Thursday, March 31, 2011

Making Malaria Medicine

Experts in Canada and the United States claimed had found the process of making malaria drugs faster and cheaper. They found a way to make artemisinin, the main content in some malaria medicines, using yeast, genes, and fermentation. The researchers say that this way better and more efficient than extracting artemisinin from the plant.

Researchers from OneWorld Health, Amyris, Unversity of California at Berkeley, and the Canadian government, to identify genes that produce artemisinin at generating plants. Then they tried the gene in yeast and make them artemisinin in the lab.

"This technique makes more production doubled and faster,"explained the researchers.

Minister of science and technology Gary Goodyear Canada said that these developments represent a major advancement in the fight against the disease. "Reaffirming Canada's position as a provider of health solutions that reliably and inexpensively," said Goodyear told The Star Phoenix.

Plants that produce artemisinin growing in Africa and Asia. However, this plant is difficult to be maintained so that maintenance costs soar. In addition, artemisinin -producing plants have an annual production cycle so that the risk is very high malaria drug shortage.

Currently, malaria is one disease that causes most deaths. Nearly 1 million people die each year from this mosquito-borne illnesses. Malaria is also a leading cause of death of children under age 5 years. although they recovered, they can suffer brain damage and anemia

Body Need Supplements

Lack of vitamin will cause problems if it occurs in the long term. If this vitamin deficiency lasts long enough, there will be a deficiency disease. Simple example in cases of vitamin C deficiency are bleeding gums.

Many of us are actually located near the boundary line of vitamin B12 deficiency. Examples of this vitamin deficiency disease is anemia which can be detected through a simple blood test. Before anemia occurs, vitamin B12 deficiency can also cause depression, confusion and other symptoms of mental illness.

Here are the signs you are in a borderline vitamin deficiencies:

- Rarely eat vegetables and fresh fruit, although both of these natural foods are the best sources of vitamins and minerals.

- In a time long enough to experience severe stress or fatigue due often delicate work. In times of stress, our bodies are deficient in vitamin. This is exacerbated by unhealthy eating patterns. Vitamin deficiency became more severe.

- Pain has just bronchitis or surgery. At times like this we tend to lose appetite. In these circumstances we need extra vitamins and minerals for a healthy back.

- Suffering from chronic diseases such as asthma and diabetes. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can cause more severe disease. People with asthma tend to lack magnesium, whereas people with diabetes tend to be deficient in vitamin C.

Chronic diseases alter the workings of the body absorb and use vitamins and minerals. So the extra needs of the supplement.

- Pregnant and lactating women. In the state of pregnancy and breastfeeding, mothers need extra vitamins and minerals to be divided into a baby.

- Suffering from depression. When depressed, we tend not to eat well. This can worsen depression because of vitamin and mineral deficiencies can cause depression.

- Smoking. Because of this unhealthy habit of robbing all our intake of vitamins, especially vitamin C.

Insomnia, Need Sleeping Pills ?

Although the clock had passed midnight, but your eyes are not willing to shut. If this has happened for days, should a bedtime pill?

"It depends on how we handle stress,"says Mary Susan Esther, President of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

He said, sleeplessness is becoming one of the most modern problems. Especially in America today people are still struggling to get out of the economic crisis.

For people who suffer from insomnia due to stress, he recommends that we take time for relaxation, especially 2 hours before bedtime. Build a healthy sleep habits, such as turning off lights, electronic equipment away from the room, and looking for friends to talk to reduce the tension of mind.

If these efforts do not bear fruit, she suggested to see a doctor.

"The doctor will decide whether or not a sleeping pill. You should also not buy a sleeping pill at random because the uncontrolled use of the pill is dangerous," he said.

A study showed the use of sleeping pills in the long term can cause harmful side effects, such as prolonged fatigue, depression, walking in their sleep, to drive while sleeping.

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