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Cannabis-Linked Cell Receptor Might Help Prevent Colon Cancer
The study was published in the Aug. 1 issue of the journal Cancer Research.
A cannabinoid receptor lying on the surface of cells may help suppress colorectal cancer, say U.S. researchers. When the receptor is turned off, tumor growth is switched on. Cannabinoids are compounds related to the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) found in the cannabis plant.
It’s already known that the receptor, CB1, plays a role in relieving pain and nausea, elevating mood and stimulating appetite by serving as a docking station for the cannabinoid group of signaling molecules. This study suggests that CB1 may offer a new path for cancer prevention or treatment.
In the study of human colorectal tumor specimens, the researchers also found that the drug decitabine can restore CB1 expression.In addition, mice those are prone to developing intestinal tumors and also have functioning CB1 receptors developed fewer and smaller tumors when treated with a drug that mimics a cannabinoid receptor ligand, the researchers found. Ligands are molecules that function by binding to specific receptors.
This therapy may help the cancer research team to found out the caner in early stage.
1. www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/01/AR2008080100937.html
2. www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=91511
3. hightimes.com/news/dan/4542
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4. neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread51199.html
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| (−)-(6aR,10aR)-6,6,9-trimethyl- 3-pentyl-6a,7,8,10a-tetrahydro- 6H-benzo[c]chromen-1-ol |
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Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), or more precisely its main isomer (−)-trans-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol ((6aR,10aR)-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), is the principal psychoactive constituent (or cannabinoid) of the cannabis plant. First isolated in 1964, in its pure form, by Israeli scientists Raphael Mechoulam, Yechiel Gaoni and colleagues at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, it is a glassy solid when cold, and becomes viscous and sticky if warmed. A pharmaceutical formulation of (−)-trans-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, known by its INN dronabinol, is available by prescription in the U.S. and Canada under the brand name Marinol. An aromatic terpenoid, THC has a very low solubility in water, but good solubility in most organic solvents, specifically lipids and alcohols.
Like most pharmacologically-active secondary metabolites of plants, THC in cannabis is assumed to be involved in self-defense, perhaps against herbivores. THC also possesses high UV-B (280–315 nm) absorption properties, which, it has been speculated, could protect the plant from harmful UV radiation exposure.
Tetrahydrocannabinol with double bond isomers and their stereoisomers is one of only three cannabinoids scheduled by Convention on Psychotropic Substances (the other two are dimethylheptylpyran and parahexyl). Note that cannabis as a plant is scheduled by Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (Schedule I and IV).
Dr. Reddy’s Announces the Launch of Decitabine for Injection
Decitabine
Hyderabad, India, July 12, 2013 — Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories announced today that it has launched Decitabine for Injection (50mg) a therapeutic equivalent generic version of Dacogen (Decitabine for Injection) in the US market on July 11, 2013, following the approval by the United States Food & Drug Administration (USFDA) of Dr. Reddy’s ANDA for Decitabine for Injection.
The Dacogen brand has U.S. sales of approximately $260 Million MAT for the most recent twelve months ending in July 2013 according to IMS Health*.
Dr. Reddy’s Decitabine for Injection 50 mg is available as a single dose vial.
About Dr. Reddy’s
Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd. (NYSE: RDY) is an integrated global pharmaceutical company, committed to providing affordable and innovative medicines for healthier lives. Through its three businesses – Pharmaceutical Services and Active Ingredients, Global Generics and Proprietary Products – Dr. Reddy’s offers a portfolio of products and services including APIs, custom pharmaceutical services, generics, biosimilars, differentiated formulations and NCEs. Therapeutic focus is on gastro-intestinal, cardiovascular, diabetology, oncology, pain management, anti-infective and pediatrics. Major markets include India, USA, Russia and CIS, Germany, UK, Venezuela, S. Africa, Romania, and New Zealand. For more information, log on to: http://www.drreddys.com.
Dacogen® is a registered trademark used by Eisai Inc. under license from Astex Pharmaceuticals, Inc
Decitabine (trade name Dacogen), or 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine, is a drug for the treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes, a class of conditions where certain blood cells are dysfunctional, and for acute myeloid leukemia (AML).[1] Chemically, it is a cytidine analog.
Decitabine is a hypomethylating agent.[2][3] It hypomethylates DNA by inhibiting DNA methyltransferase.
It functions in a similar manner to azacitidine, although decitabine can only be incorporated into DNA strands while azacitidine can be incorporated into both DNA and RNA chains.
Clinical uses
Decitabine is indicated for the treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) including previously treated and untreated, de novo and secondary MDS of all French-American-British subtypes (refractory anemia, refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts, refractory anemia with excess blasts, refractory anemia with excess blasts in transformation, and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia) and Intermediate-1, Intermediate-2, and High-Risk International Prognostic Scoring System groups. In patients with renal insufficiency, Batty and colleagues reported the first case series on the feasibility of therapy with hypomethylating agents in patients with renal insufficiency.[4]
Chemical synthesis
Decitabine can be synthesized from a benzoyl-protected chlorosugar:[5] 
- “EC Approves Marketing Authorization Of DACOGEN For Acute Myeloid Leukemia”. 2012-09-28. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
- Kantarjian H, Issa JP, Rosenfeld CS, et al. (April 2006). “Decitabine improves patient outcomes in myelodysplastic syndromes: results of a phase III randomized study”. Cancer 106 (8): 1794–803. doi:10.1002/cncr.21792. PMID 16532500.
- Kantarjian HM, O’Brien S, Cortes J, et al. (August 2003). “Results of decitabine (5-aza-2’deoxycytidine) therapy in 130 patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia”. Cancer 98 (3): 522–8. doi:10.1002/cncr.11543. PMID 12879469.
- Ravandi, F.; Cortés, J. E.; O’Brien, S.; Pierce, S.; Garcia-Manero, G.; McCue, D.; Santos, F. P. S.; Jabbour, E. et al. (2010). “Feasibility of Therapy with Hypomethylating Agents in Patients with Renal Insufficiency”. Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma & Leukemia 10 (3): 205–210. doi:10.3816/CLML.2010.n.032. PMID 20511166.
|displayauthors=suggested (help) edit - Piml, J.; Sorm, F. (1964). Coll. Czech. Chem. Commun. 29: 2576.
FDA Approves New Drug Gilotrif for Advanced Lung Cancer
AFATINIB
FRIDAY July 12, 2013 — A new drug to treat advanced lung cancer has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Gilotrif (afatinib) is approved to treat patients with a specific subtype of of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). About 85 percent of lung cancers are NSCLC, making it the most common type of lung cancer.
Gilotrif is approved to treat tumors that carry key deletions on the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene, long a target for lung cancer therapeutics. Mutations in the EGFR gene are thought to occur in about 10 percent of non-small cell lung cancers, and most of those mutations are targeted by Gilotrif, the FDA said.http://www.drugs.com/news/fda-approves-new-gilotrif-advanced-lung-cancer-45917.html
Afatinib (INN; planned trade name Tomtovok, previously Tovok) is a candidate drug against non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), developed by Boehringer Ingelheim. As of July 2012, it is undergoing Phase III clinical trials for this indication and breast cancer, as well as Phase II trials for prostateand head and neck cancer,and a Phase I glioma trial , Afatinib is not a first-line treatment; it is only used after other therapies have failed.
In October 2010 a Phase III trial in NSCLC patients called Lux-Lung 5 began with this drug Fall 2010 interim results suggested the drug extended progression-free survival threefold compared to placebo, but did not extend overall survival.In May 2012, the Phase IIb/III trial Lux-Lung 1 came to the same conclusion.
Phase II results for breast cancer that over-expresses the protein human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her2-positive breast cancer) were described as promising by the authors, with 19 of 41 patients achieving benefit from afatinib. Double-blind Phase III trials are under way to confirm or refute this finding. Her2-negative breast cancers showed limited or no response to the drug
FDA Accepts the Filing of The Medicines Company’s New Drug Application for Intravenous Antiplatelet Agent Cangrelor
We know that, Cangrelor is a P2Y12 inhibitor under investigation as an antiplatelet drug for intravenous application. Some P2Y12 inhibitors are used clinically as effective inhibitors of adenosine diphosphate-mediated platelet activation and aggregation. Unlike clopidogrel (Plavix), which is a prodrug, cangrelor is an active drug not requiring metabolic conversion. Now…
Improve Immunity Through Ayurveda
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Greek Herbs- Fennel (saunf)
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History of Fennel
Ancient Greeks and Indian cultures used fennel for cooking and as part of traditional herbal medicine. The Greeks and Indians traditionally combined fennel with other herbs to make home remedies for the relief of gastrointestinal problems such as acidity and indigestion.
Fennel Composition
The essential oil of fennel contains approximately 5 percent limonene, 50 to 80 percent anethole and 5 percent fenchone. Additionally, the oil contains trace amounts of a-pinene, estragole, b-pinene, safrole, b-myrcene, camphene and p-cymene. The seeds from the fennel plant also contain fiber and complex carbohydrates. Fennel contains nutrients including vitamin B-3, magnesium, molybdenum, copper, phosphorus, iron, calcium, manganese, vitamin C, folate and potassium.
Fennel Uses
As a health supplement, fennel can help to prevent gas, support digestion and function as an expectorant that can help to relieve minor respiratory problems such as mucus. Fennel also contains anti-inflammatory properties when used externally. The leaves from the fennel plant can facilitate the healing of wounds and burns. The root of the fennel plant is diuretic and can help treat urine infections. Fennel also contains a combination of phytonutrients including the flavonoids rutin, quercitin and kaempferol. Fennel also has antioxidant properties and as a dietary fiber, it can help lower your cholesterol levels.
Fennel Supplements
Health supplement manufacturers offer fennel supplements in powdered form. As a supplement, manufacturers recommend taking 1 to 4 g per day of the powdered fennel supplement. The Food and Drug Administration, however, has not established a recommended dose for fennel powder. There are no known side effects of consuming fennel powder supplements, although you should speak with your doctor prior to using fennel powder if you are attempting to treat a specific medical condition.
The bulb, foliage, and seeds of the fennel plant are widely used in many of the culinary traditions of the world. The small flowers of wild fennel (mistakenly known in America as fennel “pollen” ) are the most potent form of fennel, but also the most expensive.Dried fennel seed is an aromatic, anise-flavoured spice, brown or green in colour when fresh, slowly turning a dull grey as the seed ages. For cooking, green seeds are optimal. The leaves are delicately flavoured and similar in shape to those of dill. The bulb is a crisp vegetable that can be sautéed, stewed, braised, grilled, or eaten raw. They are used for garnishes and to add flavor to salads. They are also added to sauces and served with pudding. The leaves used in soups and fish sauce and sometimes eaten raw as salad.
Fennel seeds are sometimes confused with those of anise, which are similar in taste and appearance, though smaller. Fennel is also used as a flavouring in some natural toothpastes. The seeds are used in cookery and sweet desserts.
Many cultures in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran and the Middle East use fennel seed in their cookery. It is one of the most important spices in Kashmiri Pandit and Gujarati cooking. It is an essential ingredient of the Assamese/Bengali/Oriya spice mixture panch phoron and in Chinese five-spice powders. In many parts of India and Pakistan, roasted fennel seeds are consumed as mukhwas, an after-meal digestive and breath freshener. Fennel leaves are used as leafy green vegetables either by themselves or mixed with other vegetables, cooked to be served and consumed as part of a meal, in some parts of India. In Syria and Lebanon, it is used to make a special kind of egg omelette (along with onions, and flour) called ijjeh.
Many egg, fish, and other dishes employ fresh or dried fennel leaves. Florence fennel is a key ingredient in some Italian and German salads, often tossed with chicory and avocado, or it can be braised and served as a warm side dish. It may be blanched or marinated, or cooked in risotto.
In Spain the stems of the fennel plant are used in the preparation of pickled eggplants, “berenjenas de Almagro”.
Medicinal uses
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) essential oil in clear glass vial
Fennel contains anethole, which can explain some of its medical effects: It, or its polymers, act as phytoestrogens.
The essence of fennel can be used as a safe and effective herbal drug for primary dysmenorrhea, but could have lower potency than mefenamic acid at the current study level.
Intestinal tract
Fennel is widely employed as a carminative, both in humans and in veterinary medicine (e.g., dogs), to treat flatulence by encouraging the expulsion of intestinal gas. Anethole is responsible for the carminative action.
Mrs. Eencher Herbal states:
On account of its carminative properties, fennel is chiefly used medicinally with purgatives to allay their side effects, and for this purpose forms one of the ingredients of the well-known compound liquorice powder. Fennel water has properties similar to those of anise and dill water: mixed with sodium bicarbonate and syrup, these waters constitute the domestic ‘gripe water‘ used to correct the flatulence of infants. Volatile oil of fennel has these properties in concentration. Commercial preparations of fennel are widely available as alternative treatment for baby colic. Fennel tea, also employed as a carminative, is made by pouring boiling water on a teaspoonful of bruised fennel seeds.
Fennel can be made into a syrup to treat babies with colic (formerly thought to be due to digestive upset), but long-term ingestion of fennel preparations by babies is a known cause of thelarche.
Eyes
In the Indian subcontinent, fennel seeds are also eaten raw, sometimes with some sweetener, as they are said to improve eyesight. Ancient Romans regarded fennel as the herb of sight.Root extracts were often used in tonics to clear cloudy eyes. Extracts of fennel seed have been shown in animal studies to have a potential use in the treatment of glaucoma.
Blood and urine
Fennel may be an effective diuretic and a potential drug for treatment of hypertension.
Breastmilk
There are historical anecdotes that fennel is a galactagogue,improving the milk supply of a breastfeeding mother. This use, although not supported by direct evidence, is sometimes justified by the fact that fennel is a source of phytoestrogens, which promote growth of breast tissue. However, normal lactation does not involve growth of breast tissue. A single case report of fennel tea ingested by a breastfeeding mother resulted in neurotoxicity for the newborn child.
Other uses
Syrup prepared from fennel juice was formerly given for chronic coughs. It is one of the plants which is said to be disliked by fleas, and powdered fennel has the effect of driving away fleas from kennels and stables.
References
- “Herbs That Work: The Scientific Evidence of Their Healing Powers”; David Armstrong
- “The Encyclopedia of Herbs: A Comprehensive Reference to Herbs of Flavor and Fragrance”; Arthur O. Tucker and Thomas DeBaggio; 2009
- “Pocket Guide to Herbal Remedies”; Lane P. Johnson; 2002
- “Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine”; Michael Murray and Joseph Pizzorno; 1997
seeds
Study links vitamin D deficiency to accelerated bone aging
Robert Ritchie (left) and Hrishikesh Bale used a combination of FTIR spectroscopy and X-ray CT at the Advanced Light Source to find that vitamin D deficiency speeds the aging process of bone and reduces its quality. Photo by Roy Kaltschmidt
A team of scientists led by researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the Univ. of California, Berkeley, have recently used a combination of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray computed tomography at the Advanced Light Source to find that vitamin D deficiency speeds the aging process of bone and reduces its quality.FULL STORY
DRUG DISCOVERY PRESENTATION BY DR ANTHONY CRASTO
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Novartis teams with India’s Biological E for typhoid vaccine development
Novartis teams with India’s Biological E for typhoid vaccine…
| Novartis and Indian biopharma Biological E have entered into a development and licensing agreement to deliver accessible and affordable typhoid and paratyphoid A vaccines to the developing world. Yearly, over 21 million cases and 5 million cases of typhoid and paratyphoid A… read more › |
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DR ANTHONY MELVIN CRASTO
ORGANIC SPECTROSCOPY
New Drug Approvals 