Health & Medicine

  1. Health & Medicine

    Acacia-tree extract fights cancer in mice

    Compounds called avicins extracted from Acacia victoriae, an Australian desert tree, inhibit inflammation and cancer in test-tube and mouse studies.

    By Nathan Seppa
  2. Health & Medicine

    Germs can survive weeks on fabrics, plastic

    Soft, dry surfaces in hospitals can harbor live germs for more than a month.

    By Janet Raloff
  3. Health & Medicine

    Blood vessels (sans blood) shape organs

    Even before they begin to carry blood, blood vessels provide signals that help spark the development of organs such as the liver.

    By John Travis
  4. Health & Medicine

    Alcohol on your breath need not be all bad

    Drugs such as insulin may be delivered by inhaling mists of medicine-containing alcohol.

    By John Travis
  5. Health & Medicine

    Drugs slow diabetes patients’ kidney damage

    Two drugs normally prescribed for high blood pressure help forestall kidney damage in people with type 2, or adult-onset, diabetes.

    By Nathan Seppa
  6. Health & Medicine

    Even a little coffee may up heart risk

    Drinking just 1 to 3 cups of coffee daily may adversely affect blood concentrations of cholesterol and homocysteine.

    By Janet Raloff
  7. Health & Medicine

    Constipation might signal Parkinson’s

    Men who are constipated are more likely to develop Parkinson's disease than men who are not.

    By Nathan Seppa
  8. Health & Medicine

    Obesity linked to pancreatic cancer

    People who are obese or who have led sedentary lives with little exercise are more likely than others to develop pancreatic cancer.

    By Nathan Seppa
  9. Health & Medicine

    Heard about Choline?

    This week, the Food and Drug Administration is expected to announce its authorization of food-labeling claims for choline. It marks the first nutrient to be approved for such claims under the FDA Modernization Act of 1997. Central Soya Central Soya Although choline is hardly a household name, its low visibility doesn’t reflect its importance. This […]

    By Janet Raloff
  10. Health & Medicine

    Two drugs may enhance recovery from stroke

    Two drugs, levodopa and dextroamphetamine, may help stroke patients to recover the ability to move and speak.

    By Nathan Seppa
  11. Health & Medicine

    Painkillers may damage hearts

    A retrospective study suggests that commonly used painkillers called COX-2 inhibitors may slightly increase a person's risk of having a heart attack.

    By Damaris Christensen
  12. Health & Medicine

    Placebos are dead, long live placebos

    A study provides new evidence for the placebo effect and suggests a mechanism through which placebos might benefit patients with Parkinson's disease.

    By Damaris Christensen