Novel discovery may offer improved therapies for inflammatory bowel disease

October 1st, 2009 WASHINGTON - Monash University researchers have found what they call 'microscopic antennas' that play a vital role in kidney repair process. They hope that the new discovery would be a crucial step towards a cure for fatal polycystic kidney disease.

August 27th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A drug developed back in 1940s has a potential to treat some of the most deadly cancers, it has emerged. Scientists from Institute of Cancer Research in London have discovered that methotrexate, a chemotherapy treatment invented in the 1940s, has the potential to work against a genetic fault called HNPCC.

August 24th, 2009 LONDON - A research team led by Indian-origin scientist claims to have identified a cellular molecule that not only helps recognize viruses that cause respiratory problems but also direct cells to produce defensive immune response. Dr Santanu Bose and colleagues have identified a cellular molecule, called NOD2, that detects respiratory viruses and can instruct cells to defend against them.

July 31st, 2009 WASHINGTON - Resveratrol in red wine is known for controlling inflammation and promoting health. However, how the ingredient works was not known to scientists - up till now.

July 24th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Consuming too much of polyunsaturated fat could lead to inflammatory bowel disease, according to a new study. Scientists believe that a high intake of linoleic acid may be implicated in a third of ulcerative colitis cases.

July 23rd, 2009 WASHINGTON - Researchers at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center have found that an overactive response by one of the immune system's key weapons against infection - natural killer, or NK, cells - is linked to the onset of biliary atresia in infants, a disease where blocked bile ducts can cause severe liver damage and death. They also found that blocking a gene that helps NK cells attack bile duct tissues lessens damage and may be a way to treat the most common cause of chronically progressive liver disease in children.

July 8th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Smokers can immediately improve their cardiovascular health by kicking the butt, according to a study. Researchers at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research in Manhasset, NY, say that smoking cessation provides immediate benefits to patients.

June 18th, 2009 LONDON - Two new structures, belonging to the oldest branch of the human immune system, have revealed how it fights invading microbes while avoiding problems of the body attacking itself. Both structures involve a central component of an enzyme important to the complement system of the immune response.

May 16th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A pill used to treat nerve pain has been found effective in treating hot flashes in women, claim Mayo Clinic researchers. They have found that pregabalin decreased hot flash severity and frequency about 20 percent more than did a placebo.

May 14th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Ginseng, a herb used in traditional Chinese medicines and other Asian healing systems, does have anti-inflammatory effects, according to the latest study. In effect, it is like applying ice to a tissue injury.

May 14th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Ginseng, a herb used in traditional Chinese and other Asian medicines, does have anti-inflammatory effects, according to the latest study. In effect, it is like applying ice to a tissue injury.

April 24th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A form of vitamin B1 could become a new and effective treatment for one of the world's leading causes of blindness, according to a discovery. Scientists believe that uveitis, an inflammation of the tissue located just below the outer surface of the eyeball, produces 10 to 15 percent of all cases of blindness in the US, and causes even higher rates of blindness globally.

April 9th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Suffering from constipation? Well, help is on the way - a team of researchers has identified a potential drug target to make it a lot easier to go to the bathroom, especially when all other methods fail. They have discovered a group of nerve ending receptors, which, when stimulated, causes the bowels to pass waste, and the specific receptor needed to activate bowel clearance.

April 9th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Ridding yourself of constipation might be easier now when other methods fail. Researchers have identified nerve endings, which when stimulated cause bowel clearance and the chemicals that act on them.

January 8th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Spirituality may help teens cope with chronic illness, which can make life a living hell. Two recent studies, conducted by Michael Yi and Sian Cotton in University of Cincinnati (UC), investigated how adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may use spirituality to cope with illness.