Glucosamine and Chondroitin

Osteoarthritis (OA) is common in the elderly. It is important to know that osteoarthritis (OA) is different from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoporosis, since RA and osteoporosis require different treatment.

Available therapeutic options for osteoarthritis (OA) are exercise, weight loss, medications, surgery. Many people nowadays take supplements such as glucosamine and chondroitin, hoping to relieve pain and improve function. However, these supplements are often incompletely effective.

A 2005 meta-analysis study of glucosamine showed a significant improvement for pain relief. However, the largest randomized placebo-controlled study did not show significant differences in pain after 24 weeks of treatment with glucosamine, chondroitin, or the combination of both supplements [N Engl J Med. 2006 Feb 23; 354(8): 795-808]. Further clinical research studies are needed.

Adverse effects of these supplements are minimal. Most common symptoms are abdominal bloating, diarrhea.

Scent of Yesteryears

Prevention of malaria for world travelers

Arrows pinpoint a red blood cell infected by malaria parasite

Some of my friends once had spirited debate as to properly prevent malaria before they departed for overseas travel. It is interesting to know that malaria is transmitted by the bite of female Anopheline mosquitoes (how do we tell apart male and female mosquitoes may require an insect biologist's expertise, I guess) And malaria-transmitting mosquitoes feed at night; therefore, it makes sense to limit exposure between dusk and dawn. Effective preventive measures are:

• Using mosquito nets


• Covering skin with clothing


• Applying insect repellent

Travel to malarious regions, no matter how transient it is, requires the use of chemoprophylaxis, i.e. prophylactic medicines. Choices of medicines vary depending on geographic locations.

Travelers to Africa, South America, Indian subcontinent that consists of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh should take either mefloquine, or atovaquone-proguanil (Malarone), or doxycycline.

Travelers to most parts of China and southeast Asia should know that they may not have to take prophylactic medicines if they visit only urban areas. It is also important to know that resistant strains of Plasmodicum falciparum are prevalent in this part of the world. Therefore, only doxycycline or Malarone are recommended.

If you wish to know more details of malaria as reported by country, I recommend CDC (Center for Disease Control) website: http://www.cdc.gov/.

The Ecstasy of Gold

Medical Breakthrough of the year 2008

Malaria is a common disease in Africa and South East Asia. Malaria kills almost 1 million people a year. There are 4 species of Plasmodia that cause human malaria. Plasmodia falciparum is the species capable of causing deadly infections. Therefore, prevention of falciparum malaria is of the utmost importance.

Many vaccines are under development, but one new vaccine called RTS,S is the most promising, according to a New England Journal of Medicine publication on Dec. 8. Philip Bejon, of the KEMRI and the Centre for Tropical Medicine at the University of Oxford, said that an application for a license for RTS,S as a malaria vaccine would be expected.

The vaccine study was funded by a grant from Melinda Gates Foundation and drug maker GlaxoSmithKline.