone, according to the World Health Organization. Two vaccines and two monoclonal antibody therapeutics have been approved to prevent and treat Ebola virus disease in recent years. "However, our study reinforces the need for long-term follow-up of Ebola virus disease survivors even including survivors treated by therapeutic antibodies in order to prevent recrudescence. This will serve to reduce the risk of disease re-emergence, while also helping to prevent further stigmatization of patients," Zeng said. (agency) Read More► Obesity Ups Kidney Disease Risk: Study

Nutraceuticals, functional foods, and supplemental micronutrients have the potential to inhibit cancer cell proliferation and induce apoptosis. A variety of natural dietary herbs have even been shown to have a potential role in the prevention and treatment of cancer, and are regarded as an effective strategy by Nutraceutical experts all over the world. Epidemiological studies have consistently demonstrated that dietary habits are one of the most important predictors of chronic diseases, including several types of cancer. Thus, diet and food have a direct impact on health and disease. Through nutrition, humans have evolved a sophisticated and cooperative system of antioxidant defence mechanisms against toxic oxygen intermediates, according to biochemical and epidemiological evidence. This suggests that increasing antioxidant intake through nutrition may significantly reduce the risk of cancer. Following are some of the herbs suggested by the experts in nutraceutical space which has significantly shown positive results in the prevention of cancer cells- Graviola (Annona muricata) Annona Muricata, also known as Graviola, soursop, Brazilian pawpaw, or guanabana, is an evergreen tree native to the Americas' tropical regions and a member of the Annonaceae family. Graviola contains hundreds of acetogenins, which are chemicals (ACGs). ACGs have the ability to kill many different types of cancer cells while leaving healthy cells alone. It aids in the inhibition of energy production in cancer cells while also inhibiting the oxidative stress response. Graviola has also been shown to cause apoptosis. In addition to its positive effects, the herb may cause some side effects such as low blood pressure, low sugar levels, or even nerve damage. As a result, it is strongly advised not to consume directly. To avoid any access consumption or such side effects, please use a product supplement that contains the desired amount of Graviola. Catharanthus Rosea Catharanthus Rosea, also known as Madagascar Periwinkle, is a miracle plant. It is a member of the Apocynaceae family. It is the most medicinally valuable plant species in the Apocynaceae family, which is used worldwide in traditional herbal medicine. The plant has also been used in Ayurvedic medicine and traditional Chinese medicine for a long time. Western medical science began researching this plant in the twentieth century. Catharanthus roseus is well-known for producing the anticancer drugs vinblastine and vincristine, which are derived from the dimerization of the MIAs vindoline and catharanthine. The anti-tumor activity discovered in C. Roseus is due to the presence of dimeric alkaloids, which are already widely used in industry. Podophyllum Indian Podophyllum is another name for Podophyllum. Vanyakarkati is its Ayurvedic name. The rootstock of this herb has beneficial properties that aid in the prevention of cancer. Podophyllum is a purgative that is also used to treat vaginal warts. Etoposide and teniposide, two podophyllotoxin derivatives, are used in cancer treatment. Etoposide is an alkaloid derived from the mandrake plant Podophyllum peltatum that is used to treat germ cell tumours, lung cancer, Hodgkin's and non-lymphomas, Hodgkin's gastric cancer, breast cancer, and testicular cancer. Although podophyllotoxin has a high cytotoxic effect and acts as a tubulin polymerization inhibitor, if used excessively, it is more toxic than beneficial as an anticancer drug. As a result, it should only be consumed in the amounts recommended by an expert in the form of supplements, with the quantities added rationally. (Suresh Garg, MD and Founder, Zeon Lifesciences) Read More► 5 Important Elements Of Rest And Recovery