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23.02.2023
THEME: HEALTH

The consumption of ginger may have a beneficial effect against bacterial infections

Ginger is a flowering plant whose root is used as a spice and herbal remedy. It's native to Southeast Asia but is now cultivated in many other parts of the world, including India, China, and the Caribbean. Ginger is a versatile and flavorful ingredient with a long history of culinary and medical use. It has a spicy, savoury flavour and warming quality, making it a popular ingredient in many cuisines, especially in Asian and Indian dishes. It's often used in teas, soups, curries, and desserts.

Beyond its culinary uses, ginger has been used for its medicinal properties for thousands of years. It's believed to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-nausea effects, among other health benefits. Some people use ginger to alleviate symptoms of conditions such as nausea, vomiting, arthritis, and menstrual cramps. Ginger is becoming increasingly popular in Germany as a medicinal plant or as food. According to the German Federal Statistical Office, the annual import volume of the fruity-hot root has almost quadrupled over the last ten years to around 31,600 tons.

A team led by Veronika Somoza, director of the Leibniz Institute in Freising, Germany, conducted extensive research to clarify if normal ginger consumption levels are sufficient to achieve health effects. The starting point was a result of a pilot study which showed significant amounts of aromatic ginger compounds enter the blood about 30 to 60 minutes after consuming one litre of ginger tea. The study results suggest that ginger stimulates the functionality of our immune system. Small amounts of an aromatic ginger constituent in laboratory tests put specific immune cells - white blood cells - on heightened alert. These cells are mainly involved in the protection against bacterial infection. The study also shows that this process consists of a type of receptor that plays a role in the perception of painful heat stimuli and the sensation of spiciness in food. Although more research is needed to understand its full potential for therapeutic applications, it is now demonstrated that the typical ginger intake may benefit our immune system's functionality, particularly against bacterial infection. Nevertheless, many unanswered questions at the epidemiological and medical levels still need to be addressed.

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21.02.2023
THEME: HEALTH

Could bacteria and viruses trigger Alzheimer’s disease?

Alzheimer's is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a progressive loss of memory and cognitive function, along with changes in behaviour and personality. It is the most common form of dementia, affecting millions of people worldwide, and is typically diagnosed in individuals over 65. However, early-onset forms of the disease can occur in younger individuals. Alzheimer's is caused by the accumulation of abnormal protein deposits in the brain, which can interfere with communication between brain cells and ultimately lead to their death. While the major hallmarks of Alzheimer's are well-known, we still have little idea what triggers it. Specific genes and lifestyle factors such as loneliness, lack of exercise and poor diet can all increase the risk of Alzheimer's, but how and why it begins remains a mystery.

Since the mid-80s, a handful of scientists worldwide have doggedly pursued the idea that either a virus or a bacterium could play a role in Alzheimer's. Studies show that people with herpes are more likely to get Alzheimer's. In particular, evidence pointed towards herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) – a pathogen found in 70% of the UK population and the cause of oral herpes. When Prof Ruth Itzhaki from Oxford University's Institute of Population Ageing – who has done more than any other scientist to advance the HSV-1 theory of Alzheimer's - examined post-mortem brain samples from patients, she found more significant amounts of the virus's DNA than in people who had not died of the disease. Moreover, other studies show that treatment with a standard antiviral drug decreased the risk of dementia ninefold. Others have suggested that bacteria may also be capable of initiating the neurodegeneration that leads to Alzheimer's. Chlamydia pneumonia, which causes lung disease, and Borrelia burgdorferi, associated with Lyme disease and gum infections, have all been put forward as possible triggers. The main reason viruses like HSV-1 and possibly bacteria may be capable of triggering Alzheimer's is that they invade the body before burrowing into the central nervous system and travelling to the brain sometime in midlife. Once there, they stay dormant for many years before being reactivated in old age, either because the ageing immune system can no longer keep them in check or something else – a traumatic episode, a head injury or perhaps another infection – spurs them to life. Once awakened – so the theory goes – they begin to wreak havoc. Davangere Devanand, a neurologist at Columbia University Medical Center, is running a clinical trial investigating whether a herpes antiviral drug called valacyclovir could slow the progression of Alzheimer's in patients in the early stages of the disease. The ongoing trial, expected to be completed by early 2024, could significantly affect how we view the condition.

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