Cardioprotective Effects of Kudzu

The Flower of Kudzu.

Kudzu, or known botanically as Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi, are considered as noxious weeds, which harmful to some living things. For more than 2000 years, traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM), have been used kudzu root as folk medicines for the treatment of fever, acute dysentery, diarrhea, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Kudzu are also believed to possess antiarrhythmic (cardioprotective), hypotensive, hypoglycemic, and anti-Alzheimer's disease properties.

Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the world, though more than 80% occurs in low-income and middle-income countries. A case-control study of acute myocardial infarction (heart attack), in 52 countries, 15,152 cases and 14,820 controls, had found that, abnormal lipids, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, abdominal obesity, psychosocial factors, habits (consumption of fruits, vegetables, and alcohol), and regular physical activity, explained for the risk of myocardial infarction in the world. (Yusuf S, et al. 2004)

Cardioprotective Effects of Puerarin

Puerarin, an isoflavone isolated from the root of kudzu, had been observed its effect on heart function and serum oxidized-LDL (ox-LDL) cholesterol. Ox-LDL is LDL cholesterol that has been bombarded by free radicals, a marker of lipoprotein associated oxidative stress, which plays a key role in the progression of diabetes complications, and atherosclerosis, or arteriosclerotic vascular disease, a condition in which an artery wall thickens, as a result of the accumulation of fatty materials such as, cholesterol and triglyceride.

The study of puerarin in 78 patients with chronic cardiac failure, suggested that puerarin may improve the clinical heart function, increase the left ventricular ejection, and decrease the level of ox-LDL. (Duan S, et al. 2000)

A study in Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China, to determine the mitochondrial mechanism of puerarin cardioprotective effect against H202-stress in rats, had found that puerarin protects cardiomyocytes (cardiac muscle cells) against H2O2-stress. (Yang B, et al. 2008)

The Circle of Sudden Death

The main predictive factors of silent myocardial infarction, in which I call it as the circle of sudden death, are hypertension, history of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes duration. A diabetic patient often has a high blood pressure, and has potential risk on getting a silent heart attack.

A study which aimed to investigated the myocardial protective effects of puerarin, on streptozotocin induced diabetic rats, had resulted that puerarin could improve the left ventricular function of diabetic rats and showed protective effects of myocardium (heart muscle tissue). (Pan ZY, et al. 2009)

Kudzu as Herbal Supplement

Kudzu are sold as herbal supplements in Amazon.com and other online shops. But, kudzu products are promoted only to support liver health, to treat hangover as anti-alcohol, and detoxification. There are no products description that promoted kudzu as natural cardiovascular drugs.

Even though kudzu are considered to be noxious weeds, or toxic to some living things, but in human, kudzu could be used to treat cluster headache, one sided head pain that may involve tearing of the eyes and a stuffy nose.

Two kudzu herbal supplements which are sold on Amazon.com:

Vitacost Kudzu Root Extract	Planetary Herbals Kudzu Recovery

What Makes You To Have Cajuput Oil in Your First Aid Kit

Photo credit: arnistm.

Cajuput is derived from the old Bahasa Indonesia spelling, kaju putih, which means white wood. In old Bahasa Indonesia spelling, the letter of J is read as Y, while DJ is read as J. Cajuput (Melaleuca leucadendra Linn.) has many synonyms such as Melaleuca cajuputi Roxb., Melaleuca cumingiana et lancifolia Turcz., Melaleuca minor Sm., Melaleuca saligna B., Melaleuca viridifolia Gaertn., Myrtus leucadendra Linn, and Melaleuca saligna Gmel.

There are also many common names for cajuput, such as, ai kelane, bai qian ceng (白千层), bru galang, cajeput, cajeputol, cineol, elan, eucalyptol, gelam, ghelam, ilano, inggolom, irano, irono, kayu gelang, kayu putih, lren, ngelak, nggielak, sakelan, swamp tea tree, waru gelang, and white tea tree. Cajuput, Tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia Linn.) and Gum tree (Eucalyptus obliqua) are from the same family plant of Myrtaceae. Their leaves can be distilled to make an essential oil, in which have similar effects and smell.

Cajuput can grow on a barren land, heat resistant and can sprout back after a fire. Cajuput can be found from the lowlands up to 400m asl. Cajuput can grow near the coast, behind mangrove forests, in a boggy ground, or forming a small forest on dry land until wet.

Cajuput tree is 10-20 m high, multi-layered leather stem, white with grayish colored of its irregular exfoliate skin surface. Small stem with branching that hang down. Single leaf, quite thick like leather, and short stalk. The leaves when squeezed, or crushed will smell of cajuput oil. (Sentra Informasi IPTEK)

Cajuput Oil

Cajuput oil is a volatile oil from the fresh leaves and twigs of cajuput. It used as a stimulant, rubefacient in rheumatism, muscle and joint pain, flavoring, stimulant, antiseptic, expectorant, and anthelmintic. Precautions to use by pregnancy women, breast feeding mom, and a person with hypersensitivity to tea tree plant. (Medical Dictionary)

Minyak Kayu Putih Cap Lang

An Indonesian original product manufactures, in Jakarta, Indonesia, which is found in 1963, has been exported through out the world, and is found to be sold online on Amazon.com.

Cajuput Oil vs. Insects

I had described how I used Minyak Kayu Putih Cap Lang to get rid of head lice naturally on my previous post.

Though in the bottle of Cap Lang cajuput oil is only said to help relieve muscle aches, abdominal pain, flatulence, nausea, and itching from insect bites. But, I managed to use it to treat eczema, and itcy rashes that I often suffered.

So far, I could not find any referrences on scientific evidence which indexed in PubMed. Only a study by Malaysian scientists who demonstrated aerosol spray of cajuput oil effects against dangerous mosquitoes. But, this 2012 study explained to what I had been experinced in my early post, on how a louse died from a single drop of cajuput oil.

An aerosol spray of cajuput oil was evaluated against the dengue vectors Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus, at low cost housing flats, in Section 10, Setapak, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The study suggested that extracts of cajuput essential oils possess an adulticidal effects (the ability to kill adult heartworm as distinct from that used to kill the microfilarial, or larval stages), and could be considered, as well as to be utilized for future dengue vectors control. (Abu Bakar A, et al. 2012)

Cajuput Oil to Awaken from Unconsciousness Seizure

Back in May 28, 2011, after I watched Champions League Final football match between Barcelona vs. Manchester United, in local TV channel, my three years old son, Michael, experienced an absence seizure, due to high fever.

Absence seizures involve an interruption to consciousness, where the person experiencing the seizure seems to become vacant, unresponsive for a short period of time, usually up to 30 seconds, and slight muscle twitching may occur.

To avoid a tongue biting by my unconscious son, I used cajuput oil to awake him, by rubbing the oil all over to his nose and lips, because his mouth is blocked by his teeth. Not less in five seconds, he was awaken. Then, I took a warm water to compress all of his body. After that, I left him with my wife at 4 am, in the morning, to get an anti fever drugs in nearest pharmacy.

My mom always told me that seizure may be dangerous, if the kids were not being awaken first, before being taken to the hospital. In a case of tonic clonic seizures, death may occur on the way to the hospital, due to tongue biting, urinary incontinence, and the absence of breathing. My mom was experinced in dealing with seizures, because I often got seizures, when I was below the age of five years old.

Can I Drink Cajuput Oil?

Even though all cajuput oil manufacturers forbid the products for internal use, and only for external use. But, according to dr. Adji Suranto, SpA, an Indonesian pediatric, a member of Perhimpunan Dokter Indonesia Pengembang Kesehatan Tradisional Timur (Indonesian Doctors Association of Advanced Eastern Traditional Health), in Jakarta, cajuput oil can be used as an oral medication to treat colds, throat infection, worms intestine, cholera, colic and as a gargle for mouth cavity infections.

For internal use, one to ten drops of 100% cajuput oil, mixed with a grain of sugar cubes (about 4 grams), and dissolved in a glass of drinking water. When used as an oral medication, it should be dissolved first to pay attention on the proportion. But, if the oral medication is used excessively, it might lead to an increasing of heartbeat and excessive sweating. (Majalah Anakku)

Cajuput to Treat Diabetes and Obesity

A study is indexed on Journal of Natural Medicines, April 2013, Volume 67, Issue 2, pp 264-270, by Azis Saifudin, Shigetoshi Kadota, Yasuhiro Tezuka, from the Institute of Natural Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan. The study demonstrated the water and methanol extracts of 28 Indonesian medicinal plants, in which among them were cajuput, for their protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP-1B) inhibitory activities.

PTP-1B is a negative regulator of the insulin signal transduction cascade, initiated when insulin binds to the insulin receptor. PTP-1B is used as a target for the treatment of impaired glucose tolerance, and type 2 diabetes. PTP-1B deficient mice are more sensitive to insulin, improved glycemic control, and resistance to diet induced obesity, than wild type control mice. (Liu G, et al. 2002)

With four other plants water extracts, the water extracts of cajuput at 2.05 μg/mL, exhibited strong inhibitory activity. The results suggest that, all 28 Indonesian medicinal plants may contribute for the treatment, or prevention of type 2 diabetes, and obesity through PTP-1B inhibition. (Saifudin A, et al. 2013)

Link Between Gallstones and Diabetes

My uncle who is an expert on alternative medicine, once said that, gallbladder is one of the vital organs for human. Fortunately, gallbladder is an organ that you can live without, after you had a cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal surgery).

But, a healthy gallbladder is needed for diabetic patients, because it can produce pancreatic hormone like insulin. According to my uncle, diabetic patients could be treated by treating their gallstones first. Although gallstones do not require treatment, but gallstones may lead to cholecystitis, an inflammatory condition in the gallbladder.

The Scientific Studies

In a study, insulin producing cells were seen to be retained in the gallbladder of a 53 years old woman, who had already undergone cholecystectomy. The woman had been a diabetic for the past 12 years. (Sahu S, et al. 2008)

Recent study in Nigeria, from 52 patients out of 400 diabetic patients with gallstone disease, had suffered from diabetes for more than 4 years. Gallstone disease in diabetes mellitus is influenced significantly by age, body mass index, and duration of the disease. (Agunloye AM, et al. 2013)

My Uncle's Diabetic Patient Case

In a case of dealing with a diabetic patient, my uncle used his therapy, in which he called it as, Jam Pitu, which is shortened from, jamu, pijat, totok urat, or translated as, herb, massage, and finger acupuncture.

When a man, let's say his name is Joe, met with my uncle for the first time. He was suffering from a strain injury on his little finger. Joe's right hand little finger was not able to be moved easily, and always hurt him if he enforced it. My uncle only check the vein in his right palm, then said to him, You suffer from a diabetes. Go to a doctor and check your blood glucose levels! But, remember not to take any medications from the doctor. Just only to check your blood glucose levels!.

Joe went to see his personal physician to check his blood glucose levels. Indeed, a lab test from Joe's blood, had shown that his blood glucose levels were at 400 mg/dL. Knowing the result, the doctor then prescribed medications for him. But, Joe argued to his doctor. Doc, I do not need the medications from you. Diabetes that I suffered because of this strain little finger, said Joe showing his finger.

Joe's doctor laughed suddenly. There are no link between diabetes and your strain little finger, said Joe's doctor. Joe then left the doctor's office without taking the prescription, and talked to my uncle by phone to set up a meeting.

My uncle went to see Joe, and listened to Joe's story about what he had experienced with his doctor. So, you are not taking any medications. Take this herbs, and drink 3 times a day. The herbs will be enough for a week. Next week, I will meet you again to do the massage to heal your finger, said my uncle.

A week later, my uncle went to see Joe, and massaged his right arm, but not his little finger. You are fine now. Go and check again your blood glucose levels!, said my uncle. Just that it?, Joe confused.

After you took the herbs for a week, Your gallbladder is working fine now. Did you also notice that you are no longer having any pains in your chest?, asked my uncle. Yeah, I noticed it. I also had a pain in my right chest, just before I took the herbs, answered Joe.

When the lab test result came out, Joe's blood glucose levels were dropping to 135 mg/dL, in which is still above the normal of 100 mg/dL. And then, Joe went to see his doctor again.

Hey Doc, take a look at this!, said Joe handling over the lab test result. You once said that, there are no link between diabetes and my strain little finger. See this!, said Joe with showing his little finger freely moves. Joe left the doctor's office, and leaving the doctor in speechless amazement.

My uncle also told me, that I should keep my gallbladder to always bitter. I was confused?!? That is, by consuming bitter foods or drinks, just like the bitterness of the gallbladder. If your gallbladder is bitter, gallstones will be disappeared by itself, and you will be healthy. Gallstones will lead you to diabetes and even cancer, said my uncle to me.

From Joe's diabetes case, my uncle's treatment was aimed to his gallstone disease. Although Joe has cured from his diabetes, but his blood glucose levels are still at high risk. So, Joe must pay more attention on his way of life, especially on his eating habits.

Joe's strain little finger was resulted from his gallstones. Because the presence of gallstones, the oxygen in his blood were not well distributed, said my uncle to me. Just like Joe's doctor, I am speechless. As far as I know, gallbladder function is not for distributing oxygen in the blood.

Papaya Leaves To Treat Diabetes and Cancer

Image credit: tolitzdelacasa

I had posted about how you can gain many benefits from papaya, in my previous post which titled, What Makes You Should Eat Papaya?. In this second chapter about papaya, I will tell you the benefits of papaya leaves to treat diabetes and cancer.

Oseng Daun Kates

I had told before in the earlier post that oseng daun kates, or translate in English as papaya leaf stir, is considered to be the best dish made by my mom. I then asked my mom what is the recipe for oseng daun kates? My mom said that the recipe for a portion of oseng daun kates contains: ten pieces of papaya leaves and five pieces of cassava leaves. Cassava leaves are used in order to lower the bitter taste of papaya leaves. Other additional ingredients are added as much as needed, such as: chillies (big and small chillies, red and green coloured chillies), onion, garlic, ginger, tomato, lemon grass and salt.

First of all, the papaya and cassave leaves are boiled in a pan for 15 minutes. Take the leaves from the pan. Stir the whole additional ingredients in a frying pan, and then added the leaves until well cooked. The oseng daun kates is ready to serve.

Why do I have to tell you the recipe of oseng daun kates? It is just a way to enjoy papaya leaves in a form of a dish. Other way is by boiling the papaya leaves in a pan, until one third of the water remains. Take and drink the water extract. But, the water extract of papaya leaves will taste more bitter than the dish.

Antihyperglycemic and Hypolipidemic Activities of Papaya Leaves

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder of multiple etiologies characterized by chronic hyperglycemia with disturbance of carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action or both. In simple words, diabetes also means, a disease characterized by a complete or partial inability of the body to burn sugar as a fuel.

According to International Diabetes Federation, the number of diabetic people in India is currently around 40.9 millions and is expected to rise to 69.9 million by 2025. Concerning to their country, as the diabetic capital of the world, a study by Yasmeen Maniyar and Prabhu Bhixavatimath, has been able to demonstrate the antihyperglycemic, and hypolipidemic potentials of papaya leaves aqueous extract in diabetic rats. (Maniyar Y, et al. 2012)

Another study also confirms the hypoglycemic effect of papaya leaves along with other beneficial effects such as, the increasing of glucose blood levels four days after injection, and the decreasing of body weight, in diabetic rats. The study suggests that the papaya leaves aqueous extract may improve the metabolic disruption produced by diabetes. (Juárez-Rojop IE, et al. 2012)

Anti-tumor Activity and Immunomodulatory Effects of Papaya Leaves

Various parts of papaya (Carica papaya Linn.) have been traditionally used as folk medicines to treat many disorders, including cancer. A study in The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, observed a significant growth inhibitory activity of the papaya leaves extract on tumor cell lines. The study resulted that papaya leaves extract, managed to inhibit tumor cell growth and stimulate anti-tumor effects. The study also suggested that papaya leaves extract may potential for the treatment and prevention of cancer, various allergic disorders, and serve as immunoadjuvant for vaccine therapy. (Otsuki N, et al. 2010)

Benzyl glucosinolate, a compound found in all parts of the plant, but highest in young leaves of papaya, is studied in Agriculture School of Hainan University, Haikou, China, to demonstrate its anti-cancer activity. The study concluded that the hydrolysis product of benzyl glucosinolate has certain anti-cancer activities for human. (Li ZY, et al. 2012)

Read my other amazing fruits articles!

Soursop Benefits Scam?

The Discarded Queen of Fruits

The Excellent Fruit of Pineapple

The Health Benefits of Avocado

The Health Benefits of Starfruit

The Red in Green

What Makes You Should Eat Papaya?

Soursop Benefits Scam?

I have already posted about the benefits of soursop on my previous post which titled, New Cancer Cell Killing Machine. I guess, a single post will not be enough. This post will be the second chapter, or Another Facts About Soursop.

Soursop (Annona muricata Linn.), a fruit from Annonaceae family, which is also known as guanábana (Spanish), graviola (Portuguese), and sirsak (Bahasa Indonesia), is considered as a scam, when I tried to post about the huge benefits from this sour fruit, on a cancer forum, by some people that I considered as the Big Pharma representatives. So, are soursop benefits really a scam?

History of Soursop as Folk Medicine

Soursop juice is my second favorite drink after avocado juice. Soursop juice is said to be diuretic and might use as a remedy for haematuria (the presence of red blood cells in the urine), and urethritis (inflammation of the urethra). Taken when fasting, it is believed to relieve liver ailments and leprosy. Soursop fruit is not only can be used to make a fruit juice, it can also be used as a bait in fish traps, while the barks, seeds, and roots, is used as fish poison. The seeds and leaves are effective pesticides against head lice, and bedbugs. This is interesting. It will be another natural way to get rid of head lice.

Powdered unripe soursop fruit is used as a remedy to treat dysentery. The flesh of an acid soursop is applied as a poultice unchanged for 3 days, to draw out chiggers (tiny, six-legged wingless organisms that grow up to become a type of mite) and speed healing.

In Materia Medica of British Guiana, it is written that crushing soursop leaves are soaked in water. The leaves is used to rub in the forehead, while the the water is drunk to a drunken man to get him sober in a minute. Although the formula may not have been widely tested, but soursop leaves are regarded as having sedative effect and soporific (causing to sleep) properties.

In the Netherlands Antilles, the leaves are put into one's pillowslip, strewn on the bed, or taken internally, to promote a good night's sleep. This is also interesting! It could be another way to get a good night's sleep.

In Ecuador, soursop is taken as an analgesic and antispasmodic (medication that help to relieve, prevent, or lower the incidence of muscle spasms). In Africa, it is given to children to treat fever. In West Indies, the decoction of the young shoots, or leaves is used as a remedy for gall bladder, coughs, catarrh, diarrhea, dysentery and indigestion.

Soursop is also said to cool the blood, in which is able to stop vomiting and aid delivery in childbirth. The decoction is also employed in wet compresses on inflammations and swollen feet. The chewed leaves, mixed with saliva, are applied to incisions after surgery, causing proudflesh (swollen flesh that surrounds a healing wound) to disappear without leaving a scar.

Mashed leaves are used as a poultice to treat eczema, skin afflictions and rheumatism. The sap of young leaves is put on skin eruptions. The soursop roots are employed as a vermifuge, and the root bark is used as an antidote for poisoning. (Morton, J. 1987)

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My Own Experiences

My father once experienced with the treatment using soursop leaves tea. It was happened a year after I wrote the post. My father was diagnosed of having a light stroke. He managed to lower his blood pressure, shortly after three days of drinking 500ml soursop leaves tea everyday, along with drinking the medication from the doctor.

I also once used to eat one, or two soursop leaves, shortly after I picked it from the tree, and without washing it, when I felt tired in the evening. But I am not doing it regularly, because I had a low blood pressure. If I consume soursop everyday, whether its leaves, or its fruit juice, it may lower my blood pressure to unsafe levels. So, I did it at least once per month.

Anti-tumor and Anti-cancer Studies

A study in AgrEvo Research Center, Pikeville, North Carolina, US, was made soursop as new cancer cell killing machine. A compound that is isolated from the seeds of soursop, cis-annonacin, was selectively cytotoxic to colon adenocarcinoma cells, in which it was 10,000 times the potency of adriamycin, a commonly used chemotherapeutic drug. (Rieser MJ, et al. 1996)

A study in Purdue University found that, five Annonaceous acetogenins, alkaloid compounds from the leaves of soursop, were cytotoxic to colon, pancreatic, and lung carcinoma cells lines, with the potencial treatment equal to, or exceeding from those with adriamycin. (Zeng L, et al. 1996)

Still in Purdue University, another studies found that, bullatacin, one of Annonaceous acetogenins, is cytotoxic against multidrug resistant human mammary adenocarcinoma cells, cancer cells that are resistant to the treatment with adriamycin, vincristine, and vinblastine. The study also found that bullatacin offered a special advantage in the chemotherapeutic treatment of multidrug resistant tumors. (Oberlies NH, et al. May 1997 and June 1997)

Muricoreacin and murihexocin C, Annonaceous acetogenins that are isolated from the leaves of soursop, had shown significant cytotoxicities among six human tumor cell lines, especially to prostate adenocarcinoma, and pancreatic carcinoma cell lines. (Kim GS, et al. 1998)

Soursop had been found to be a promising new anti-tumor agent in numerous in vitro studies. Recent study in Universiti Putra Malaysia, had demonstrated the chemopreventive effects of soursop leaves extract in skin papillomagenesis induced mice. The study suggested that soursop leaves extract was able to suppress tumor initiation and promotion even at lower dosage. (Hamizah S, et al. 2012)

Pancreatic tumors are resistant to conventional chemotherapies. A study in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Omaha, Nebraska, US, had demonstrated the potential of soursop as a therapeutic agent for pancreatic cancer. The study revealed that soursop managed to induce necrosis of pancreatic cancer cells by inhibiting cellular metabolism, in which indicated the promising characteristics of soursop against the lethal disease of pancreatic cancer. (Torres MP, et al. 2012)

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