Living With Endometriosis

Omega fatty acid balance can alter immunity and gene expression
By Nick Zagorski
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Appearing in the June 5, 2009 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry (JBC)

For the past century, changes in the Western diet have altered the consumption of omega-6 fatty acids (w6, found in meat and vegetable oils) compared with omega-3 fatty acids (w3, found in flax and fish oil). Many studies seem to indicate this shift has brought about an increased risk of inflammation (associated with autoimmunity and allergy), and now using a controlled diet study with human volunteers, researchers may have teased out a biological basis for these reported changes.

Anthropological evidence suggests that human ancestors maintained a 2:1 w6/w3 ratio for much of history, but in Western countries today the ratio has spiked to as high as 10:1. Since these omega fatty acids can be converted into inflammatory molecules, this dietary change is believed to also disrupt the proper balance of pro- and anti- inflammatory agents, resulting in increased systemic inflammation and a higher incidence of problems including asthma, allergies, diabetes, and arthritis.

Floyd Chilton and colleagues wanted to examine whether theses fatty acids might have other effects, and developed a dietary intervention strategy in which 27 healthy humans were fed a controlled diet mimicking the w6/w3 ratios of early humans over 5 weeks. They then looked at the gene levels of immune signals and cytokines (protein immune messengers), that impact autoimmunity and allergy in blood cells and found that many key signaling genes that promote inflammation were markedly reduced compared to a normal diet, including a signaling gene for a protein called PI3K, a critical early step in autoimmune and allergic inflammation responses.

This study demonstrates, for the first time in humans, that large changes in gene expression are likely an important mechanism by which these omega fatty acids exert their potent clinical effects.

###

From the article: Effect of dietary fatty acids on inflammatory gene expression in healthy humans, by Kelly L. Weaver, Priscilla Ivester, MIchael C. Seeds, L. Douglas Case, Jonathan Arm and Floyd H. Chilton
Article Link: http://www.jbc.org/cgi/content/abstract/M109.004861

Corresponding Author: (Ski) Floyd H. Chilton, III, Ph.D., Director, Wake Forest and Brigham and Women’s Center for Botanical Lipids, Winston-Salem, NC; Tel: 336.713.7105, email: schilton@wfubmc.edu

Chinese Herb May Help Treat Cancer
Posted on Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Herbal Remedy May Help Combat Endometriosis and Cancer

The Chinese herb Prunella vulgaris (PV) may prove an effective treatment for women with endometriosis and certain types of cancer because of its anti-estrogen properties, according to research published in the November 5 issue of the journal, Biology of Reproduction.

Although the female hormone, estrogen is crucial to reproduction, it can have some negative side effects, fueling the abnormal cell growth that occurs in diseases such as endometriosis and cancer. To treat these diseases, doctors have turned to tamoxifen and other anti-estrogen medications, but these drugs can have significant side effects.

In their search for an alternative to anti-estrogen medications, researchers in Greenville, South Carolina focused their attention on several possible herbal remedies. “We had 20 herbs in the lab that included Prunella vulgaris,” says Bruce Lessey, MD, PhD, vice chair of Research, and director of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Greenville Hospital System. PV is found in Europe and Asia and is often used to treat painful periods. “There had been one study previously suggesting that a related herb, Prunella stica, had anti-estrogen properties. So we screened the herbs, and this one really jumped out.”

When Dr. Lessey and his colleagues tested the herb on endometrial cancer cells, they discovered that it significantly reduced the cancer cells’ growth. In mice implanted with human endometriosis, PV also reduced the number of abnormal endometrial tissue growths. The herb was just as potent as a synthetic anti-estrogen drug used in the study. The only side effect researchers have noted in ongoing human studies of PV has been an increase in headaches in some women.

There were concerns that, because of its anti-estrogen properties, PV might negatively impact fertility. Yet PV had virtually no effect on the fertility of female mice tested in the study. In fact, the researchers say the herb might actually improve the odds of conception in women who are struggling with infertility due to endometriosis, because it blocks the harmful actions of estrogen that can interfere with embryo attachment and implantation.

The benefits and low risks of PV make it a promising therapy for diseases like endometriosis and cancer. “My interest in the herb is the fact that we can block the action of estrogen and do it in a way that has very few side effects,” Dr. Lessey says. “So this might be beneficial as an adjunct treatment for patients who have had breast cancer or endometrial cancer to help prevent a recurrence.”

“I think PV will find a place, because women will accept it because it’s herbal and therefore natural, and probably they’ll have greater access to it,” he adds. PV, also known as ‘Self Heal,’ is readily available in health food stores as a dried herb that can be made into a tea.

Upcoming studies will help clarify what role PV might have in treating endometriosis and cancer. “It really does not seem to be at all harmful, and because it seems to be a potent anti-estrogen, it deserves future research,” Dr. Lessey says.

If you are interested in using PV you should consult with your healthcare provider.

Source:
Collins NH, Lessey EC, DuSell CD, McDonnell Dp, Fowler L, Palomino WA, Illera MJ, YuX, Mo B, Houwing AM, Lessey BA. Characterization of anti-estrogenic activity of the Chinese Herb, Prunella vulgaris, using In Vitro and In Vivo (Mouse Xenograft) Models. Biol Reprod. 2008 Nov 5. [Epub ahead of print]

Alternative Therapy for Adhesion and Endometriosis Pain Examined in New Book ‘Miracle Moms, Better Sex, Less Pain’
In an upcoming book, “Miracle Moms, Better Sex, Less Pain,” researchers examine a non-surgical therapy to treat adhesion and endometriosis pain.

Gainesville, FL (PRWEB) November 19, 2008 — Endometriosis is a painful and debilitating condition for millions of women and girls, robbing them of their quality of life. While the cause of endometriosis is unknown, some pioneering studies about a non-surgical treatment are now bringing hope for some women.

In an upcoming book, Miracle Moms, Better Sex, Less Pain, gynecologist Richard King, MD and a physical therapy team examine a manual physical therapy (Wurn Technique®) that has decreased or eliminated pain associated with endometriosis for many women.

The Wurn Technique® was originally created to treat the adhesions co-author and physical therapist Belinda Wurn developed after pelvic surgery and radiation therapy following a diagnosis of cervical cancer. “I had double-over pain,” she said. “I could not work or stand up straight. It hurt to sit and even to breathe; the pain was unrelenting.”

After the Wurn Technique resolved Belinda’s pain, she was able to return to work. She and her husband, massage therapist Larry Wurn began treating other conditions related to adhesions. They soon learned that adhesions and endometriosis pain were intimately related.

Adhesions associated with endometriosis can cause pain anywhere in the body (abdomen, pelvis, low back). Dysfunctions such as poor digestion, irritable bowel, and infertility may also result from the adhesions and endometriosis. “We believe that the pull of adhesions on pain-sensitive structures is what causes the severe, debilitating pain in many women with endometriosis,” said Larry Wurn. “In fact, adhesions are frequently found in and near sites of endometrial implants.”

Women with endometrial implants often report a great deal of pain, which may occur

• before and during menstruation (dysmenorrhea),
• with ovulation,
• with sex (dyspareunia),
• with urination, bowel movements, diarrhea, or constipation.

While physicians do not know the exact cause of endometriosis pain, they often recognize an intimate relationship between endometriosis and adhesions; when they find endometriosis, they often find adhesions nearby.

The Wurns have published several studies on the Wurn Technique in peer-reviewed medical journals. Studies in ‘Medscape General Medicine’ (2004) and ‘Fertility and Sterility’ (2006) showed that the therapy improved fertility and decreased or eliminated endometriosis and intercourse pain in most participants. In a study from ‘Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine’ (2008) the therapy opened blocked fallopian tubes in women who had been diagnosed infertile. Many had natural pregnancies after their tube(s) opened, and some have had second natural pregnancies - indicating that the results of therapy lasted for years in some women.

‘Miracle Moms, Better Sex, Less Pain’ will be published this winter. The table of contents is available at the Clear Passage Therapies blog to spur discussions with their readers on important topics. A free e-book excerpt from the book will be available in December at http://www.clearpassage.com.

What I find hilarious about this is that the Wurn Technique® is nothing more than re-applied Chi Nei Tsang. It’s the same torso manipulation technique. I really do not like it when people say they’ve found a secret, or they’ve discovered something wonderful, then repackage what they’ve ‘found’ and charge more to profit off of someone’s misfortune. A Chi Nei Tsang practitioner will charge around $100 for a treatment. I have sent off a questionnaire to the Clear Passage people and await their reply with price quote for treatment using the same style as Chi Nei Tsang.