Two New Compounds to Treat Addiction Cigarettes and Alcohol

Researchers at the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center at the University of California, San Francisco, and Pfizer Inc., has determined that two new compounds may be effective in treating alcohol and nicotine dependence at the same time.

In a paper published in the November 3 issue of Neuropsychopharmacology 2010, the researchers showed that alcohol consumption in rats was significantly lowered by two compounds that are targeted to neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subtype of {alpha} 3 {beta} 4 *.

nAChRs are proteins found in the brain and central nervous system that mediate the broader effects of substances such as nicotine. A recent study of human genetics have shown that the gene encoding alpha} {subtype {3} beta4 * very significant for susceptibility to alcohol and nicotine dependence.

"This problem has been translating important genetic findings in a more effective treatment for humans," says co-senior author, Selena E. Bartlett, PhD, director of Preclinical Development group at the Gallo Center. The lead author of the study is Susmita Chatterjee, PhD, from the Gallo Center.
Work has been done in collaboration with scientists led by senior co-author, Hans Rollema, PhD, in Neuroscience Research Unit at Pfizer Inc.

One new compound, CP-601 932, has been declared safe in humans in a clinical study, notes Bartlett. He recommends a clinical study to evaluate the efficacy of compounds and the potential benefits in treating both alcohol and nicotine dependence.

Another compound is PF-4575180. Both were developed by Pfizer.
"Alcoholism and nicotine are often treated as a separate disorder," says Bartlett, "despite the fact that 60 to 80 percent of heavy drinkers also smoked tobacco. Very few effective strategies for treating these disorders separately, let alone simultaneously. Our data show that by targeting specific nAChR subtypes, it is possible to treat alcohol and nicotine dependence with one drug. "

While the compound has a significant impact on alcohol consumption in mice, sucrose intake has no effect. "This indicates that unlike other drugs already approved for the misuse of alcohol, these compounds do not interfere with the brain's natural pengimbalan system in a more broad," said Bartlett.
Co-author of the study are Pia Steensland of the Karolinska Institutet, Sweden; Jeffrey A. Simms and Joan Holgate of the Gallo Center, and Jotham W. Coe, Raymond S. Hurst, Christopher L. Shaffer and John Lowe of Pfizer.

The research was supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Defense, State of California, the Foundation Boncompagni-Ludovisi BLANCEFLOR, née Bildt, the Swedish-American Foundation, and Insamlingsstiftelsen Hjärnfonden / Swedish Brain Foundation.

UCSF - affiliated Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center is one of the world's leading academic centers to study the biological basis of substance and alcohol use disorders. Gallo Center found a potential target molecules for therapeutic drug development that extended through the study of proof-of-concept clinical and preclinical.

UCSF is a leading university dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate level education in the life sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care.

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5 Kind of Dances to Form Ideal Body

There are fun ways to burn 500-1000 calories in one hour without having to use a treadmill or running on the track. Connect the music and enjoy each dynamic movement of the various dances as well burn the fat that has accumulated.

  1. belly dance

Belly dancing or belly dancing has a reputation as a dance of seduction, but a rhythmic movement in one part, from the hips, abdomen, chest, shoulders, arms, and back, making this dance movement has the effect of low-impact exercise (low impact). This movement also strengthens back muscles.

The movement of this dance uses all the muscles of the torso with a low effort on the muscles making it suitable for all ages.

2. Ballet movements are continuous and graceful in ballet would make us like exercising cardio, flexibility, and strength as well.

3. Zumba

Sports are inspired by Latin dance of the state has an energetic movement. It is suitable for those who want to burn calories as well as strengthen the muscles of the thigh and leg.

4. salsa

Vary your fitness workout with a salsa dance. Movements in this dance steps require quick feet with an upright posture. In addition to improving stamina, perform a dance routine will also make the muscles stronger upper body.

5. Hip Hop

Hip hop movement is a combination of elements of studio jazz and street styles. Dynamic movement makes all the muscles of the body part trained. Another advantage of hip-hop routine practice is to increase stamina and you can become a party to show off latiihan star who often practiced.

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Garlic and Blood Pressure

 

What Is High Blood Pressure?

High blood pressure is a potentially dangerous problem suffered by many people, often without them being aware of it. It has been estimated that in the USA alone more than 50 million people suffer from high blood pressure.

High blood pressure is in essence hypertension - the blood is being pumped through the system unusually fast and powerfully. This constant exertion of greater than normal force can damage the arteries, possibly leading in turn to kidney failure, heart attack and/or stroke. If you suspect you may have high blood pressure then it is essential that you discuss any symptoms with your doctor.

What Causes High Blood Pressure?

High blood pressure is usually divided by doctors into "essential hypertension" and "secondary hypertension".

"Secondary hypertension" refers to the case where the high blood pressure is the result of some known factor such as kidney disease. "Essential hypertension" refers to the case where there is no obvious single cause of high blood pressure.

There are many factors that can contribute to essental high blood pressure, the most common of which are lifestyle related. Smoking and high levels of saturated fat intake can both contribute significantly to an elevated level of blood pressure.

If your doctor doesn't identify a particular cause then he or she could well recommend diet and exercise as the best start. Losing some weight, lowering bad cholesterol levels and reducing salt intake can assist many people to lower their blood pressure levels. For others the preferred treatment will be medication.

Can Garlic Help?

Garlic is not a substitute for prescription medicine or lifestyle changes, however it has long had a reputation for assisting with blood pressure management. The research data is not conclusive, however it does appear that there is some evidence to support the role of garlic in reducing systolic and diastolic blood pressure (1).

It appears that the reputed beneficial effects of garlic on blood pressure come more from the garlic sulphides than from allicin. Unlike allicin, garlic sulphides are not destroyed by cooking.

Garlic might also assist blood pressure indirectly by helping to manage cholesterol levels.

Finally, extra garlic can be used as a seasoning, thus reducing the need for salt.

If you think you have high blood pressure then you should consult your doctor first before considering any home diagnosis or treatment.

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Garlic and Sleep

Natural Insomnia Treatment?

Sleep is an essential part of life. We need it to remain physically and mentally healthy. The effects of sleep deprivation can be disastrous - consult your doctor. If we're having trouble sleeping then it would be nice to have something natural and inexpensive to help.

Sedative vs Stimulant

So, could garlic help us to sleep? Or is it more likely to keep us awake?

The evidence is mixed. It has a reputation for doing both!

On the one hand garlic is generally classed as a "hot" herb and has been known as a stimulant. Some groups have even objected to garlic because of the "over-stimulation" it can produce by "inflaming" the passions. It has sometimes been considered an aphrodisiac, which would hardly seem to be suggestive of a sedative effect!

Yet despite that garlic also has a reputation for helping people to get to sleep, even if they don't want to. Some people have claimed that eating garlic at lunch time can make it more difficult to concentrate in the afternoon. This contradiction was summed up by gourmet Curnonsky who wrote:

"A garlic caress is stimulating. A garlic excess soporific."

It seems that garlic might help you to get a good night's sleep - under certain conditions. For example, if you have a cold and are having trouble breathing then garlic might be able to assist. Garlic can help to dry up the nasal passages in some cases, improving breathing and helping to reduce snoring in some people. This can in turn ease sleep.

Whether garlic works as a sleep aid under "normal" conditions is as yet unproven.

Some people suggest chopping a little garlic, infusing it in simmering milk for a few minutes then straining to produce a night-time drink.

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Alcohol Help Improve Brain Memory?

Drinking alcohol activate certain areas of our brain to learn and remember better, as those found in a recent study from the Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research at The University of Texas at Austin.
The general view that drinking alcohol is bad for learning and memory is not wrong, says neurobiologist Hitoshi Morikawa expert, but this study highlights only one side of the consumption of ethanol into the brain.

"Usually, when we talk about learning and memory, we're talking about conscious memory," said Morikawa, who announced his research last month in The Journal of Neuroscience. "Alcohol reduces our ability to hold on to pieces of information such as your colleague's name, or definition of a word, or where you parked the car this morning. But our subconscious as well do the learning and remembering, and alcohol can actually improve our ability to learn or 'kondisibilitas', at that level. "

Morikawa study, which found that repeated exposure to ethanol increases the plasticity of synapses in key areas in the brain, is further evidence of the presence of consensus in the neuroscience community where drug and alcohol addiction is fundamentally a disorder of learning and memory.

When we drink alcohol (or using heroin, cocaine or smoke, or drink methamphetamine), our subconscious are learning to consume more. But it does not stop there. We become more open to form a subconscious memory and habits with respect to food, music, even people and social situations.

In an important sense, says Morikawa, alcoholics are not addicted to the experience of pleasure or help them get it from drinking alcohol. They are addicted to the constellation of environmental cues, behavioral and physiological reinforced when alcohol triggers the release of dopamine in the brain.

"People usually think of dopamine as a transmitter happiness, or pleasure transmitter, but also more accurate transmitters of learning," Morikawa said. "It strengthens the synapses-sipnasis active when dopamine is released."

Alcohol, in this model, is the pusher. He hijacked the dopaminergic system, and the brain tells us that what we are doing at the time was pengimbalan (and thus worthy of repeated).

Among the things we learned is that drinking alcohol is pengimbalan. We also learn that going to the bar, chatting with friends, eating certain foods and listening to certain type of music is pengimbalan. The more often we do something while drinking alcohol, and more dopamine is released, the more "mempotensasikan" various synapses and the more we crave set of experiences and associations that orbit around the use of alcohol.

Hope Morikawa long term is that by better understanding the neurobiological basis of addiction, he can develop anti-addiction drugs that will weaken rather than strengthen, the key synapses. And if he can do that, he will be able to erase the subconscious memory of addiction.

"We're talking about things-cable termination," Morikawa said. "It's a little scary because it has the potential to become a substance that controls the mind. Nevertheless, our goal is to reverse the mind control that mengaspek addictive drug

Sources: Alcohol Helps the Brain Remember, Says New Study (utexas.edu)B. E. Bernier, L. R. Whitaker, H. Morikawa. Previous Ethanol Experience Enhances Synaptic Plasticity of NMDA Receptors in the Ventral Tegmental Area. Journal of Neuroscience, 2011; 31 (14): 5205 DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5282-10.2011

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