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What are the benefits of eucalyptus?

Thursday 26 September 2013 - 12am PST

Nutrition / Diet Complementary Medicine / Alternative Medicine

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Eucalyptus is a fast growing evergreen tree native to Australia. There are over 400 different species of the tree.Eucalyptus Globulus (also known as Blue Gum) is the main source of global eucalyptus oil production. Eucalyptus oil comes from the dried leaves of the eucalyptus tree. The oil is a colorless liquid with a strong woody and sweet scent. Eucalyptus leaves are steam-distilled to extract the oil. Eucalyptus oil contains 70-85% 1,8-cineole (eucalyptol) - an ingredient in some mouthwash and dental preparations. The oil has multiple different uses.

It is often a key ingredient in perfumes and cosmetics because of its unique fresh and clean aroma, and also as a dental or industrial solvent.

Eucalyptus Globulus leaves

In addition to being used for its aroma, eucalyptus oil also has flavoring, pharmaceutical, and antiseptic uses. Eucalyptus oil may also have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties people use eucalyptus oil to help treat a wide range of medical conditions. It is used to help relieve symptoms of the common cold and is found in many cough lozenges and inhalants. Eucalyptus oil vapor acts as a decongestant when it is inhaled and is used to treat bronchitis. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, eucalyptus oil was used in traditional Aboriginal medicines for treating fungal infections and skin wounds. Eucalyptus tea was also administered to reduce fevers. Eucalyptus is used for a range of medical conditions in traditional Chinese and Indian medicine. Towards the end of the 19th century, eucalyptus oil was used in most hospitals in England to clean urinary catheters.

It is also an effective insect repellent. In 1948, the U.S. officially registered eucalyptus oil as an insecticide and miticide (kills mites and ticks).

Medicinal uses and health benefits of eucalyptus

Antibacterial properties -One study, published in Clinical Microbiology & Infection found that eucalyptus oil may have antibacterial effects on pathogenic bacteria in the upper respiratory tract. However, results of the research "suggest that further studies to clarify the possible therapeutic role of E. globulus leaf extract in the treatment of respiratory tract infection are warranted." Relieving pain - there is research to indicate that eucalyptus oil has analgesic properties. A study published in the American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation involved applying Eucalyptamint on the anterior forearm skin of 10 different subjects. The authors of the study concluded that "Eucalyptamint, produced significant physiologic responses that may be beneficial for pain relief and/or useful to athletes as a passive form of warm-up." Promoting good dental health -eucalyptus has antibacterial activity against cariogenic (causing tooth decay) and periodontopathic bacteria. The use of eucalyptus extract chewing gum may promote periodontal health, according to a study published in the Journal of Periodontology which examined the effect of chewing-gum containing eucalyptus extract on periodontal health.

A bottle of eucalyptus oil prepared for medicinal use.

Stimulating immune system response - eucalyptus oil extract is able to implement the innate cellmediated immune response, according to a study titled "Stimulatory effect of Eucalyptus essential oil on innate cell-mediated immune response" which was published in BMC Immunology. Other possible conditions that eucalyptus can treat include:

Arthritis A stuffed nose Wounds and burns Acne Ulcers Bladder diseases Diabetes Fever Flu

Precautions and side effects

It is unsafe to take eucalyptus oil orally or when it's applied on the skin before being diluted. Side effects may include:

Diarrhea Nausea Vomiting Stomach upset

Signs of eucalyptus poisoning:

Dizziness Feelings of suffocation Small pupils

Written by Joseph Nordqvist Copyright: Medical News Today Not to be reproduced without the permission of Medical News Today.

Welcome to the MNT Knowledge Center, your source for our most detailed content on specific conditions and subjects. Click through to Knowledge Center Home to read more.

What are the benefits of ginger?

Wednesday 11 September 2013 - 12am PST

Complementary Medicine / Alternative Medicine Nutrition / Diet

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Ginger is an herb that is used as a spice and also for its therapeutic qualities. The underground stem (rhizome) can be used fresh, powdered, dried, or as an oil or juice. Ginger is part of the Zingiberaceae family, as are cardamom, turmeric and galangal. This MNT Knowledge Center feature is part of a collection of articles on the health benefits of popular foods. It highlights the history of ginger, its therapeutic benefits, and some important precautions you should be aware of before taking the herb. According to the National Library of Medicine , part of the NIH (National Institutes of Health),
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ginger is widely used throughout the world for treating loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting after surgery, nausea resulting from cancertreatment, flatulence, stomach upset, colic, morning sicknessand motion sickness. Some people find ginger helps them with the symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection, bronchitis, cough, menstrual cramps, arthritis and muscle pain. In some parts of the world, ginger juice is applied to the skin to treat burns. Ginger is also used as a flavoring by the food and drinks industry, as a spice and flavoring in cooking, and for fragrance in soaps and cosmetics. Ginger contains a chemical that is used as an ingredient in antacid, laxative and anti-gas medications. According to Kew Gardens , England's horticultural royal center of excellence, ginger has a long
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history of usage in South Asia, both in fresh and dried form.

History of ginger

Fresh ginger rhizome (subterranean stem)

The University of Maryland Medical Center writes that ginger has been used in China for over
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2,000 years to help digestion and treat diarrhea, nausea and stomach upsets. The Mahabharata (circa 4th century BC), one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India, describes a stewed meat meal which includes ginger. Ginger has also been a key plant in Ayurvedic medicine, a system of traditional medicine native to the Indian subcontinent. Approximately 2000 years ago, ginger was exported from India to the Roman empire, where it became valued for its therapeutic as well as culinary properties. Ginger continued to be traded in Europe after the fall of the Roman empire, where its supply was controlled by Arab traders for hundreds of years. During medieval times it became a popular ingredient in sweets. During the 13th and 14th centuries ginger and black pepper were commonly traded spices. By the sixteenth century one pound in weight of ginger in England would cost the equivalent of one sheep.

What are the therapeutic benefits of ginger?

Below are examples of some scientific studies on ginger and its current or potential uses in medical treatment.

Inflammation of the colon

A study carried out at the University of Michigan Medical School found that Ginger Root Supplement administered to volunteer participants reduced inflammation markers in the colon within a month. The study was published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research. Experts say that inflammation of the colon is a precursor to colon cancer. Co-researcher Suzanna M. Zick, N.D., M.P.H., explained that by reducing inflammation in the colon a person reduces their risk of developing colon cancer. Zick said "We need to apply the same rigor to the sorts of questions about the effect of ginger root that we apply to other clinical trial research. Interest in this is only going to increase as people look for ways to prevent cancer that are nontoxic, and improve their quality of life in a cost-effective way."

Muscle pain caused by exercise

A study involving 74 volunteers carried out at the University of Georgia found that daily ginger supplementation reduced exercise-induced muscle pain by 25%. Patrick O'Connor, a professor in the College of Education's department of kinesiology, and colleagues carried out two studies on the effects of 11 days of raw and heat-treated ginger supplementation on exercise-induced muscle pain. The volunteers consumed the ginger supplements for 11 consecutive days. On the 8th day they performed 18 extensions of the elbow flexors with a heavy weight. The aim was to induce moderate muscle injury to the arm. Each participant's arm function, inflammation, and pain levels were assessed before exercise and three days afterwards. The researchers noted that the pain-reducing effect was not enhanced by heat-treating the ginger. The study was published in The Journal of Pain.

Nausea caused by chemotherapy

Ginger supplements administered alongside anti-vomiting medications can reduce chemotherapy-induced nausea symptoms by 40%, a PhaseII/III study carried out at the University of Rochester Medical Center found. Lead researcher, Dr Julie Ryan, presented the study findings at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in Orlando, Florida, in 2009.

Dr. Ryan explained that about 70% of cancer patients who receive chemotherapy experience nausea and vomiting. The vomiting is usually easy to control with effective medications. However, the nausea tends to linger. Dr. Ryan said "By taking the ginger prior to chemotherapy treatment, the National Cancer Institutefunded study suggests its earlier absorption into the body may have anti-inflammatory properties."

Ovarian cancer
A study found that exposing ovarian cancer cells to a solution of ginger powder resulted in their death in every single test. The cancer cells either died as a result of apoptosis (they committed suicide) or autophagy (they digested/attacked themselves). The researchers, from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center added that the ginger solution also prevented the cancer cells from building up resistance to cancer treatment. The study findings were presented at the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting in Washington D.C., 2006.

Asthma symptoms
A team at Columbia University carried out a study to determine what effects adding specific components of ginger to asthma medications might have on asthma symptoms. Team leader, Elizabeth Townsend, PhD, explained "In our study, we demonstrated that purified components of ginger can work synergistically with -agonists to relax ASM (airway smooth muscle)." The scientists took ASM tissue samples and exposed them to acetylcholine, a compound that causes bronchoconstriction (narrowing of the airways). They then mixed the -agonist isoproterenol (asthma medication) with three different components of ginger:

6-gingerol 8-gingerol 6-shogaol

Contracted ASM tissue samples were exposed to each of the three mixtures as well as isoproterenol on its own.

The team found that ASM tissues exposed to isoproterenol combined with the purified ginger components exhibited greater relaxation than those treated with just isoproterenol. Ginger component 6-shogaol had the greatest impact in enhancing the effects of isoproterenol. Dr. Townsend said "Taken together, these data show that ginger constituents 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol and 6-shogaol act synergistically with the -agonist in relaxing ASM, indicating that these compounds may provide additional relief of asthma symptoms when used in combination with agonists. By understanding the mechanisms by which these ginger compounds affect the airway, we can explore the use of these therapeutics in alleviating asthma symptoms." The study findings were presented at the American Thoracic Society International Conference 2013 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Liver damage caused by acetaminophen

Acetaminophen, known more commonly as "Tylenol" in the USA and "paracetamol" elsewhere, is a popular painkiller and antipyretic (reduces fever). However, acetaminophen is also associated with a higher risk of chemically-driven liver damage (hepatotoxicity), especially among patients with liver disorders. Scientists at the National Research Centre in Egypt wanted to determine whether ginger pretreatment might reduce the incidence of acetaminophen-induced liver damage in rats. The researchers wrote in the Journal of Dietary Supplements "Our results demonstrated that
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ginger can prevent hepatic injuries, alleviating oxidative stress in a manner comparable to that of vitamin E. Combination therapy of ginger and acetaminophen is recommended especially in cases with hepatic (liver) disorders or when high doses of acetaminophen are required."

High blood pressure (hypertension)

A study reported in the journal Pharmaceutical Biology found that cassumunar ginger extract was
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more effective than prazosin hydrochloride in reducing blood pressure in hypertensive laboratory rats. The researchers, from Chiang Mai University in Thailand wrote "The cassumunar ginger extract exhibited the maximum decrease of mean arterial blood pressure at 39.833.92%, which was 3.54times that of prazosin hydrochloride."

Dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation)

Ginger can help reduce the symptoms of pain in primary dysmenorrhea (period pains), researchers from the Islamic Azad University in Iran reported in the Journal of Pakistan Medical Association .
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Seventy female students were divided into two groups:

The ginger group - they took capsules containing ginger The placebo group - participants took capsules containing placebo

The participants took their capsules for three days at the beginning of their menstruation cycles. The researchers found that the 82.85% of the women taking the ginger capsules reported improvements in pain symptoms compared to 47.05% of those on placebo.

Migraines
A study performed at the VALI-e-ASR Hospital in Iran and published in the journal Phytotherapy Research found that ginger powder is as effective in treating common migraine symptoms as
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sumatriptan. Sumatriptan is a common medication for migraine treatment (Imitrex, Treximet, Imigran, Imigran). The double-blind, randomized clinical trial involved 100 participants. They all suffered form acute migraine without aura. They were randomly selected to receive either sumatriptan or ginger powder. The study authors concluded "Efficacy of ginger powder and sumatriptan were similar. Clinical adverse effects of ginger powder were less than sumatriptan. Patients' satisfaction and willingness to continue did not differ. The effectiveness of ginger powder in the treatment of common migraine attacks is statistically comparable to sumatriptan. Ginger also poses a better side effect profile than sumatriptan."

Precautions
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center , the use of herbs can interact with other
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herbs or medications. Therefore it's important to talk to your doctor before taking ginger. You should not take ginger if you suffer from a bleeding disorder or take blood-thinning medications (such as warfarin or aspirin). Side effects of consuming ginger are rare, but may include:

Diarrhea Heartburn Stomach upset

Mouth irritation

Written by Christian Nordqvist Copyright: Medical News Today Not to be reproduced without the permission of Medical News Today.

Welcome to the MNT Knowledge Center, your source for our most detailed content on specific conditions and subjects. Click through to Knowledge Center Home to read more.

What are the benefits of garlic?

Monday 9 September 2013 - 12am PST

Nutrition / Diet Complementary Medicine / Alternative Medicine

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Garlic (Allium sativum), an herb used widely as a flavoring in cooking, has also been used as a medicine throughout ancient and modern history to prevent and treat a wide range of conditions and diseases. Garlic belongs to the onion genus Allium, and is closely related to the onion, rakkyo, chive, leek, and shallot. It has been used by humans for thousands of years and was used in Ancient Egypt for both culinary purposes and its therapeutic benefits. This MNT Knowledge Center feature is part of a collection of articles on the health benefits of popular foods. It provides a brief history of garlic being used in food and medicine and also highlights its potential therapeutic properties.

Garlic for food and medicine - a brief history

Garlic has been used all over the world for thousands of years. Records indicate that garlic was in use when the Giza pyramids were built, about five thousand years ago. Richard S. Rivlin wrote in the Journal of Nutrition that the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates
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(circa. 460-370 BC), known today as "the father of Western medicine", prescribed garlic for a wide range of conditions and illnesses. Hippocrates promoted the use of garlic for treating respiratory problems, parasites, poor digestion and fatigue. The original Olympic athletes in Ancient Greece were given garlic - possibly the earliest example of "performance enhancing" agents used in sports.

Hippocrates promoted the therapeutic benefits of garlic

From Ancient Egypt garlic spread to the advanced ancient civilizations of the Indus Valley (Pakistan and western India today). From there it made its way to China. According to experts at Kew Gardens , England's royal botanical center of excellence, the people of
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ancient India valued the therapeutic properties of garlic and also thought it to be an aphrodisiac. The upper classes avoided garlic because they despised its strong odor, while monks, "...widows, adolescents and those who had taken up a vow or were fasting could not eat garlic because of its stimulant quality". Throughout history in the Middle East, East Asia and Nepal, garlic has been used to treat bronchitis, hypertension (high blood pressure), TB (tuberculosis), liver disorders, dysentery,flatulence, colic, intestinal worms, rheumatism, diabetes, andfevers. The French, Spanish and Portuguese introduced garlic to the New World. Rivlin found it interesting that several cultures in history that were never in contact with one another had similar conclusions regarding the therapeutic benefits of garlic.

Garlic is used widely today for its therapeutic properties

According to the National Library of Medicine , part of the NIH (National Institutes of Health), USA,
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garlic is widely used for several conditions linked to the blood system and heart,

including atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), high cholesterol, heart attack, coronary heart disease and hypertension.

A bulb of garlic and a peeled garlic clove

Garlic is also used today by some people for the prevention oflung cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, stomach cancer, rectal cancer, and colon cancer. The NIH adds "Some of these uses are supported by science." A study published in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology warned that short-term heating
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reduces the anti-inflammatory effects of fresh raw garlic extracts. This may be a problem for some people who do not like or cannot tolerate the taste and/or odor of fresh garlic. Ask your pharmacist for garlic supplements or oil which have not been exposed to too much heat.

Scientific studies on the therapeutic benefits of garlic

What is the difference between scientific and anecdotal evidence? Anecdotal evidence refers to a person's personal experience - like the evidence from a witness. This type of evidence is crucial in a court of law when somebody (a witness) saw something happen with their own eyes. In medicine, however, anecdotal evidence, when compared to scientific evidence, is not compelling enough. If I cross the road with my eyes closed and so does a friend of mine, and we do not get run over, it would be irresponsible to tell everybody around us, including our children that crossing the street with your eyes closed is safe. A scientific study using thousands of participants, comparing crossers with their eyes closed against others with their eyes open, would soon show that crossing the street with your eyes closed is extremely dangerous. Below are examples of some scientific studies published in peer-reviewed academic journals about the therapeutic benefits (or not) of garlic.

Lung cancer risk

People who ate raw garlic at least twice a week had a 44% lower risk of developing lung cancer, according to a study carried out at the Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention in China. The researchers, who published their study in the journal Cancer Prevention Research, had carried out face-to-face interviews with 1,424 lung cancer patients as well as 4,543 healthy individuals. They were asked about their diet and lifestyle habits, which included questions on their smoking habits and how often they ate garlic. The study authors wrote "Protective association between intake of raw garlic and lung cancer has been observed with a dose-response pattern, suggesting that garlic may potentially serve as a chemo-preventive agent for lung cancer."

Brain cancer
Organo-sulfur compounds found in garlic have been identified as effective in destroying the cells in glioblastomas, a type of deadly brain tumor. Scientists at the Medical University of South Carolina reported in the journal Cancer that three pure organo-sulfur compounds from garlic - DAS, DADS and DATS - "demonstrated efficacy in eradicating brain cancer cells, but DATS proved to be the most effective". Co-author, Ray Swapan, Ph.D., said "This research highlights the great promise of plant-originated compounds as natural medicine for controlling the malignant growth of human brain tumor cells," Ray said. "More studies are needed in animal models of brain tumors before application of this therapeutic strategy to brain tumor patients."

Hip osteoarthritis
Women whose diets were rich in allium vegetables had lower levels of osteoarthritis, a team at King's College London and the University of East Anglia, both in England, reported in the journal BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. Examples of allium vegetables include garlic, leeks, shallots, onions and rakkyo. The study authors said their findings not only highlighted the possible impact of diet on osteoarthritis outcomes, but also demonstrated the potential for using compounds that exist in garlic to develop treatments for the condition. The long-term study, involving more than 1,000 healthy female twins, found that those whose dietary habits included plenty of fruit and vegetables, "particularly alliums such as garlic", had fewer signs of early osteoarthritis in the hip joint.

Potentially a powerful antibiotic

Diallyl sulfide, a compound in garlic, was 100 times more effective than two popular antibiotics in fighting the Campylobacter bacterium, according to a study published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. The Campylobacter bacterium is one of the most common causes of intestinal infections. Senior author, Dr. Xiaonan Lu, from Washington State University, said "This work is very exciting to me because it shows that this compound has the potential to reduce disease-causing bacteria in the environment and in our food supply."

Heart protection
Diallyl trisulfide, a component of garlic oil, helps protect the heart during cardiac surgery and after a heart attack, researchers at Emory University School of Medicine found. They also believe diallyl trisulfide could be used as a treatment for heart failure. Hydrogen sulfide gas has been shown to protect the heart from damage. However, it is a volatile compound and difficult to deliver as therapy. Hence, the scientists decided to focus on diallyl trisulfide, a garlic oil component, as a safer way to deliver the benefits of hydrogen sulfide to the heart. In animal experiments using laboratory mice, the team found that after a heart attack the mice that had received diallyl sulfide had 61% less heart damage in an area of risk, compared to the untreated mice. The team presented their findings at the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions conference in Orlando, Florida in November, 2011. In another study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, scientists found that garlic oil may help protect diabetes patients from cardiomyopathy. Cardiomyopathy is the leading cause of death among diabetes patients. It is a chronic disease of the myocardium (heart muscle), which is abnormally thickened, enlarged and/or stiffened. The team fed diabetic laboratory rats either garlic oil or corn oil. Those fed the garlic oil experienced significantly more changes associated with protection against heart damage, compared to the corn oil fed animals. The study authors wrote "In conclusion, garlic oil possesses significant potential for protecting hearts from diabetes-induced cardiomyopathy."

Human studies will need to be performed to determine whether they confirm the results of this study.

High cholesterol and high blood pressure

Researchers at Ankara university set out to determine what the effects of garlic extract supplementation might be on the blood lipid (fat) profile of patients with high blood cholesterol. Their study was published in theJournal of Nutritional Biochemistry .
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The study involved 23 volunteers, all with high cholesterol; 13 of them also had high blood pressure. They were divided into two groups:

The high-cholesterol normotensive group (normal blood pressure) The high-cholesterol hypertensive group (high blood pressure)

They took garlic extract supplements for four months and were regularly checked for blood lipid parameters, as well as kidney and liver function. At the end of the four months the researchers concluded "...garlic extract supplementation improves blood lipid profile, strengthens blood antioxidant potential, and causes significant reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressures. It also leads to a decrease in the level of oxidation product (MDA) in the blood samples, which demonstrates reduced oxidation reactions in the body." In other words, the garlic extract supplements reduced high cholesterol levels, and also blood pressure in the patients with hypertension. The scientists added that theirs was a small study - a larger one needs to be carried out.

Prostate cancer
Doctors at the Department of Urology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China, carried out a study evaluating the relationship between Allium vegetable consumption and prostate cancer risk. They gathered and analyzed published studies up to May 2013 and reported their findings in the Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention .
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The study authors wrote "Allium vegetables, especially garlic intake, are related to a decreased risk of prostate cancer". The team also commented that as there were not that many studies, they recommend further welldesigned prospective studies be carried out to confirm their findings.

Alcohol-induced liver injury

Alcohol-induced liver injury (ethanol-induced liver injury) is caused by the long-term overconsumption of alcoholic beverages. Scientists at the Institute of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Shandong University, China, wanted to determine whether diallyl disulfide (DADS), a garlic-derived organosulfur compound, might have protective effects against ethanol-induced oxidative stress. Their study was published in Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) .
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The researchers concluded that DADS may help protect against ethanol-induced liver injury.

Preterm (premature) delivery

Microbial infections during pregnancy raise a woman's risk of preterm delivery, several studies have demonstrated. Scientists at the Division of Epidemiology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, wanted to find out what impact foods might have on antimicrobial infections and preterm delivery risk. The study and its findings were published in the Journal of Nutrition .
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Ronny Myhre and colleagues concentrated on the effects of Alliums and dried fruits, because a literature search had identified these two foods as showing the greatest promise for reducing preterm delivery risk. The team investigated the intake of dried fruit and Alliums among 18,888 women in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort, of whom 5% (950) underwent spontaneous PTD (preterm delivery). The study authors concluded "Intake of food with antimicrobial and prebiotic compounds may be of importance to reduce the risk of spontaneous PTD. In particular, garlic was associated with overall lower risk of spontaneous PTD."

The common cold

Julia Fashner, MD; Kevin Ericson, MD; and Sarah Werner, DO, at St. Joseph Family Medicine Residency, Mishawaka, Indiana, carried out a study titled "Treatment of the Common Cold in Children and Adults", published in American Family Physician .
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They reported that "Prophylactic use of garlic may decrease the frequency of colds in adults, but has no effect on duration of symptoms." Prophylactic use means using it with the intention of preventing disease.