subject: Antioxidants Like Those Found In Coffee Fruit Fight Flu [print this page] As the nation copes with a shortage of vaccines for H1N1 influenza, a team of Alabama researchers have raised hopes that they have found an Achilles' heel for all strains of the fluantioxidants. In an article appearing in the November 2009 print issue of the FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org) they show that antioxidantsthe same substances found in plant-based foods such as coffee fruitmight hold the key in preventing the flu virus from wreaking havoc on our lungs.
"The recent outbreak of H1N1 influenza and the rapid spread of this strain across the world highlights the need to better understand how this virus damages the lungs and to find new treatments," said Sadis Matalon, co-author of the study. "Additionally, our research shows that antioxidants may prove beneficial in the treatment of flu."
Matalon and colleagues showed that the flu virus damages our lungs through its "M2 protein," which attacks the cells that line the inner surfaces of our lungs (epithelial cells). Specifically, the M2 protein disrupts lung epithelial cells' ability to remove liquid from inside of our lungs, setting the stage for pneumonia and other lung problems. These are the most dangerous effects of Swine Flu. The researchers made this discovery by conducting three sets of experiments using the M2 protein and the lung protein they damage. First, frog eggs were injected with the lung protein alone to measure its function. Second, researchers injected frog eggs with both the M2 protein and the lung protein and found that the function of the lung protein was significantly decreased. Using molecular biology techniques, scientists isolated the segment of the M2 protein responsible for the damage to the lung protein. Then they demonstrated that without this segment, the protein was unable to cause damage. Third, the full M2 protein (with the "offending" segment intact) and the lung protein were then re-injected into the frog eggs along with drugs known to remove oxidants. This too prevented the M2 protein from causing damage to the lung protein. These experiments were repeated using cells from human lungs with exactly the same results.
"Although vaccines will remain the first line of intervention against the flu for a long time to come, this study opens the door for entirely new treatments geared toward stopping the virus after you're sick," said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of the FASEB Journal. This is another reason to stock up on antioxidant rich superfoods like coffee fruit and drink moderate amounts of red wine.
Studies such as this one reflect a continuing trend in medicine to prevent and fight disease through antioxidant therapy. Antioxidants help prevent disease from occurring by neutralizing the damaging free radicals that cause cellular damage. Antioxidant density in foods is measured using a number of methods, the most widespread being the ORAC value, a measure of foods capacity to neutralize free radicals. Over the years as science has gained a greater understanding of the vital role plant based antioxidants like coffee fruit play in living better longer lives more foods have been tested to see how they stack up. Dark colored berries like raspberries, cherries, and acai are packed with anthocyanins, one of the most important antioxidants. More recently coffee fruit from KonaRed Coffee Fruit company in Hawaii has been tested and shown to have the highest levels of antioxidants found in any natural product made from whole fruit. I have made this food of the gods part of my daily preventative and therapeutic functional food program, and have never been in better health. I am not sure if its related, but an important polyphenol found in coffee fruit, quinic acid, is used to make Tamifluany of my readers who are scientists please get back to me with any info you may have on this.
Reference: The FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org) is published by the Federation of the American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). The journal has been recognized by the Special Libraries Association as one of the top 100 most influential biomedical journals of the past century and is the most cited biology journal worldwide according to the Institute for Scientific Information. FASEB comprises 22 nonprofit societies with more than 80,000 members, making it the largest coalition of biomedical research associations in the United States. FASEB advances health and welfare by promoting progress and education in biological and biomedical sciences through service to its member societies and collaborative advocacy.
Details: Ahmed Lazrak, Karen E. Iles, Gang Liu, Diana L. Noah, James W. Noah, and Sadis Matalon. Influenza virus M2 protein inhibits epithelial sodium channels by increasing reactive oxygen species. FASEB J. doi:10.1096/fj.09-135590 ; http://www.fasebj.org/cgi/content/abstract/23/11/3829
