Pharmacists Clarify the Anti-inflammatory Impact of Frankincense

Pharmacists Clarify the Anti-inflammatory Impact of Frankincense

The article shows the unique quality that frankincense perfume has in stabilizing health conditions of an individual. Aside from having an attractive scent, frankincense possesses resin derived from the trunk of Boswellia trees. The resin is necessary for anti-inflammatory effect since it contains substances that are useful in therapies against rheumatoid arthritis, atopic dermatitis and asthma. However, the discovery is still not enough to warrant its existence of the active substance in German pharmacies. There has been no rigorous investigation concerning the medical effects of frankincense thus, more research that is clinical must be done to officiate its administration. Ayuverdic medicine has been explored with the use of Boswellia resin for a very long time. Professor Werz and his team embarked on a project that involved the examination of the curing ability of frankincense by checking the interference caused by the boswellic acids on the inflammation process.

The boswellic acids contained in the Boswellia resin are active in the inflammation process since the link up with proteins and prostaglandin E2, which is an enzyme that mediates the immune response. Fever and pain experienced in the body is subject to activities of the enzyme. Therefore, the boswellic acids counter the inflammatory reaction by blocking prostaglandin E2. The advantage of the boswellic acids in comparison to other anti-inflammatory treatments is that they have fewer side effects. Anti-inflammatory treatments such as indometacin and diclofenac have stretched side effects including propagation of stomach ulcers and renal dysfunction. Since there are numerous species of Boswellia trees globally, Professor Werz and his team put the resin of varying types of frankincense into comparison to evaluate the curative impact. Professor Werz pointed out the clinical disadvantage that might be caused by natural occurrence when Boswellia tree finally become extinct since the potential curative impact of the resin will no longer be examined by medical practionners. Hence, the professor advocates for protection of the trees since they are already endangered species.

Babies with Pet Dogs or Cats Have Fewer Respiratory Tract Infections

The article presents a peculiar discovery of the effects of dogs and cats on the health of babies. According to the article, the babies who possess pets enjoy a reduced risk of respiratory infections. Constant close contact with dogs or cats within their first twelve months indicate better health in their future as reported by researchers from the Kuopio University Hospital. The objective of the research team was to examine health impact the close contact with the pets have on the babies in their earlier stages of maturation. The baby-pet contact is a preventive measure for children against respiratory complications. Infants from middle or eastern Finland were monitored by the research team between September 2002 and May 2005 and their parents interrogated on the contacts the infants have with their pets.

The research findings showed that there were fewer symptoms of respiratory infections and reduced cases of respiratory diseases. Antibiotics exposure was also short term in case a child falls ill. On the other hand, children who did not own pets still suffered the risk of respiratory infections. Ear infections were also reduced among the infants or children with early contacts with dogs. The effect of an infant’s contact with a dog was more profound and significant than an infant’s contact with a cat. Therefore, the experiment was conducted to draw comparisons between babies who owned dogs and those who owned only cats. The findings also showed the maturation of the infant’s immune system as he or she progresses in life. As a result, the infant will not be susceptible to disease. The more consistent the infant was with the pet contact the more secure he or she was secure health wise. Thus, the study conducted by researchers from Kuopio University Hospital suggests that the exposure of infants to dogs at the early stages in their lives will reduce the probability of having respiratory complications in their future.

Drugs Used to Treat HIV Also Reduce Risk of HIV infection, Review Suggests

In this article, Cochrane researchers explain the positive effect that antiretroviral drugs have on the people at high risk of being infected. According to them, the drugs reduce the risk of contracting the epidemic. In their study, the Cochrane researchers discovered that people in high-risk groups such as homosexuals and uninfected partners in relationships with people who are HIV positive could increase their chances of a healthy living by administering antiretroviral drugs. These drugs are normally used by HIV patients at a progressed level of the virus as they undergo the antiretroviral therapy (ART). The drugs are taken as prophylactics by the people with the high risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. The process of these people administering the drugs for prevention purposes is known as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

Pre-exposure prophylaxis is however controversial because of a number of reasons. First, the people at high risk of contracting the disease might develop body resistance and therefore nullifying the effects of the drugs. This poses a danger of sudden infection. Secondly, the drugs might also have adverse side effects such as kidney toxicity leading to other body complications. Thirdly, the use of prophylactics is controversial in the ethical aspect because it may encourage complacency in risky sexual behaviors among people at high risk of being infected in the society. Therefore, researchers should be rigorous in their activities to identify the level of protection PrEP offers and the procedures of its administration. Six testing trials were analyzed by the Cochrane researchers with the aim of determining the effect of the daily doses of the oral retroviral drug. Despite their actual presentation of the outcomes in the trials, the researchers suggested more research efforts on PrEP to prove its beneficial impact further.