Medical Breakthroughs, Research, and News

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Novel Plant-Derived Compound May Be Game-Changer for Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis

A plant-derived compound was shown in a recent study to kill strains of tuberculosis that were resistant to existing therapies.

The compound was found in a plant native to North America, and was not only able to suppress dormant TB bacteria from resurfacing but also didn’t damage the gut microbiome.

Tuberculosis is the second-leading killer of humans from an infectious disease worldwide, and has been developing resistance to many of the antibiotics previously used to treat it.

Caused by a species of bacteria that invades the respiratory system called Mycobacterium tuberculosis, it can also affect the heart, brain, and spinal column.

A new study published in the journal Anti-inflammatory Nutraceuticals and Chronic Diseases, found that sanguinarine, a derivative of bloodroot, a wildflower found in North America, could combat multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MRTB) after being genetically modified to reduce its natural toxicity.

TB is treated with multiple medications over a 6-month period, exposing the human organism to substantial weakening. By contrast, the sanguinarine selectively targeted the bacteria responsible for MRTB, leaving harmless and beneficial bacteria intact.

However, in its natural form, sanguinarine is toxic to human cells, so Dr. Jim Sun, senior author and assistant professor at the University of British Columbia’s Department of Microbiology and Immunology, led a team to genetically reduce the toxicity of the phytochemical while increasing its potency as a tuberculosis killer.

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Impressive breakthrough

First Patient to Have Brain Tumor Removed Through Her Eyebrow Leaves Hospital in 2 Days Thanks to Technique

A 75-year-old woman has become the first person in the world to have a brain tumor removed through an eyebrow incision, according to the UK’s National Health Service (NHS).

The new procedure not only slashes the hours needed on the operating table, but patient recovery time, as well.

Doreen Adams underwent the unique procedure after a previous craniotomy to remove the tumor produced an unsuccessful result.

“The difference in the two surgeries is night and day,” reported Adams, who was able to leave the hospital in Scotland two days after the surgery.

The operation was carried out by pioneering NHS surgeon Anastasios Giamouriadis in Grampian, Scotland. He adapted an already existing technique and used it to remove tumor growth, a surgery that leaves patients with only a small scar and a temporary black eye.

The procedure also allows for surgeons to carry out the operation more quickly than a traditional craniotomy, which removes parts of the skull to expose the brain. The new method takes just three hours, compared to the craniotomy’s required 8-10.

“The recovery after the craniotomy was tough. It took a lot of time,” said the Aberdeen woman who was refereed to Dr. Giamouriadis after the surgery unfortunately did not solve the problem.

In contrast, her recovery following the surgery at ARI (the main teaching hospital in Grampian associated with the University of Aberdeen) was “much, much quicker”.

“I was out of hospital two days later and back to my normal life almost immediately.”

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Type 2 Diabetes Patients Who Stick to Low-Carb Diet May Be Able to Stop Taking Medication: Study

People with type 2 diabetes who stick to a low-carb diet may be able to stop taking medication, suggests a new study.

American researchers found low-carbohydrate diets may improve the beta-cell function in patients being treated for the condition, which affects around 34 million Americans and one in 15 people worldwide.

Type 2 diabetes most often develops in people aged 45 or older, but more and more children, teens and young adults are also developing the disease.

The researchers explained that beta-cells are endocrine cells in the pancreas that produce and release insulin, the hormone that controls blood sugar levels.

People with the disease have a compromised beta-cell response to blood sugar, possibly due in part to eating too many carbs. ‘Empty carbs’ are full of sugar and white flour, which have a high glycemic index, which means they cause blood sugar and insulin levels to spike rapidly after eating.

They include refined grains that have been stripped of bran, fiber, and nutrients, such as white bread or bagels, pizza dough, chips, pasta, pastries, white rice, sweet desserts, and many breakfast cereals.

Interesting

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As someone who often struggles to get a good nights sleep, this is intriguing.

Device from MIT Startup Helps People Fall Asleep - Putting Your Mind on 'Do Not Disturb'

A team of MIT graduates has invented a commercial device that will give an alternative to sleeping pills for those who struggle to sleep.

It’s a minimally disruptive headband that looks like something that would be sold at an Apple Store. Technically speaking it’s an electroencephalogram (EEG) that sends audio waves into the brain to better align the brain regions to help the onset of sleep.

In a small study of the effects of the EEG headband, called Elemind, individuals with sleep-onset insomnia were able to fall asleep 10 to 15 minutes faster when wearing the Elemind.

Elemind was founded by David Wang and Ed Boyden—both graduates of MIT, and along with helping people who have trouble sleeping, the method may also be effective for slowing or preventing cognitive decline.

“We wanted to create a nonchemical option for people who wanted to get great sleep without side effects, so you could get all the benefits of natural sleep without the risks,” says Meredith Perry, Elemind’s CEO.

“There’s a number of people that we think would benefit from this device, whether you’re a breastfeeding mom that might not want to take a sleep drug, somebody traveling across time zones that wants to fight jet lag, or someone that simply wants to improve your next-day performance and feel like you have more control over your sleep.”

The founding scientists got their start using transcranial electric stimulation to try and moderate essential tremor syndrome but later moved to a less-regulated, less-explored field: sleep.