தெரிந்து கொள்வோமா-137 [ஆஸ்துமாவை துரத்தியடிக்கும் இஞ்சி தேனீர்]

Plumbers, spray painters at higher risk for asthma

LONDON: Ginger tea can be magical for a bad throat. But the humble vegetable has now been found to be highly effective in treating asthmasymptoms.

Foodies everywhere have long recognized ginger as a great way to add a little peppery zing to their gormet dishes.

Now, a a study from researchers at Columbia University shows purified components of the spicy root also may have properties that help asthma patients breathe more easily.

Asthma is characterized by bronchoconstriction, a tightening of the bronchial tubes that carry air into and out of the lungs.

Bronchodilating medications called beta-agonists are among the most common types of asthma medications and work by relaxing the airway smooth muscle (ASM) tissues.

This study looked at whether specific components of ginger could help enhance the relaxing effects of bronchodilators.

"Asthma has become more prevalent in recent years, but despite an improved understanding of what causes asthma and how it develops, during the past 40 years few new treatment agents have been approved for targeting asthma symptoms," said lead author Elizabeth Townsend.

"In our study, we demonstrated that purified components of ginger can work synergistically o relax ASM."

India is reeling under a severe burden of chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs). According to the health ministry's latest report, released by the Indian Council of Medical Research recently, 13 million people aged 15 years and above suffer from asthma.

Around 69.18 lakh men suffered from asthma compared to 60.18 lakh women above the age of 15.

To conduct their study, the researchers took human ASM tissue samples and caused the samplesto contract by exposing them to acetylcholine, a neurotransmitting compound that causes bronchoconstriction.

At the conclusion of their study, the researchers found that tissues treated with the combination of purified ginger components and isoproterenol exhibited significantly greater relaxation.

The researchers wanted to determine if the ginger components might work by affecting an enzyme called phosphodiesterase4D (PDE4D).

Previous studies have shown that PDE4D, which is found in the lungs, inhibits processes that otherwise help relax ASM and lessen inflammation. Using a technique called fluorescent polarization, they found that all three components significantly inhibited PDE4D.

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