0 comments Wednesday, April 30, 2008

There is fairly high confidence that there is little connection between poor diet and Ulcerative Colitis/Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This should not be confused with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) - caused almost entirely by a poor diet high in processed foods and low in dietary fibre.

In spite of this diet has a large part to play in minimizing the effects of Ulcerative Colitis - and in the treatment of flare-ups. Care must be taken though with Colitis - as a good diet for a person with colitis differs slightly from that of a person without colitis.

Fibre - and Ulcerative Colitis

There is much confusion in the advice given to people about dietary fibre and ulcerative colitis. To understand this properly it is important to appreciate there are two distinct types of fibre. One - soluble fibre should be encouraged when suffering from colitis - the other - insoluble fibre tends to inflame colitis and should be avoided.

Insoluble Fibre - Detrimental for Colitis

Insoluble fibre is generally bad for ulcerative colitis/IBD sufferers. This is the type of fibre that most people would associate with a high fibre diet. Examples of this type of fibre include -

* Wheat bran/wholemeal bread/bran flakes etc.

* Cabbage

* Broccoli

* Sweet corn

* Skins peel of vegetables such as apples and grapes

This type of fibre passes through the whole of the digestive tract without being digested - and hence has a tenancy to adhere to the wall of the colon when it is inflamed. This irritates the colon - and hence will aggravate any colitis. As a rough guide if you can see particles/undigested matter in the stool this is insoluble fibre.

Soluble Fibre - Beneficial for Colitis

Soluble fibre is very helpful for colitis and differs from insoluble fibre in that it is broken down/digested in the large intestine/colon. This produces a soft stool and good motions - but does not produce the type of particles that adhere to the bowel wall and cause inflammation. Good examples of soluble fibre include

* The body of fruits - e.g. peeled apples, peeled pears

* Peeled Vegetables - e.g. peeled potatoes and carrots

* Oat bran - e.g. porridge/Ready Brek

* White rice

There is a list of foods to eat/avoid here that may be helpful.

Fish Oils and Ulcerative Colitis

Fish oils - especially from oily fish such as sardines and sild have been shown to have a beneficial effect on colitis. This is because they help to reduce inflammation generally - and they also have a topical effect on the bowel as they pass through. In order to include fish oils in the diet it is recommended that actual fish be used rather than dietary supplements. Sardines especially are very cheap, nutritional - and contain large amounts of the required oils.

Dairy products and Ulcerative Colitis

Those that suffer from ulcerative colitis should avoid excessive amounts of dairy products such as cheese/cream etc. This doesn't mean that they have to be avoided totally - just some common sense used. I would suggest that probably about 2-3 ounces in a day is about the limit. Quantities beyond this are likely to lead to lactose in the colon - which will encourage unhelpful bacteria and inflammation.

Foods to Avoid when you have active Ulcerative Colitis (Flare Up)

There are a number of foods which are best avoided during a flare up of Ulcerative Colitis - or when Colitis is active (i.e. blood or mucous in the stools). These are mainly foods that either include a high amount of insoluble fibre - or very high amounts of dairy fats-

Cabbage/sprouts

Cauliflower

Broccoli

Sweet Corn

Mushrooms

High Bran fibre items - such as wholemeal bread, and high fibre cereal

Raw onions

Tomatoes - especially the seeds

Soya Protein (TVP)

Onions - Especially raw onions

Cheese/cream (tends to cause excess acid/irritation in the gut)


Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera A.M.P is helpful in reversing and correcting many digestive and gastrointestinal tract disorders and diseases. A.M.P. (Aloe Mucilaginous Polysaccharide) the main ingredient in Gastric Gold purifies the blood, cleanses the liver, restores and protects the digestive tract, while it works to stop the damaging causes of these painful conditions:

The Aloe Vera plant has been recognized for many years for its remarkable health-enhancing properties. In the past it was known for external applications for the skin only. Concentrated and stabilized Aloe (AMP) the active ingredient in Gastric Gold, is now widely used to help a variety of conditions in the digestive tract. The digestive tract is designed to ensure nutrients from food are absorbed into the blood stream while dispensing with the unwanted waste. Unfortunately our diet includes unwanted substances including various chemicals, fats, insecticides, etc. (toxins) that cause many of our illnesses.it is the solution to cure acid reflux problems.

If you have indigestion, GERD, heartburn, gastritis, colitis, allergies or other gastric ailments the anti-inflammatory powers of Gastric Gold can be your answer to a normal life.

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MONDAY, April 28 (HealthDay News) — The inflammatory bowel diseases ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease appear to share several genetic variants and risk factors, two new British studies suggest.

Though similar in many ways, the two diseases are distinct, and scientists have been trying to pinpoint the underlying relationship between them to improve their understanding of and treatment for both. The latest findings, expected to be published online in the April 27 issue of Nature Genetics, may be a significant step forward.

Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease affect one in 250 individuals of Northern European descent. Ulcerative colitis is a common inflammatory bowel disease, while Crohn's disease is a related, but chronic disorder of the intestine.

In the first study, researchers identified ECM1, a gene variant that encodes a protein secreted by cells to activate a key immune regulator as tied to the risk of colitis. They also found that five genes previously linked to the probability of developing Crohn's disease are also common to ulcerative colitis, while three others are not.

In the second study, several of 50 previously reported susceptibility loci for Crohn's disease were deemed risk variants for both diseases. Three others were found to be specific to Crohn's disease and three specific to ulcerative colitis.

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MedicalNews

According to results of a survey presented at the 72nd Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology, nighttime acid reflux, along with some of the less typical manifestations or symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), is associated with significant sleep impairment.

In a recent national survey, researchers assessed the prevalence of sleep impairment among people with GERD and people without GERD based on response to an Internet survey of a general population of U.S. adults. Using a validated GERD screening tool, 701 respondents were identified with GERD and the remaining were controls. Bonnie Dean, MPH, PhD, of Cerner LifeSciences, Ronnie Fass, MD of the University of Arizona and their research team found that sleep impairment was more common among people with GERD (41.9 percent) than those without GERD (19.4 percent). Researchers found that 49.5 percent of respondents with nighttime GERD reported sleeping poorly often or most of the time, compared to 36.7 percent of people with daytime GERD.

Using the survey, researchers also assessed sleep impairment among patients experiencing frequent nighttime atypical manifestations of GERD. In this case, Dr. Dean and her colleagues evaluated the subgroup of respondents with GERD, as identified using the validated GERD screener. They found that atypical manifestations or symptoms of GERD (i.e. coughing, sore throat, snoring, wheezing, choking, and chest pain) were common among those with acid reflux. Of GERD patients, 74 percent had at least one nighttime atypical manifestation. For almost every daytime and nighttime atypical manifestation assessed, more than 20 percent of GERD patients reported their occurrence as frequent (more than 2 days or nights per week). Researchers also found that sleep impairment was more common among GERD patients with atypical manifestations compared to GERD patients with only typical or classic symptoms such as heartburn and acid regurgitation. For eight of the nine nighttime atypical manifestations assessed, the proportion of GERD cases reporting sleep impairment was significantly higher for GERD cases with the atypical manifestation compared with GERD cases without the atypical manifestation.

"Awareness of nighttime reflux, atypical manifestations, and associated sleep complaints should allow more complete evaluation and treatment of GERD patients," said Dr. Dean about this project.

Tips for Calming Nighttime Acid Reflux Heartburn and other gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms experienced during the night commonly cause sleep disturbances, including arousal from sleep, increased wakefulness and overall poor sleep quality.

Here are several tips to help reduce nighttime acid reflux so you can sleep better:

* Sleep with your head and shoulders elevated
* Wear loose-fitting clothes
* Wait 2 to 3 hours after eating to go to sleep
* Avoid foods that trigger heartburn

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MedicalNews

New research from scientists at UT Southwestern Medical Center and the Dallas Veterans Affairs Medical Center underscores the importance of preventing recurring acid reflux while also uncovering tantalizing clues on how typical acid reflux can turn potentially cancerous.

In research published in July and August, scientists discovered that people with acid reflux disease, particularly those with a complication of acid reflux called Barrett's esophagus, have altered cells in their esophagus containing shortened telomeres, the ending sequences in DNA strands. Combined with related research to be published this month, the findings indicate that the shortened sequences might allow other cells more prone to cancer to take over.

"The research supports why it is important to prevent reflux, because the more reflux you have and the longer you have it, the more it might predispose you to getting Barrett's esophagus. So you want to suppress that reflux," said Dr. Rhonda Souza, associate professor of internal medicine at UT Southwestern and lead author of the paper which appeared in the American Journal of Physiology -- Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology.

Heartburn occurs when acid splashes back up from the stomach into the esophagus, the long feeding tube that connects the stomach and throat, causing a burning sensation.

Over time, the persistent acid bath can cause normal skin-like cells in the esophagus to change into tougher, more acid-resistant cells of the type found in the stomach and intestine, a condition called Barrett's esophagus, explained Dr. Stuart Spechler, professor of internal medicine and senior author of the paper. "Unfortunately, those acid-resistant cells are also more prone to cancer," Dr. Spechler said.

Adenocarcinoma of the esophagus, the cancer that is especially associated with Barrett's esophagus, is currently the most rapidly rising cancer in the U.S., with a sixfold increase in cases during the past 30 years, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Understanding how and why the cells change in some cases and not others has been a major challenge for investigators.

Researchers compared telomere length and telomerase activity in biopsy specimens from 38 patients with GERD and 16 control patients. This new line of research suggests that the continuous acid bath affecting esophageal cells causes them to divide more frequently in order to regenerate the damaged lining. However, each time the cells divide, the telomeres at the end of DNA become shorter. When they become too short, the aging cell can no longer divide, Dr. Souza said.

Scientists suspect that when cells can no longer divide, other cells might infiltrate the area to make up for the loss. And those cells may be more likely to generate the acid-resistance that makes them more likely to turn cancerous.

"If the telomeres get short enough, maybe the cells can't regenerate any more and maybe that's why you start to see this change," said Dr. Spechler. "Perhaps the esophagus can't regenerate the normal skin-like squamous cells, and instead, it has to recruit cells from somewhere else and that's why you start getting these changes to intestinal-like cells."

Other studies by this group of UT Southwestern digestive disease specialists suggest the alternate cells that eventually take over might be bone-marrow cells.

"There could be cells circulating from the bone marrow that wouldn't ordinarily end up in the esophagus. But if you shorten the telomeres enough and the esophagus can't regenerate anymore, perhaps these bone-marrow cells might have to replace that tissue, and bone-marrow cells can turn into intestinal tissue," Dr. Spechler said. "This hasn't been proven, but we have some data that supports that."

In research available online prior to printing this month in Diseases of the Esophagus, Drs. Souza, Spechler and colleagues demonstrate that bone-marrow cells come into play to regenerate the esophageal lining in rats that have heavy reflux.

"So the first paper shows that the telomeres are short, suggesting that the normal squamous cells might not be able to divide anymore, so they die out," Dr. Spechler said. "The second paper suggests that the bone-marrow cells may then come and take their place, giving rise to the intestinal cells instead of the normal, skin-like cells."

Further research will be needed to confirm that hypothesis, Dr. Souza said.

"It's an interesting series of experiments," she said. "None of them absolutely prove that this is what's going on, but it's an interesting concept, and it certainly supports the theory that your normal cells poop out and eventually they can't replace the damaged ones, and maybe that's why you get Barrett's esophagus."

If confirmed, the research might also help scientists find a way to prevent the bone-marrow cells from invading or to identify markers that would allow an earlier diagnosis for Barrett's esophagus, which doesn't usually have symptoms.

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Medicalnews


A little-understood medical condition - which affects millions of older people in Britain - is to be studied at The University of Nottingham. David Humes of the Division of Gastroenterology, in The School of Medical and Surgical Sciences, has gained funding from Help the Aged and the Royal College of Surgeons to explore how the pain caused by diverticular disease can be reduced. The condition is formed by pouching in the lower gut - which can be painful, and, if infection sets in, can also be life-threatening.

Dr David Humes, said: "Our aim is to discover whether inflammation of the bowels causes the pain of diverticular disease. We will test new anti-inflammatory drugs to see if they could become a valuable treatment for this condition, which in varying degrees affects as many as two-thirds of the older people in our society."

Dr Lorna Layward, Research Manager for Help the Aged, said: "We are delighted to be supporting David Humes alongside the Royal College of Surgeons. This study is elegant and clear-sighted, with the potential quickly to produce real treatments for people with diverticular disease. That would be fantastic news for older people and another great success for researchers at The University of Nottingham."

The project is one of 20 new studies across the UK that have been awarded funding this year by the Help the Aged biomedical Research into Ageing programme, all of which are helping bring better health and independence to older people.

Dr Layward adds: "Help the Aged is committed to funding high quality biomedical research through our Research into Ageing programme and we have funded 20 new projects in 2007. Unfortunately for each project we can fund a further four must be turned away, so we need more donations to enable us to fund as many of the best projects as possible. We must prevent a situation that sees much of this life-changing research being consigned to the scrapheap, never to happen."

This new funding enhances the existing partnership between Help the Aged and The University of Nottingham. The charity has funded numerous projects at the University over the last three decades and, in addition to the new study with David Humes, currently funds Dr Simon Conroy's project that may lead to new support programmes for older people known to be at risk from accidental falls.

The Help the Aged biomedical Research into Ageing programme exists to improve the health and independence of older people. This is very important for the wellbeing of our ageing population. The number of people in the UK aged over 75 is projected to rise by over 70 per cent in the next 15 years whereas the population of people under 16 is set to decline slightly (1).



№Government Actuary Department website 2007, period life expectancy, based on mid-2004 population estimates.


More information about the Help the Aged biomedical Research into Ageing programme is available at http://research.helptheaged.org.uk/_research/

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Medicalnews

New, updated guidelines for esophageal reflux testing appear in The American Journal of Gastroenterology. Developed and approved by the American College of Gastroenterology, these guidelines summarize advances in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) diagnostic testing and how they have modified the clinical management of esophageal disorders.

"Gastroenterologists are confronted with an increasing number of patients presenting symptoms of GERD that are unresponsive to drug therapy," says lead author Dr. Ikuo Hirano. "These patients may have typical reflux symptoms of heartburn and regurgitation but also may complain of chest pain, asthma, chronic cough and chronic laryngitis." This confusing list of symptoms, coupled with the fact that many of these patients do not have visible esophageal erosions, makes diagnosis and treatment of GERD a challenge. Furthermore, non-gastrointestinal entities, such as cardiac or pulmonary disease, may produce symptoms that are similar to those attributable to GERD.

Some new technologies offer opportunities for more accurate diagnoses. "Wireless capsule pH monitoring, bile acid reflux monitoring devices and esophageal impedance can all improve the detection of reflux," says Dr. Hirano. These technologies have helped gastroenterologists to discover new forms of reflux, and to better characterize traditional acid reflux.

Of course, all technologies have limitations, and the new guidelines highlight these as well. In addition, recommendations on the clinical applications of esophageal reflux testing are presented.

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Medicalnews

A new study, published in the journal "Digestion", determined the diagnostic and therapeutic response of the Reflux Disease Questionnaire (RDQ) using the symptom association probability as reference. The symptom association probability objectively determines with a Fisher exact test whether symptoms are due to reflux events taking all symptom episodes and reflux events into account. In addition, the RDQ's construct validity and its relationship to quality of life were ascertained.

Seventy-four patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) symptoms (age 51 years (22-78); male 62%) derived from primary care completed the RDQ, Gastrointestinal Rating Scale and Quality of Life in Reflux and Dyspepsia (QOLRAD) questionnaires before and after a two-week course of esomeprazole, a proton pump inhibitor (40 mg daily). The symptom association probability was determined by a 24-hour pH recording before proton pump inhibitor treatment. The diagnostic abilities of the RDQ (total and 4 dimensions scores) were assessed with the area under the curve of a receiver operating curve. RDQ scores before and after proton pump inhibitor treatment were compared with Wilcoxon tests. Multiple linear regressions assessed the RDQ's construct validity (Gastrointestinal Rating Scale) and relationship to quality of life (QOLRAD).

The areas under the curve were low for all RDQ dimensions (<0.6). In patients positive for symptom association probability all RDQ dimensions improved (p < 0.0001) while the scores of those negative for symptom association probability did not (heartburn p < 0.01; GORD and total score p < 0.05; regurgitation and dyspepsia not significant). The RDQ was related to the total and reflux dimensions of the Gastrointestinal Rating Scale, while the food and drink quality of life dimension was linearly associated with the RDQ.

Therefore, the RDQ is a valid and reliable questionnaire with excellent construct validity and a good relationship to quality of life. The diagnostic value of the RDQ in primary care is limited, but combination with an additional proton pump inhibitor treatment course might improve the RDQ's ability to discriminate GORD patients according to their symptom association probability outcome.

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Medicalnews

An international team of scientists has discovered that the ubiquitous bacteria that causes most painful stomach ulcers has been present in the human digestive system since modern man migrated from Africa over 60,000 years ago. The research, published online by the journal Nature, not only furthers our understanding of a disease causing bacteria but also offers a new way to study the migration and diversification of early humans.

The international research collaboration was led by scientists from the University of Cambridge, the Max Planck Institute in Berlin, and the Hanover Medical School. The researchers compared DNA sequence patterns of humans and the Helicobacter pylori bacteria now known to cause most stomach ulcers. They found that the genetic differences between human populations that arose as they dispersed from Eastern Africa over thousands of years are mirrored in H. pylori.

Human DNA analysis has shown that along the major land routes out of Africa human populations become genetically isolated - the further from Eastern Africa a population is the more different genetically it is compared to other human populations. Other research has shown gradual differences in European populations, presumed to be the result of Neolithic farmers moving northwards. The international H. pylori research team found almost exactly the same genetic distribution patterns in their results.

The scientists combined their genetic analysis with a computer simulation the modeled the spread of the bacteria across the globe. This showed that it migrated from Eastern Africa at almost exactly the same time as early humans, approximately 60,000 years ago.

The UK research effort was led by Dr Francois Balloux, a Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council-funded scientist at the University of Cambridge. He said: "Humans and this ulcer-causing bacterium have been intimately linked for the last 60,000 years. The research not only shows the likelihood that for tens of thousands of years our ancestors have been suffering the effects of this bacteria but it also opens up new possibilities for understanding early human migration. By showing that Helicobacter pylori emerged from Africa at the same time as early humans it makes it easier to examine some of the controversial questions about human migration. For example we could use our understanding of the bacteria's spread to gauge poorly understood human population shifts in Europe, Africa and Asia."

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By THOMAS H. MAUGH II
Los Angeles Times

Older people who take heartburn drugs such as Nexium, Prilosec, Prevacid and Protonix for long periods have a significantly increased risk of hip fractures, possibly because the drugs block calcium absorption, Pennsylvania researchers reported Wednesday.

The drugs, which block production of acid in the stomach, are among the most widely used in the United States with combined annual sales of more than $10 billion.

"The perception is that the drugs are completely safe, and doctors dispense them without thinking too much about the risks and the benefits," said Dr. Yu-Xiao Yang of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, who led the study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Now, he said, physicians should be aware of the potential risk, prescribe the lowest possible dose and use the drug only on patients who really need it.

Men using heartburn drugs ran twice risk of women, study says

An estimated 300,000 Americans older than 65 sustain hip fractures each year, according to the National Institutes of Health, and recovery is difficult. About 20 percent die of complications and another 20 percent are consigned permanently to nursing homes.

The findings are interesting, said Dr. Alan Buchman of Northwestern University, but the results do not prove that the drugs caused the increased risk.

"Maybe they have some other problem that increases the risk for fractures," he said.

Even if the drugs are at fault, the solution may be simply to consume more calcium, either in the form of dairy products or as supplements, said Buchman, who was not involved in the study. "The average North American doesn't get enough calcium anyway," he said.

Drug manufacturers noted that the products have been used for more than 10 years and have been through many clinical trials without evidence of risk.

Amy Allen, a spokeswoman for TAP Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Lake Forest, Ill., which manufactures Prevacid, said the company has an extensive post-marketing surveillance system and "has not identified a safety signal for bone fractures related to Prevacid."

Heartburn typically occurs when acid from the stomach bubbles up into the esophagus, a condition called acid reflux. It is very painful and can cause ulcers on the lining of the esophagus. Some researchers believe it also can lead to cancer.

Yang and his colleagues used a large British database to identify 13,566 hip fracture patients over age 50 and a matched group of 135,386 healthy people.

They found that one year of using the drugs increased risk of hip fractures by 44 percent. Long-term users who received high doses of the drugs had as much as 2.6 times the normal risk.

Men using the drugs had about twice the risk of hip fractures as did women, perhaps because the women were more likely to be consuming calcium supplements as post-menopausal therapy.

Patients taking a different class of acid inhibitors that includes Tagamet, Zantac, Pepcid and Axid had a 21 percent increased risk of fractures after one year.

The results are similar to those obtained in a smaller Danish study reported this year, Yang said.

Yang, who has received funding from several manufacturers, pointed out that adequate levels of acid are required in the duodenum to dissolve calcium salts so they can be absorbed by the body. Studies in animals have suggested that the acid blockers can interfere with this process, producing a calcium deficiency that, in turn, leads to a thinning of bones.

What's needed now, Buchman said, is a study that looks directly at bone-mineral density to determine whether it decreases in patients receiving the drugs.

The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the American Gastroenterological Association/GlaxoSmithKline Institute for Digestive Health.

Heartburn typically occurs when acid from the stomach bubbles up into the esophagus, a condition called acid reflux. It is very painful and can cause ulcers on the lining of the esophagus. Some researchers believe it also can lead to cancer.

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MedicalNews

Research has shown that serum tests work effectively as a pre-screening method for atrophic gastritis and gastric cancer. These tests will foster the detection rate of early cancer in patients - providing not only a far less invasive examination as compared to the conventional scope method, but also give patients a cheap, convenient and safe alternative.

Published by Blackwell Publishing, this study appears in the February 2007 issue of the newly re-named Journal of Digestive Diseases - the official journal of the Chinese Society of Gastroenterology.

As the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, endoscopy and biopsy have been the conventional methods employed for the screening and diagnosis of gastric cancer and atrophic gastritis. After evaluating the risk of atrophic gastritis and gastric cancer with serological tests, researchers have concluded that serum pepsinogen, gastrin-17 and Helicobacter pylori IgG antibodies can be employed effectually to screen for atrophic gastritis and gastric cancer.

Leading author Dr. Cao Qin, Instructor of Medicine at the Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine affiliated Renji Hospital, said "In Shanghai the age-standardized incidence of gastric cancer in men has been halved over the last 30 years, from 62 in every 100,000 in 1972, to just 29 out of every 100,000 in 2002. While the incidence and mortality rates have fallen dramatically in many regions - including countries like the United States, France, and Switzerland - other regions such as Shanghai remain a high risk area. With serum tests now enabling an even earlier detection of atrophic gastritis and gastric cancer, we hope this positive trend can be further improved on."

Dr. Cao added, "Serological tests are an extremely efficient method of detecting the risk of atrophic gastritis and gastric cancer - our evaluations indicate that these serum tests can be used in large scale populations because of its obvious cost and saving advantages."

About Journal of Digestive Diseases

Journal of Digestive Diseases serves the dual purpose of allowing Chinese researchers to communicate their results to their international colleagues, and allowing non-Chinese speaking researchers to access the vital work being undertaken in China which contributes to clinical advancements throughout the region. It is the official English-language journal of the Chinese Society of Gastroenterology. The Journal is published four times per year and includes peer-reviewed original papers, review articles and commentaries concerned with research relating to the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon, liver, biliary tract and pancreas. The Journal also occasionally republishes, with permission, peer-reviewed articles of scientific or clinical excellence that have appeared in Chinese-language journals.

About Blackwell Publishing

Blackwell Publishing is the world's leading society publisher, partnering with 665 medical, academic, and professional societies. Blackwell publishes over 800 journals and has over 6,000 books in print. The company employs over 1,000 staff members in offices in the US, UK, Australia, China, Singapore, Denmark, Germany, and Japan. Blackwell's mission as an expert publisher is to create long-term partnerships with our clients that enhance learning, disseminate research, and improve the quality of professional practice. For more information on Blackwell Publishing, please visit http://www.blackwellpublishing.com or http://www.blackwell-synergy.com.

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Palm Beach Post

Two million to 3 million Americans have it. Yet only about 100,000 know it.

The potentially fatal disease was described by Greeks a couple of thousand years back, yet it takes patients an average of 11 years to get a correct diagnosis.

And when they get that diagnosis, most are still baffled.

Celiac disease? What is that?

"I couldn't even pronounce it," recalls Delray Beach resident Phyllis Kessler. "What does this mean?"

Pronounced see-lee-ACK, it means Kessler's body balks at digesting gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye.

And when even the smallest amount passes her lips, her immune system attacks the lining of her small intestine so that it can't absorb the nutrients from any of the foods she eats.

Some have described celiac disease as the Great Pretender пїЅ a disease that masquerades as a host of other illnesses with symptoms as varied as infertility and sinus headaches, diarrhea and osteoporosis.

A genetic disease, its consequences can be dire, putting its victims at seven times the risk for cancer over the regular population and at risk for developing disorders including diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.

But lately, the pretender has begun to shed its cloak.

When Kessler, 53, was diagnosed six years ago, many doctors still considered celiac a rare childhood ailment.

Today, however, Kessler heads a countywide support group and gets dozens of calls a week from the newly diagnosed.

In 2003, the National Institutes of Health sponsored the first large American study to determine celiac's reach into the U.S. population. The conclusion after testing more than 13,000 blood samples: 1 in every 133 have it. Have a relative with it? Odds go up to 1 in 22. The NIH has begun a campaign to spread the word to doctors.

In the past year, celiac has made the rounds on public radio.

And, in a true sign of arrival on the cultural landscape: This spring, Gluten Free Living for Dummies hit the bookshelves. The author: Danna Korn, whose son was diagnosed with celiac in 1991.

Even ancient Greeks had it

As long as there has been bread, there has probably been celiac disease.

The ancient Greeks, who also detailed the ravages of epilepsy, describe malnourished children with scrawny limbs and distended bellies 2,000 years ago. They were eating and starving at once.

But it took wartime bread rationing for Dr. Willem Dicke to narrow the cause to gluten. In 1950, he noted that children with celiac, sometimes called sprue, improved when flour became scarce during and after World War II.

In the 1960s, researchers came up with biopsies that revealed that the disease destroyed the hairy lining of the small intestine that absorbs nutrients. In the following two decades, blood tests that could identify celiac-related antibodies made it easier to screen large numbers of people.

The NIH's 2003 finding that approximately 1 percent of the population has celiac corresponds with findings in most of Europe and Australia.

Yet the news took most U.S. doctors by surprise.

'Banana babies' for life

Fred Casson knew from family tales that he was a "banana baby." Born in 1950, his parents were told the toddler couldn't eat the standard kid fare. His dad had to go through the black market to get bananas for his meals, Casson recalled. He even knew the name for the disease: celiac.

But, like thousands of banana babies, Casson thought he outgrew the disease when he outgrew his highchair. He didn't even know what celiac was really, just that he'd had it as a child.

It didn't even come up in conversation when he was making the rounds of gastroenterologists in Boston in his 30s and 40s, desperately searching for relief from diarrhea, bloating and cramping.

It was only luck that Casson, now living in Delray Beach, mentioned the childhood diagnosis to a friend who recognized it for what it was and connected the dots to Casson's adult gastric agonies.

Casson's decades-long search for a diagnosis is not uncommon in the United States. A recent survey of celiac patients concluded they spent an average of 11 years investigating their symptoms before they were accurately diagnosed.

The problem?

"There's no money in it," says Dr. Peter H.R. Green, a professor of clinical medicine who conducted the study.

The treatment for celiac is a diet free of gluten пїЅ a simple and herculean task at once пїЅ but a chemical-free one for sure.

That means the pharmaceutical industry isn't throwing money at it.

And, because long ago some doctors decided it was a rare disease, there was no research into it and little word of it in school, said Green, who heads the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University.

"It's mentioned in one lecture, which can be a fraction of an hour lecture in the second year of medical school," Green said.

Instead, many patients are misdiagnosed.

Rose Cruickshank, 58, a nurse living in Boca Raton, was told some 20 years ago that all her nervous stomachaches and bloating were due to irritable bowel syndrome пїЅ a name attached to nonspecific digestive problems once all other diagnoses are ruled out. She eventually developed tumors in her intestines, had surgery and chemotherapy. Still her body refused to absorb nutrients.

Her doctors chalked it up to major surgery and slow recovery. But after much research, Cruickshank suspected something else: celiac. She was right.

"So should I have gone through the cancer? Probably not," Cruickshank says.

She'd had other symptoms, but they were easily explained away.

Early osteoporosis (because her body wasn't absorbing the calcium). "But my mother had it."

She couldn't finish burgers. Pizza made her stomach ache. "I just thought that was how I was supposed to feel."

Many doctors unfamiliar

Other celiac patients report skeptical doctors.

Casson recalls one doctor telling him, "You're a Russian Jew. Russian Jews don't get celiac."

Celiac does have strong roots in Ireland and Italy. But as Casson can attest, Russian Jews are not exempt. "I called my cousin. She said not only did you have celiac, but your father probably had it. Your mom had it. There's three Russian Jews right there."

Because of its origins in Europe, the disease charted a different path there and in Australia, where Green was taught. There, too, about 1 percent of the population has celiac, but the diagnosis rate is closer to 30 percent rather than the 3 percent in the U.S.

In the 1980s, there was a celiac epidemic in Sweden among children, Green said. Doctors traced the spike to a lack of breast-feeding and lots of gluten in the formula. A campaign to boost nursing and eliminate gluten worked.

Breast-feeding, it turns out, is the one measure proven to prevent or at least curb the disease's development.

When doctors such as Green and Alessio Fasano, who conducted the NIH study, came to the United States, they were stunned by the ignorance surrounding the disease and began to push for studies and education. While they agree that much has changed in the past five years, there's still plenty to learn.

When 65-year-old Len Handel checked into St. Mary's Medical Center after a bicycling accident, he said he needed a special diet because he had celiac.

"One morning I got my gluten-free egg... with a muffin sitting on top of it," said Handel, of West Palm Beach.

Perhaps more daunting is the fact that for every person who has searched for years to learn why they weren't gaining weight, why their tummies ached or why they convulsed after ingesting the tiniest bit of gluten, there are equal numbers who don't have any symptoms пїЅ or don't think they do.

Kessler, for example, felt fine.

"I went through my whole life eating whatever I wanted to," Kessler said.

Then she was hit by a virus she just couldn't shake. Blood tests revealed the disease.

Like mother, like daughter

And when she turned out to have it, she followed common celiac advice: Have all your first-degree relatives tested as well.

Viola, her daughter, 22 at the time, had it too. And not one symptom.

The good news is that once someone is diagnosed with celiac, the disease can be controlled with a strict diet.

The bad news is gluten is everywhere.

Grains are so common in our diet that gluten is second only to sugar as the most commonly consumed ingredient.

Naturally, gluten fills breads and beers, pastas and pastries. But it also hides in some soy sauce, malt vinegars, ice creams. It's in gravies and marinades.

"You have to be a detective," said Kessler, describing hours on the Internet and dialing 1-800 lines to food manufacturers.

"I have found a substitute for almost everything. But what I miss the most, I miss the spontaneity of eating on the run. I can't be in the mall and eat a slice of pizza. I've got to plan every given moment."

But Kessler is thankful, nonetheless.

Biopsies showed that both her and her daughter's intestinal linings were flat, like a matted shag carpet.

"That means I was a prime candidate for stomach cancer. Which means for me, celiac was a silent, deadly disease," Kessler said. "So in a way, I was lucky."

0 comments Monday, April 28, 2008

By Glenn Troelstrup

Aloe vera, a miracle plant known for thousands of years, can banish arthritis pain - even cases described as hopeless by doctors!



We are getting 90 percent positive results with arthritis patients considered medical failures - by using Aloe vera products, says Dr. Bruce Hedendal of Hedendal Chiropractic & Nutritional Center.


Until recently, there were few studies documenting the amazingly curative powers of properly processed Aloe products on arthritis, AIDS, some cancers, ulcers, diabetes, sickle-cell anemia and other illnesses.


That's because silent-healing Aloe is an unpatentable, natural product, the wide-spread use of which could wipe out many of the pharmaceutical industry's highly profitable drugs. And the main-stream medical industry is aligned with those drugs.


But arthritis is a chronic, degenerative disease that science has failed to effectively treat. The number of sufferers is growing daily, so they must look for non-medical alternatives. Fortunately, hope is coming from natural nutrition and plant product research.


Stresses Hedendal, 43, a graduate of Harvard College, New York Chiropractic College and American Holistic College of Nutrition: Researchers like Dr. H. Reginald McDaniel Medical Center believe that increased use of Aloe - derived from a cactus-like desert plant - is the most important step forward in disease treatment in human history.


After all, it's a top food concentrate, along with garlic, flax oil, organic minerals and stabilized oxygen products.


For arthritis patients, Aloe has proven to be very nutritional, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory. Comparative studies now show that Aloe with sitosterol is as effective as the anti-inflammatory drugs prednisalone and indome-thacin, yet lacks their long-term toxicity.


Hedendal's center recommends only whole-leaf, cold-proccessed Aloe products containing active polysaccharides.


He advises use of Aloe cream on arthritic joints to lessen pain and inflammation and improve range of motion. That should be combined with drinking 1 to 2 ounces of Aloe concentrate daily to boost the immune system and improve digestion.


My clinical results show that almost no one fails to benefit from the use of Aloe, he adds.


But, Hedendal warns: The majority of commercial Aloe products are ineffective because they are heat-processed, which destroys their active ingredients, or are bogus - no better than water!


Among other remarkable Aloe breakthroughs:

  • AIDS

Dr. Terry Pulse reported in the Journal Of Advancement Of Medicine that half of his 29 AIDS patients went into remission within 18 months after taking Aloe, fatty acid capsules, vitamins and minerals.

  • CAT

A study reported in Molecular Biother found that Aloe can reverse feline leukemia.

Alternative studies also show:

  • ULCERS

Aloe heals better than expensive drugs and has no side effects. It enhances reproduction of normal cells and improves intestinal tissue.

  • DIABETES

Aloe assists body production of insulin. But serious conditions should be treated only under medical supervision.

  • SICKLE-CELL
    ANEMIA

Aloe helps restore normal cells.

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Prof. Hisayuki Yazawa and his group at Shizuoka Medical College witnessed an increase in the amount of gastric juice and gastric acid discharge by use of barbaloin.

Again, Dr. Bland at Science and Medicine Inst., California testified that oral administration of Aloe vera controls the amount of juice and neutralizes acidity. He verified also that Aloe vera can balance the amount between bacteria in the digestive tracts, and help protein digestion.

1 comments


Bland J
Journal of Alterative Medicine, 1985


Jeffrey Bland, Ph.D., formerly of the Linus Pauling Institute, reported using a concentrate of Aloe vera to treat gastrointestinal problems. The objectives of Dr. Bland’s study were “to evaluate the effect of oral Aloe vera juice supplementation of gastric pH, stool specific gravity, protein digestion/absorption, and stool microbiology” and found that it could be used in “the treatment of inflammatory bowel disorders.”

In his patient application studies of ten healthy subjects (five women and five men), Dr. Bland first found that the Aloe vera juice provided caused his subjects no covert or overt adverse effects and was in general “well tolerated” by all ten people in the study group. In his study of five women and five men, Dr. Bland was careful to note that: “...with the taking of two-ounce increments [of the Aloe vera juice] three times daily for seven days no patient among the... (five men, five women) complained of diarrhea... four of the subjects reported improved bowel regularity with greater gastrointestinal comfort after eating... three indicated an enhancement of energy and a greater sense of well being...”

Additionally, he reported that: “The function of Aloe vera juice in promoting proper gastrointestinal function based upon the information from this preliminary study may be to regulate gastrointestinal pH while improving gastrointestinal motility, increasing stool specific gravity and reducing the populations of certain fecal micro-organisms, including yeast [Candida albicans]. This could have significant advantages to some individuals by promoting proper dietary protein digestion and absorption and reducing bowel putrefactive processes in the colon.”

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From Health Consciousness


It works because the Aloe vera plant produces at least six antiseptic agents: lupeol, salicylic acid, urea nitrogen, cinnamic acid, phenol, and sulfur. All of these substances are recognized as antiseptics, because together they exhibit antimicrobial activity. This explains why Aloe has the ability to eliminate many internal and external infections. Lupeol, salicylic acid and magnesium are also highly effective analgesics, and this explains why Aloe is an effective pain killer.

Aloe vera contains at least three anti-inflammatory fatty acids (cholesterol, campesterol and B-sitosterol, all of which are plant sterols), and this explains why Aloe is such an effective treatment for burns, cuts, scrapes, and abrasions, as well as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatic fever, and ulcers of all kinds, both internal and external. The presence of fatty acids may explain why some have stated that Aloe is highly effective for many inflammatory conditions of the digestive system and many other internal organs, including the stomach, small intestine, colon, liver, kidney, and pancreas. The presence of any one of these fatty acids, especially B-sitosterol, explains why it is often reported that Aloe juice is an effective treatment of allergic reactions and acid indigestion, and why it helps, in association with a low fat diet, to lower harmful cholesterol levels.

If the SYNERGISTIC RELATIONSHIP between the elements found in the plant's sap, its gel and throughout the entire plant does not explain why Aloe works, then NOTHING DOES! All of which explains why "across time", lay persons and physicians alike have proclaimed that Aloe vera has the ability to heal, alleviate, eliminate or cure, a monumental list of human diseases and disorders, and therefore truly deserves the name "Medicine Plant."

1. Penetration - Aloe has the ability to reach the deepest body tissues, some seven layers deep.
2. Antiseptic - Aloe has six antiseptic agents: lupeol, salicylic acid, urea nitrogen, cinnamic acid, phenol and sulfur. Kills bacteria, viruses and fungus.
3. Stimulates cell growth - Aloe stimulates the birth of new, healthy tissue.
4. Settles nerves
5. Cleanses - Aloe detoxifies and normalizes your metabolism.




A TO Z


Historically, we find that Aloe vera has been used to treat human and animal medical problems from A to Z, and many more uses for the leaf have been suggested in contemporary literature:


A

allergies, abscesses, abrasions, asthma, acne, acid indigestion, allergic reactions, anemia, arterial insufficiency, arthritis, athleteA’s foot, AIDS

B

bad breath, burns, boils, bursitis, baldness, blisters / blistering, bruises, bronchitis, bloody scours in calves, body cleanser, bladder infections, blood pressure

C

corneal ulcers, contusions, canker sores (aphthous ulcers), cuts (lacerations), cataracts, chapped / chafed skin & lips, coughs, colds, colitis, carbuncles, colic, cradle cap, cystitis, candida, chemotherapy, constipation

D

dermatitis, dandruff, dry skin, denture (gum) sores, diaper rash, dishpan hands, dysentery, diabetes, depression

E-F

edema, erysipelas, epidermitis, Epstein-Barr virus, exanthema, enteritis in fowl, eyes, ear ache, favus, fissured nipples, fever blisters, fungus

G

genital Herpes, gingivitis, glaucoma, gangrene

H

heat rash / prickly heat, headache of all kinds, hemorrhoid, heart burn, high blood pressure

I

impetigo, inflamed joints, insomnia, ingrown toenails, infertility due to anovulatory cycles, indigestion, insect bites

J-K

jaundice, joints, keratosis follicularis, kidney infections

L

laxation, leprosy, laryngitis, lupus, liver ailments, leukemia

M

multiple sclerosis, mastitis in dairy cattle, mouth irritations, muscle cramps / strains, moles

N

nausea of all kinds

O

onycholysis, odor control of chronic ulcers, oral disorders

P

pin worms, psoriasis, prostatitis, poison ivy / oak, pancreas

R

razor burn, radiation burns, radiation dermatitis, rashes

S

stings, styes, sprains, senile moles, sores of all kind, seborrhea, stretch marks, sore throat, shingles, staph infections, sunburns, sciatic nerve, sickle-cell disease

T

tonsillitis, tendinitis, trachoma, tuberculosis

U

ulcerations of all kinds, urticaria, ulcers (peptic and duodenal)

V

vaginitis, venereal sores, venous stasis, varicose veins

W

wind burns, wheal, wounds of all kinds, warts

X-Y-Z

X-ray burns, yeast infections, zoster (shingles)

Aloe Vera Miracle Healing Plant
"The use of Aloe vera will be the most important single step forward in the treatment of diseases in the history of mankind."
H. Reginald McDaniel, M.D.



Hundreds of scientific papers describe the activities of Aloe vera gel taken internally or applied externally to skin and hair. These include:

  • Penetrates tissue
  • A natural cleanser
  • Anesthetizes tissue, relieving pain associated with joints & sore muscles
  • Bactericidal in high concentration with infectious bacteria - acts as strong antibiotic, destroying bacteria even when diluted
  • Virucidal when in direct contact for long periods
  • Fungicidal
  • Antipruritic - stops itching
  • Nutritional - provides vitamins, minerals, sugars
  • Dilates capillaries, increases circulation to area
  • Breaks down and digests dead tissue, including pus (acne)
  • Enhances normal cell proliferation. Hastens healing
  • Moisturizes tissue
  • Antipyretic - reduces heat of soresAnti-inflammatory

Nutritional Information


Vitamins / Minerals
B-12, calcium, copper, iron, zinc, magesium, phosphorus, potassium

Amino Acids
Nine of ten essential amino acids (missing only tryptophan), plus alanine, asartc acid, cystine, glutamic acid, glyine, hydroxy-proline, proline, serine and tyrosine

Fatty Acids Helpful In Tissue Maturation
Linoleic, linolenic, myristic, caprylic, oleic, palmitic, stearic

Antiseptic
Cinnamic acid, lupeol (a natural salicylic acid), phenol, sulfur, urea nitrogen

Analgesic
Lupeol, magnesium (as lactate)

Anti-inflammatory
Brady kinase, B-sitosterol, campesterol, beneficial HDL cholesterol

Natural Defense System Enhancers
A newly discovered component of the Aloe vera plant, called acemannan, shows preliminary evidence of strengthening the body’s natural defenses

Enzymes
Amylase, lactic dehydrogenase, lipase, SGP transaminase, SGO transaminase

Other
Alkaline phosphatase, creatine phosphatase, creatinine, glucose, lactate, sodium, triglycerides

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by Dr Peter Atherton M.B.Ch.B., D.Obst. R.C.O.G., M.R.C.G.P.


About the Author
Dr Peter Atherton is currently a research Fellow at Oxford University studying the medicinal effects of Aloe Vera.
His recent book The Essential Aloe Vera can be purchased from Mill Enterprises, Thornborough Mill, Buckingham, MK18 2ED, at a price of ?6.00 incl. p&p.



It was about three years ago, whilst I was a full time General Practitioner, a job that I had been doing both at home and abroad for twenty eight years, that I came across Aloe Vera.

I had vaguely heard of it as an addition to various cosmetic products, but I was completely ignorant of its origin and unconcerned about its actions. I was certainly unaware of its fabled medicinal properties and as a strictly conventional physician I had no interest in any form of complementary or alternative medicine. In fact, I was almost dismissive of claims made by alternative practitioners and felt they largely achieved their 'cures' by way of a placebo effect. So I left it to others to indulge in acupuncture and applied kinesiology – what was that anyway?

Should anyone have told me that within three years of my meeting with a mother, whose son's eczema had totally cleared with an Aloe Vera and Bee Propolis cream, that I would be researching its medicinal uses full time, I would have laughed. But it happened. That meeting was to totally change my medical perspective and in fact to change my life.

At first I couldn't accept that Aloe Vera combined with Bee Propolis (the sticky resinous substance collected from various tree barks and buds by bees with which they line their hives creating a sterile environment) could suppress this atopic or juvenile eczema, where all my moisturisers and steroid creams had not. It was even more upsetting because my special interest in Medicine was dermatology and I thought I knew a bit about it. What was in this stuff? Why did it work? I was already sure it wasn't a placebo effect so my search for a scientific explanation began.

Aloe Vera plant
I began this search by reading everything I could about the plant's history, for by now I at least realised that it was a succulent (Liliaciae Sub species aloinae), a member of the lily and onion family, also related to garlic and asparagus, of which there are more than three hundred varieties but of which only a few had medicinal properties. It is generally accepted that the most potent was Aloe Vera Barbadensis Miller.
The name Aloe Vera or True Aloe probably stems from the Arabic word Alloeh meaning "Shining bitter substance". We still refer to "bitter aloes" describing the laxative drug still listed in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia today. This drug was made from the sap of the plant found under the hard green rind. It contains mainly aloin, chemically an anthraquinone, which has been known since ancient times to possess very powerful purgative action if used neat. Bearing in mind that severe constipation was a very serious problem in those days, it is not surprising that this extract of Aloe Vera was highly prized just for this action.
I discovered that Aloe Vera has been used by mankind for several thousand years and over the centuries there have been many references to Aloe Vera in many cultures: from the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, as well as in the literature of the Indian and Chinese peoples. Several famous physicians such as Pliny the Elder, Dioscorides and Galen, the father of modern medicine, who first described how the circulation worked, all used Aloe Vera as part of their therapeutic armoury.
There are also many romantic tales about it, suggesting that the Egyptian queens Nerfertiti and Cleopatra used it as part of their regular beauty regimes. Supposedly Alexander the Great in 333 B.C. was persuaded by his mentor Aristotle to capture the Island of Socotra in the Indian Ocean for its famed Aloe supplies, needed to treat his wounded soldiers. Aloe is also mentioned in the Bible several times, for example, in St. John's Gospel, but this was in fact, Lignin Aloe, not Aloe Vera. Lignin Aloe is a tree whose scented bark was used for incense as well as an ingredient used in embalming the dead.
The true Aloe has been endowed with such marvellous properties that over the years around the world it has been given many wonderful names such as Burn Plant, Medicine Plant, Wand of Heaven and Plant of Life.
The first reference to Aloe Vera in English was a translation by John Goodyew in A.D. 1655 of Dioscorides' Medical treatise De materia Medica which he wrote in AD 70-90.
Traders first brought Aloe Vera to London in 1693 and by 1843 considerable amounts were being imported to be made up into medicines. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries it remained one of the main popular prescribed and over-the-counter medicines.
Whilst discovering the fascinating history of Aloe Vera I was also experimenting with some Aloe products on myself and my family, and getting some remarkable results. Aloe Vera can be drunk as a nutritional health drink or tonic or it can be applied topically to the skin and scalp as creams and lotions. Like most natural remedies, Aloe works best when used fresh from the plant but it oxidises rapidly when cut and exposed to the air. Unfortunately, it will only grow in warm, fertile areas and its main enemy is frost, so here it must be grown indoors. If one has access to a mature plant then the best way is to cut a leaf off it, fillet out the inner leaf gel and use it directly, but for most of us it is necessary to buy a preserved product. I think the product should remain as near to the natural plant as possible to achieve the correct balance of ingredients and be interfered with as little as possible, so I do not favour products that have either been heat treated, filtered, concentrated or powdered.
When using it at home I saw the phenomenal effect it had as a first aid burn treatment – my wife often burns her hands on the Aga oven because the glove is never where it should be. She was very skeptical at first, but was truly amazed by the rapid pain relief, the speed of healing and the healing without a scar. She never even attempts to find the glove now!! No wonder it is called the burn plant!
I had also discovered that the first really scientific research into Aloe Vera was carried out in the 1930s and 1940s into its effect on X-Ray burns.(1-9)
I started drinking the gel daily and after about ten days noticed that chronic catarrh, a legacy of smoking for 20 years, had cleared up and more importantly I just generally felt much better.
Reassured by experience and my reading which confirmed Aloe Vera as a tried, tested, extremely safe and non toxic remedy, I was prepared to try it out on some selected patients in my practice.
My investigation at that time had shown that Aloe Vera seemed to work in two definite areas, firstly on damaged epithelial tissue and secondly on the immune system. An epithelium is an anatomical term that is defined as "a layer of cells that covers the surface of the body or lines a cavity that connects with it". So the skin, the largest of our body organs, is the largest epithelial tissue. It connects through the mouth with the lining of the gastro-intestinal tract as well as the lining of the nose and sinuses, the lining of the lungs and the genital tract. It is not surprising, therefore, that Aloe Vera will speed up the healing of a burn or some damaged eczematous skin just as well as it will heal a mouth ulcer or even a stomach ulcer or a problem of the bowel lining – all epithelial tissue. It is certainly not a panacea for all ills as, unfortunately, some people suggest. This action on surfaces and membranes rather than on solid organs defines its uses, and where it is appropriate its effect is often dramatic.
Conditions which are caused by a disordered immune system such as asthma and some forms of arthritis also seem to benefit from Aloe Vera. Good results are even reported by sufferers from that ill understood condition M.E. (Myalgic encephalo- myelitis) or Post Viral Fatigue Syndrome. Evidence for improvement in this syndrome is purely anecdotal but recently an equine vet, Peter Green, carried out a trial and showed that Aloe Vera had a remarkable effect in horses suffering from a similar post viral debility. He got a tremendous response and actually was able to demonstrate that the white blood cell count, which is lowered by the illness to almost fatal levels, had returned to normal after Aloe Vera treatment. Unfortunately, there is no similar way of measuring the effect in humans as there is no demonstrable change in the blood picture.
In the U.S., Carrington Laboratories have isolated one of the sugars from Aloe Vera, a long chain polysaccharide which is being trialed with AIDS patients. It has been shown in laboratory testing to be an immunomodulator, i.e. it can both enhance the immune response – very beneficial to AIDS sufferers whose response is very poor; but it would also seem to be able to slow down or retard the response where it is too much. A common example of such a response would be in hayfever, where there is an over-reaction to grass pollens. Carrington Laboratories' product "Carrisyn" is already licensed for the treatment of a viral illness in cats, a form of feline leukaemia. The continuing development of this drug for human use is very exciting.
The response of the immune system to attack by either bacteria, viruses or cancer cells is extremely complex, but part of it involves a system of messenger substances such as the interleukins and tumour necrosis factor called Cytokines. Cytokines activate cells such as neutrophils and lymphocytes to attack their targets. The attack may take the form of antibody production of direct engulfment by the cell – phagocytosis. By orchestrating the response the cytokine system can both enhance and retard activity, hence the polysaccharides in Aloe Vera which affect this system are referred to as immunomodulators.
In order to understand the various ways in which Aloe Vera may work it is necessary to look at the constituents of the plant. There are over 75 known ingredients and they are all contained in about 1% of the plant, the rest being water, so they are obviously present only in small amounts. Their disproportionate action is thought to arise from the synergistic effect of these substances, i.e. they can be likened to working together as a team so that the total effect is greater than would be expected from the combined individual effect of each substance.
When deciding which patients to select for a small pilot study of Aloe Vera in my own practice, my criteria were that a) they either had a disorder of an epithelial tissue, such as a skin problem, or b) an immune problem such as rheumatoid arthritis. I chose patients with chronic conditions that had not responded well to conventional therapy. At my suggestion most were keen to try it, and overall I was immensely impressed to find that I achieved roughly a 70% success rate across the board. Given that I was dealing with some of my most difficult cases I was tremendously encouraged. With the skin conditions I got my best results on atopic or juvenile eczema and confirmed what I had been told by the mother who first introduced me to it. The Aloe Propolis cream produced both a moisturising, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial response. This resulted in softer, less itchy skin and reduced infection. It is infection that usually causes these children's eczema to flare up so I think the addition of bee propolis, a sort of natural antibiotic, is most useful.
Two patients with chronically itchy skin (urticaria) settled down and several adult patients with acne rosacea where the facial skin is constantly red with pustule formation, also noticed a marked improvement with a reduction in their high colour by applying an Aloe Vera gel preparation twice a day. One particular elderly lady in her eighties who developed a traumatic ulcer on her skin was delighted to see it healing virtually on a daily basis over a few weeks, and once healed it was impossible to see where it had been as there was no scarring, a regular feature of Aloe Vera treatment.
Many patients, after treatment with aloe for various skin problems, commented that their skin quality had improved and felt softer and smoother This is not surprising as Aloe Vera has been added to many cosmetic products for many years because of its known rejuvenating action.
It achieves this in several different ways. Firstly the polysaccharides act as moisturisers, hydrating the skin. Secondly, aloe is absorbed into the skin and stimulates the fibroblasts to replicate themselves faster(10,11) and it is these cells that produce the collagen and elastin fibres, so the skin becomes more elastic and less wrinkled. Aloe also makes the surface of the skin smoother because of its cohesive effect on the superficial flaking epidermal cells by sticking them together. It also possesses the ability to interfere with the enzyme that produces melanin deposits in the skin, preventing the formation of 'liver spots' which tend to form in ageing skin. If Aloe Vera is applied regularly and for long enough it will often cause established spots to disappear. The best demonstration of this effect that I have ever seen, was shown by Dr. Ivan Danhof, an American physician who has worked with topical aloe products in the cosmetic industry for 30 years. When testing new creams and lotions, being right handed, he always applied the material with the fingers of his right hand to the back of his left hand in order to test its texture, smell and penetrability. He now declares that he has one old hand and one young hand and indeed the comparison when he puts his hands together to show the backs, side by side, is quite remarkable. One hand is the typical hand of a seventy year old with thinning, wrinkled skin covered in a variety of blemishes, whilst the other, his left hand, is clear and smooth and looks 30 years younger.
Although there is anecdotal evidence to suggest that Aloe Vera helps inflammatory conditions of the gastro intestinal tract such as gastritis, diverticulitis and colitis there is no firm evidence to support this. One paper has looked at Aloe Vera in the treatment of peptic ulcers with good results(12) and one paper by Dr. Jeffrey Bland(13) of the Linus Pauling Institute of Science and Medicine in California studied the results of Aloe Vera on the gastro intestinal tract of normal people. He found that Aloe Vera had several measurable effects. There was a faster movement of food through the bowel with better protein digestion and absorption, an increase in water in the stool made it bulkier, and a normalisation of stool bacteria, where there had previously been high levels of yeasts in some of the subjects. As a result of these findings I decided to look at the effect of Aloe on the Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). This is an extremely common condition affecting probably more than five million people in the U.K. It is the commonest condition seen by the Gastro-enterologists in hospital clinics; yet most people do not even consult their doctor.
The IBS is complex in its make up, and it is acknowledged that there is usually both a physical and a psychological component, resulting from stress. It is called a functional bowel disorder because if the bowel is examined it appears to be perfectly normal in every respect. There is no known cause and no uniformly effective conventional medical treatment. However, it can be extremely debilitating to the sufferers who complain of abdominal pain and bloating or intermittent diarrhoea, sometimes alternating with constipation. Occasionally there is passage of mucous.
The physical disorder is thought to be a dysmotility or alteration in the normal smooth peristaltic movement of the bowel and so it seemed a good subject for Aloe Vera. As I hoped, regular consumption of Aloe Vera gel worked well in the majority of patients who tried it. One female patient was so pleased with her newly controlled bowel that she said "I can go shopping now with confidence – it's great". It is now my first line treatment for IBS.
Unfortunately, in all cases where Aloe Vera suppresses symptoms they return after a few days if the drink is stopped, so taking Aloe Vera in no way results in a permanent cure.
When looking at disorders of the immune system I selected some patients with arthritis, some with asthma and some with M.E. (Post Viral Syndrome). Only about 40-50% of the M.E. patients benefited from drinking the Aloe Vera, but I got a much better response from the arthritis and asthma sufferers.
People with Arthritis, under the influence of Aloe Vera, were able to reduce the number of anti-inflammatory and pain killing tablets to a level where they ceased to get the usual side effects of abdominal pain and indigestion, whereas the asthmatics were able to cut down on their usage of inhalers, including the steroid inhalers. These effects were probably due to Aloe Vera's innate anti-inflammatory effect as well as its effect on the immune system.
For various reasons it is generally not possible in general practice to do proper randomised controlled trials using just one's own patients but I am convinced that there is enough evidence available now to suggest that the properties of this amazing plant should be properly tested, to prove whether or not there is just a myth or real medicine here. I for one, hope to be a part of this exciting field of research over the next few years.

References
1. Collins, C.E., M.D. (1935), Vol 57 No. 6 June, The Radiological Review and Chicago Medical Recorder. Aloe Vera as a Therapeutic Agent in the Treatment of Roentgen and Radium Burns.
2. Collins, C.E. and Collins, C. (1935), Roentgen Dermatitis Treated with Fresh Whole Leaf of Aloe Vera. American Journal of Roentgenology 33, 396-397.
3. Wright, C.S. (1936), Aloe Vera in the Treatment of Roentgen Ulcers and Telangiectasis. Journal of the American Medical Association 106, 1363-1364.
4. Loveman, A.B. (1937), Leaf of Aloe Vera in Treatment of Roentgen Ray Ulcers. Archives of Dermatology and Sphilology 36, 838-843.
5. Cutak, L. (1937), Aloe Vera as a Remedy for Burns. Missouri Botanical Garden Bulletin 25, 169-174.
6. Mandeville, F.B. (1939), Aloe Vera in the Treatment of Radiation Ulcers of Mucous Membranes. Radiology 32, 598-599.
7. Crewe, J.E. (1939), Aloes in the Treatment of Burns and Scalds. Minnesota Medicine 22, 538-539.
8. Rowe, T.D. (1940), Effect of Fresh Aloe Vera Jelly in the Treatment of Third-Degree Roentgen Reactions on White Rats. Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association 29, 348-350.
9. Rowe, T.D., Lovell, B.K. and Parks, L.M. (1941), Further Observations on the Use of Aloe Vera Leaf in the Treatment of Third-Degree X-Ray Reactions. Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association 30, 266-269.
10. Danhof, I.E., McAnally, B.H. (1983), Stabilized Aloe Vera: Effect on Human Skin Cells. Drug. Cosmet. Ind. 133, 52-106
11. Winters, W.D., Benavides, R., Clouse, W.J. (1981), Effects of Aloe Extracts on Human Normal and Tumor Cells In Vitro. Eco. Bot. 35: 89-95.
12. Blitz, J.J., Smith, J.W. and Gerard, J.R. (1963), Aloe Vera Gel in Peptic Ulcer Therapy: Preliminary Report. Journal of the American Osteopathic Association 62: 731-735.
13. Bland, J. Ph.D. (1985), Linus Pauling Institute of Science and Medicine, Palo Alto, C.A., Prevention Magazine, Effect of Orally Consumed Aloe Vera Juice in Gastrointestinal Function in Normal Humans.

The above first appeared in Positive Health issue 20 June/July 1997 and was 1 of 4 articles about Aloe Vera in that issue.