May 2, 2015

Stem Cell Therapy As a possible Treatment of ALS

ALS ALS is an acronym that stands for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, it is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. It is rapidly progressive, fatal neurological disease that attacks the nerve cells which are responsible for controlling voluntary muscles actions that we can control the leg, face and arm muscles. ALS is the most common disease of all the diseases in group known as motor neuron diseases, which are characterized by the gradual degeneration and death of motor neurons. These are fatal diseases that have not been very easy to treat.

The motor neurons are very vital communication links between the nervous system and the voluntary muscles of the body that are located in the brain, brain stem, and spinal cord. Messages from motor neurons in the brain are transmitted to motor neurons in the spinal cord and from them to particular muscles. This communication is interrupted by ALS which leads to degeneration of both the upper and the lower motor neurons and thus messages are not sent to muscles. After sometime the malfunctioned muscles will begin to waste away which eventually leading to the brain losing its ability to control voluntary movements.

Symptoms of ALS

ALS in most cases begins subtly and might be assumed but over a time it escalates into more devastating symptoms. some of the earliest symptoms that ALS victims have to endure include fasciculations, cramps, tight and stiff muscles, muscle weakness affecting an arm or a leg, slurred and nasal speech and difficulty chewing or swallowing. The physicians often use these symptoms as suspicion of ALS.

The symptoms will show on the part of the body where the muscle is affected most. however most of the times the symptoms often first show in the arms and hands and they will feel their arms and hands fail them in performing simple tasks such as lifting a spoon, dressing up, unbuckling the belt, writing or even opening a door. Otherwise the symptoms may show with the legs becoming affected leading to tripping and tumbling over. When the symptoms begin with either the arms or the feet, it is known as limb onset ALS but when the symptoms first show as slurred speech it is termed as bulbar onset ALS.

Once the disease has begun either through limb onset or bulbar onset, the muscle atrophy will spread to the rest of the body parts as the disease progresses. Such problems as swallowing, forming words, speaking and even moving will be experienced.

ALS is a serious disease but since now there is no conventional treatment that addresses the damage that is caused, therefore till now there is no cure for ALS and other motor neuron diseases. The only treatment available today for ALS focuses only on relieving the symptoms and improving the quality of life. Drugs that are currently used like Riluzole are not very effective and can never cure the disease.

Can stem cells help in treatment of ALS?

ALS The application of stem cells in treatment of various degenerative diseases has become so popular over a time. With ALS however the cause of muscle atrophy is not even known but still ALS is a degenerative disease and therefore if there is to be a treatment that is effective then it has to focus on correcting the damage on the motor neurons. There are researchers still working to find out what causes ALS and whether the stem cells can be used to treat ALS and other motor neuron diseases. There are different types of stem cells but mesenchymal stem cells have generated a lot of interest in researchers for their ability to heal.

Research on stem cells for treating ALS

The fact that the motor neurons are located in the brain and in the spinal cord make it very complicated to do research on the damaged cells. However there are some researchers who have braved this barrier to find some meaningful findings. A team of scientists at Harvard University in the USA used skin cells from an ALS patient to tackle this menace. The researchers began by first transforming the skin cells into induced pluripotent stem cells lab-grown stem cells that imitate the actions of embryonic stem cells that have the ability to make all the different cells of the body. After growing these stem cells, the researchers then used them to grow motor neurons that had been damaged by ASL. This research was done in 2008.

Using stem cells as a therapy for ALS

The stem cells have the ability to form other cells and tissues of the body hence can be used to replace the damaged cells. They have also been found to be effective in regeneration of cells and hence are very useful in treatment of degenerative medicine. However there has been a thought that just transplanting lab grown stem cells may not help a great deal in healing those suffering from ALS. It is thought that there are a lot of factors that cause ALS, the transplanted stem cells may also be damaged. However there is still need for research in this area to unearth the possibility of the stem cells to treat the ALS.

Finally, Degenerative diseases have debilitated many people but it is treatable. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is an expert in integrative medicine and a founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Center located at Myrtle Beach South Caroline. Visit her for more information on most lifestyle diseases.

Stem Cell Therapy As a possible Treatment of ALS

Gut Inflammation and Cytokines

January 9, 2015

Gut Inflammation

The digestive system plays a major role in food digestion as well as absorption of nutrients into the blood stream. It is important for the overall functioning of the body. When the digestive system is not working properly it can lead to development of gastrointestinal diseases and illnesses.

The bowel wall can be destroyed by conditions such as Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel diseases and ulcerative colitis. The conditions lead to poor absorption of nutrients, weight loss, abdominal pains, rectal bleeding among others. To correct the situation a patient is required to undergo surgery in most cases.

Cytokines

They are chemical messenger that act as signals for the immune system and neuromodulators. Cytokines can be either anti-inflammatory or pro-inflammatory. An imbalance in cytokines cause autoimmune disorders.

Cytokines are in form of proteins as well as glycoproteins that regulate immune functions and inflammation. They enhance the growth of cells as well as their differentiation and death.

Homeostasis in the intestines highly depends on the ability of the immune system of the intestines to withstand micro flora while at the same time providing protection against bacterial invasion. Normally, the dendritic cells of the gut induce T-cells differentiation.

Gut Inflammation

T-cells produce secretions that enhance suppression of cytokines that in turn prevent abnormal immune responses. Pathogens enhance a response that triggers activation of immune cells and this ends up causing inflammation.

Inflammatory cytokines like IL-1ß, IL-2, IL-6, IL-15, IL-21 and TNFa stimulate T-cells that are cytotoxic. These are the ones that attack the gut mucosa. The mucosa is the lining of the small intestines. When cytokines attack the mucosa it can lead to conditions such as inflammatory bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease. It can also lead to leaky gut syndrome.

The small intestines are useful not only in food digestion but absorption of nutrients from the digested food into the blood stream. When the small intestines re affected the digestive and nutrition functions are affected too.

Some immune system aspects aid in the suppression of inflammation aspects and thereby inhibiting destruction of tissues that is caused by active T-cells. This is made possible by T regulatory cells that work to counterbalance the active T-cells that attack the mucosa. T regulatory cells reduce the risks of getting immune diseases that end up attacking the tissues of the body like Crohn’s disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

Natural Compounds That Target Pro-inflammatory Cytokines

Besides the T-regulatory cells, there are several natural compounds that can also work to suppress the cytokines that cause gut inflammation.

Curcumin: studies have shown that curcumin acts as an agent of anti-inflammation. Curcumin works by targeting a number of cytokines that are responsible for gut inflammation. These cytokines include among others IL-1, IL-2, IL-6, IL-21 and TNFα. Curcumin combines with cyclosporine to bring about this effect.

Fish Oil: it contains properties of anti-inflammation. These properties have been shown to have the ability of suppressing cytokine that cause inflammation like IL-1, IL-2, IL-6, IL-15 and TNFα. The Omega-3 property in fish oil is responsible for this.

Studies have shown that Omega-3 suppresses these inflammatory cytokines that lead to gut inflammation. In addition to this, fish oil stimulates the body to produce anti-inflammatory cytokines that enhances a decrease of cytotoxic T-cells.

Resveratrol: just like the other natural compounds, resveratrol works by suppressing inflammation causing cytokines. Such cytokine include; IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6 and TNFa. It works by reducing the ability of the T-cells to reach the gut mucosa. This thereby inhibits gut inflammation.

Trans-Resveratrol: it is used to reduce the activation of T-cells in the body. This is by suppressing cytokines involved in activating inflammation agents.

Tea Polyphenols: both black and green tea contains compounds that have been shown to act as strong agents of anti-inflammation. The compound in the tea inhibits the activations of cytokines such as IL-1β, Il-2, IL-6 and TNFα which cause inflammation of the gut.

inflammation

Quercetin: this natural compound is found in things like onions, citrus fruits, apples and grapes. The compound inhibits the activation of inflammatory cytokines like IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-15 and TNFα.

Vitamin D3: Vitamin D3 works as an anti-inflammatory compound when it comes to gut inflammation. It has been shown to control inflammatory toxics like IL-1β, IL-6 and TNFα which affect the mucosa causing inflammation.

High Proanthocyanidin Grape Seed Extract: grape seed contain a certain compound that is used to reduce the level of Th17 in the body. It also controls immune responses that tend to be aggressive in nature. It controls the differentiation of active T-cells serving as an autoimmune disease and inflammatory agent.

N-Acetyl Cysteine: this compound when combined with vitamin B lowers the levels of homocysteine thus improving the functioning of endothelial. It also works by suppressing the active inflammatory cytokines like TNFα in patients who receive lung transplants. TNFa makes a patient’s body reject transplants but in combination with vitamin B this is no longer a problem.

Contact Dr. Dalal Akoury today, for more information about gut inflammation. For more wellness and awareness tips just visit www.awaremednetwork.com today. AwareMed is the place to be to find any information about health.