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Ginseng's efficacy debatable

The herbal product ginseng root has a number of psychological benefits, including fighting stress-related physical and mental fatigue and boosting mood performance. But researchers have found no psychological benefit from the use of ginseng. Bradley Cardinal, PhD, associate professor and co-director of the sport and exercise psychology lab at the Oregon State University in Corvallis, Ore...

India's anti-AIDS drug market engaged in price war

The Indian pharmaceutical companies hope to strike a pot of gold by making cheap anti-AIDS drugs. This has triggered a price war that is likely to escalate in coming days. The large number of AIDS cases has lured many companies to develop anti-AIDS drugs and market it in India and abroad by adapting innovative approaches to pricing. The anti-AIDS drug market, currently dominated...

Mixed Opinion Regarding Common Medical And Engineering Entrance Test

There has been a mixed response from private professional colleges regarding the issue of having a common entrance examination for admission into medical and engineering colleges // . Few educational institutions are under the opinion that the admission should be based on higher secondary marks alone. Following the judgment of the Supreme court that private colleges have the right to d...

‘Never Say Die’ Spirit of Visually Challenged - Makes Him a Role Modl

Bhagipur (Orissa): A visually-challenged man, is an inspiration today for all of his villagers and now not only makes his own living but also helps other physically challenged people both in spirit and kind//. Srinivas Jena became blind at the age of five years old. Many of his neighbours suggested that he should take to begging for his family's survival, however he was inspired by...

Ginseng Improves The Survival Rates Of Breast Cancer

The American Journal of Epidemiology have published that gensing has the anti-cancer properties that will improve the survival rates of breast cancer among women. According to foodconsumer.org the study found that those who took ginseng before diagnosis were 30 percent more likely to survive breast cancer. // Those who took ginseng after treatment were more likely to have a more active...

Back injury cured by engineers

According to engineers at Cleavland University, people with back injury use the wrong muscles and thereby put themselves at risk of further problems. Back injury is a common problem. People who have had a back problem tend to find it recurs. Researchers at the Biodynamics Laboratory have found that this is because they tend to protect their injury by creating a big stress on their spine a...

Creatine Helps Strengthen Older Men

Creatine supplements are often used by body builders, and there's some evidence they help increase muscle mass. Could these supplements help maintain muscle in older people? One new study indicates the answer is yes. //Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan studied 33 men aged 60 to 84 who had similar lifestyles and muscle tone. All the men began the same weight training program. H...

Dr Reddy’s Laboratories to challenge patents on drug

Pharma major Dr Reddy’s Laboratories will continue to aggressively challenge patents on drugs in the US despite the recent denial of a 180-day marketing exclusivity to its generic Omeprazole 40 mg capsules by the US Food and Drug Administration. Omeprazole is indicated for the treatment of duodenal and gastric ulcers. The FDA granted the marketing exclusivity to Andrx group of the US....

Lengthy Fingers could predict heart attacks

Scientists at Liverpool University have related a link between the length of a young boy's finger and their chances of having a heart attack at a later age.// They believe the link could provide doctors with a simple way to to spot potential heart disease victims at a very early age. The research shows that boys with shorter ring fingers tend to be at greatest risk. This is because...

Blood Pressure Drugs maintain muscle strength

Drugs used to reduce blood pressure could help to keep elderly people fitter for longer by slowing the physical decline that accompanies age.// ACE inhibitors prevent high blood pressure by blocking an enzyme that causes blood vessels to constrict. The drugs also help to preserve muscle strength in patients suffering from congestive heart failure (CHF). Researchers said the drug...

Ginseng aids Diabetes

Researchers in the Univeristy of Chicago, studied the use of a ginseng extract for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Ginseng tea has been shown to have many beneficial effects on health. Diabetes is a major health problem worldwide. The condition affects about 8% of the U.S. population and 5% of the population in other nations.// The vast majority of people with diabetes more than 70 perc...

Bioengineering production strains - Microbia develops new methods

The recently published issue of Nature Biotechnology outlines a new method developed by Microbia Ltd.'s scientists for rapidly identifying genes required for the production of industrial molecules produced in microbes. This is an advancement in the company's ability to improve the properties// of microbial cells for biomanufacturing pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals. This new technology...

Marijuana 'gateway' theory strengthened by study of twins

A new study of 311 sets of same-sex twins in which only one twin had smoked marijuana before age 17 has bolstered the fiercely debated "gateway theory" that pot can lead to harder drugs. The study included 136 sets of identical twins who shared the same genetic makeup and all the participants were 30 years of age, on an average, when they were asked about their teenage drug use. The resea...

Scientists crack dengue fever puzzle

Experts may have solved the mystery of why dengue fever, unlike other infections, is usually more severe the second time around. Dengue is a debilitating, sometimes fatal illness endemic to much of the tropics. Caused by a virus, it is characterized by high fever, bone and muscle pain and -- in the most serious cases -- hemorrhage and fatal shock. Dengue is also unusual in that //symptom...

Bone Strength After Menopause

Menopause can wreak havoc on a woman’s bones and a new study reveals a good way to determine the risk of a fracture. Researchers know bone loss occurs after menopause, increasing chances of a fracture. However, not much is known about bone size and strength. The Swedish study involved 146 women who were followed through menopause. Every other year they had bone scans done to determine bon...

Ginseng Associated with Pregnancy Risks

Ginseng is a popular herbal supplement thought to have anti-cancer properties and to boost stamina, improve physical and mental abilities, and help people cope with stress.Previous studies suggest it is regularly used by pregnant women, particularly in Asian countries. // Studies done, found up to 10 percent of women had taken the supplement while pregnant. Another recent survey found...

Finding relief from Excruciating Headaches a challenge

It's a condition that has existed for centuries, doctors say. But only recently has it been given a name: "chronic daily headaches," or CDH, defined as migraines or neck- and head-squeezing tension headaches //that are present 15 or more days each month. Some might think it sounds like just another excuse to skip school. But young people such as Rachel Gohmann, an 18-year-old college fr...

Mixing Ginseng and Blood Thinners Might Be Dangerous

New research shows mixing warfarin with ginseng, one of the best-selling herbal supplements, could have significant consequences. Researches say // anyone who takes both ginseng and warfarin, also known as Coumadin, should tell his or her doctor. They also urge doctors prescribing the anti-clotting drug to ask their patients if they regularly take ginseng. Specialists say warfarin has a...

New Compound Could Strengthen The Effect Of Chemotherapy

Researchers say their discovery of a new compound known as SP-4-84 could improve chemotherapy when use in conjunction with // chemotherapy drugs such as cisplatin and camptothecin . Study results showed over 48 hours, small amounts of SP-4-84 made camptothecin 75-times more effective. The compound sensitizes cancer cells to chemotherapeutics by blocking the cancer cell's ability to survi...

Arsenic May Have Been Responsible For The Madness Of King George III Of England

An interesting study from hair of King George III reveals that he may// have been consuming Arsenic and this lead to his unusually severe and prolonged bouts of madness. Lancet has published this report this week and at last has been able to throw light on the reason for the madness of the famous English King George III. The study reports to have found high concentrations of arsenic...

Indian Surgeon Conducts 70 Surgeries During His Holidays In England

A doctor with dedication and diligence in Britain of Indian origin hit headlines after conducting 70 //operations during his holiday period. NHS in the UK is well known for its long waiting lists and sometimes patients have to wait for years before getting a routine operation. This has brought NHS under criticism. Satya Agarwal of the Worthing and Southlands Hospital in Sussex h...

Dengue Outbreak in Kolkata, Four Dead

Dengue has claimed four lives in a week in Kolkata, not even sparing the city's upscale neighbourhoods. West Bengal health Chief Prabhakar Chatterjee has admitted that the fever that swept through some areas of south Kolkata is // dengue or brain fever. There have been reports of 4 casualties and blood tests have revealed the presence of dengue in eight other people. The unofficial dea...

Dengue in Delhi – 26 Cases reported and 3 dea

Delhi, Aug 26 Dengue after affecting Calcutta has arrived in Delhi and three deaths have been reported with 26 people affected in the last two weeks. // In 2003 there were more than 30 people who died and around 1,000 cases of dengue were reported. N.K. Yadav, deputy health officer, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), claims that the situation is under control. They have...

Dengue fever in Delhi after the Monsoon

N.Delhi is affected by the dengue fever that can sometime be deadly and this is due to the breeding mosquitoes after the monsoon. Dengue fever is a benign acute febrile syndrome occurring in tropical regions, // which is the most important mosquito (Aedes aegypti), transmitted viral disease. The virus causes Dengue shock syndrome in 20-30% of infected cases. There are four types (know...

Dengue Claims 15 Lives In West Bengal

Dengue, the mosquito-transmitted lethal disease that has claimed 15 lives and afflicted 1,000 people in West Bengal so far, has been declared an epidemic by the state government.// State Health Director Prabhakar Chatterjee Tuesday told IANS:...

Dengue Epidemic in West Bengal: Over 1000 New Cases and 15 dead

Kolkata (6th Sept 2005): In an alarming announcement the Health Minister of West Bengal Mr.Surya Kanta Mishra officially declared that West Bengal was facing a Dengue epidemic and the numbers of cases detected were increasing in comparison to last year.// Mishra also said that other than dengue, malaria, typhoid, viral fever and encephalitis were also afflicting the people, especial...

45 People die in West Bengal due to Dengue and suspected Japanese Encephalitis

After declaration of dengue fever as an epidemic in West Bengal by Chief Minister Buddhabeb Bhattacharya last week. Both Dengue and suspected Japanese Encephalitis has caused 45 deaths and has hospitalized more than 2000 people // in West Bengal. The confirmed death due to dengue is claimed to be at 20 in West Bengal and 25 cases of death is suspected to be caused by Japanese encephaliti...

“Provenge”, Dendritic cell vaccine for Prostate Cancr

An experimental dendritic vaccine has shown significant prognosis and extension of lifetime of men with prostate cancer. The vaccine Provenge is based on dendritic cells, which help the immune system recognize tumors. // “If these results are true, this represents the first proof of principle of a dendritic cell vaccine altering the natural history of a solid tumor”, says Philip Kantoff,...

Stem cell therapy for developing new trachea using Tissue engineering

Researchers from Children’s Hospital of Boston have reconstructed defective windpipes using tissue engineering in fetal lambs. The researchers used amniotic fluid for growing the sections of cartilage tube // and then implanted these living tissues into lambs, while they were in the womb. This technique of tissue engineering is used for altering birth defects. Undifferentiated stem cell f...

More collaborations and strengthening of India’s AIDS control body require

India has an estimated 5.1 million HIV positive people and we are ranked the second largest country with highest amount of HIV positive people next to South Africa//. UN Secretary General and special envoy for HIV/AIDS for Asia and the Pacific Nafis sadik said that the steps taken by India to check the spread of HIV/AIDS is in good progress but more has to be done for an effective str...

Exercise Can Strenghten Knee Cartilage

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the leading cause of disability among adults. As the population ages, increased intervention efforts are vital to controlling the individual // and public health toll of this chronic, crippling joint disease. Along with early diagnosis, moderate exercise is one of the most effective ways to reduce pain and improve function in patients with OA of the knee and...

US Airlines Worried About Bird Flu In Passengers

WASHINGTON - Federal officials in the United States are worried that U.S. airlines could be on the front lines in the event of an outbreak of the deadly bird flu//. Health officials are already issuing guidelines on the measures to be taken if any sick passengers are to be quarantined. The Federal officials are vested with authority to take quick measures if they suspect any passenger...

Illegal Drug Use In England Mounting Up At An Alarming Rate

The trend towards illicit use of drugs is on the rise in England, accounting for more than 1 million visits and 400,000 admissions to the emergency department each year. The findings are based on anonymous interviews with // patients visiting the emergency department of a hospital in South West England. The doctor in charge of emergency care was also asked to assess the need for treat...

Vaccine For Dengue Fever On Trial In Asia-Pacific

A dengue fever vaccine full of promise is being tried in the Asia Pacific region, says drug giant GlaxoSmithKline.Earlier trials of the GlaxoSmithKline vaccine //have been completed in the US and further testing on a few hundred Thai volunteers should be finished by the end of next year, Dr. Hans L. Bock told the Straits Times. "We have a strong interest in making the vaccine availab...

U.S. To Tighten Sick Passenger, Quarantine Rules

Citing a need to protect Americans from bird flu and other diseases, the US health officials propose regulatory changes requiring airlines and shipping firms to hand over// passenger and crew lists on demand and expand how they report serious illnesses. The Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the federal agency responsible for monitoring and responding to he...

AIDS Cases On The Rise In West Bengal

There is an alarming increase in the HIV/AIDS cases in India’s West Bengal State with 0.5% of its population belonging to the age group// of 15 years and 49 years carrying the virus, according to sources from the West Bengal State AIDS Prevention and Control Society (WBSACS). This figure is considered to be extremely high. The 2001 census figure put the total population of West Bengal at...

Dengue Fever Claims Five Lives In Pakistan

As many as 5 people have lost their lives in Pakistan due to the outbreak of dengue, more familiarly known as the Congo fever.// Another 40 people are reported to have been infected by the disease. 'Five patients suspected of having contracted Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) are dead, including a lady doctor, while 40 others are infected and are under observation in hospitals,' a...

Fear Of Dengue Epidemic Looms Large: Fever Kills Five in Pakistan

Even as the Pakistani government struggles to prevent dengue from taking on epidemic proportions, health officials in Pakistan have confirmed that the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) // has killed at least 5 people, including a woman doctor, and infected around 45 people in the country's biggest city of Karachi. Dengue, commonly known as Congo fever, is spread through the bite...

Bio-engineered rice fortified with iron boost women health

A study done at the University of Cornell states that Bio-engineered rice fortified with iron boost women health. It is the first time such a study has been conducted // . According to Dr.Haas the Nancy Schlegel Meinig Professor of Maternal and Child Nutrition at Cornell University and the lead author of the study,"Although this sounds like a modest increase, it means that instead of 5...

Drink till you drop dead in English Pubs- Restriction on Timings Lifted

London: For the first time in 90 years the timings for the last order for drinks has been lifted from the traditional 11PM to round the clock drinking. Thousands of revelers up and down the country greeted the news with an extra drink in pubs and bars after midnight. // No major untoward incident was reported. The relaxed opening hours, already a feature in most European countries,...