 |
|
Chemical found in curry may help immune system clear amyloid plaques found in Alzheimer's disease
October 04, 2006UCLA/VA researchers found that curcumin - a chemical found in curry and turmeric - may help the immune system clear the brain of amyloid beta, which form the plaques found in Alzheimer's disease.
Published in the Oct. 9 issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, the early laboratory findings may lead to a new approach in treating Alzheimer's disease by enhancing the natural function of the immune system using curcumin, known for its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties.
Using blood samples from six Alzheimer's disease patients and three healthy control patients, the researchers isolated cells called macrophages, which are the immune system's PacMen that travel through the brain and body, gobbling up waste products, including amyloid beta.
The team treated the macrophages with a drug derived from curcumin for 24 hours in a cell culture and then introduced amyloid beta. Treated macrophages from three out of six Alzheimer's disease patients showed improved uptake or ingestion of the waste product compared to the patients' macrophages not treated with curcumin. Macrophages from the healthy controls, which were already effectively clearing amyloid beta, showed no change when curcumin was added.
"Curcumin improved ingestion of amyloid beta by immune cells in 50 percent of patients with Alzheimer's disease. These initial findings demonstrate that curcumin may help boost the immune system of specific Alzheimer's disease patients," said Dr. Milan Fiala, study author and a researcher with the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the VA Greater Los Angeles Health Care System. "We are hopeful that these positive results in a test tube may translate to clinical use, but more studies need to be done before curcumin can be recommended." The patients ranged in age from 65 to 84. Fiala noted that the patients whose immune cells responded were younger and had higher scores on a Mini-Mental State Examination suggesting that curcumin may help those with less advanced dementia. Some of the patients may have already had additional curcumin in their systems due to participation in another UCLA study, which may have impacted findings.
"Our next step will be to identify the factors that helped these immune cells respond," said Laura Zhang, a study author and a UCLA/VA research assistant in Fiala's lab.
Fiala noted that the method researchers used to test the immune cell response of macrophages may provide a novel way of evaluating the effectiveness of drugs in clearing amyloid beta from the brain and may help to individualize Alzheimer's disease treatment.
According to Fiala, macrophages are the soldiers of the innate immune system - the part of the immune system which is present at birth. Curcumin may support the body's natural immune fighting function in directly helping macrophages clean away amyloid-beta. The treatment of macrophages with curcumin is radically different from some of the vaccine approaches currently being studied.
University of California - Los Angeles
The team treated the macrophages with a drug derived from curcumin for 24 hours in a cell culture and then introduced amyloid beta. Treated macrophages from three out of six Alzheimer's disease patients showed improved uptake or ingestion of the waste product compared to the patients' macrophages not treated with curcumin. Macrophages from the healthy controls, which were already effectively clearing amyloid beta, showed no change when curcumin was added.
"Curcumin improved ingestion of amyloid beta by immune cells in 50 percent of patients with Alzheimer's disease. These initial findings demonstrate that curcumin may help boost the immune system of specific Alzheimer's disease patients," said Dr. Milan Fiala, study author and a researcher with the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the VA Greater Los Angeles Health Care System. "We are hopeful that these positive results in a test tube may translate to clinical use, but more studies need to be done before curcumin can be recommended." The patients ranged in age from 65 to 84. Fiala noted that the patients whose immune cells responded were younger and had higher scores on a Mini-Mental State Examination suggesting that curcumin may help those with less advanced dementia. Some of the patients may have already had additional curcumin in their systems due to participation in another UCLA study, which may have impacted findings.
"Our next step will be to identify the factors that helped these immune cells respond," said Laura Zhang, a study author and a UCLA/VA research assistant in Fiala's lab.
Fiala noted that the method researchers used to test the immune cell response of macrophages may provide a novel way of evaluating the effectiveness of drugs in clearing amyloid beta from the brain and may help to individualize Alzheimer's disease treatment.
According to Fiala, macrophages are the soldiers of the innate immune system - the part of the immune system which is present at birth. Curcumin may support the body's natural immune fighting function in directly helping macrophages clean away amyloid-beta. The treatment of macrophages with curcumin is radically different from some of the vaccine approaches currently being studied.
University of California - Los Angeles
Immune System Current Events and Immune System News RSSResearchers find new way to attack inflammation in Graves' eye disease
A small group of patients with severe Graves' eye disease experienced rapid improvement of their symptoms - and improved vision - following treatment with the drug rituximab.
Scientists visualize how bacteria talk to one another
Using imaging mass spectrometry, researchers at the University of California, San Diego have developed tools that will enable scientists to visualize how different cell populations of cells communicate.
First use of antibody and stem cell transplantation to successfully treat advanced leukemia
For the first time, researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have reported the use of a radiolabeled antibody to deliver targeted doses of radiation, followed by a stem cell transplant, to successfully treat a group of leukemia and pre-leukemia patients for whom there previously had been no other curative treatment options.
New Synthetic Molecules Trigger Immune Response to HIV and Prostate Cancer
Researchers at Yale University have developed synthetic molecules capable of enhancing the body's immune response to HIV and HIV-infected cells, as well as to prostate cancer cells. Their findings, published online in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, could lead to novel therapeutic approaches for these diseases.
Common Pain Relievers May Dilute Power of Flu Shots
With flu vaccination season in full swing, research from the University of Rochester Medical Center cautions that use of many common pain killers - Advil, Tylenol, aspirin - at the time of injection may blunt the effect of the shot and have a negative effect on the immune system.
American Dietetic Association Releases Updated Position Paper Promoting and Supporting Breastfeeding
The American Dietetic Association has released an updated position paper on breastfeeding that details health benefits for both infants and mothers and encourages promotion of breastfeeding whenever possible.
Daily dose of color may boost immunity this flu season
Hoping to keep the flu at bay? A strong immune system helps. Enjoying the bounty of colorful fruits and vegetables available right now can be an important step toward supporting your family's immune system this cold/flu season.
Immune therapy can protect against or treat later lymphoma
Specially developed immune system cells that target the common Epstein-Barr virus can protect immune-suppressed bone marrow transplant recipients against lymph system disease and cancers that arise from the viral infection.
PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative shares strategy for developing 'next-generation' malaria vaccines
Marking its tenth anniversary year, the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative (MVI) today unveiled a new strategy that sets the stage for an aggressive push targeting the long-term goal of eliminating and eradicating malaria. Malaria is one of the world's deadliest infectious diseases, killing nearly 900,000 people a year, most of them children in sub-Saharan Africa.
Study reveals a 'missing link' in immune response to disease
The immune system's T cells have the unique responsibilities of being both jury and executioner. They examine other cells for signs of disease, including cancers or infections, and, if such evidence is found, rid them from the body. Precisely how T cells shift so swiftly from one role to another, however, has been a mystery.
More Immune System Current Events and Immune System News Articles
 |
The Immune System 3e by Peter Parham (Author) The Immune System, Third Edition emphasizes the human immune system and synthesizes immunological concepts into a comprehensible, up-to-date, and reader-friendly account of how the immune system works. Written for undergraduate, medical, dental, and pharmacy students in immunology courses, it makes generous use of medical examples to illustrate points. The Third Edition has been extensively revised and updated and includes two new chapters on innate and adaptive immunity, which explore the physical, cellular, and molecular principles underlying these responses to infection. It also features enhanced coverage of aspects of innate immunity such as the complement system, Toll-like receptors, defensins, and C-reactive protein; the role of dendritic cells... |
 |
How the Immune System Works (Blackwell's How It Works) by Lauren M. Sompayrac (Author) Understanding the immune system is crucial for both medical and bioscience students, with new research revealing yet more secrets year on year. Many books offer in-depth introductions to the subject, but How the Immune System Works remains uniquely popular for its personable and practical overview of the nuts and bolts of the immune system. This third edition provides a perfect introduction to the essential principles of the immune system, covered in humorous but highly informative 'lectures' accompanied by clear and accessible illustrations. It is perfect for exam preparation or as an enjoyable overview of a difficult subject. Both students and instructors will welcome the clarity and authority that Lauren Sompayrac brings to this timely revision. |
 |
The Immune System Cure: Optimize Your Immune System in 30 Days-The Natural Way! by Kensington (Producer) What causes one person to catch a cold or flu and another to avoid it? Why do serious outbreaks of infectious diseases leave some individuals untouched? What allows someone to be incapacitated by allergies? The answer lies within nature itself-our immune system. The Immune System Cure provides simple techniques for supercharging your immune system to resist and prevent disease. Through diet, exercise, stress reduction and nutritional supplements, including plant sterols and sterolins, you can harness the power of your immune system in just 30 days and help it combat: Antibiotic-resistant bacteria Fibromyalgia Allergies Hepatitis C Tuberculosis Cancer Rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases Chronic fatigue syndrome and more Now you can maintain a healthy... |
 |
The Immune System by Peter Parham (Author) The Immune System, Second Edition has been designed for use in immunology courses for undergraduate, medical, dental, and pharmacy students. This class-tested and successful textbook synthesizes the established facts of immunology into a comprehensible, coherent, and up-to-date account of how the immune system works, rather than presenting immunology as a chronology of experiments and discoveries. Emphasizing the human immune system the text has been designed to break down the barriers which often divide basic and clinical immunology. The reader-friendly text, section and chapter summaries, and full-color illustrations make the book accessible and easily understandable to students. The Immune System is adapted from Immunobiology by Janeway, Travers & Walport. New in... |
 |
90-Day Immune System Makeover by Janet C. Maccaro (Author) No matter how your health has been in the past, there is something you can do right now—a complete makeover to give you the vitality and energy to embrace life at your best! In just ninety days, Janet Maccaro will enable you to build and strengthen your immune system to bring your body into proper balance and experience disease-free living. Birthed out of Maccaro’s twenty-year struggle with poor health and immune dysfunction, this book provides time-tested natural alternatives to strengthen your body, mind, and spirit. If you’re tired of being sick and tired, and if you’re ready for a complete immune system makeover, this easy-to-follow guide to renewed health can show you how! |
 |
In Defense of Self: How the Immune System Really Works by William R. Clark (Author) We live in a sea of seething microbial predators, an infinity of invisible and invasive microorganisms capable of setting up shop inside us and sending us to an early grave. The only thing keeping them out? The immune system. William Clark's In Defense of Self offers a refreshingly accessible tour of the immune system, putting in layman's terms essential information that has been for too long the exclusive province of trained specialists. Clark explains how the immune system works by using powerful genetic, chemical, and cellular weapons to protect us from the vast majority of disease-causing microbes-bacteria, viruses, molds, and parasites. Only those microbes our bodies need to help us digest food and process vitamins are admitted. But this same system can endanger us by... |
 |
The Top 100 Immunity Boosters: 100 Recipes to Keep Your Immune System Fighting Fit by Charlotte Haigh (Author) Eat well today for a healthier tomorrow! With proper nutrition, we can actually bolster our immune system—and, as these 100 recipes prove, it’s not only easy to do, it’s also delicious. Here are foods rich in important vitamins, such as A, B complex, C, and E; in minerals, including zinc, selenium, and calcium; in Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids; and in protein and fiber. For each choice, there’s a tasty recipe, and information on its beneficial nutrients. Enjoy a sweet potato summer salad (with lots of betacarotene); cholesterol-lowering guacamole; broccoli stir-fry (a potential cancer-fighter); and a tasty blueberry smoothie. An ailment directory makes it simple to locate the right food for any problem. |
 |
Immunitril (90 Caps) - The Worlds Strongest Immune System Booster!! ***50% MORE*** by Optimal Therapeutics Immunitril Activate Immune Cells "The Body's First Line of Defense" Immunitril is the most complete immunity support formula available today. This revolutionary complex is a unique combination of herbs, extracts, minerals, and anti-oxidant vitamins providing maximum support for immune system function. The Best Treatment For an Illness is to Stop It Before it Starts! Immunitril's Many Benefits: Promotes Healthy Immune System Function Increases Healthy Digestive Microflora Supports the Function of White Blood Cells Anti-oxidant Protection Against Cellular Damage May Be Used Daily or When You Feel Your Immunity May Be At Risk Immunitril Contains All Of the Most Powerful Immune System Enhancing Ingredients! Ester C -The patented and improved form of Vitamin C Vitamin E -a powerful... |
 |
Maximum Healing: Improve Your Immune System and Optimize Your Natural Ability to Heal by H. Robert Silverstein (Author), Tom Monte (Author) If you suffer from—allergies, asthma, high blood pressure or cholesterol, cancer, chronic fatigue, headaches, heart disease, joint pain, skin disorder, or rheumatoid arthritis—then this may be the most important book you will ever read. Inspiring case histories demonstrate successful treatment and prevention of these and many other illnesses. |
 |
Boost Your Immune System Naturally: A Lifestyle Action Plan for Strengthening Your Natural Defences by Beth MacEoin (Author) Today many of us are faced with extremely high levels of pollution, allergens, and other threats to our health in the form of certain strains of bacteria that are immune to antibiotics. Boost Your Immune System Naturally shows you how to improve your overall health to ward off illness and keep you in optimal health. Written by an expert in nutrition and naturopathy, these easy-to-follow diet, lifestyle and supplement plans provide a totally natural way to strengthen your natural defenses. |
| © 2009 BrightSurf.com |