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Researchers have created plant-based microbeads that trap fat in the gut, helping rats lose weight without side effects. Unlike current drugs, the beads are safe, tasteless, and easy to mix into everyday foods. Human trials are now underway.

A comprehensive carcinogenicity study on the world's most used herbicide, glyphosate, involving scientists from Europe and the U.S., has found that low doses of the controversial weed killer cause multiple types of cancer in rats. In this long-term study, glyphosate alone and two commercial glyphosate-based formulations, Roundup BioFlow used in the EU and Ranger Pro used in the U.S., were administered to rats via drinking water beginning in prenatal life, at doses of 0.5, 5, and 50 mg/kg body weight/day for 2 years. These doses are currently considered safe by regulatory agencies and correspond to the EU Acceptable Daily Intake...

Strawberry tree extracts helped treat ulcerative colitis in rats. (HJBC/Shutterstock) In a nutshell A traditional Mediterranean plant, the strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo), showed strong protective effects against ulcerative colitis in rats, performing nearly as well as a common prescription drug. The extract worked by reducing inflammation, preventing tissue damage, and restoring antioxidant enzyme levels, suggesting multiple mechanisms of action. While promising, these findings are from animal studies, and more research is needed before the extract can be considered a safe or effective treatment for humans. ======================================================================== JENDOUBA, Tunisia — A humble fruit from the Mediterranean region might hold the key...

Approximately 25% of women in the United States between ages 45 and 60 are at high risk for breast cancer and should consider preventive medication, such as the commonly prescribed drug tamoxifen. Unfortunately, tamoxifen can cause side effects, including an increased risk for type 2 diabetes in women with excess body weight. In a study, researchers investigated the combined effects of bazedoxifene and conjugated estrogens in rat models as an alternative to tamoxifen. The BZA/CE combination reduced obesity-related changes in rats, including the number and size of fat cells in breast tissues, and increased the abundance of beneficial gut microbes....