Any disease marked by inflammation and pain in the joints, muscles, or fibrous tissue, especially rheumatoid arthritis, basically  refers to rheumatism or rheumatic disorder. Here Ellaine Castillo, Medicine.news, reflects on recent study of a potential cure for rheumatism:

Image courtesy of: J.G. in S.F.

“More than 46 million Americans suffer from some form of rheumatic disease. If left untreated, the condition could lead to a loss of function in the affected body part. These include joints, muscles, kidneys, heart, and brain. Wooly bluecurls (Trichostema lanatum) is an herb traditionally used by the Chumash people of Southern California as a natural remedy for rheumatism. However, until recently, no scientific literature has been found to back up the efficacy of the plant for these purposes. In this study, which appeared in Medicines, the researchers evaluated the antibacterial and immunomodulatory activities of extracts from the leaves of wooly bluecurls to provide evidence for its traditional uses.

Image courtesy of: John Rusk

Rheumatism is an umbrella term for more than a hundred diseases that are associated with macrophage-mediated immune responses like inflammation. Because of this, the majority of treatments for rheumatic diseases involve the use of immunomodulatory compounds, which have been found in many medicinal plants. One of the ways through which these compounds work is by reducing the amount of pro-inflammatory chemicals, like tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), produced by macrophages. It is important to regulate TNF-alpha levels because too much of it can lead to sepsis, tissue damage, or chronic inflammation.

Image courtesy of: J. Maughn

In this study, the researchers wanted to prove that the traditional uses of wooly bluecurls are backed by scientific proof. They did this by assessing the antibacterial and immunomodulatory activities of the extracts. The researchers tested antibacterial activity against six Gram-positive strains and two Gram-negative strain. Results showed that wooly bluecurls worked in a dose-dependent manner. However, it was only effective against Gram-positive bacteria. They attributed the resistance of Gram-negative bacteria to the presence of a drug-efflux system that can expel the extracts out of the cells.”

If you would like to learn other solutions to help control your health … click here?

Read More … Article Source: https://www.medicine.news/2018-11-29-wooly-bluecurls-may-be-a-potential-cure-for-rheumatism.html

Photo By California Pete