Tetracyclines and pulmonary
inflammation.
Rempe S,
Carl T.
Hayden VA Medical Center, Pheonix
Tetracycline and
its derivatives, such as
chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline,
minocycline, doxycycline,
methacycline and lymecycline, are
naturally occurring or
semi-synthetic polyketide compounds
that exhibit a well known
broad-spectrum antibacterial
activity that interferes with
prokaryotic protein synthesis at the
ribosome level. In addition to this
well known antibacterial activity
these compounds also exhibit a
variety of additional, less well
known properties. Among them are
separate and distinct
anti-inflammatory properties.
Tetracycline and related compounds
have been shown to be effective
chemotherapeutic agents in a wide
variety of chronic inflammatory
diseases and conditions. These
include periodontitis, rosacea,
acne, auto-immune diseases such as
rheumatoid arthritis and protection
of the central nervous system
against trauma and neurodegenerative
diseases such as stroke, multiple
sclerosis and Parkinson disease.
Tetracycline and related compounds
appear to be beneficial for
treatment of several chronic
inflammatory airway diseases. Among
them are asthma, bronchiectasis,
acute respiratory distress syndrome,
chemical induced lung damage and
cystic fibrosis. The clinical use of
tetracycline-type drugs in treatment
of chronic airway inflammation is
becoming a topic of intense
interest. Recent findings in this
area have led to an understanding of
the myriad physiological, cellular
and molecular mechanisms of the
inflammatory response and how this
response may be controlled to limit
damage to host cells and tissues.
This review presents a brief summary
of the recent research in the area
of tetracycline and its derivatives
in control of pulmonary
inflammation.
Tetracyclines: nonantibiotic
properties and their clinical
implications.
Sapadin AN,
Fleischmajer R.
Department of Dermatology, Mount
Sinai School of Medicine, NYC
Tetracyclines are broad-spectrum
antibiotics that act as such at
the ribosomal level where they
interfere with protein
synthesis. They were first
widely prescribed by
dermatologists in the early
1950s when it was discovered
that they were effective as a
treatment for acne. More
recently, biologic actions
affecting inflammation,
proteolysis, angiogenesis,
apoptosis, metal chelation,
ionophoresis, and bone
metabolism have been researched.
The therapeutic effects of
tetracycline and its analogues
in various diseases have also
been investigated. These include
rosacea, bullous dermatoses,
neutrophilic diseases, pyoderma
gangrenosum, sarcoidosis, aortic
aneurysms, cancer metastasis,
periodontitis, and autoimmune
disorders such as rheumatoid
arthritis and scleroderma. We
review the nonantibiotic
properties of tetracycline and
its analogues and their
potential for clinical
application
Anti-inflammatory activity
of tetracyclines
Webster G,
Del Rosso JQ.
Department of Dermatology,
Jefferson Medical College, 833
Chestnut Street, Philadelphia,
PA 19107, USA.
Tetracyclines are known to
exhibit multiple significant
anti-inflammatory actions. This
article describes the mechanisms
of this anti-inflammatory
activity, such as inhibition of
chemotaxis, granuloma formation,
and protease. The article also
discusses the effectiveness of
tetracyclines in treating such
diseases as acne vulgaris,
rosacea, bullous dermatoses,
granulomatous disease, and
livedo vasculitis.
PMID: 17430750 [PubMed
- indexed for MEDLINE]
Positive side-effects of
antibiotic and antimicrobial
drugs in therapy
Illig L.
Since about
1950 especially, dermatologists
world-wide have been utilizing
the positive side-effects,
discovered by chance, of all
groups of antibiotic and
antimicrobial drugs. These drugs
are used to treat certain non-microbially
induced dermatoses, without any
knowledge of the mechanisms
involved. A short history is
given and the most important
drugs and the indications for
their use are described. The
following drugs are undoubtedly
effective and sometimes even the
therapy of choice: tetracyclines
in acne vulgaris and rosacea
(including rosacea keratitis);
penicillin G in acrodermatitis
atrophicans and cold urticaria;
dapsone in dermatitis
herpetiformis and - as a
powerful adjuvant - in acne
vulgaris and rosacea. Before the
discovery of the socalled
immunodepressive drugs,
tetracycline was the only
alternative to - or at least a
highly effective adjuvant of -
cortisone in dermatomyositis and
chloroquine in localised and
systemic lupus erythematosus.
Finally, clioquinole was
life-saving in acrodermatitis
continua in children until this
condition was recently
identified as a zinc-deficiency
syndrome. Therapeutical
mechanisms have been found only
in the case of acne, rosacea and
dermatitis herpetiformis. In
most other diseases the nature
of the therapeutical
effectiveness of antibiotic and
antimicrobial drugs still
remains a mystery.
PMID: 162143 [PubMed
- indexed for MEDLINE]
1. Foods and
pesticides
Problem:
Foods sprayed by farmers and in
grocery stores are never clear of
chemicals.
Solution: Buy organic
foods, - at the very least wash with
soap water and rinse thoroughly. Can you
grow your own? Even if it’s only patio
tomatoes and herbs, every bit helps.
2. Food Preservatives
Problem:
Chemicals added to make food last
longer, or look better for higher sales.
Solution: Buy bakery
bread, and ask to be sure they aren’t
using additives. Buy organic fresh,
frozen or canned foods.
3. Dairy
Problem:
These days milk from cows can be laden
with antibiotics and their food filled
with chemicals and can still be sold for
human consumption.
Solution: Buy milk from
cows raised naturally, or switch to soya
milk for some of your baking, and on
cereals. This is easily done by
introducing it slowly into your new way
of eating.
4. Deodorant
Problem:
Some brands contain aluminum, and your
skin absorbs it!
Solution: Buy brands
without it. Try use baking soda – if it
works to absorb odors around the house,
it will work for you too – and it’s
smooth.
5. Stress
Problem:
Living in pain from emotions, abuse,
crisis and over working.
Solution: Include a few
stress relieving habits in your life.
Start with a one to 2 hour weekly
ritual. It could be a massage. If you
don’t have the time and little money Sue
Augustine’s book “Five Minute Retreats
for Women” has many simple indulging
ideas.
6. Cookware
Problem:
Cooking with aluminum cookware means you
are ingesting aluminum.
Solution: Use glass,
cast iron, stoneware, earthenware, high
grade steels for cooking.
7. Smoke or
secondhand smoke
Problem:
Can’t quit, or surrounded by it.
Solution: This is a
biggy. Find help to quit and avoid smoke
filled areas. If possible get your
workplace to participate in a healthier
environment – most employers will want
to. Make a rule at your house – NO
smoking.
8. Processed foods
Problem:
Stripped from processed foods, vitamins
and nutrients are essential to keeping
your resistance high to diseases.
Solution: Get back to
basics, include foods in your diet that
aren’t processed as much as possible.
Avoid prepared packaged meals and eat
plenty of raw vegetables and fruit.
9. Air pollution
Problem:
Poor air quality from polluted air, in
and out of the house. Know what your
furniture is made of or protected with.
Some adhesives and protection solvents
emit toxins over months in your house.
Solution: Use hepa
filter air cleaners, avoid your own
pollution contributions – gas powered
tools. Take your bike or walk when ever
possible
10. Artificial foods
Problem:
Saccharin and food coloring are
unnatural substances for your body.
Solution: Avoid foods
with these ingredients. Find the real
thing, that doesn’t use substitutes, or
cut it out of your diet.
11. Sun
Problem:
Over-exposure or repetitive prolonged
sun is extremely toxic to your skin.
Solution: Cover up with
sun blocking cream, and find shade.
12. Home cleansers
Problem:
Many cleansers include toxins you inhale
during use. Have you ever felt sick
after cleaning floors, bathrooms, your
garage and/or any other household
cleansing chores?
Solution: Use vinegar,
lemon, or baking soda to clean and avoid
chlorine.
Good health
can be as simple as removing toxins from
your daily routines. Your
benefits will increase with the amount
of effort you put into the change in
your lifestyle.
To learn more about
on
cancer causing toxins and what your
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