Hookworms – a treatment for asthma?

Hookworms are a parasitic nematode worm that lives in the small intestine. It attaches itself to the lining of the small intestine and feeds on blood. Around 800 million people throughout the world are believed to have a hookworm infestation. In many cases it will cause anaemia to the host. As you can see from the picture it is a handsome fellow!

It comes as some surprise to read that research is underway to see if the hookworm can treat asthma. It is thought that the worm reduces the inflammatory part of the body's immune response which improves its survival chances. Researchers at the University of Nottingham hope the worms may prove effective against conditions where the immune system overreacts, including Asthma, Crohn's disease, hay fever and multiple sclerosis, in which the immune system overreacts

The idea for using hookworms came from scientists noticing that diseases such as Crohn's and MS are uncommon in regions where there is widespread hookworm infestation. So far results are encouraging - although far from conclusive. The team has done two small trials to work out what dose of the worms would be safe for patients. Although it was testing for safety, not efficacy, Prof Pritchard said that many of the patients in a hay fever trial had opted not to have the worms removed with tablets at the end because they had seen an improvement in their symptoms.

The team is now embarking on a larger trial in patients with asthma to work out whether the hookworms actually diminish symptoms.

Very intriguing! I wonder if I will ever be prescribed Hookwormolin instead of Ventolin!

A breakthrough against bacterial resistance?

Bisphosponates prevent bone resroption and can thus be prescribed as a treatment for Osteoporosis and other bone disorders. Now, American scientists believe they that they might prove effective in dealing with the problem of bacterial resistance to antibiotics. Bisphosphonates appear to block an enzyme used by bacteria to swap genes which helps them to acquire or spread resistance.

In recent years most bacteria has developed some form of resistance to antibiotic treatment; many infections are now more difficult to treat effectively. Drug-resistant bacteriaquickly accumulate useful mutations and share them with other bacteria through conjugation – during this provess two bacteria come together and open holes in their membranes. One then squirts a strand of DNA to the other. Thes transfer of DNA is stopped and started by an enzyme called DNA relaxase.

Tests performed on E. coli showed the bisphosphonates wreaked havoc inside bacteria that were preparing to transfer their genes. The mechanism of action is unknown. Researchers plan to carry out further tests to establish whether theyare effective on other bacterial species.

The research appears promising but there is a long way to go before it can be established whether they are an effective treatment for a wide range of bacteria. Here’s hoping it is not a false dawn.

From Spanish Fly to Brazilian Spider?

Brazilian and US scientists are looking into using spider venom as a possible treatment for male impotence.

Their investigation follows reports that men bitten by the Brazilian wandering spider Phoneutria nigriventer experienced priapism - long and painful erections. A two-year study has found that the venom contains a toxin, called Tx2-6 that causes the erections.

The bite of the Brazilian wandering spider is potent and can be deadly in some cases but researchers found men who claimed their sex lives had improved after a spider attack. So far, scientists believe that combining a version of the spider's venom with an existing drug for erectile dysfunction could produce better results.

I could make a facetious comment about preferring splints to spider venom or swipe at the pharmaceutical industry’s money motive, but this article reminds me that there are still an awful lot of pharmaceuticals out there in nature just waiting to be discovered. Who knows but the plant that just became extinct might just have contained the cure for cancer....