Thursday, July 9, 2020

A single dose of magic mushroom compound reduces anxiety and depression among cancer patients

Kekulé, skeletal formula of canonical psilocybin

In continuation of my update on psilocybin
Magic mushrooms are wild or cultivated mushrooms containing psilocybin, which is a naturally occurring hallucinogenic and psychoactive compound. A single dose of psilocybin provides long-term relief of anxiety and depression in cancer patients, a new study found.
A team of researchers at the New York University Grossman School of Medicine has found that a one-time, single dose of psilocybin, the compound found in psychedelic mushroom or magic mushroom, combined with psychotherapy, has been linked to a marked improvement in existential and emotional distress in patients with cancer. The drug’s effect has persisted for nearly five years after administration.
The study, published in the Journal of Psychopharmacologyhighlights the efficacy of psilocybin in reducing anxiety levels and depression in cancer patients. Patients with cancer who received the compound reported reductions in anxiety, depression, demoralization, hopelessness, and death anxiety nearly five years after receiving a single dose of the drug and psychotherapy.

Psilocybin effects

Psilocybin is a known hallucinogenic substance commonly found in mushrooms growing in South America, Mexico, Europe, and the United States. A schedule-I controlled substance, the compound has a high potential for abuse. However, people use it as a recreational drug, and over the past years, studies have analyzed its potential for medical purposes.
The compound has both positive and negative effects. It has been studied to relieve symptoms of anxiety and depression but has been known to trigger psychotic episodes. The drug has long been used recreationally due to its hallucinogenic effects, which work by altering a person’s perception, thoughts, and feelings.

Promising results

In the current study, the researchers conducted a long-term within-subjects follow-up analysis of self-reported symptomatology among 15 participants, who agreed to participate at an average of 3.2 to 4.5 years, following the administration of psilocybin.
The researchers noted that among the participants, about 60 to 80 percent of them had met the criteria for clinically significant anxiolytic or antidepressant responses after 4.5 years after receiving the drug. Further, 71 to 100 percent attributed positive life changes, thanks to the combination of psilocybin and psychotherapy treatment, rating it among the most spiritually significant and personally-meaningful experiences in their lifetime.


“These findings suggest that psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy holds promise in promoting long-term relief from cancer-related psychiatric distress. Limited conclusions, however, can be drawn regarding the efficacy of this therapy due to the crossover design of the parent study,” the researchers wrote on the paper.
“Nonetheless, the present study adds to the emerging literature base suggesting that psilocybin-facilitated therapy may enhance the psychological, emotional, and spiritual well-being of patients with life-threatening cancer,” they added.
The authors said psilocybin shows promise as an important tool for enhancing psychotherapy’s efficacy and eventually, providing relief for symptoms of anxiety and depression.  While the exact mechanism on how psilocybin works are not fully understood, the researchers believe the drug makes the brain more receptive to new thought patterns and ideas.


It is also believed that the compound targets a brain network, called the default mode network, which becomes activated when individuals perform mind wandering and self-reflection. These activities aid in making sense of oneself and a sense of coherent narrative identity.
In most people with anxiety and depression, the said network becomes excessively active and has been tied to feelings of worry, rigid thinking, and rumination. The compound appears to work to shift the activity in the network, allowing people to have a broader perspective of their lives and behaviors.
The team plans to further conduct additional studies with bigger trials in patients who belong to diverse ethnic and socioeconomic populations. Also, they hope to conduct more studies on patients with advanced cancer-related psychiatric and existential distress.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0269881119897615?journalCode=jopa&
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psilocybin

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

Plant flavonols significantly reduce Alzheimer’s risk

A new study published in the journal Neurology in January 2020 concludes that increasing the intake of plant flavonols steeply reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s dementia (AD) by up to a half. In other words, AD could be prevented in many people simply by regularly eating and drinking more foods containing these compounds such as tea, oranges, and broccoli.

Alzheimer’s disease

AD is a progressive brain disorder in which the individual loses cognitive skills, including memory and thinking skills, and the ability to perform simple tasks. It is by far the leading cause of such disorders and affects over 5 million Americans.
One study was carried out on over 900 people, who were part of a community-wide ongoing larger research project called the Rush Memory and Aging (MAP) Project. These participants were assessed yearly for their neurologic health and dietary patterns, for an average of 6 years, but some for as long as 12 years. The average age was 81 years, and 3 out of 4 were female.

The findings

In the first study, 220/921 participants developed AD during the study. The risk of AD fell with a greater intake of flavonols. This finding held good even after the researchers adjusted for other health-associated factors – because those with the highest total flavonol intake were also the best educated, most active and took part in more cognitive activities. They also accounted for genetic factors like the presence of the APOE4 gene, and for cardiovascular risk factors that could influence the risk of AD, such as diabetes mellitus, history of heart attack, or stroke, or hypertension.
When classified into five groups based on decreasing flavonol intake, the participants in the first group (highest intake) consumed over 15 mg of flavonols a day. Compared to those in the lowest fifth (about 5 mg a day), these individuals showed an approximately 50% reduction in AD risk.
In concrete terms, 28 of 186 patients in the highest-intake group developed AD, vs. 54 of 182 in the lowest-intake group.
With respect to individual flavonols, kaempferol intake was linked to a reduction of almost 50%, and both myricetin and isorhamnetin by 40% each. A fourth flavonol, called quercetin, had no noticeable effect on AD risk.
Participants with the highest flavonol intake drank about one cup of black tea a day. Kale, and about a glass of red wine each day, could also supply flavonols.

Sources of flavonols

Kaempferol is richly present in green leafy vegetables, including spinach, broccoli, beans, tea and kale – and also in tea. Isorhamnetin-rich foods include olive oil, red wine, pears and tomato sauce. Myricetin is found in tea, kale, oranges, tomatoes and red wine.
Researcher Thomas Holland says, “More research is needed to confirm these results, but these are promising findings. Eating more fruits and vegetables and drinking more tea could be a fairly inexpensive and easy way for people to help stave off Alzheimer's dementia.”

Implications

Many scientists disagree with the emphasis on flavonols. Though these were thought to have antioxidant activity in the body, this theory was discredited many decades earlier. Antioxidant activity ceases when they are ingested and subjected to the activity of enzymes in the digestive tract.
They point out that flavonols are found in many plants, fruits and vegetables, which have been associated with good health for centuries. Nutritionists say that the AD-delaying effects of such foods are likely due to other plant chemicals which are relatively more abundant. On the other hand, taking flavonol pills or tea extracts is unlikely to produce the same healthful effect, and overdoses could be counterproductive.
This is not to say that eating more flavonol-rich foods or drinking a cup of black tea in the morning would hurt, since any foods containing these chemicals would also contain many more healthful compounds including vitamins, minerals and plant fiber. Holland makes a valid point with his conclusion: “'With the elderly population increasing worldwide, any decrease in the number of people with this devastating disease, or even delaying it for a few years, could have an enormous benefit on public health.”
https://n.neurology.org/content/early/2020/01/29/WNL.0000000000008981

Tuesday, July 7, 2020

New compound prevents amyloid formation to fight Alzheimer’s disease

It is known that Alzheimer’s disease is caused by the formation of amyloid plaques and tau tangles in the brain. A novel compound shows promise in preventing amyloid formation, fighting Alzheimer’s disease development.
Graphical abstract: Substrate interaction inhibits γ-secretase production of amyloid-β peptides
       


Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, affecting about 50 million people worldwide. In the United States, 5.5 million people are living with neurodegenerative diseases, making it the 6th leading cause of death in the country.
AD is caused by the abnormal build-up of proteins, amyloid, and tau, in and around the brain. These proteins form plaques and tangles in brain cells, leading to memory loss and other symptoms. Abnormal proteins form toxic clumps, dubbed as fibrils, inside the brain, affecting brain regions that are vital for brain processes.
In the study published in the journal Chemical Communications by the Royal Society of Chemistry, reveals that the new compound, known as “C1”, can prevent the enzyme gamma-secretase from producing amyloids.

What is the role of C1?

Amyloid fibrils are made of peptide amyloid-beta, produced when certain enzymes make cuts to the amyloid precursor protein, which is found in the brain cell membrane. A type of covalent gamma-secretase inhibitor, the compound works by blocking the active site of the enzyme, hence, preventing the formation of amyloid.
The team of researchers at the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies (CBIS) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute noted that there were samples of gamma-secretase inhibitors in the past, but these failed since they have severe side effects. What happened is, the inhibitors used stopped all the functions of gamma-secretase.
“Our compound binds to the cleavage site of the precursor protein instead of the enzyme itself, which may avoid many problems associated with traditional enzyme inhibitors,” Chunyu Wang, a professor of biological sciences and author of the study, said.
The team started to screen drugs to determine a potential compound that can target the amyloid precursor protein substrate, blocking the gamma-secretase activity that is tied to amyloid production. Using a computer model, they tested millions of compounds in the hopes of finding the one that can show promise in battling Alzheimer’s disease.


Though there were several candidates found, C1 showed high accuracy and effectiveness in cell cultures and test tubes. The patent for the compound is still pending but the researchers hope that the new drug can be studied more to determine its efficacy in people at a high risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Implications of the compound

The discovery of the novel compound can pave the way for the development of new drugs that can prevent and treat Alzheimer’s disease. The new approach targets the disease, based on tis principal pathology.
Currently, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease and the treatment revolves around providing a safe environment for patients. Therapy is also effective in providing support, but scientists are racing to finally find a medicine for the condition.

What is Alzheimer’s disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia, which is a neurodegenerative disease. The disease is irreversible and progressive, which means that it worsens over time. The condition affects brain sections responsible for memory, thinking skills, and cognitive ability. In time, the symptoms worsen, often causing the inability to carry out the simplest tasks or activities of daily living.
The disease first appears in people who are in their mid-60s but can emerge earlier in some cases. Scientists don’t fully understand the exact cause of Alzheimer’s disease, but it may be a combination of various factors. These include age, since older adults are mostly affected, and hereditary because it can run in families. There is also evidences that changes in the brain starting even years before the start of the symptoms may have occurred.

https://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2020/CC/C9CC09170J#!divAbstract


Monday, July 6, 2020

Experimental Antiviral Drug to Be Tested Against New Coronavirus


In continuation of my update on Remdesivir

A clinical trial to test an experimental antiviral drug's effectiveness against the new coronavirus will be conducted in China as it battles a coronavirus outbreak there.
GS-5734 structure.png


The drug Remdesivir -- created to fight infectious diseases such as Ebola and SARS -- will be tested by a medical team from Beijing-based China-Japan Friendship Hospital, a hospital spokeswoman told Bloomberg News. The trial will be conducted in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak that has sickened more than 17,000 people and killed more than 360 in China. Researchers will recruit up to 270 patients with mild and moderate pneumonia caused by the virus, according to Chinese news outlet The PaperBloomberg News reported.
Remdesivir is not approved for use by any drug regulator in the world, but it is being given to patients infected with the new coronavirus because there are no approved treatments, drug maker Gilead said in a statement. The company said it is working with Chinese health officials to organize the clinical trial to determine its effectiveness and safety of the drug in patients infected with the new coronavirus. The HIV medication Kaletra has also been recommended by China's health regulator as an antiviral treatment for the new coronavirus, and clinical trials of that drug are also being arranged, according to The Paper.
On Sunday, officials reported three more cases of the new coronavirus in California, bringing the total in the United States to 11. Worldwide, there are now 146 coronavirus cases in at least 23 countries outside China, according to the World Health Organization. One death outside China has been reported in the Philippines.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-02-03/gilead-drug-to-undergo-human-trials-in-china-to-cure-coronavirus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remdesivir

Friday, July 3, 2020

Bumetanide Promising for Reducing Autism Symptoms

Bumetanide structure.svg

Bumetanide seems effective for improving symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in young children, according to a study published online Jan. 27 in Translational Psychiatry.
Lingli Zhang, from the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and colleagues examined the efficacy of bumetanide in a trial involving 83 children with ASD, aged 3 to 6 years, who were randomly assigned to receive bumetanide or no bumetanide (control).
The researchers found that the bumetanide group had a significant reduction in symptom severity compared with the control group, as indicated by the total Children Autism Rating Scale score and number of items assigned a score of ≥3. The Clinical Global Impressions confirmed the improvement in clinical symptoms. In both the insular cortex (IC) and visual cortex, the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)/glutamate ratio decreased more rapidly during the three-month period in the bumetanide versus the control group. In the bumetanide group, this decrease in the IC correlated with symptom improvement.
"This study is important and exciting because it means that there is a drug that can improve social learning and reduce ASD symptoms during the time when the brains of these children are still developing," one coauthor said in a statement. "We know that GABA and glutamate are key chemicals in the brain for plasticity and learning, and so these children should have an opportunity for better quality of life and well-being."
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41398-020-0692-2
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bumetanide

Thursday, July 2, 2020

A high-fiber diet may counteract the harmful health effects of pollutants


In continuation of my update on a diet high in fiber


Research from the University of Kentucky's Superfund Research Center (UK-SRC) shows that a diet high in fiber could possibly reverse the adverse effects that environmental toxins have on cardiovascular health.

The findings are part of UK-SRC's "Project #1," which examines how nutrients affect toxicity caused by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in vascular tissues.
PCBs are man-made chemicals that were used in industrial and commercial applications and have been linked to a number of adverse health effects in humans and animals. Although they were banned more than 40 years ago, PCBs can still be released into the environment from poorly maintained hazardous waste sites.
Prior UK-SRC research in the lab of Bernhard Hennig, a professor in UK's Department of Animal & Food Sciences, found a connection between PCBs and cardiovascular disease. Pan Deng, a postdoctoral researcher working in Hennig's lab, is continuing this research with a study that found that nutrients including fiber reduced PCB toxicity in multiple organ systems, including gut microbiota, liver and vasculature.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1NZnho5zOU#action=share
Deng's field of research is called metabolomics, and it examines how metabolites within a cell, tissue or biofluid of an organism respond to external stressors—in this case the toxic exposure from PCBs. Deng checks levels of nutrients and pollutants in the cells through liquid and gas chromatography testing. The process is called metabolic profiling.
"Metabolic profiling gave us the power to discover how environmental pollutants contribute to human disease. The very important thing is that this technology can be applied to biological samples obtained from humans," said Deng.
"Using animal models, we found that eating a high-fiber diet can prevent pollutant-induced cardiovascular disease," said Deng. "This finding may lead to nutritional and therapeutic interventions in people who are exposed to PCBs."
The findings may be beneficial to those impacted by or residing near toxic Superfund chemicals, which include PCBs.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has designated thousands of contaminated sites in the U.S. as "Superfund" sites. They include manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills and mining sites where hazardous waste has been improperly managed.
Kentucky is home to 20 (13 active) EPA National Priorities List Superfund hazardous waste sites. The UK-SRC is an interdisciplinary program including researchers from several UK colleges that strives to reduce the negative health and environmental impacts of chlorinated organic compounds found at these sites across Kentucky and the U.S.
The UK-SRC is funded by the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Environmental Health Science (NIEHS) and is one of NIEHS's nationwide family of Superfund Research Programs. Specifically, UK-SRC biomedical research examines potential roles for nutritional components and lifestyle choices to minimize negative human health impacts related to chemical exposures.






https://phys.org/news/2016-11-interaction-environmental-toxin-exposure-nutrition.html

Wednesday, July 1, 2020

Vegetarian diet linked with lower risk of urinary tract infections


In continuation of my update on a vegetarian diet

Going vegetarian to cut colon cancer risk

A vegetarian diet may be associated with a lower risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs), a study in Scientific Reports suggests.

UTIs are usually caused by gut bacteria, such as E. coli, which enter the urinary tract through the urethra and affect the kidneys and bladder. Previous research has shown that meat is a major reservoir for E. coli strains known to cause UTIs, but it is unknown whether avoiding meat reduces the risk of UTIs.
Chin-Lon Lin and colleagues assessed the incidence of UTIs in 9,724 Buddhists in Taiwan, who participated in the Tzu Chi Vegetarian Study, a study investigating the role of a vegetarian diet on health outcomes in Taiwanese Buddhists. The authors found that the overall risk of UTIs was 16% lower in vegetarians than in non-vegetarians. Of the 3,040 vegetarians in the study, 217 developed a UTI compared to 444 UTI cases in 6,684 non-vegetarians studied. The reduced UTI risk associated with a vegetarian diet was greater in men than women, although overall UTI risk for men was 79% lower than for women, regardless of diet.
The authors suggest that by not eating common sources of E. coli, such as poultry and pork, vegetarians may avoid ingesting E. coli that may cause UTIs. They also propose that the higher fibre diet of many vegetarians may prevent the growth of E. coli in the gut and decrease UTI risk by making the intestine more acidic.
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetarianism