Summary: Aging in humans (and animals) be either an inevitable process of wear and tear or as an inherent biological program by which the lifespan of each species is predetermined. Recent research has shown that DNA methylation, an epigenetic modification which alters how DNA is read and expressed without altering the underlying sequence, can show...
Category: <span>Pharmaceutical Updates</span>
Post
Jet Lag Cure: Could eye drops ease symptoms when travelling long haul
Retinas could be an integral part of how our internal body clock works and a cure for jet lag may be just around the corner. All life forms respond to the daily light-dark changes of day to night and these circadian rhythms are generated by an internal biological clock. This clock is controlled by neurons...
Post
Medical Marijuana and Epilepsy
CONTENT HIGHLIGHTS Medical marijuana is the whole plant of marijuana used for medical purposes. Cannabinoids refer to substances in cannabis that act on cells in the body to cause some effect. The two major ingredients in cannabinoids are: tetrahyrdocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). There is evidence that cannabis can be helpful in controling seizures, especially for...
Post
Frog slime could help fight future flu outbreaks
Skin excretions from a southern Indian frog could have flu-fighting properties Frog mucus might seem like the kind of flu remedy a witch doctor would suggest, but in the future, more respected medical professionals could be prescribing it. Researchers at Emory University have found that certain peptides excreted by frogs can fight off human...
Post
Synthetic sugar against autoimmune diseases
Researchers are working on an innovative approach to treat a rare autoimmune disease of the peripheral nervous system, using a kind of molecular sponge made of sugar to remove pathogenic antibodies from the bloodstream. Developed to treat anti-MAG neuropathy, the approach also has potential applications in the treatment of other autoimmune diseases. Scientists from the...
Post
Nanoparticle nasal spray may offer rapid and safe delivery of drugs to the brain
Traversing the blood-brain barrier is a challenge for drug developers. Now, after testing the method in locusts, a team of engineers shows how an aerosol nasal spray containing Gold nanoparticles may offer non-invasive and rapid way to deliver drugs to the brain. Researchers from the University of Washington in St. Louis (WUSTL), MO describes the...
Post
New approach makes cells resistant to HIV
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have found a way to tether HIV-fighting antibodies to immune cells, creating a cell population resistant to the virus. Their experiments under lab conditions show that these resistant cells can quickly replace diseased cells, potentially curing the disease in a person with HIV. The study is published in...
Post
Potential new treatment to treat and stop progression of cystic fibrosis
Summary: Researchers have discovered a potential new drug to treat and stop the progression of cystic fibrosis. Thymosin alpha 1 (T alpha 1) is a novel therapeutic single molecule-based therapy that not only corrects genetic and tissue defects, but also significantly reduces inflammation seen in cystic fibrosis patients. There are multiple treatments for cystic fibrosis,...
Post
Stanford lab grows cornea cells for transplant
A Standford research team has created a new potential way to fix damaged corneas- on of the major causes of vision problems and blindness. Millions of new eye cells are being grown in a Palo Alto lab, enlisting one of medicine’s most important and promising new tools: refurbishing diseased and damaged tissue with healthy new...
Post
First photo active drug for pain treatment
A team of the Institute of Neurosciences of the University of Barcelona has participated in the design of the first light-activated drug, JF-NP-26, for the treatment of pain, according to a study with animal models published in the journal eLife. The new study is conducted by the teams led by Professor Francisco Ciruela, from the...