Posted on 10/29/2009 10:30:41 AM PDT by Pharmboy
New research in the FASEB Journal opens the door for new drugs that could prevent severe flu-related lung damage As the nation copes with a shortage of vaccines for H1N1 influenza, a team of Alabama researchers have raised hopes that they have found an Achilles' heel for all strains of the flu—antioxidants. In an article appearing in the November 2009 print issue of the FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org) they show that antioxidants—the same substances found in plant-based foods—might hold the key in preventing the flu virus from wreaking havoc on our lungs.
"The recent outbreak of H1N1 influenza and the rapid spread of this strain across the world highlights the need to better understand how this virus damages the lungs and to find new treatments," said Sadis Matalon, co-author of the study. "Additionally, our research shows that antioxidants may prove beneficial in the treatment of flu."
Matalon and colleagues showed that the flu virus damages our lungs through its "M2 protein," which attacks the cells that line the inner surfaces of our lungs (epithelial cells). Specifically, the M2 protein disrupts lung epithelial cells' ability to remove liquid from inside of our lungs, setting the stage for pneumonia and other lung problems. The researchers made this discovery by conducting three sets of experiments using the M2 protein and the lung protein they damage. First, frog eggs were injected with the lung protein alone to measure its function. Second, researchers injected frog eggs with both the M2 protein and the lung protein and found that the function of the lung protein was significantly decreased. Using molecular biology techniques, scientists isolated the segment of the M2 protein responsible for the damage to the lung protein. Then they demonstrated that without this segment, the protein was unable to cause damage. Third, the full M2 protein (with the "offending" segment intact) and the lung protein were then re-injected into the frog eggs along with drugs known to remove oxidants. This too prevented the M2 protein from causing damage to the lung protein. These experiments were repeated using cells from human lungs with exactly the same results.
"Although vaccines will remain the first line of intervention against the flu for a long time to come, this study opens the door for entirely new treatments geared toward stopping the virus after you're sick," said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of the FASEB Journal, "and as Thanksgiving approaches, this discovery is another reason to drink red wine to your health."
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Receive monthly highlights from the FASEB Journal by e-mail. Sign up at http://www.faseb.org/fasebjournalreaders.htm. The FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org) is published by the Federation of the American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). The journal has been recognized by the Special Libraries Association as one of the top 100 most influential biomedical journals of the past century and is the most cited biology journal worldwide according to the Institute for Scientific Information. FASEB comprises 22 nonprofit societies with more than 80,000 members, making it the largest coalition of biomedical research associations in the United States. FASEB advances health and welfare by promoting progress and education in biological and biomedical sciences through service to its member societies and collaborative advocacy.
Details: Ahmed Lazrak, Karen E. Iles, Gang Liu, Diana L. Noah, James W. Noah, and Sadis Matalon. Influenza virus M2 protein inhibits epithelial sodium channels by increasing reactive oxygen species. FASEB J. doi:10.1096/fj.09-135590 ; http://www.fasebj.org/cgi/content/abstract/23/11/3829
AND, VITAMIN D3, and GARLIC!!!
The adage that vitamin C is good for a cold may turn out to be more true for the flu.
There is a plethora of foods and beverages alleged to be rich in anti-oxidants as well. Google will bring up dozens.
It’s always the Bama scientists who discover stuff like this.
Eating lots of Garlic keeps vampires and sick people away from you:)
That suggests that ingested antioxidants may help. That's good news.
No way...Just keep eating fried foods and coke....then get your flu shots and take 100 pills everyday. Eating good food is overrated. We would destroy the Pharmaceuticals if everyone ate right.
I get as many antioxidants as possible and feel excellent for now. While await the rest of the flu season to see how it goes. You name it I probably either get it daily or take it in capsule form. LOL.
More and more is being learned about antioxidants. And most fruits or vegetables with intense color and/or intense flavor are good sources of antioxidants: blueberries, cherries, elderberries, garlic, onion, muscadines, other dark grapes. Some varieties of the old, southern muscadine are thought to be perhaps the richest source of all.
I bought a juicer and have been drinking fresh fruit and vegetable juice for about a year now.
Haven't been sick during the last year at all.
my mom has cancer and it is imperative to keep the “flu bugs” away. her home healthcare aide told us that if you cut an onion in half and put it near the entrance to the home, and half in each room, it will keep the flu at bay. said one of her other patients had gotten the flu and after one day of misery, tried this in his bedroom and the next day he was better. i do not know if it really works or not but this lady swore by it. onions are full of quercitin, like garlic is, and that stuff is a pretty potent medicinal.
An apple a day?
Well, FWIW, the U of Alabama medical center has had one of THE premier nutritional researchers in Charles Butterworth. Their medicine is quite excellent...the findings in this study are real, but as I said above, whether they have any clinical relevance remains to be seen.
That is really interesting. I have three vines on the edge of my property line here in NC.
I have one Scuppernong vine, one Black Noble vine and a coastal “James grape” vine. My dad usually makes wine from them...I will have to let him know!
“I have one Scuppernong vine, one Black Noble vine and a coastal “James grape” vine. My dad usually makes wine from them...I will have to let him know!”
I know research has shown this to be true, but then some articles say it varies among different varieties. Here’s something from your state association:
http://www.ncmuscadine.org/healthfacts.html
Google: muscadine resveratrol, and you’ll find a lot. Mississippi State has done some good research on this. I’m planting some this winter.
How fascinating. I will check out the link when I get home from work. Thanks for posting it!
My family has been growing muscadines for generations out here in eastern North Carolina. It’s good to know what is considered such an ‘old fashioned’ grape is so healthy for you!
That is an intermediate (peroxide) which produces oxygen radicals in the body. Not a good actor (unless you’re cleaning a wound).
He was visiting a friend and asked him what that symbol was over his door (in a house in the northeast)? His friend said it keeps tigers away. Alex asked him if it worked, to which he replied:
"Seen any tigers around here lately?"
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