| Professional Edition Volume 1 Issue 7 July 11, 2007 |
Newsletter for Acupuncture Practitioners sponsored by Ashi Research |
Differences Between Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Inflammatory Bowel Disease
They have similar symptoms - how do we tell them apart?
From Amber J. Tresca
Many intestinal disorders have similar symptoms which can impede the diagnostic process. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (which includes both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis and is collectively known as IBD) in particular
have several symptoms in common.
IBS is often confused with ulcerative colitis or colitis, but there are differences. IBS is a syndrome, not a disease, and it will not lead to
colon cancer nor does it cause intestinal bleeding. Ulcerative colitis, however, is a disease, which can put patients at risk for colon cancer.
Bleeding is a common symptom. Ulcerative colitis affects only the inner lining of the colon while Crohn's disease can inflame all the layers
of the intestinal wall. Crohn's disease can involve any organ in the digestive tract while ulcerative colitis only affects the colon and rectum.
The differences between ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease can also be difficult to ascertain from a patient's symptoms only. A
colonoscopy or other tests may be necessary.
A proper diagnosis can be critical when considering a treatment plan. Even though they are categorized together as forms of IBD, ulcerative
colitis and Crohn's disease have very different treatments. Therapy and medications for IBS vary hugely from those for ulcerative colitis. An
incorrect diagnosis and treatment plan can not only be ineffective but in some cases may also be dangerous.
The tables below are by no means a complete or hard and fast list of symptoms, but do give a general idea of the distinguishing factors
between IBS and IBD.
Intestinal Symptoms IBS Crohn's Disease Ulcerative Colitis
Alternating diarrhea/constipation X
Abdominal pain X X X
Bloating/Distension X X X
Mucus X X X
Persistent diarrhea X X X
Loss of Appetite X X
Rectal bleeding X X
Fistulas X
Strictures X
Extra Intestinal Symptoms IBS Crohn's Disease Ulcerative Colitis
Worsening of symptoms
during menses X X X
Anemia X X
Delayed growth and sexual
maturation in children X X
Eye irritations X X
Fever X X
Skin irritations X X
Weight loss X X
Related Conditions IBS Crohn's Disease Ulcerative Colitis
Urinary Conditions X X X
Fibromyalgia X X X
Anxiety X X X
Depression X X X
Arthritis X X
Liver Complications X X
Osteoporosis X X
Colon Cancer X
They have similar symptoms - how do we tell them apart?
From Amber J. Tresca
Many intestinal disorders have similar symptoms which can impede the diagnostic process. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (which includes both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis and is collectively known as IBD) in particular
have several symptoms in common.
IBS is often confused with ulcerative colitis or colitis, but there are differences. IBS is a syndrome, not a disease, and it will not lead to
colon cancer nor does it cause intestinal bleeding. Ulcerative colitis, however, is a disease, which can put patients at risk for colon cancer.
Bleeding is a common symptom. Ulcerative colitis affects only the inner lining of the colon while Crohn's disease can inflame all the layers
of the intestinal wall. Crohn's disease can involve any organ in the digestive tract while ulcerative colitis only affects the colon and rectum.
The differences between ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease can also be difficult to ascertain from a patient's symptoms only. A
colonoscopy or other tests may be necessary.
A proper diagnosis can be critical when considering a treatment plan. Even though they are categorized together as forms of IBD, ulcerative
colitis and Crohn's disease have very different treatments. Therapy and medications for IBS vary hugely from those for ulcerative colitis. An
incorrect diagnosis and treatment plan can not only be ineffective but in some cases may also be dangerous.
The tables below are by no means a complete or hard and fast list of symptoms, but do give a general idea of the distinguishing factors
between IBS and IBD.
Intestinal Symptoms IBS Crohn's Disease Ulcerative Colitis
Alternating diarrhea/constipation X
Abdominal pain X X X
Bloating/Distension X X X
Mucus X X X
Persistent diarrhea X X X
Loss of Appetite X X
Rectal bleeding X X
Fistulas X
Strictures X
Extra Intestinal Symptoms IBS Crohn's Disease Ulcerative Colitis
Worsening of symptoms
during menses X X X
Anemia X X
Delayed growth and sexual
maturation in children X X
Eye irritations X X
Fever X X
Skin irritations X X
Weight loss X X
Related Conditions IBS Crohn's Disease Ulcerative Colitis
Urinary Conditions X X X
Fibromyalgia X X X
Anxiety X X X
Depression X X X
Arthritis X X
Liver Complications X X
Osteoporosis X X
Colon Cancer X
- The multiple therapeutic uses of Jiang Huang and curcumin
- Jiang Huang, the root of Curcuma Longae (Rhizoma Curcumae Longae), is a member of the
ginger family found wild in the Himalayas and grown across South Asia. It has been used in
Asian cookery as a spice in curry for thousands of years. Jiang Huang, which is perhaps better
known in the west as turmeric, holds a high place in Indian ayurvedic medicine as a "cleanser
of the body". In traditional Chinese medicine Jiang Huang is widely used for invigorating blood,
expelling wind, and unblocking menses. It enters the spleen and stomach meridians. Clinical
indications suggesting the use of Jiang Huang include chest and abdominal pain, amenorrhea,
dysmenorrheal, pain, swelling from trauma, and other damp, painful obstructions such as pain
powder (Jing-Huang San) which is used for skin infections and lesions. In addition to these traditional medical uses,
Jiang Huang has been found to benefit patients who suffer from various cancers, Alzheimer's disease, HIV infection,
allergies, asthma, heart diseases, and diabetes.
The main active ingredients in Jiang Huang are curcumin and two curcumin derivatives, demethoxycurcumin and
bis-demethoxycurcumin. These compounds together are called curcuminoids. The curcuminoids are bright yellow
phytopolylphenol pigments which give the shining yellow color to turmeric. For the last few decades, extensive research work has been
done to establish the biological activities and pharmacological actions of curcumin. It has been found that it possesses strong anti-
inflammatory properties as a result of the inhibition of cyclooxygenases and other enzymes involved in inflammation. Inflammation is a
main cause of pain in many disease conditions such as arthritis. By inhibiting tissue inflammation, curcumin effectively relieves pain and
prevents tissue degeneration.
In addition to pain, inflammation is also an important pathological factor leading to the formation of beta-amyloid and plaques in the brain
which cause Alzheimer's disease. Animal studies showed that curcumin inhibited the accumulation of beta-amyloid and plaques in
Alzheimer's-like disease in animals. The effect of curcumin is believed to be associated with the inhibition of inflammatory reactions in the
brain. Interestingly, India has one of the lowest rates of Alzheimer's disease in the world. Their curry heavy diet, rich in curcumin, may offer
an explanation. Currently, there are ongoing studies to explore the potential use of curcumin for preventing or treating Alzheimer's disease
in humans.
The use of curcumin for preventing and treating cancers has drawn a great deal of attention in recent years. Curcumin has been shown to
inhibit tumor cell proliferation and suppress tumor growth in animal models of cancer. It can also directly induce cancer cell death without
cytotoxic effects on healthy cells. More recently, it has been found that curcumin can prevent the spread of cancer cells (metastasis) in the
body. Studies have found that inflammation around cancer cells is the main cause leading to cancer cell metastasis. Curcumin showed
strong inhibitory effects on different inflammatory mediators around cancer tissues. This may be a mechanism by which curcumin
suppresses the spread of cancer cells in the body. Supported by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), there are currently several phase II
and phase III clinical trials being conducted in humans to evaluate the effect of curcumin in treating and preventing cancers. These trials
are:
1) Curcumin, with or without bioperine, in patients with multiple Myeloma.
2) Phase II (Prevention) clinical trial to assess curcumin for regressing colorectal adenomatous polyps in patients with familial
adenomatous polyposis, an inherited form of colorectal cancer.
3) Phase II (Treatment) clinical trial to study curcumin for improving the efficacy of the standard chemotherapy gemcitabine in patients with
advanced pancreatic cancer.
4) Phase II (Prevention) trial to study curcumin for the chemoprevention of colorectal
Cancer
5) Phase III trial of curcumin in Patients with metastatic colon cancer
For more details on the above clinical trials of curcumin in cancer treatments, visit the NCI curcumin study site:
Previous human phase I-II studies found curcumin to be safe, and indicated no dose-limiting toxicity when taken by mouth at doses up to
10 g/day. However, one should be cautious with people having bile duct obstruction, gallstones, stomach ulcers, or hyperacidity
disorders.
Herb Combo for Asthma
The popularity of herbal medicine is on the rise and now American researchers are testing herbs from China
that may provide a natural solution to a problem that still stumps doctors... how to treat people with asthma
safely and effectively.
Teo Hoke needs an inhaler to help her breathe and depends on steroids for survival "when you have an asthma
attack, you feel like someone is sitting on your chest."
Either oral or inhaled steroids are often the frontline treatment for asthma, but Dr. Neil Schachter, of Mount Sinai Hospital, says they're
dangerous. He adds, "there's the chance of bone damage, there's the chance of infection because of a lowered immune system, and
there's the chance of triggering diabetes." But now a new trial is looking at an herbal alternative. "The goal of our clinical study is to reduce
or eventually replace the corticosteroids" says Dr. Xiu-Min Li. A Chinese study shows a three-herb combination of Ling-Zi, Ku-Shen, and
Gan-Cow improves lung function in asthmatics. "This would offer a significant alternative to using steroids, and it would be a lot safer" says
Dr. Li.
If the results at Mount Sinai confirm they are safe and effective, the botanical combination could be a welcome new option for Teo and the
15 million other Americans who suffer from asthma. The clinical trial investigator at Mount Sinai says the three phases of the clinical trial
could take a couple of years to complete.
The popularity of herbal medicine is on the rise and now American researchers are testing herbs from China
that may provide a natural solution to a problem that still stumps doctors... how to treat people with asthma
safely and effectively.
Teo Hoke needs an inhaler to help her breathe and depends on steroids for survival "when you have an asthma
attack, you feel like someone is sitting on your chest."
Either oral or inhaled steroids are often the frontline treatment for asthma, but Dr. Neil Schachter, of Mount Sinai Hospital, says they're
dangerous. He adds, "there's the chance of bone damage, there's the chance of infection because of a lowered immune system, and
there's the chance of triggering diabetes." But now a new trial is looking at an herbal alternative. "The goal of our clinical study is to reduce
or eventually replace the corticosteroids" says Dr. Xiu-Min Li. A Chinese study shows a three-herb combination of Ling-Zi, Ku-Shen, and
Gan-Cow improves lung function in asthmatics. "This would offer a significant alternative to using steroids, and it would be a lot safer" says
Dr. Li.
If the results at Mount Sinai confirm they are safe and effective, the botanical combination could be a welcome new option for Teo and the
15 million other Americans who suffer from asthma. The clinical trial investigator at Mount Sinai says the three phases of the clinical trial
could take a couple of years to complete.
| Ashi Pain Relief Products New Solution for Practitioners! Click here to order |
CONTENTS
Curcuma
longa L
longa L
Ashi Home | Products and Orders | Contact Us | ©2006 Ashi Research, Inc. All rights reserved.
Ashi Research has been developing and testing pain relieving skin patches for different pain conditions for about a year.
After many trials, modifications, and improvements, Ashi is pleased to announce that the first generation of Ashi Pain
Patches will be available soon to health care practitioners including acupuncturists. Ashi Pain Patches are based on
scientific formulations. They have the following features: 1) fast pain relief, 2) long-lasting effect, 3) no known
side-effects, and 4) they are convenient to use. Visit our website for information on the availability of these new products.
After many trials, modifications, and improvements, Ashi is pleased to announce that the first generation of Ashi Pain
Patches will be available soon to health care practitioners including acupuncturists. Ashi Pain Patches are based on
scientific formulations. They have the following features: 1) fast pain relief, 2) long-lasting effect, 3) no known
side-effects, and 4) they are convenient to use. Visit our website for information on the availability of these new products.
