Recently, there has been a resurgence of interest in botanical medicine and other complementary therapies. This blog will keep you in touch with the latest news.
Drinking a little red wine could protect against a serious lung disease, researchers have shown.
A chemical in wine, resveratrol, appears to damp down inflammation in the potentially fatal lung condition chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Researchers writing in the journal Thorax found the chemical was more effective than existing medications for COPD.
But experts say the best way to stop lung damage is not to smoke.
Source BBC NewsLabels: wine
Ginger may protect against bowel cancer, scientists have claimed.
Test showed gingerol - which gives ginger its flavour - could slow the growth of human tumours in mice.
Plants from the ginger family have been used for thousands of years, and have been reported to have anti-cancer properties.
A second study presented to the American Association of Cancer Research showed a relative of mint could slow prostate cancer.
Source BBC NewsPatients taking the anti-clotting drug warfarin have been warned to limit or avoid cranberry juice consumption. The Committee on Safety of Medicines is concerned that mixing the two increases the risk of haemorrhage.
It has received five reports which suggest that cranberry juice acts to increase the potency of the drug.
One man died after his blood clotting levels changed dramatically six weeks after starting to drink the juice.
Source BBC News
Labels: cranberries, cranberry
