Articles

THERAPEUTICS

Rosemary Chicken Protects Your Brain From Free Radicals
Discovery finds mechanism for the herb’s action in ameliorating neurological conditions such as stroke and Alzheimer’s disease

Burnham Institute for Medical Research - La Jolla, California

October 2007

Rosemary not only tastes good in culinary dishes such as Rosemary chicken and lamb, but scientists have now found it is also good for your brain.

A collaborative group from the Burnham Institute for Medical Research (Burnham Institute) in La Jolla, CA and in Japan, report that the herb rosemary contains an ingredient that fights off free radical damage in the brain.

The active ingredient in rosemary, known as carnosic acid (CA), can protect the brain from stroke and neurodegeneration that is due to injurious chemical free radicals. These radicals are thought to contribute not only to stroke and neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s, but also to the ill effects of normal aging on the brain.

In two expedited publications by The Journal of Neurochemistry and Nature Reviews Neuroscience, the scientists report for the first time that CA activates a novel signaling pathway that protects brain cells from the ravages of free radicals.

In animal models, the scientific group, led by Drs. Takumi Satoh (Iwate University, Japan) and Stuart Lipton (Burnham Institute), found that CA becomes activated by the free radical damage itself, remaining innocuous unless needed, exactly what is wanted in a drug.

The scientists call this type of action a “pathological-activated therapeutic” or PAT drug. A “pat” represents a gentle tap and not the heavy sledge hammer that some drugs produce, including significant side effects in areas of the body where their effects are not needed and not wanted.

“This new type of drug works through a mechanism known as redox chemistry in which electrons are transferred from one molecule to another in order to activate the body’s own defense system,” said Stuart A. Lipton, MD, PhD, the senior author on the paper and Director, Professor, and Senior Vice President at the Burnham’s Del E. Webb Neuroscience, Aging, and Stem Cell Research Center. “Moreover, unlike most new drugs, this type of compound may well be safe and clinically tolerated because it is present in a naturally-occurring herb that is known to get into the brain and has been consumed by people for over a thousand years.”

Dr. Lipton is also a practicing neurologist at the University of California, San Diego, and therefore knows first-hand that such drugs are critically needed for care of the aging and neurologically-ill patients.

Rosemary is a shrubby evergreen bush and, according to folklore, takes its name from the Virgin Mary, who draped her cloak on the bush, placing a white flower on top of the cloak. By the following morning, the flower had turned blue, and thereafter the plant was known as the “Rose of Mary.”

Rosemary, grown in the Alps since the Middle Ages, has became part of European folk medicine, and was thought to help the nervous system and ward off sickness.  Until now, however, the exact chemical pathways involved in its beneficial effects have remained unknown.

Additionally, the new scientific work, identifying the compound in rosemary that is beneficial, should allow even better and more effective drugs in this class to be developed in the near future.  Along these lines, Satoh and Lipton have filed a United States patent application for a whole series of novel compounds that show increased benefits over rosemary itself.

“This is not to say that Rosemary chicken is not good for you,” said Dr. Satoh, “but it means that we can do even better in protecting the brain from terrible disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Lou Gehrig’s disease, perhaps even slowing down the effects of normal aging, by developing new and improved cousins to the active ingredient in rosemary.” The authors hope that such drugs can be developed for people over the next few years.

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Stuart A. Lipton, M.D., Ph.D. is the senior author of the published papers.  His pioneering work developing drugs to protect the brain was recognized with Germany’s Ernst Jung Prize in Medicine in 2004.

Takumi Satoh, M.D., Ph.D. is a Visiting Professor from Japan working on this project at the Burnham.

Along with Lipton and Satoh, co-authors on the paper reporting the mechanism of action of carnosic acid include Kunio Kosaka, Yosuke Shimojo, and Chieko Kitajima (Nagase Company, Kobe, Japan), Ken Itoh (Hirosaki University School of Medicine, Japan),  Akira Kobayashi and Masayuki Yamamoto (Tohoku University Medical School, Japan), Jiankun Cui, Joshua Kamins,  Shu-ichi Okamoto (Burnham Institute for Medical Research), Masanori Izumi, (Iwate University, Japan), and  Takuji Shirasawa (Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Japan).

This research was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health.

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Burnham Institute for Medical Research conducts world-class collaborative research dedicated to finding cures for human disease, improving quality of life, and thus creating a legacy for its employees, partners, donors, and community.

The La Jolla, California campus was established as a nonprofit, public benefit corporation in 1976 and is now home to three major centers: a National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center, the Del E. Webb Center for Neuroscience, Aging, and Stem Cell Research, and the Infectious and Inflammatory Disease Center.

For additional information about Burnham and to learn about ways to support its research:  Visit Burnham at: www.burnham.org

© 2007 Burnham Institute for Medical Research. All rights reserved.

Q & A HEALTH

Lysine beneficial for Shingles?

Richard Harkness, Pharm, CDM, Natural Medicines Specialist

October 2007

QUESTION:  I take lysine tablets for cold sores. Would lysine also work against shingles?

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ANSWER:  Anecdotal reports suggest that lysine may be beneficial against shingles, but the research has focused on cold sores.

Lysine is an essential amino acid that appears to inhibit the growth of the cold sore virus. It decreases outbreaks and reduces the severity and healing time of cold sores. It’s available in tablet and topical (e.g., cream) form.

© 2007 Richard Harkness. All rights reserved.

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Richard Harkness is a consultant pharmacist, natural medicines specialist, and author of eight published books.  Write him at 1224 King Henry Drive, Ocean Springs, MS 39564.

Richard Harkness, Pharm, CDM, Natural Medicines Specialist

Email Richard Harkness at: rharkn@aol.com

BOOK REVIEWS

The Alcoholism and Addiction Cure, A Holistic Approach to Total Recovery

Power Press
336 pages | paperback | $15.95
ISBN: 978-0-943015-44-6

“…excellent book. I heartily recommend it to all, especially to those who have friends who have addictions.”
—William House, www.reversespins.com

The Alcoholism and Addiction Cure reveals the three-step program to total recovery that is the basis of the miraculous success of the Passages Addiction Cure Center in Malibu, California. World-renowned Passages, the most successful substance abuse center, has a cure rate of 84.4%.

The book shows how your thoughts, emotions, and beliefs are key factors in recovery and how you can stimulate your body’s self-healing potential to be forever free of dependency. The Alcoholism and Addiction Cure will show you how to end relapse, end your craving, and end your suffering.

Follow the same successful program used at Passages with the help of health professionals right where you live. Learn the three steps to permanent sobriety, the four causes of dependency, and how to create your own personalized treatment program—one that gets to the real, underlying causes of dependency.

“An excellent resource for anyone dealing with addictions or trying to understand their life. This book contains the information that can start you on the road to recovery.”
—Bernie Siegel, M.D., author of 365 Prescriptions for the Soul and 101 Exercises for the Soul

“Freedom from dependency starts with understanding that alcohol and drugs are not the problems,” says Chris Prentiss, author and co founder of Passages. “They are merely the substances you are using to help yourself cope with your real problems, anything from hypoglycemia or a sluggish thyroid to brain-wave pattern imbalances or deep emotional pain. Once your underlying problems are discovered and cured, your need for drugs and alcohol will disappear—along with your craving.”

Prentiss should know. His son Pax was addicted to heroin, cocaine, and alcohol for ten years. They sought help everywhere, but Pax relapsed again and again. In desperation, they finally created their own holistic, hand-tailored program that was a complete break from all other programs and that combined several effective therapies. It saved Pax’s life. Together, father and son founded Passages to help others find their own freedom. A visionary and an innovator, Chris Prentiss brings new hope to people everywhere who are dependent on drugs and alcohol.

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www.passagesmalibu.com

About the Author
Chris Prentiss is co founder and co director of the Passages Substance Abuse Treatment Center, located in Malibu, California. Prentiss has also led personal empowerment workshops in southern California. The successful principles that evolved from his seminars are foundational to his revolutionary Passages program.

Prentiss is also the author of a dozen books on personal growth and has written, produced, and directed a feature film.

Available at:  www.power-press.com

© 2007 Garden of Healing®. All rights reserved.

COOKING CLASSES

“Vegetarian Fall Menu” with Donna Wolf  |  Poway, CA

25 Oct 07  |  6:00 - 8:30 PM  |  $57

Registered dietitian Donna Wolf presents this cooking class at Healthy Directions of Poway.  www.healthydirectionspoway.com

Reservations: (858) 335-2140

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See all cooking classes:  http://gardenofhealing.net/Articles/cooking-classes/

© 2007 Garden of Healing®.  All rights reserved.

WEB REVIEWS

CHOW, the Web site

By Mark Isaac Thyss, Garden of Healing®

CHOW, found at: www.chow.com is made up of a collection of recipes, articles, message boards, and multimedia features that celebrate food, drink, and fun.

CHOW is located in San Francisco, CA, and this undoubtedly fuels its irreverent yet knowledgeable take on everything food and drink. The online magazine features daily updates, blogs, video, feature articles, and more.

The videos depict various kitchen maneuvers such as trussing a chicken, making a piecrust dough, and opening a bottle of wine. Also includes food and serving-related gift suggestions. Sign up if you want to contribute comments on recipes.

Before founding the magazine CHOW (the print version of the website chow.com), Jane Goldman, Editor in Chief, was editor of The Industry Standard, the record-breaking magazine about business and technology. She’s been a writer or editor for magazines including New York, Wired, Savvy, and Us, and has a degree in law from Stanford, another in film production from NYU, and an abiding interest in food and drink.

Sign up for a free membership which allows you to post comments to blog posts, recipes, and stories, and to manage your myCHOW page.

The editorial content of CHOW is determined entirely by its staff.

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CHOW is a brand of CNET Networks:  www.cnetnetworks.com

CHOW
235 2nd Street, First Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105; (415) 344-2000

www.chow.com

© 2007 Garden of Healing®.  All rights reserved.

HEALING TRADITIONS

Food Therapy - Ancient, and In Vogue

By Mark Isaac Thyss, Garden of Healing®

One of the promising “new” treatments found today, and indeed much in vogue in America, is acupuncture. Yet, it is one of the oldest therapies known to the healing arts. Chinese physicians have been practicing it for at least 2,500 years.

Without a doubt, the oldest Eastern healing traditions are native to China and India, and are rooted in the dominant philosophical systems and ancient religions of those countries - Taoism in China and Hinduism in India.

While in dispute is the time when these practices started, what is not is their long and reliable history.

Acupuncture is considered a wide-spectrum weapon against many of the illnesses that beset humankind, and this fuels it’s popularity. While often hard to understand, it’s acupuncture’s results that are worth investigating.

Once bitten, or piqued, most patients swear by acupuncture’s effectiveness.

Most people think of needles when they ponder an acupuncture treatment, but this healing tradition is not without its foods used for their healing properties, as in Chinese Food therapy.

In China, ginseng has an ancient reputation as a concentration of the vital force, or Chi.

Let us not forget Ginseng’s use by Native Americans.  Aromatic American Ginseng found in the North American woodlands was historically used to treat dozens of medical problems by Native Amercians. 

Chinese Food Therapy is the application of medicinal food dishes, using select food ingredients and herbs, to derive the necessary nutrients to treat health conditions. This knowledge is the product of accumulated generational experience of monitoring and refining recipes for their benefits to health.

Food therapy is a modality of Traditional Chinese Medicine, also known as Chinese Nutrition therapy. It is particularly popular among Cantonese people who enjoy slow-cooked soups. During the Chau dynasty (16 BC), food therapy was established as a specialist field. The state even had food specialists serving the emperor in the imperial court. It was during the Tang dynasty (608-906 AD) that food therapy became popular and the classic books on the subject were published.

Calculating how many plants the Chinese use in healing is difficult. 5000 in number is probably a reasonable place to start. Some of these plants are used whole and some divided into component parts - roots, stems, leaves, even the flowers and seeds. Each part may be used for a different purpose. Locally grown vegetation is deemed to be the most efficacious, many of them grown throughout China’s vast southern provinces. Some are cultivated, but it is said that the best ones grow wild.

Ginseng refers to species within Panax, a genus of 11 species of slow-growing perennial plants with fleshy roots.

Panax species constitute the proverbial panacea, from the Greek, Πανάκεια, Panakeia, meaning “cure-all”.  Panacea was the goddess of cures in Greek mythology.

Panacea was said to have a potion with which she healed the ill, and this brought about the concept of the panacea.

Chinese healers believe some herbs have affinities for certain organs, but this notion is only a starting point for herbal medicine’s complexities.

The most widely used medicinal herb in Asia, if not the world, is ginseng. In the West, we might think ginseng more of a food than an herb, as we most often use it in cooking.

Ginseng is a gnarled root with seemingly limitless benefits, and is now used to treat almost every affliction known to humanity. Indeed, ginseng’s botanical name, Panax pseudoginseng, translates as “remedy for all”.

Throughout Chinese history, health care was not left to the state, but rather the responsibility of every ordinary citizen. People used their own resources to find cures when they became sick, which meant that most people could not afford to be sick. This is why preventive health care is so popular in China.

Four pillars of health - lifestyle, diet, exercise and mind.

Of the four pillars of health - lifestyle, diet, exercise and mind - diet is most important. In the East, food is considered the primary cause of sickness, as well as a starting point for health and healing. Food plays a center role in Chinese culture. Cooking good food for family members is a lifelong profession for most women, and children are brought up with some knowledge of the nature of their everyday foods.

In the East, the patient is not merely a body, but an integral amalgam of body, mind and spirit, all equally important, all interacting constantly - and, at best, harmoniously. In the West, we term this notion “holistic health”.

Ginseng is only one of the many “foods as medicine” brought to us from China and India, and ginseng is an ideal food, or herb, to begin learning about and working with Chinese Food Therapy.

Let us not forget Ginseng’s use by Native Americans.  Aromatic American Ginseng found in the North American woodlands was historically used to treat dozens of medical problems by Native Amercians. 

Ginseng was used both internally and externally to relieve pain and fever, to treat wounds and skin sores, to ease vomiting, and to increase the effectiveness of other remedies.  In this way, Ginseng is not exclusive to Eastern methods of healing.

With upwards of 5000 Chinese plants used for healing, to start with ginseng, it’s only one down and 4999-plus foods to go.

© 2007 Garden of Healing®.  All rights reserved.