Nerdy Science Blog

Oxidant pollutants have pro-inflammatory effects and lead to cellular oxidative stress, hence causing asthma.  Researchers at University of California, Los Angeles, showed that broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables (like cabbage) help in mediating respiratory inflammation, such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.  Sulforaphane, a compound in these vegetables, appears to have a potent biologic effect in the stimulation of antioxidant response in humans.  The study involved 65 volunteers.  They were given either broccoli sprouts or alfalfa sprouts.  Alfalfa sprouts do not contain any sulforaphane, so they are used as placebo.  Researchers found that those who consumed broccoli sprouts had two to three fold increases of antioxidant enzymes in upper airway of human.  Maximum dosage of broccoli sprouts yielded 101% increase of the antioxidant enzyme GSTP1 and 199% increase of enzyme NQo1 in the nasal airway cells of human subjects.  The result is published in the latest journal Clinical Immunology.  Authors are Riedl MA, Saxon A, and Diaz-Sanchez D.

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Human closest friends may have been protecting children from developing asthma.  A study led by NYU Langone Medical Center researchers found that a long-time microbial inhabitant of the human stomach, Helicobacter pylori, may protect kids between the ages of 3 and 13 from asthma.  However H. pylori can also lead to peptic ulcers and stomach cancer.

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Does your kid have asthma? Perhaps it’s a gene-linked disease.

In a genetic study of more than 2,000 children, scientists established that genetic markers on chromosome 17 had a striking effect on the risk of asthma in children. They also found that these markers altered the levels of a new gene called ORMDL3, which was at a higher level in the blood cells of children with asthma than in those without.

—— ScienceDaily: Gene Linked With Childhood Asthma Is Identified, Giving Hope For New Therapies

Both my brother and I had asthma when we were young, it was such an irritating thing. We did not have the freedom to drink cold drinks (coke used to be luxury to us) and can’t run around like other kids.

Asthma is a chronic disease of the respiration system. People having asthma often facing breathing difficulties when they encounter certain factors, such as allergens (animals, dust), irritants (air, odours), emotional factors and also illness.

Long-acting bronchodilator is a piece of equipment that asthma patient should carry around. One of the most common long-acting bronchodilator is Serevent (salmeterol), I used to carry this inhaler around with me when i was still an asthma patient.

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