Showing posts with label Swine flu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Swine flu. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Gren tea for new type of H1N1 Flu ......

In continuatation of my update on Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg), I find this info something different and interesting too. We are aware about the antioxidant and anticancer activities of this compound, but now researchers from Central Research Institute of ITO EN, Ltd., & School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Shizuoka have found the same compound to inhibits flu infection. As per the researchers claim, the compound had an inhibitory effect against three types of influenza viruses, including the swine-origin H1N1 virus that caused pandemic flu in 2009, and that its effect did not depend on the type of virus. These findings once again suggest that green tea is effective in preventing flu.

Gargling with green tea has already proved to prevent the onset of seasonal flu. It has become clear that catechin, a major type of polyphenol in green tea, plays a major role in prevention of flu infection, and that, among different types of catechin, EGCg displays the strongest antiviral activity. More interestingly, the researchers have conducted examinations to see if EGCg also shows antiviral activity against the new type of H1N1 virus, regardless of viral subtypes.

Solutions containing three types of viruses including the H1N1 virus were mixed with EGCg extracted from green tea. The mixture was added to cultured cells, which were thus infected. The cells were incubated for a set period of time, and the number of infected cells was counted. The concentration of EGCg at which virus infection was inhibited to 50% of the level of infection without EGCg was calculated.

The experiments showed that EGCg prevented flu virus infections at lower concentrations than Amantadine (a drug used to prevent and treat flu). A typical concentration of EGCg in green tea infused from a teapot is reported as 5,000-7,000 micromoles/L. Therefore, these results indicate that green tea diluted 1,000-fold or more is effective to halve infections by three types of viruses, including H1N1.

Those interested to know the details about green tea can visit the site.

Ref : http://www.itoen.co.jp/eng/corporate_info/index.html

Thursday, September 17, 2009

FDA Okays Vaccines for 2009 H1N1 Influenza Virus !

At last one can breathe a sigh of relief from the H1N1 pandemic.....


FDA's approval of the Vaccine for H1N1.........


News: FDA Okays Vaccines for 2009 H1N1 Influenza Virus.

Shared via AddThis

Sunday, September 13, 2009

How one can prepare for the H1N1 flu ......

We all should be thankful to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), for there effort in educating about the health problems.  I find these webcasts very useful in understanding the H1N1 flu and how one  can prepare for this pandemic.  The efforts by the govt., is  highly appreciable as there are many myths about this virus !.

Those interested can go through the webcast archives   about the H1N1 flu.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

A single dose vaccine for Swine flu !.....

I am reading anything and everything about this H1N1, since it started in Mexico and there were so many different names (many names  like - swine flu !, Mexican flu, ....).   The deadly virus has caused panic in each and every country, where there are reports of infection of H1N1.  The real concern is the use of antibiotics and the real black market  for Tamiflu and so many falsely claimed  drugs. Now thanx to Dr. Russell Basser and group who have found that a single 15-µg dose of 2009 H1N1 vaccine was immunogenic in adults, with mild-to-moderate vaccine-associated reactions. Congrats for for this important  achievement. 

A (H1N1) 2009 virus is responsible for the first influenza pandemic in 41 years. This itself shows how important the vaccine is.  The results are really interesting and as per the claim by the researchers : by day 21 after vaccination,  antibody titers of 1:40 or more were observed in 96.7%  those who received the 15-µg dose  and 93.3% who received the 30-µg dose. No deaths, serious adverse events, or adverse events of special interest were reported. Local discomfort (e.g., injection-site tenderness or pain) was reported by 46.3% of subjects, and systemic symptoms (e.g., headache) by 45.0% of subjects. Nearly all events were mild to moderate in intensity.  

Hope the efforts by the Australian drug maker CSL, Ltd. has yielded a novel vaccine that could take care of the H1N1 pandemic. Congrats once again for this achievement. 

Ref : http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/NEJMoa0907413