Psoriatic arthritis
Corydalis yanhusuo plant: promising lead in pain relief for arthritis and fibromyalgia
The Corydalis yanhusuo plant is under scrutiny as a possible treatment for acute inflammation and nerve pain, says research published in Current Biology.
Derived from the roots of the plant that grows in Siberia, China and Japan, dehydrocorybulbine (DHCB) is said to be non-addictive and does not generate the tolerance seen with continued use of other pain relievers, such as morphine. Continue reading
Trial of degradable implant could give future hope for those with arthritis
A new degradable surgical implant could offer improved surgical success to people with arthritis, hernias and heart defects, says a research team from Oxford.
The protective patch, which wraps round soft tissue repairs, is made of a combination of resilient woven material (designed to encourage cells to grip and bond and withstand the stresses of movement after surgery) and a thread that is a hundred times finer than human hair. Continue reading
Fresh approach needed for torn cartilage repair
Knee surgery to repair torn cartilage are no better than placebo ops, suggests research published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
The Finnish Degenerative Meniscal Lesion Study (FIDELITY) compared surgical treatment of degenerative meniscal tears to placebo surgery. Continue reading
New recipe for replacement cartilage
A way to create artificial replacement tissue that mimics the strength and suppleness of natural cartilage has been engineered by a team from Duke University in the UK.
Articular cartilage is the tissue on the ends of bones where they meet at joints in the body including knees, shoulders and hips. It can erode over time or be damaged by injury or overuse, causing pain and lack of mobility. While replacing the tissue could bring relief to millions, replicating the properties of native cartilage (which is strong and load-bearing, yet smooth and cushiony) has proven a challenge. Continue reading
Meditation can change expression of pro-inflammatory genes, says new study
The first evidence of specific molecular changes in the body following a period of mindfulness meditation has been revealed in a paper published in Psychoneuroendocrinology.
Researchers looked at the effects of a day of intensive mindfulness practice in a group of experienced meditators, compared to a group of untrained people who engaged in quiet non-meditative activities.
After eight hours of mindfulness practice, the meditators showed a range of genetic and molecular differences, including altered levels of gene-regulating machinery and reduced levels of pro-inflammatory genes, which correlated with faster physical recovery from a stressful situation. Continue reading
