The pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is associated with severe oxidative stress and non-selective immunological disturbance that lead to necroinflammation and the progression of fibrosis. Several trials have suggested that antioxidant and immunostimulant therapies may have a beneficial effect.

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Recent research, funded in part by NCCAM and published in the journal Gastroenterology, has shown that an extract of the <[censored]> plant may help treat hepatitis C virus infection. Hepatitis C, a liver disease caused by a virus, is usually chronic (long-lasting), with symptoms ranging from mild (or even none) to severe.

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The National Heartburn Alliance tells us that more than 25 million Americans experience heartburn on a daily basis, and for the majority of them, acid-blocking drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are the answer.

But thanks to an analysis of several recent studies, mainstream medicine may be on the verge of realizing what natural health practitioners have been saying for years—that prolonged use of PPIs comes with a laundry list of side effects that can take a serious toll on your health.

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March 31, 2010 | Lisa Nainggolan

Nuthetal, Germany - The largest observational study so far to examine the association between chocolate consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease has found that those who ate the most chocolate—around 7.5 g per day—had a 39% lower risk of MI and stroke than individuals who ate almost no chocolate (1.7 g per day) [1].

Lead author Dr Brian Buijsse (German Institute of Human Nutrition, Nuthetal, Germany) told heartwire: "This shows that habitual consumption of chocolate is related to a lower risk of heart disease and stroke that is partly explained by blood-pressure reduction. The risk reduction is stronger for stroke than for MI, which is logical because it appears that chocolate and cocoa have a pronounced effect on BP, and BP is a higher risk factor for stroke than for MI." Buijsse and colleagues report their findings online March 31, 2010 in the European Heart Journal.

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The liver is the principal organ that is capable of converting drugs into forms that can be readily eliminated from the body. Given the diversity in use today and the complex burden they impose upon the liver, it is not surprising that a broad spectrum of adverse drug's effects on liver functions and structures has been documented.

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Those contracting Hepatitis C could also be more vulnerable than others to type 2 diabetes, by as much as three to four times, Australian study reveals.

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