Curcumin, long used as an effective anti-inflammatory treatment in Indian Ayurvedic medicine, could be used in treating chronic liver diseases like primary biliary cirrhosis and primary sclerosis cholangitis, according to European and American researchers.
The researchers examined tissue and blood samples from mice with chronic liver inflammation who were given curcumin for a period of four and a period of eight weeks and compared the results with equivalent samples from mice with the same condition, but who were not fed curcumin. The results showed that the curcumin significantly reduced curbed liver …

A new discovery could lead to the first new drug that could cure Tuberculosis in the latent stage, according to researchers at Sydney’s Centenary Institute.
Tuberculosis is spread through the air and most infections are latent, but about one in ten infections progresses to active disease. “Unfortunately, the antibiotics we use to fight TB aren’t effective against latent TB and can only be used when the disease becomes active. This is a major problem as 1 out of 10 people who have latent TB will develop the active disease, becoming sick …

A new study shows that the risk of coronary heart disease is reduced by 19% in people who replaced saturated fat in their diet with polyunsaturated fat, compared to people who do not. The conclusive evidence was provided by researchers at Harvard School of Public Health.
The team of researchers reviewed a large group of randomized clinical trials in which participants specifically increased their polyunsaturated fat consumption as a replacement for saturated fat and showed that this could significantly reduce the rate of heart attacks and cardiac deaths.
“Our findings suggest that …

Researchers discovered that BanLec, the lectin found in bananas, is as effective as two existing anti-HIV drugs in inhibiting HIV infections which may open the door to new treatments to prevent sexual transmission of HIV.
The study conducted at University of Michigan Medical School shows that BanLec can block HIV infections from entering the body by binding to the HIV-1 envelope protein.  “Lectins can bind to the sugars found on different spots of the HIV-1 envelope, and presumably it will take multiple mutations for the virus to get around them,” said …

A single injection containing methylene blue could make the difference when it comes to lower back pain. The study that took place in China showed the treatment is effective in 90% of cases; 19% of patients no longer experienced pain and 72% having slight pain that required no medication.
Methylene blue is believed to play a key role in the production of nitric oxide which reduces inflammation and also to have a beneficial effect on nerves around scar tissue. The injection could revolutionize the treatment of lower back pain and make …