Now, a common asthma drug promises to help delay rare heart complications

A common asthma drug has the potential to help delay development of a rare heart complication that lacks effective drug treatment, according to researchers. Aortic aneurysm — the dilation of the aorta — is a serious condition that occurs when the wall of the aorta, the body’s largest artery, weakens and swells. The condition is largely symptom-free and is normally therefore not discovered until late in its development when it threatens to rupture and cause life-threatening haemorrhaging. The findings showed that the asthma drug montelukast blocks leukotrienes — inflammatory signal…

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Pomegranate compound ‘could combat’ complications of ageing

“Pomegranates slow down the ageing process by prompting cells to recycle and rebuild themselves, a study shows,” The Daily Telegraph reports. But before you rush to stock up on the “food of the gods”, the study in question only involved worms and rodents. Compounds called urolithins are produced by bacteria in the gut when breaking down food such as pomegranates, nuts and berries. The researchers found that one of them in particular, urolithin A, increased the lifespan of roundworms by a half. They also improved muscle function in rodents (specifically,…

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Boy babies at greater risk of pregnancy complications

Boy babies are much more likely to experience potentially life-threatening outcomes at birth than girls, a new research has revealed. The study, published in the journal ‘PLOS ONE’, is based on research conducted upon more than 574,000 births over a 30-year period (1981-2011), to confirm the presence of differences in birth outcomes based on the sex of the baby. The researchers evaluated the relationship between the babies’ sex and adverse outcomes, such as pre-term birth, pregnancy-induced high blood pressure disorders and gestational diabetes mellitus. The study found that boys are…

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