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In the News
New Study Shows Effects of Medicinal Mushroom Extract on Pancreatic Cancer Cells
Press Release, The Wall Street Journal, May 2013
SAN FRANCISCO, May 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- A study published in the June issue of the International Journal of Oncology found that Poria Triterpine Extract (PTE), a mixture of triterpines from Poria cocos, a medicinal mushroom used in traditional Asian medicine, suppress the proliferation of human pancreatic cancer cell lines.
According to the study, the anti-proliferative effects of PTE on BxPc-3 cells, a primary human pancreatic tumor cell line, are mediated by the cell cycle arrest at the G(0) /G(1) phase, the resting phase where the cell has left the cell growth cycle and has stopped dividing. DNA microarray analysis also demonstrated that PTE significantly down-regulates the expression of KRAS, a tissue signaling protein that acts as an "on switch" for cancer cell propagation, as well as matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7), an enzyme involved in physiological functions and disease progression such as cancer metastasis.
Big Men, Little Needles: Acupuncture in the NFL
Kevin Gray, Men's Journal, October 2011
Richardson, who has been in the NFL for 17 years, credits that longevity and his quick healing time to Lisa Ripi, an acupuncturist who ministers to the fullback as well as to Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington, Pittsburgh Steelers linebackers James Farrior and James Harrison, New England Patriots defensive end Marcus Stroud, and at least 30 other NFLers. "I can point to a spot and say, 'Lisa, can you get this, too?'" says Stroud, who sees Ripi for shoulder pain. "Before that, it used to be just ice and heat."
Ripi's method is a subset of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) known as New American Acupuncture, which focuses on the release of trigger points, or hyperirritable spots in the muscle, by identifying tense areas and inserting up to 200 needles in one session (traditional acupuncturists can use as few as three). Needling the body forces the connective tissue around the pin to contract, stimulating blood flow and releasing endorphins, which act as powerful pain relievers. Inserting acupuncture needles may also trigger the production of dopamine, a chemical in the brain that plays a part in our response to pleasure and pain, which is why some patients feel high after acupuncture therapy. According to the World Health Organization, "acupuncture's effective rate in the treatment of chronic pain is comparable with that of morphine."
New scientific breakthrough proves why acupuncture works
Tim Vlasto, Examiner.com, October 2009
New groundbreaking research shows that the insertion of an acupuncture needle into the skin disrupts the branching point of nerves called C fibres. These C fibres transmit low-grade sensory information over very long distances by using Merkel cells as intermediaries.
Dr. Silberstein mentions that they have known, for some time, that the acupuncture points show lower electrical resistance than other nearby areas of the skin. His research specifically pinpoints that the C fibres actually branch exactly at acupuncture points. Scientists don’t know exactly what role C fibres play in the nervous system, but Dr. Silverstein theorizes that the bundle of nerves exists to maintain arousal or wakefulness. The insertion of the acupuncture needle disrupts this circuit and numbs our sensitivity to pain.”
Acupuncture Helps Depression, Study Says
Melissa Malamut, Boston Magazine, June 2013
A new study by researchers at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Harvard Medical School, published in the journal Medical Acupuncture, found “high-level evidence to support the use of acupuncture for treating major depressive disorder in pregnancy.”
The study says that anxiety and depression are very common in the female population. In fact, there are almost twice as many cases of anxiety and depression among women than men. Anxiety and depression are notoriously difficult to treat, have high rates of relapse, and commonly come with medication side-effects, so researchers studied acupuncture’s effectiveness at treating the elusive disorders. After randomized controlled trials, acupuncture was found to be an effective treatment for both anxiety and depression in pregnant women.
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