Antioxidants and Cystic Fibrosis Treatment

Chest X-ray ImageAnother group of researchers is turning to tea for help with a serious health condition. Scientists in Scotland, Italy and France have been looking at the impact of antioxidants on Cystic Fibrosis when used in conjunction with a pharmaceutical product commonly used in treatment. The initial trial only included ten patients so this is only the first step in many future research projects. However, in this small phase two study, EGCG, an antioxidant found in large quantities in green tea, when given with the medication Cysteamine resulted in improvements in many of the most common effects of cystic fibrosis such as inflammation of the airways and salt build-up in the blood stream. Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a chronic and progressive genetic condition that affects glands in the body which produce sweat and mucus. The damage to these glands creates problems with the respiratory, digestive and reproductive systems of CF patients. The average lifespan for someone with cystic fibrosis is 41 years old. The lead researcher, Dr. Anil Mehta of the University of Dundee–Scotland, believes that if a placebo-controlled clinical trial shows the same results it would have dramatic effects on future CF treatment protocols. The results were published in the journal Autophagy. Source: Herald Scotland and BBC