Avoid drugs this festive season

By Carol Aloysius

Today, we live in a society that is increasingly becoming dependent on drugs (both medicinal and hard drugs), tobacco smoking and alcohol to help us get through our frenzied pace of life . What we don’t realise is what any drug, whether medicinal or hard drugs does to our bodies and the adverse effects they have on our health.

This is more so in the case of substances such as heroin, ganja or cannabis, hashish and marijuana, as the chemicals they contain are mostly harmful,. Add to that smoking and alcohol, together they make a deadly combination with wide ranging toxic impacts. Take Ganja. It depresses the brain and is toxic to the liver.

In the brain it causes a derangement of perception. A motorist under its influence is unable to judge the speed at which he is driving and could end up crashing into another vehicle or fatally wounding an innocent pedestrian. Pregnant women using this substance can harm their unborn child for life. Taken over a long period all of these substances can lead to loss of inhibitions and moral and physical degradation.

Unlike in the past, Heroin is now the most commonly used drug especially among young people introduced to this white powder derived from their main alkaloid chemical found in opium (now almost a drug of the past,) at parties and night clubs. These young persons are specially vulnerable at this time of the year when the season is in full swing.

What they don’t realize is that just one experiment with the drug can create a dependence syndrome causing immense harm to their heath, social lives, families. Usually this habit of dependence creeps upon a young person stealthily and becomes visible only when their school grades begin to fall or attendance at school is irregular, when their friends change and their language changes to usage of slang, when they stay out late or all night.

This is why parents must always keep a watchful eye on their children. Sometimes the least suspected member of the family could be a drug user without their knowledge as many users are clever at hiding their habit.

A disturbing report released by the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board released at the beginning of this month, shows that Sri Lanka has an increasing number of drug abusers who are mostly young (between 15 - 35) and who belong to the lower strata of society.

Because of their impoverished backgrounds, poor literacy levels and constant exposure to sexual, mental and physical abuses, they are at present the most vulnerable segment of our society particularly during a festive season.

The Sunday Observer asked the Head of the Toxicology Unit of the National Hospital, Dr Waruna Gunathilake to tell us some of the health impacts that consuming drugs has on our bodies and the symptoms to look for in a family member...

Excerpts…

Question: What are the signs and symptoms of heroin abuse?

Answer: Heroin produces a “downer” effect that rapidly induces a state of relaxation and euphoria (related to chemical changes in the pleasure centres of the brain). Like other opiates, heroin use blocks the brain's ability to perceive pain. Heroin abusers, particularly those with prior history of drug abuse, may initially be able to conceal signs and symptoms of their heroin use.

Q. What are the symptoms associated with such abuse?

A. Loved ones or co-workers may notice a number of signs of heroin use, which are visible during and after heroin intake which are wide ranging.

• Shortness of breath
• Dry mouth
• Constricted (small) pupils
• Sudden changes in behaviour or actions
• Disorientation
• Cycles of hyper alertness followed by suddenly nodding off
• Droopy appearance, as if extremities are heavy

Q. Are they unique to heroin abuse?

A. The above signs are not unique to heroin abuse. More definitive warning signs of heroin abuse include possession of paraphernalia used to prepare, inject or consume heroin:

• Needles or syringes not used for other medical purposes
• Burned silver spoons
• Aluminium foil or gum wrappers with burn marks
• Missing shoelaces (used as a tie off for injection sites)
• Straws with burn marks
• Small plastic bags, with white powdery residue
• Water pipes or other pipe Behavioural signs of heroin abuse and addiction include:
• Lying or other deceptive behaviour
• Avoiding eye contact, or distant field of vision
• Substantial increases in time spent sleeping
• Increase in slurred, garbled or incoherent speech
• Sudden worsening of performance in school or work, including expulsion or loss of jobs

Q. What about their physical appearance?

A. Decreasing attention to hygiene and physical appearance is another sign. Worsening body image and wearing long pants or long sleeves to hide needle marks, even in very warm weather is also a sign.

They also suffer from loss of motivation and apathy toward future goals. Withdrawal from friends and family, instead spending time with new friends with no natural tie, lack of interest in hobbies and favourite activities are some of the other typical characteristics of users.

Q. Any other symptoms?

A. Repeatedly stealing or borrowing money from loved ones, or unexplained absence of valuables, hostile behaviour toward loved ones, including blaming them for withdrawal or broken commitments, regular comments indicating a decline in self esteem.

Q. What happens when a first-time-user of heroin becomes addicted to it?

A. Users build tolerance to heroin, leading to increases in the frequency and quantity of heroin consumption. With growing tolerance, more definitive physical symptoms of heroin abuse and addiction emerge.

Q. Such as?

• Weight loss
• Runny nose (not explained by other illness or medical condition)
• Needle track marks visible on arms
• Infections or abscesses at injection site
• For women, loss of menstrual cycle (amenorrhoea)
• Cuts, bruises or scabs from skin picking.

Q. Your message to potential users?

A. Keep away from all drugs whether substances or alcohol or smoking which are all closely inter-related.

Taking that first taste of drugs, that first cigarette puff and first drink could be your gateway to a dependence syndrome that will isolate you from the rest of society, and lead you to deviant behaviour that could eventually lead to several anti social diseases including HIV/AIDS. Cultivate clean healthy habits so that you can enjoy this season of joy to its fullest.

Why the parasite that causes the deadliest form of malaria only infects humans

The biological interactions that make some malaria parasites specific to host species

The interaction between a parasite protein called RH5 and a receptor called basigin was essentially required for the invasion of red blood cells by the parasite that causes the deadliest form of malaria, a study has found. Now, they've discovered that this same interaction is also an important factor in explaining why the parasite seems to be remarkably specific to humans.

This research will help guide eradication strategies in regions where malaria is endemic.

There are several distinct species of parasite that cause malaria. The malaria parasite species responsible for severe illness and death, Plasmodium falciparum , only infects humans, but is closely related to several species that infect chimpanzees and gorillas. Strangely, these species seem to be very specific - individual species appear to infect only humans, chimpanzees or gorillas, even when these primates live in close proximity.

This striking observation piqued the curiosity of the team which prompted a search for the molecules that controls this specificity and revealed the important role of the RH5-basigin interaction.

“It's remarkable that the interaction of a single pair of proteins can explain why the most deadly form of malaria is specific to humans,” says Dr Julian Rayner. “This research will strengthen eradication strategies by ruling out great apes as possible reservoirs of human infection by P. falciparum .”

The team investigated the question of host specificity by examining two important protein interactions involved in the invasion of red blood cells - the interactions between the parasite and host EBA175-Glycophorin A and RH5-basigin.

They found that the EBA175 protein from chimpanzee specific malaria parasites could bind to human Glycophorin A, thereby ruling out this interaction as a specificity factor.

However, the RH5 protein from *P. falciparum* did not bind to the gorilla basigin protein and only bound extremely weakly to chimpanzee basigin. Therefore, the species specificity of this interaction mirrored the known infection profile of P. falciparum and provided a molecular explanation for why P. falciparum only infects humans. “This interaction seems to explain why P. falciparum only infects people and not apes,” says Professor Beatrice Hahn, author from the University of Pennsylvania.

“This may also be an important guiding factor in the development of eradication strategies for the elimination of P. falciparum in endemic areas.” Until recently, studying protein interactions between the malaria parasite and great apes has been challenging. Both chimpanzees and gorillas are protected species and so obtaining blood samples that would help answer these questions is incredibly difficult.

- MNT

A step closer to muscle regeneration

Muscle cell therapy to treat some degenerative diseases, including Muscular Dystrophy could be a more realistic clinical possibility, now that scientists have found a way to isolate muscle cells from embryonic tissue.

Bianca Borchin and Associate Prof Tiziano Barberi at Monash University have developed a method to generate skeletal muscle cells, paving the way for future applications in regenerative medicine.

Scientists, for the first time, have found a way to isolate muscle precursor cells from pluripotent stem cells using a purification technique that allows them to differentiate further into muscle cells, providing a platform to test new drugs on human tissue in the lab.

Pluripotent stem cells have the ability to become any cell in the human body including, skin, blood, brain matter and skeletal muscles that control movement.

Once the stem cells have begun to differentiate, the challenge for researchers is to control the process and produce only the desired, specific cells.

By successfully controlling this process, scientists could provide a variety of specialised cells for replacement in the treatment of a variety of degenerative diseases such as Muscular Dystrophy and Parkinson's disease.

“There is an urgent need to find a source of muscle cells that could be used to replace the defective muscle fibers in degenerative disease. Pluripotent stem cells could be the source of these muscle cells,” Prof Barberi said.

“Beyond obtaining muscle from pluripotent stem cells, we also found a way to isolate the muscle precursor cells we generated, which is a prerequisite for their use in regenerative medicine.

“The production of a large number of pure muscle precursor cells does not only have potential therapeutic applications, but also provides a platform for large scale screening of new drugs against muscle disease.”

- MNT

Risk factor for liver cancer increased by diabetes across ethnic groups

Diabetes was associated with an increased risk for developing a type of liver cancer called hepatocellular carcinoma, and this association was highest for Latinos, followed by Hawaiians, African-Americans, and Japanese-Americans, according to results presented at the Sixth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved.

“People with diabetes have a two- to threefold higher risk for hepatocellular carcinoma compared with those without diabetes,” said V. Wendy Setiawan, assistant professor of the University of Southern California. “We also found that the interethnic differences in the prevalence of diabetes were consistent with the pattern of hepatocellular carcinoma incidence observed across ethnicities: Ethnic groups with a high prevalence of diabetes also have high hepatocellular carcinoma rates, and those with a lower prevalence of diabetes have lower hepatocellular carcinoma rates.” The number of new cases of hepatocellular carcinoma in the United States tripled in the past three decades, with Latinos and African-Americans experiencing the largest increase in incidence.

Prior research has suggested that diabetes may be a risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma, and its increasing incidence may be contributing to the rising rate of hepatocellular carcinoma.

“People with diabetes should be aware that their condition is associated with a higher risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma,” Setiawan said.

“Maintaining a healthy weight, managing their diabetes, preventing and treating hepatitis infection, and limiting alcohol and tobacco use should be in their priority to-do list.”

In addition, Setiawan said that public health efforts encouraging obesity/diabetes prevention and effective diabetes management should be directed at high-risk populations.

Setiawan and colleagues examined if the association between diabetes and hepatocellular carcinoma differed by race/ethnic group.

- Medicalxpress