Perna Canaliculus may block the development of autoimmune diseases

Jan 26, 2006

Inflammation is the most frequent characteristic of autoimmune diseases. Products made by the immune system that stimulate inflammation (pro-inflammatory cytokines) increase in number and volume and are causative of major damage to the affected organ(s). These researchers are soon publishing studies that demonstrate that supplementing animals with Perna Canaliculus prevents the development of autoimmune diseases such as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis. The purpose of the current study is to evaluate how Perna Canaliculus works. The Perna Canaliculus extract inhibited the release of cytokines that cause inflammation (including TNF-alpha and various interleukins). Perna Canaliculus also inhibited the COX enzymes having a significant impact on COX-2. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) release was also inhibited from the pro-inflammatory cell. IgG is steadily and inappropriately elevated in autoimmune diseases such as lupus and MS. The study is published in the January 13th, 2006 issue of the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine (a Bio Med Central electronic journal).

This is a much more useful study than is readily apparent. The COX-2 enzyme is active in many diseases. It is linked to decreased survival in cancer and increased ability of a tumor to metastasize because COX-2 and PGE2 allow the tumor to create its own transport system of blood vessels. COX-2 is active in cancers of the breast, colon, skin, bladder, esophagus, and pancreas. COX-2 plays a major role in inflammation and it also causes brain damage in Alzheimer's disease. COX-2 is involved with menstrual pain and other inflammation related conditions, but its best known role is in arthritis and joint damage.

Mixture of Lutein, Lycopene and Beta-Carotene protects the DNA of postmenopausal women

Thirty-seven healthy, nonsmoking, postmenopausal women aged 50 to 70 were randomly assigned to supplement with a combination of Lutein/Lycopene/Beta-Carotene (4mg of each), a large dose of one of the carotenoids, or placebo daily for 56 days. At day 57 it was found that using the combination of carotenoids significantly decreased damage to the women's DNA. DNA is the gene material used to replicate normal healthy cells and damage to DNA is implicated in the production of damage seen in chronic diseases that accompany aging such as cancer or cardiovascular disease. The damage to DNA was not inhibited by placebo. The protection was seen as early as the 15th day of using the carotenoids. The research was performed at Tufts University and is published in the January 2006 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.