Medical Portal

Cocaine vaccine is at the proving stage

January 9th, 2008

Employees of Medical College in Houston conduct clinical tests of cocaine vaccine, informs AP. The preparation forces immune system to generate antibodies which will neutralize a drug before its penetration into a brain - in result dose of cocaine loses any sense for a drug addict.

To make cocaine molecule familiar for immune system, scientific have attached it to a large aluminous molecule of comma bacillus toxin. Unlike the true cocaine, this chemical compound does not cause euphoria and addiction. However antibodies generated in an organism in response to preparation, can distinguish both a “hybrid” molecule, and pure cocaine.

Developers of a vaccine, the spouse Tom and Theresa Kosten, have apply for the third expanded stage of clinical tests at the end of the last year. It is expected, that about 300 patients with a long history of cocaine abuse will take part in the research. However, as researchers mark, even in case of the successful outcome, mass application of the preparation will be possible only in some years.

Scientists have created the universal flu jab

January 8th, 2008

British and American scientists have declared the successful completion of the first stage of vaccine’s clinical tests, capable to provide long-term protection against all flu varieties, A type. The new preparation will make unnecessary annual updating of vaccines for struggle against seasonal flu epidemics.

Modern influenza virus vaccines help immune system to distinguish superficial virus albumins hemagglutinin and neuraminidase. The structure of these albumins varies because of often mutations, and new vaccines are required to struggle against new flu varieties.

Vaccine ACAM-FLU-A developed by Acambis’ experts causes immune response to other superficial albumin named M2e. Gene, coding the structure of this albumin, remains invariable at all varieties of A type viruses, so all of them will be identified and destroyed by immune system of the vaccinated person.

ACAM-FLU-A can not protect from B type viruses, which also can cause an outbreak of disease. However all pandemia, including possible H5N1 pandemia, have been caused by A type viruses. According to WHO’s data, annually from 500 thousand up to one million people die because of flu.

Tea and coffee-lovers develop cancer less often

January 7th, 2008

American scientists from Medical school of Harvard University, having studied the data of 13 researches, came to a conclusion that people who drink a lot of coffee and tea, less often develop kidney cancer.

According to the data of the research, those who daily drank on the average three and more cups of coffee (240 milliliters), had 16 % less chances of kidney cancer in comparison with those, who drank coffee once a day or less often.

Also experts have found out, that the daily use of one cup of tea has been connected to 15-percent decrease in risk of cancer development, while milk, soft drinks and juices did not influence frequency of diseases.

That is interesting, beneficial influence of tea and coffee remained the same even taking into account such cancer risk factors as smoking, adiposity and increased blood pressure.

American scientists believe that anticancer properties of tea and coffee can be connected to ability of these drinks to raise sensitivity of organism’s tissues to insulin. It is known that increased levels of this hormone in an organism are considered as one of risk factors of many cancer diseases.

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