Swelling

• Overview
  This is a summary of the scientific conclusions reached by the Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC) on the medicinal uses of soya-bean lecithin.
• Herbal medicines containing soya-bean lecithin are usually available in solid or liquid forms to be taken by mouth.
• Soya-bean lecithin may also be found in combination with other herbal substances in some herbal medicines.
• Key facts
  - Latin name
  - Lecithinum ex soya
  - English common name
  - Soya-bean lecithin
  - Botanical name
  Glycine max (L.) Merr.

• In addition, patients in the studies maintained vision gains and robust retinal drying achieved in the first 24 weeks of the studies for more than one year.
• Retinal drying is an important clinical measure as swelling from excess fluid in the back of the eye has been associated with distorted and blurred vision.
• In both studies, Vabysmo was well tolerated and the safety profile was consistent with previous studies.
• “The sustained vision improvements and retinal drying seen up to 72 weeks reaffirm Vabysmo as an effective treatment for retinal vein occlusion,” said Ramin Tadayoni, M.D., Ph.D., head of ophthalmology at Université Paris Cité in Paris and president of EURETINA, who is presenting the data at Angiogenesis.

• These treatments have side effects, such as dry mouth, the development of antimicrobial resistance and increased blood pressure.
• But research has indicated that a molecule called nitrate, which is found in leafy green vegetables, has fewer side effects and offers greater benefits for oral health.
• Periodontitis is a more advanced form of gum disease, causing damage to the soft tissues and bones supporting the teeth.

Leafy greens may be the secret

• Leafy greens and root vegetables are bursting with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants – and it’s no secret that a diet consisting of these vegetables is crucial for maintaining a healthy weight, boosting the immune system, and preventing heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
• The multiple health benefits of leafy greens are partly because spinach, lettuce and beetroots are brimming with nitrate, which can be reduced to nitric oxide by nitrate-reducing bacteria inside the mouth.
• However, in the mouth, it helps to prevent the overgrowth of bad bacteria and reduces oral acidity, both of which can cause gum disease and tooth decay.
• Antimicrobial resistance is a global health concern, predicted to cause 10 million deaths yearly by the year 2050.

In contrast, dietary nitrate is more targeted. Nitrate eliminates disease-associated bacteria, reduces oral acidity and creates a balanced oral microbiome. The oral microbiome refers to all the microorganisms in the mouth. Nitrate offers exciting potential as an oral health prebiotic, which can be used to prevent disease onset or limit disease progression.

How many leafy greens for pearly whites?

• As a rule of thumb, a generous helping of spinach, kale or beetroot at mealtimes contains about 6-10 mmol of nitrate and offers immediate health benefits.
• For example, consuming lettuce juice for two weeks reduced gum inflammation and increased healthy bacteria levels in patients with gum disease.

Mia Cousins Burleigh has previously received funding from The Royal Society of Edinburgh. Siobhan Paula Moran does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

• Inflammasome Therapeutics ( https://www.inflam.com ), a clinical-stage, private company developing a new class of inflammasome inhibitor drugs, Kamuvudines, as therapies for prevalent, degenerative diseases, announced the first patient has been dosed in a Phase 1 study of one of the company’s novel compounds in the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME).
• The 24-week study (ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT05699759) is designed to assess safety and initial evidence of efficacy.
• This investigator-sponsored study, led by Dr. Michelle Abou-Jaoude of the University of Kentucky, is expected to be completed this year and will enroll five patients.
• We initially are targeting a time period of three months,” said Dr. Paul Ashton, CEO of Inflammasome Therapeutics.