Cannabidiol, or CBD, one of many compounds found in the cannabis plant, appears to be the health industry’s new shining star, with producers hawking it as a quick-fix for everything from anxiety to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), despite it only recently becoming legal in the US. But, according to recent research, out of the 62 percent of people who use CBD to treat a medical condition, most use it to manage chronic pain, arthritis, and joint pain.

Read more…

Credits:
Source: https://www.cnet.com/

News Link:  https://www.cnet.com/news/cbd-for-pain-relief-what-the-science-says/

The post CBD for pain relief: What the science says appeared first on AlternativeWellness.

PMID: 

Biomolecules. 2019 Aug 23 ;9(9). Epub 2019 Aug 23. PMID: 31450828

Abstract Title: 

The Inhibitory Effect of Cordycepin on the Proliferation of MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells, and its Mechanism: An Investigation Using Network Pharmacology-Based Analysis.

Abstract: 

is a well-known medicinal mushroom. It is non-toxic and has clinical health benefits including cancer inhibition. However, the anticancer effects ofcultured in brown rice on breast cancer have not yet been reported. In this study, we simultaneously investigated the anticancer effects of cordycepin and an extract ofcultured in brown rice on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells using a cell viability assay, cell staining with Hoechst 33342, and an image-based cytometric assay. Theconcentrate exhibited significant MCF-7 cell inhibitory effects, and its ICvalue was 73.48µg/mL. Cordycepin also exhibited significant MCF-7 cell inhibitory effects, and its ICvalue was 9.58µM. We applied network pharmacological analysis to predict potential targets and pathways of cordycepin. The gene set enrichment analysis showed that the targets of cordycepin are mainly associated with the hedgehog signaling, apoptosis, p53 signaling, and estrogen signaling pathways. We further verified the predicted targets related to the apoptosis pathway using western blot analysis. Theconcentrate and cordycepin exhibited the ability to induce apoptotic cell death by increasing the cleavage of caspase-7 -8, and -9, increasing the Bax/Bcl-2 protein expression ratio, and decreasing the protein expression of XIAP in MCF-7 cells. Consequently, theconcentrate and cordycepin exhibited significant anticancer effects through their ability to induce apoptosis in breast cancer cells.

read more

PMID: 

BMC Complement Altern Med. 2019 Aug 23 ;19(1):230. Epub 2019 Aug 23. PMID: 31443712

Abstract Title: 

Glucose-lowering and hypolipidemic activities of polysaccharides from Cordyceps taii in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice.

Abstract: 

BACKGROUND: Hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia are classic features of patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). Cordyceps taii, a folk medicinal fungus native to southern China, possesses various pharmacological activities. This study aimed to assess the glucose-lowering and hypolipidemic effects of polysaccharides from C. taii (CTP) in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice.METHODS: Kunming mice were intraperitoneally injected with STZ at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight. After induction of diabetes, diabetic mice were randomly divided into five groups: diabetic mellitus group (DM), metformin-treated group, low, medium, and high-dose CTP-treated group (CTP-L, CTP-M, and CTP-H). Normal mice served as the control group. After treatment for 28 days, body weight, fasting serum insulin (FSI), fasting blood glucose (FBG), homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured. Histological analysis of pancreatic tissue and immune organ indices was also performed to evaluate the anti-diabetes effect of CTP. SPSS (version 21.0) software was used for statistical analysis, and statistical differenceswere considered significant at p 

read more

PMID: 

Clin Sci (Lond). 2019 Jul 15 ;133(13):1523-1536. Epub 2019 Jul 15. PMID: 31270147

Abstract Title: 

Ergosterol attenuates cigarette smoke extract-induced COPD by modulating inflammation, oxidative stress and apoptosisand.

Abstract: 

Cigarette smoke (CS) is the major cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). CS heightens inflammation, oxidative stress and apoptosis. Ergosterol is the main bioactive ingredient in(), a traditional medicinal herb for various diseases. The objective of this work was to investigate the effects of ergosterol on anti-inflammatory and antioxidative stress as well as anti-apoptosis in a cigarette smoke extract (CSE)-induced COPD model bothandOur results demonstrate that CSE induced inflammatory and oxidative stress and apoptosis with the involvement of the Bcl-2 family proteins via the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB)/p65 pathway in both 16HBE cells and Balb/c mice. CSE induced epithelial cell death and increased the expression of nitric oxide (NO), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), malondialdehyde (MAD) and the apoptosis-related proteins cleaved caspase 3/7/9 and cleaved-poly-(ADP)-ribose polymerase (PARP) bothand, whereas decreased the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). Treatment of 16HBE cells and Balb/c mice with ergosterol inhibited CSE-induced inflammatory and oxidative stress and apoptosis by inhibiting the activation of NF-κB/p65. Ergosterol suppressed apoptosis by inhibiting the expression of the apoptosis-related proteins bothandMoreover, the usage of QNZ (an inhibitor of NF-κB) also partly demonstrated that NF-κB/p65 pathway was involved in the ergosterol protective progress. These results show that ergosterol suppressed COPD inflammatory and oxidative stress and apoptosis through the NF-κB/p65 pathway, suggesting that ergosterol may be partially responsible for thetherapeutic effects of culturedon COPD patients.

read more

Despite being at the top of the global food chain and industrial developmental ladder, the United States has a poor track record for delivering uncontaminated drinking water to the public. Even the nicest restaurants are guilty of serving you directly from the tap. It’s time to get real about the ‘tap water problem,’ one of the most significant vectors of toxicity of our age…

read more

PMID: 

Biosci Trends. 2019 ;13(4):324-333. PMID: 31527329

Abstract Title: 

Cordycepin induces apoptosis in human bladder cancer T24 cells through ROS-dependent inhibition of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Abstract: 

Cordycepin, a derivative of nucleoside adenosine, is one of the active ingredients extracted from the fungi of genus Cordyceps, which have been used for traditional herbal remedies. In this study, we examined the effect of cordycepin on the proliferation and apoptosis of human bladder cancer T24 cells and its mechanism of action. Cordycepin treatment significantly reduced the cell survival rate of T24 cells in a concentration-dependent manner, which was associated with the induction of apoptosis. Cordycepin activated caspase-8 and -9, which are involved in the initiation of extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis pathways, respectively, and also increased caspase-3 activity, a typical effect caspase, subsequently leading to poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage. Additionally, cordycepin increased the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and truncation of Bid, and destroyed the integrity of mitochondria, which contributed to the cytosolic release of cytochrome c. Moreover, cordycepin effectively inactivated the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway, while LY294002, a PI3K/Akt inhibitor, increased the apoptosis-inducing effect of cordycepin. Cordycepin further enhanced the intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), while the addition of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), a ROS inhibitor, significantly diminished cordycepin-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and growth inhibition, and also blocked the inactivation of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Furthermore, the presence of NAC significantly attenuated the enhanced apoptotic cell death and reduction of cell viability by treatment with cordycepin and LY294002. Collectively, the data indicate that cordycepin induces apoptosis through the activation of extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis pathways and the ROS-dependent inactivation of PI3K/Akt signaling in human bladder cancer T24 cells.

read more

PMID: 

J Med Food. 2019 Aug ;22(8):823-832. Epub 2019 Jul 16. PMID: 31313945

Abstract Title: 

The Extract ofInhibited the Proliferation of Cisplatin-Resistant A549 Lung Cancer Cells by Downregulation of H-Ras.

Abstract: 

We investigated the antitumor effect ofextract (CME) on A549 cisplatin-resistant (CR) lung cancer cells. The proliferation of A549/CR cells was suppressed by CME. Apoptosis of the cells was induced by CME. The cell cycle arrest was observed in the sub-G1 phase in the cells treated with CME. Proteomic profile analysis showed that H-Ras was downregulated in CME-treated cells and it was confirmed by western blot analysis. Collectively, these data demonstrated that CME is an alternative treatment for the anticancer effect.

read more

PMID: 

Food Funct. 2019 Aug 1 ;10(8):5102-5114. Epub 2019 Jul 31. PMID: 31363726

Abstract Title: 

Cordyceps militaris polysaccharides exerted protective effects on diabetic nephropathy in mice via regulation of autophagy.

Abstract: 

The present study was designed to investigate the protective effects of Cordyceps militaris polysaccharides (CMP) on STZ-treated DN mice. CMP were identified by FT-IR and HPLC. Diabetic nephropathy (DN) was induced in male C57BL/6 mice by the injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 50 mg kg) in citrate buffer on 5 consecutive days. Administration of CMP at 200 and 400 mg kgor irbesartan at 60 mg kgin the STZ-treated mice could prevent the damage caused by STZ. CMP significantly reduced the STZ-induced higher expression of the kidney index, TC, TG, MDA, urinary protein, Scr, and BUN, while it markedly increased the STZ-induced decrease in GSH levels compared with the DN group. Histopathology analysis of the kidney by PAS, Masson, and HE staining confirmed the renal injury induced by STZ and the protective effects of CMP. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results confirmed the severe foot process effacement induced by STZ, but CMP treatment inhibited the podocytes' structure defects and ameliorated the function of podocytes. Desmin was measured by immunofluorescence and was related to podocyte injury. The results showed that CMP lessened the expression of desmin induced by STZ. CD68 expression was measured by immunohistochemistry analysis, and the expressions of IL-1β, IL-6, and MCP-1 mRNA were measured by qRT-PCR. The results showed that CMP suppressed the expressions of CD68, IL-1β, IL-6, and MCP-1 mRNA induced by STZ. The role of autophagy in the treatment of DN mice with CMP was detected by TEM and western blotting. The results showed that the administration of CMP was able to overcome the STZ-treated autophagy deficiency, significantly increase the rate of autophagy in the kidney, promote the expression of Atg5, beclin1 and LC3 protein, and reduce the expression of p62 protein. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that CMP exert a protective effect on DN in STZ-treated mice possibly via activation of autophagy.

read more

PMID: 

Nutr Res Pract. 2019 Aug ;13(4):279-285. Epub 2019 Jul 10. PMID: 31388403

Abstract Title: 

Protective effect ofagainst hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress.

Abstract: 

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as hydroxyl (·OH), nitric oxide (NO), and hydrogen peroxide (HO) is reported to induce oxidative stress. ROS generated by oxidative stress can potentially damage glial cells in the nervous system.(CM), a kind of natural herb widely found in East Asia. In this study, we investigated the free radical scavenging activity of the CM extract and its neuroprotective effects in HO-induced C6 glial cells.MATERIALS/METHODS: The ethanol extract of CM (100-1,000µg/mL) was used to measure DPPH, ·OH, and NO radical scavenging activities. In addition, hydrogen peroxide (HO)-induced C6 glial cells were treated with CM at 0.5-2.5µg/mL for measurement of cell viability, ROS production, and protein expression resulting from oxidative stress.RESULTS: The CM extract showed high scavenging activities against DPPH,·OH, and NO radicals at concentration of 1,000 µg/mL. Treatment of CM with HO-induced oxidative stress in C6 glial cells significantly increased cell viability, and decreased ROS production. Cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase protein expression was down-regulated in CM-treated groups. In addition, the protein expression level of phospho-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p-p38 MAPK), phospho-c-Jun N-terminal kinase (p-JNK), and phospho-extracellular regulated protein kinases (p-ERK) in HO-induced C6 glial cells was down-regulated upon CM administration.CONCLUSION: CM exhibited radical scavenging activity and protective effect against HOas indicated by the increased cell viability, decreased ROS production, down-regulation of inflammation-related proteins as well as p-p38, p-JNK, and p-ERK protein levels. Therefore, we suggest that CM could play the protective role from oxidative stress in glial cells.

read more

PMID: 

Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2019 May ;83(5):914-922. Epub 2019 Feb 17. PMID: 30774006

Abstract Title: 

Mulberry juice freeze-dried powder attenuates the disease severity by the maintaining of colon mucosa in mice with DSS-induced acute colitis.

Abstract: 

This study aimed to evaluate the microbial compositions and gene expression related to inflammation in dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced acute colitis and the effect of mulberry supplementation. Male BALB/c mice received a diet supplemented with mulberry juice freeze-dried powder (MFP) or not for 3 weeks. After 3 weeks, the mice received water containing 5% (w/v) DSS or not for 1 week. The disease activity index score in mice fed MFP was significantly decreased. A significant decrease in Bifidobacterium spp. and the Clostridium perfringens subgroup was observed in mice not fed MFP. The number of goblet cell and NLRP6 expression were observed in mice fed a diet supplemented with MFP compared with mice not fed MFP. These results may indicate that mulberry mitigates DSS-induced acute colitis by a changing the gut microbial flora and by improving mucosal conditions.

read more