turmeric and diabetes | Research from Saint Louis University has found that curcumin, the main bioactive found in turmeric, may help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in people with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. “These biological processes play an important role in the development and progression of metabolic diseases, so reducing them may help support better metabolic health and potentially reduce insulin resistance,” says lead author Hossein Rafiei, Ph.D., assistant professor of nutrition and dietetics. The team analyzed results from 28 randomized clinical trials and found that curcumin supplementation was associated with improvements in markers of inflammation and oxidative stress. The findings suggest it may have potential as a complementary therapy alongside conventional approaches for managing metabolic conditions.
glp-1 drugs and cardiovascular health
GLP-1 drugs have skyrocked in popularity to treat diabetes and assist with weight loss, while also offering cardiovascular benefits. WashU Medicine researchers have found that stopping GLP-1 drugs elevates the risk of heart attack, stroke and death compared to staying on the medication continuously. The study followed more than 333,000 U.S. veterans with type 2 diabetes for three years. Stopping or interrupting GLP-1 treatment for as little as six months was linked to a significant increase in the risk of major cardiovascular events. The longer the gap in treatment, the bigger the jump in risk — up to a 22% increase after two years off GLP-1s, essentially erasing the cardiovascular benefits gained during treatment.
destroying liver tumors
Surgical oncologists at Mercy Hospital St. Louis will soon make history by being the first in Missouri to use a completely non-invasive technology that liquefies tumors without surgery, chemotherapy or radiation. The Edison Histotripsy System is an image-guided sonic beam therapy that enables physicians to deliver highly precise, personalized histotripsy treatments. Histotripsy uses focused, pulsed sound waves to mechanically break down and liquefy targeted tissue. “This is a game changer for our patients,” says Dr. Peter DiPasco, chief physician executive for Mercy cancer services. “For people diagnosed with liver cancer or with tumors that have spread to the liver, this technology opens the door to treatment options they may never have had before–and does so with far less discomfort.”
immunotherapy for dementia
Research at WashU Medicine indicates that cellular immunotherapy could remove damaging proteins from the brain that play a role in cognitive decline. This new approach equips brain cells called astrocytes with a CAR homing device to grab onto a target for destruction. These new CAR-astrocyte cells have features that transform them into super cleaners that sweep away Alzheimer’s-related proteins in the brain, reducing the harmful effects on amyloid beta plaques. “Although more work needs to be done to optimize the approach and address potential side effects, these results open up an exciting new opportunity to develop CAR-astrocytes into an immunotherapy for neurodegenerative diseases and even brain tumors,” says the study’s senior author Dr. Marco Colonna, the Robert Rock Belliveau, M.D., Professor of Pathology.