Humans could learn a few medical tips from their gorilla cousins, a new study says. Four plants used by wild gorillas in Gabon have antibacterial and antioxidant properties, researcher reported Sept. 11 in the journal PLOS One. Wild great apes often self-medicate, consuming medicinal plants that can treat their ailments, researchers said. Observing gorillas, researchers identified four native plant species they regularly use: the fromager tree (Ceiba pentandra), giant yellow mulberry (Myrianthus arboreus), African teak (Milicia excelsa) and fig trees (Ficus). The bark of all four plants demonstrated antibacterial activity against at least one antibiotic-resistant strain of E. coli, researchers discovered in lab tests. One in particular, the fromager tree, showed “remarkable activity” against all tested E. coli strains. All four plants also contain compounds that have medicinal effects, including phenols, alkaloids, flavonoids and proanthocyanidins, researchers said. Interviews with 27 people living in a nearby village found that these plants are used in local traditional medicine, the researchers added. Biodiverse regions like central Africa are home to a huge reservoir of potentially medicinal plants, researchers said. By paying attention to wild great apes, humans might be able to find new means of combatting antibacterial-resistant germs. “Alternative medicines and therapies offer definite hope for the resolution of many present and future public health problems,” wrote the research team led by senior investigator Sylvain Godreuil, a professor…  read on >  read on >

An ingredient in the hair dye a French woman used caused her to develop a vision-robbing retinopathy, researchers report. When she switched to a dye without these ingredients, called aromatic amines, her vision troubles resolved, according to a team led by Dr. Nicolas Chirpaz, an ophthalmologist at Edouard Herriot Hospital, in Lyon. Such cases could be rare, the researchers said, but spreading awareness of the danger “may allow prompt consideration to remove exposure to such hair dye” so eyes aren’t permanently damaged, Chirpaz and colleagues said. They published their case report Sept. 12 in the journal JAMA Ophthalmology. As the French team noted, this isn’t the first time hair dye has been linked to retinopathy: Three prior cases were reported in 2022 among “middle-aged women following exposure to hair dyes containing aromatic amines.” In the latest case, a 61-year-old woman with no prior history of vision trouble came to doctors with progressively blurry vision in both eyes “a few days after dyeing her hair with hair dye containing aromatic amines,” Chirpaz’ group said. The aromatic amine in the dye used in this case was para-phenylenediamine. Upon examination, the woman was found to have multiple retinal detachments that resembled the damage that can occur in retinopathies that are tied to certain enzymes found in the eye, called MEK1 or MEK2. The woman’s eyes also displayed an…  read on >  read on >

Prescriptions for amphetamine stimulants to treat ADHD have increased significantly in recent years, particularly during the pandemic. Unfortunately, high doses of stimulants like Adderall can increase the risk of psychosis or mania by more than fivefold, a new study finds. Patients had a nearly 63% increased risk of psychosis or mania if they took any prescription amphetamine within the past month, researchers reported Sept. 12 in the American Journal of Psychiatry. Those on heavy doses of amphetamines were at even greater peril of a psychotic episode, with an 81% increased risk, results show. The highest risk occurred in patients taking 30 milligrams or more of dextroamphetamine, which corresponds to 40 milligrams of Adderall, the study says. “Stimulant medications don’t have an upper dose limit on their labels, and our results show that it is clear that dose is a factor in psychosis risk and should be a chief consideration when prescribing stimulants,” said lead investigator Dr. Lauren Moran, a pharmacoepidemiology researcher at McLean Hospital in Belmont, Mass. “This is a rare but serious side effect that should be monitored by both patients and their doctors whenever these medications are prescribed,” Moran added. Moran said she pursued this study based on her experiences as an inpatient psychiatrist. She and her Mclean colleagues would regularly see patients experiencing their first episode of psychosis. Medical records would reveal…  read on >  read on >

Two monoclonal antibody treatments to slow Alzheimer’s disease, lecanemab (Leqembi) and donanemab (Kisunla), have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration over the past two years. It’s thought the drugs curb Alzheimer’s by reducing levels of toxic amyloid protein plaques in the brain. But what if another neurological effect could explain the benefit? Researchers at the University of Cincinnati have discovered that Leqembi and Kisunla boost levels of a healthy form of amyloid beta (Aβ42) protein in the brain, even as they reduce its more toxic form in amyloid plaques. “If the problem with Alzheimer’s is the loss of the normal protein, then increasing it should be beneficial, and this study showed that it is,” explained study lead author Dr. Alberto Espay, a professor of neurology at Cincinnati. “The story makes sense: Increasing Aβ42 levels to within the normal range is desirable,” he said in a university news release. Aβ42 is a complex protein made up of 42 amino acids, giving it its name. Sometimes these proteins can harden and clump together to form the brain tissue plaques that have long been associated with Alzheimer’s disease. However, Aβ42 in its natural state should not do that. It is normally soluble, and when in a soluble state Aβ42 plays a crucial role in maintaining the health of brain cells, the Cincinnati team explained. Espay’s…  read on >  read on >

Ozempic and Wegovy can prevent heart problems in overweight and obese people, particularly if they also suffer from kidney disease, a new clinical trial shows. The drugs’ active ingredient, semaglutide, reduced heart health risk by 20% in heavyset people who took it for more than three years, researchers reported Wednesday at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes annual meeting in Madrid. The study “found a similar percentage reduction in cardiovascular disease with semaglutide in those with and without poor kidney function,” said lead researcher Helen Colhoun, chair of medical informatics and life course epidemiology with the University of Edinburgh in the U.K. That’s especially good news for people with kidney troubles, Colhoun explained. “Because those with poor kidney function have higher background risk of cardiovascular disease, the absolute benefit is greatest in this group,” Colhoun said in a meeting news release. “People with impaired kidney function have increased risks of cardiovascular disease and the results show that semaglutide is safe and effective in reducing this risk substantially.” Semaglutide mimics the hormone GLP-1, which plays a role in hunger, digestion and insulin control. For the clinical trial, researchers randomly assigned more than 17,600 overweight or obese people around the world to take either semaglutide or a placebo for an average of 40 months. The participants had all previously suffered a heart attack or stroke…  read on >  read on >

An experimental weight-loss pill appears to help people quickly shed pounds, a new study says. People who took the drug amycretin lost up to 13% of their body weight over three months, according to early clinical trial results presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes annual meeting in Madrid. Amycretin mimics the action of two different hunger-related hormones at once, says Novo Nordisk, the Danish pharma company developing the drug. The drug mimics glucagon, which is the hormone also imitated by the cutting-edge GLP-1 diabetes and weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, which are given via weekly injection. On top of that, amycretin also mimics amylin, another hormone implicated in hunger and insulin control. “A single molecule that targets both amylin and GLP-1 biology in a tablet form could offer a more convenient approach to achieving better outcomes for individuals with overweight or obesity,” Novo Nordisk researchers wrote in a company news release.  For the study, researchers tested amycretin on overweight and obese people who didn’t have diabetes. They found that amycretin outperformed placebo in helping people lose weight, and that higher doses of amycretin caused more weight loss. Participants taking a single daily 50-milligram dose of amycretin lost a little more than 10% of their body weight, on average, within 12 weeks, researchers found. Those taking the 50-mg pill twice a day…  read on >  read on >