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Featured Pediatric

Allergies and Lifestyle Factors

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There has been much interest in whether the way we live influences our chance of developing allergies. Two particular areas under scrutiny are diet and hygiene.

Probiotics
:-
These are harmless micro-organisms that live in our bowel. Synbiotics are a combination of probiotics and special sugars called prebiotics, which stimulate the growth of probiotics.

Studies show allergy-prone children have fewer probiotics in their bowel than non-allergic children.

The probiotics Lactobacillus GG and Lactobacillus rhamnosus have been shown to improve eczema symptoms under the age of two and, if supplemented from early infancy, probiotics can reduce eczema attacks.

Probiotics don’t seem to benefit asthma, but may influence the immune system. They may reduce general allergies and have a beneficial affect on immunity.

For best results, pregnant women should take probiotics for the last few months of pregnancy and supplement the baby’s diet with probiotics and prebiotics. Caution should be taken if the child has a cow’s milk allergy, as cow’s milk residues may be present in supplements.

Hygiene hypothesis
:-
Our contemporary clean lifestyles and reduced exposure to infectious diseases mean our immune systems are less occupied and more likely to react to otherwise harmless allergens.

Allergic sensitisation seems to occur mainly in the first year of life, when the immature immune system switches on TH2 white blood cells
.

There’s mounting evidence that low-dose allergen exposure seems to promote allergic sensitisation in infants, while early high-dose allergen exposure may induce immune tolerance and switch off allergies.

This can be demonstrated in children born into families with two or more pets. These children are less likely to develop allergies than if the family has one pet or no pets at all.

………

If traces of pet dander (skin flakes) are brought into a pet-free home on visitors’ clothing, these traces are enough to cause allergic sensitisation. A relatively higher allergen exposure is then needed to trigger an allergic reaction.

Some scientists believe peanut sensitisation occurs through traces of peanut allergen entering an infant’s skin from body creams or when they’re handled by people who have touched peanuts.

Livestock farmers’ children who play in stables and farmyards and are exposed to bacteria are far less likely to develop allergies than other rural or urban children.

Source : BBC News

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Herbs & Plants

Dendrobium nobile

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Botanical Name :Dendrobium nobile
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Genus: Dendrobium
Tribe: Dendrobieae
Subtribe: Dendrobiinae
Species: D. nobile
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Asparagales
Synonyms : D. lindleyanum. D. coerulescens.
Common Name : Noble Dendrobium, Dendrobium nobile,
Chinese Name: shí hú or shí hú lán

Habitat : The plant is native to southern Asia.China to the Himalayas.Tree trunks in mountain forests, also on rocks in mountain valleys at elevations of 500 – 1700 metres.

Description:
An evergreen Perennial growing to 0.6 m (2ft). It is in leaf 12-Jan It is in flower from Mar to May. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs)

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils.The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils..It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade.It requires moist soil.
CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES..

Hybrids derived from the species Dendrobium nobile have been very popular for more than a hundred years. Their long running popularity springs from their profuse show of long lasting brightly colored flowers, which bloom along their stems in late winter and early spring. The species itself is also very popular because it regularly flowers freely and lasts for a long time as cutflower.This orchid is one of the most widespread ornamental members of the family. There are many different created varieties which bloom in different colors – yellow, white, etc.These traits have been passed along to its progeny.

Dendrobium nobile is a sympodial orchid which forms pseudobulbs. When the life cycle of the mother plant ends it produces little offsets, continuing the life of the plant. The same cycle is used every year. The stem is erect and during the flowering period it forms blooms on its sides along the whole length of the orchid. This monocot has thin, white roots and leads an epiphytic type of life.

Cultivation:
Dendrobium nobile and its hybrids are very easy to grow, if a couple of specific cultural requirements are met.

As the new growths begins in the spring, increase water and fertilizer frequency. During the active growing period of spring and summer Dendrobium nobile prefers reduced light, increased water, and fertilizer every two weeks (1/2 teaspoon per gallon of urea free water soluble fertilizer ). As the plants mature in the fall, cultural needs change drastically. Now brighter light, cooler temperatures, and no fertilizer will help to initiate flower buds. Water normally so that the bulbs do not shrivel. Buds will appear when the night temperatures drop to 55 or lower and the growths have fully matured. This is usually in November to December in the northern US, and January to February in the southern US. Blooms will follow in about two months after the cooling period.

When these plants are grown inside, they should be placed outside in the fall to benefit from the cooler temperatures at night. In the northern US, they should brought inside, when the night temperatures are consistently below 45F. In the southern US, they should be brough inside before the onset of freezing weather. They should kept in a relatively cool location (such as an unheated room or an enclosed porch) until buds start to form.

Dendrobium nobile and their hybrids enjoy being root bound, so never overpot the plants. They do very well in small pots for their root mass. Clay pots does them well. Many growers use regular seedling bark mixture or osmunda for a potting media; however, some growers also use long-fibered sphagnum moss. Dendrobium nobile can also be grown mounted, or in baskets, but watering must be increased.

If keikis or off-shoot plantlets form along the stems, that is usually a sign of too much fertilizer and/or too warm night temperatures. These keikeis may be potted as new plants after they have formed roots of at leat 3 or 4 inches. If plants produce all keikis and no blooms, definite culture changes are in order, such as longer cooling period in the fall and reduction in fertilizer amounts.

Propagation  :

Seed – surface sow, preferably as soon as it is ripe, in the greenhouse and do not allow the compost to dry out. The seed of this species is extremely simple, it has a minute embryo surrounded by a single layer of protective cells. It contains very little food reserves and depends upon a symbiotic relationship with a species of soil-dwelling fungus. The fungal hyphae invade the seed and enter the cells of the embryo. The orchid soon begins to digest the fungal tissue and this acts as a food supply for the plant until it is able to obtain nutrients from decaying material in the soil[200]. It is best to use some of the soil that is growing around established plants in order to introduce the fungus, or to sow the seed around a plant of the same species and allow the seedlings to grow on until they are large enough to move.


Medicinal Uses:

It is one of the 50 fundamental herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine.The whole plant contains mucilage and the alkaloid dendrobine. It is antiphlogistic, pectoral, sialogogue, stomachic and tonic. It is used in Vietnam as a tonic in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis, general debility, flatulence, dyspepsia, reduced salivation, parched and thirsty mouth, night sweats, fever and anorexia. It is also said to be effective in the treatment of sexual impotence, arthralgia, lumbago, pain in the extremities etc. The plant is harvested at the end of the growing season and dried for later use. The dried plants are imbued with alcohol and steam cooked before use.

The medicinal plant is usually cut prior to flowering or harvested toward the end of its growing season where it is subsequently dried until ready for use. Typically, the dried stems are used for making herbal remedies, but they are occasionally used fresh. Decoctions and tinctures of Dendrobium nobile are created by steeping the dried, shredded stems in alcohol and then steaming them. In addition, an herbal tea can be made from the stems.

Remedies made from Dendrobium nobile have commonly been used throughout history to help boost the immune system. Its primary use, however, has been for the replenishment of fluids. Dendrobium increases salivation and is often prescribed to treat complaints associated with dry mouth, dry cough, and severe thirst. Additionally, the plant is effective in treating conditions related to dry, hot weather, such as sunstroke. Indigenous people of the Eastern Himalayas believed that these flowers could also cure eye ailments.

The tonic made frmo Dendrobium also nourishes the stomach, lungs, and kidneys. It can be given to lower fever and ease both vomiting and abdominal pain. The plant also has a history of medicinal use in treating pulmonary tuberculosis, impotence, and anorexia. Since Dendrobium nobile is known for increasing fluids, it should come as no surprise that the plant can also moisten and enhance the skin.

As with any other herbal remedy, supervision from qualified providers is important. Although Dendrobium nobile is thought to be quite safe in appropriate doses, the wrong dosage can have adverse effects on the body. For example, overdoses of Dendrobium can lead to heart and lung problems as well as convulsions.

You may click to see
;What Are the Medical Uses of Dendrobium Nobile?

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dendrobium_nobile
http://www.clanorchids.com/pages/d/dnobile.html
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-medical-uses-of-dendrobium-nobile.htm
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Dendrobium+nobile

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News on Health & Science

Tool ‘May Help’ Early Meningitis Diagnosis

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The most dangerous form of  meningitis can kill within hours – but doctors think they have developed the best way to identify it early.

The “predictive model” developed by the Health Protection Agency could clear the way for the right treatment to be given quickly.

It uses a combination of blood tests and symptoms to help identify bacterial meningitis.

A simple way to test the rash is to press a clear glass against the skin

Charities welcomed the model, while calling for further testing.

Meningitis is an inflammation in the membranes surrounding the spinal cord and brain. It is most often caused by either bacterial or viral infection.

Knowing which is which can make a big difference to the best treatment.

Bacterial meningitis needs antibiotic treatment as soon as possible – and it is often prudent to give these drugs to close family members as well.

Rash

There are tests to identify the cause of meningitis, the best known being a lumbar puncture to obtain spinal fluid for analysis.

However, this does not always yield clear-cut results.

The new model has a simple set of three criteria which helps doctors tell the difference without having to wait for conclusive spinal fluid results.

Researchers found them by examining 385 confirmed meningitis cases over a 12-month period.

The first two criteria are blood tests positive for two specific chemicals associated with bacterial meningitis, the third is the presence of the “classic” meningitis rash of spots which do not disappear when pressed with a glass.

The three results are combined to provide a score which then tells the doctor how likely bacterial meningitis is.

Dr Toyin Ejidokun, a consultant in communicable disease at the HPA, said: “The total score allows a treating clinician to simply and quickly assess the likelihood of whether or not the case is bacterial meningitis by checking it against the predictive probabilities we have developed.

“While further testing needs to take place to test the accuracy of the model, it offers the prospect of a rapid predictive tool to help clinical and public health management of suspected bacterial meningitis cases.”

‘Step forward’

Steve Dayman, the chief executive of Meningitis UK, said the protocol was “an excellent step forward”.

He said: “It’s vital that the differentiation between bacterial and viral meningitis is made straight-away because the bacterial form can kill in less then four hours. Quick treatment can mean the difference between life and death.

“In the absence of a vaccine to protect against all forms of meningitis, this new model could help to save precious lives.”

Experts said people should still be vigilant for the warning signs of meningitis to maximise the chances of recovery.

Although not every patient has every symptom, common signs include a combination of “classic rash”, suddenly appearing high fever, a severe and worsening headache, stiff neck, vomiting, joint and muscle pain, a dislike of bright lights, very cold hands and feet, and severe drowsiness.

A spokesman for the Meningitis Research Foundation said: “Early detection of meningitis and septicaemia is critical when treating these diseases, every second matters.

“We welcome all research and development to identify meningitis early so treatment of antibiotics can be administered as soon as possible to prevent the worst outcome.”

However, she said that doctors should stick with existing protocols for diagnosing and treating meningitis until the new version had been fully tested.

Source : BBC News:

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Herbs & Plants

Datura metel

Botanical Name : Datura metel
Family: Solanaceae
Genus: Datura
Species: D. metel
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Solanales

Common Names: Devil’s trumpet and metel,Thorn Apple, Angel’s Trumpet, Hindu Datura, Horn of Plenty, Downy Thorn Apple
It is known under several cultivar names as; ‘Black’, ‘Blackcurrant Swirl’, ‘Cornucopaea’, ‘Double Blackcurrant Swirl’, ‘Double Purple’, ‘Purple Hindu’. It has also received many scientific names which should not be used for a cultivar:

*Datura hummatu var. fastuosa (L.) Bernh.
*Datura fastuosa L.
*Datura metel f. fastuosa (L.) Danert
*Datura metel var. fastuosa (L.) Saff.
*Stramonium fastuosum (L.) Moench

Habitat: Datura metel is native to E. Asia – S. China, India. Naturalized in the Mediterranean. It grows in waste places, river sands etc in sunny positions

Description:

The plant is an annual herb growing up to 3 ft. high. It is slightly furry, with dark violet shoots and oval to broad oval leaves that are often dark violet as well. The pleasantly-scented 6-8 in. flowers are immensely varied, and can be single or double. Colors range from white to cream, yellow, red, and violet. The seed capsule is covered with numerous conical humps and a few spines.. It is similar to D. inoxia, but D. metel has almost glabrous leaves and fruits that are knobby, not spiny. D. inoxia is pilose all over and has a spiny fruit.

Click to see different pictures of Dautra metal
Black daturas (Datura metel ‘Fastuosa’)
A cultivar of D. metel with a polished-looking ebony-black stem exists as a garden plant. Its flowers normally have a double or triple corolla, each corolla having a deep purple exterior and white or off-white interior. The plant is already reported to have become naturalised in Israel (see illustration). The black cultivar might become a common roadside dweller, like its white-flowered ancestor……CLICK  & SEE THE PICTURES

Detail Botanical Description:
*ROOT – Branched tap root system
*STEM – The stem is hollow, green and herbaceous with strong odour
*LEAF – Simple, alternate, petiolate, entire or deeply lobed, glabrous showing unicostate reticulate venation and exstipulate.
*INFLORESCENCE – Solitary and axillary cyme
*FLOWER – Laege, greenish white, bracteate, ebractiolate, pedicellate, complete, dichlamydeous, pentamerous, regular, actinomorphic, bisexual, and hypogynous
*CALYX – Sepals 5, green, gamosepalous showing valvate aestivation. Calyx is mostly persistent andodd sepal is posterior in position.
*COROLLA – Petals 5, greenish white, gamopetalous, plicate showing twisted aestivation, funnel shaped with wide mouth and 10 lobed.
*ANDROECIUM – Stamens 5, free from one another, epipetalous, alternate the petals and are inserted inside the middle of the corolla tube. Anthers are basifixed, dithecous with long filament, introrse and longitudinally dehiscent.
*GYNOECIUM – Ovary superior, syncarpous and bicarpellary. Ovary is basically bilocullar but tetralocular due to false septa. Carpels are obliquely place and ovules on swollen axile placenta. Style simple, long and filliform. Stigma is two lobed.
*FRUIT – Spinescent capsule opening by four apical valves with persistent calyx.
*SEED – Endospermous

CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES

Cultivation:
Landscape Uses:Border, Container, Foundation, Specimen. Prefers a rich light sandy soil and an open sunny position. Grows best in a fertile calcareous soil[200]. This species is extremely susceptible to the various viruses that afflict the potato family (Solanaceae), it can act as a centre of infection so should not be grown near potatoes or tomatoes. There are a number of named varieties selected for their ornamental value. The flowers have an exotic fragrance, though the bruised leaves have an unpleasant smell. This species is closely related to D. innoxia. Special Features:Not North American native, Naturalizing, All or parts of this plant are poisonous, Fragrant flowers.

Propagation :
Sow the seed in individual pots in early spring in a greenhouse. Put 3 or 4 seeds in each pot and thin if necessary to the best plant. The seed usually germinates in 3 – 6 weeks at 15°c. Plant out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Especially in areas with hot summers, it is worthwhile trying a sowing outdoors in situ in mid to late spring.

Edible Uses:   Drink……The leaves and roots are bruised, mixed with water and left to stand for several hours. The liquid is then drawn off and drunk. This is a highly narcotic drink, producing a stupefying effect that it is not easy to remove. Caution is advised, see the notes  in known hazards.

Medicinal use:
Datura is known for its anticholinergic and deliriant properties: D. metel is one of the 50 fundamental herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine, where it is called yáng j?n hu? . The ingestion of D.metel in any form is dangerous and should be treated with extreme caution. The dry flower, particularly the violet coloured, if rolled and used like cigar, will help to relieve the asthma or wheezing like symptoms

You may click to see :

Medical uses, culinary recepies, psychoactive effects, etc. :

Medicinal Plants or Medicinal Herbs – Datura metel (Siddha Medicine) (Materia Medica) :

Different Medical Uses of Datura Metel :


Known Hazards:

All parts of Datura plants contain dangerous levels of tropane alkyloids (highly poisonous) and may be fatal if ingested by humans or other animals, including livestock and pets. In some places it is prohibited to buy, sell or cultivate Datura plants.

Datura metel may be toxic if ingested in a tiny quantity, symptomatically expressed as flushed skin, headaches, hallucinations, and possibly convulsions or even a coma. The principal toxic elements are tropane alkaloids. Accidentally (or intentionally) ingesting even a single leaf could lead to severe side effects.

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datura_metel
http://toptropicals.com/html/toptropicals/articles/special.htm
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-medical-uses-of-datura-metel.htm
http://toptropicals.com/catalog/uid/DATURA_METEL.htm
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Datura+metel

 
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Featured

Drinkers Outlive Nondrinkers

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Research has consistently found that people who don’t drink actually tend to die sooner than those who do. A new paper suggests that abstainers’ mortality rates are actually higher than those of heavy drinkers.

Even after controlling for many possible variables, such as socioeconomic status, level of physical activity, and number of close friends, the researchers found that over a 20-year period, mortality rates were highest for those who had never been drinkers.

One reason for this may be that low levels of ethanol in your bloodstream will prevent the formation of formaldehyde from dietary methanol. In fact, ethanol is used as the preferred antidote for accidental methanol poisoning in an emergency for this reason.

Time Magazine reports:

“The authors of the new paper are careful to note that even if drinking is associated with longer life, it can be dangerous: it can impair your memory severely and it can lead to nonlethal falls and other mishaps”.

Resources:

Time Magazine August 30, 2010

Clinical and Experimental Research November 2010; 34(11): 1-11

Medical Hypothesis March 2010; 74(3):493-6

SweetPoison.com — Medical Hypothesis November 6, 2009 Prepublication copy (Full PDF)

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