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Did you know that the CAT'S CLAW herb:

• improves immune system function?
• nutritionally supports the circulatory system?
• possesses anti-inflammatory properties?
• fights infections, allergies, lupus, and other disorders?

Research began on Cat's Claw in the early 1970's. In 1989, when the plant's alkaloids were isolated and tested, six primary oxindole alkaloids were found to be most prevalent in the Cat's Claw bark: isopteropodine, pteropodine, mitraphylline, isomitraphylline, ryncophylline, and isorynchophylline. Three of these have been proven to be effective immuno-stimulants or immune system boosters. Ryncophylline has been shown in laboratory testing to display an ability to inhibit platelet aggregation and thrombosis. This means that this alkaloid may be useful in the prevention of stroke and reducing the risk of heart attack by lowering blood pressure, increasing circulation, and inhibiting both the formation of plaque on the arterial walls and formation of blood clots in the vessels of the brain, heart and arteries.

In addition to these alkaloids, Peruvian and Italian researchers have discovered other beneficial phytochemicals inherent in the plant, including proanthocyanidins, polyphenols, triterpines, and the plant sterols beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol, and campesterol. These might explain the antioxidant, anti-microbial, anti-tumor, and anti-inflammatory properties attributed to this herb.

In 1991 there was a new study to isolate the chemical compounds found naturally within the plant that would be responsible for anti-inflammatory principles. This led to "the isolation and characterization of a new quinovic acid glycoside called glycoside 7 as one of the most active anti-inflammatory principles to be uncovered."

Many species of the genus Uncaria exist in nature - more than 30. However, it is the Uncaria Tomentosa species that offers the most promise as a therapeutic agent. Uncaria guianensis is frequently confused with Uncaria tomentosa therefore consumers should check the Cat's Claw bottles they buy for "Uncaria tomentosa" and choose from a reputable company (see below). Cat's Claw is available in capsules, extract, and the raw bark for brewing tea.

Cat's Claw is useful for fighting Crohn's disease, diverticulitis, leaky bowel syndrome, colitis, hemorrhoids, fistulas, gastritis, ulcers, parasites, intestinal flora imbalance, cancer, arthritis, diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, environmental toxic poisoning, organic depression, those infected with the HIV virus, and more.

For additional information about cat's claw and to read about nutritional supplements made with premium cat's claw extract, please see the following web pages:

- CATIMUNE - http://www.aomega.com/ahs/c1100a.htm
- CATAGESIC - http://www.aomega.com/ahs/c1101a.htm
- CAT'S CLAW FORTE - http://www.aomega.com/ahs/c1102a.htm

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FEATURED ARTICLE

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With the first day of Spring right around the corner (March 20th to be exact) - a time that many of us suffer from sneezing, runny noses, sinus congestion, and itchy, watery eyes - we decided to take this opportunity to share with you some general information regarding allergies.

What are allergies?

An "allergy" is a sensitivity to something that is ordinarily harmless. When your body tries to get rid of the "allergen" (allergy-causing foreign substance), you experience symptoms like sneezing, watery eyes, and a runny, stuffy, or itchy nose. The medical term for nasal allergy symptoms is "allergic rhinitis" (rhinitis comes from the ancient Greek word for nose). Two classifications of allergic rhinitis exist: seasonal allergic rhinitis and perennial allergic rhinitis which are described below.

Nearly 44 million Americans have some form of allergy. Seasonal allergic rhinitis, the most common type, affects more than 20 million Americans. Sensitivity often starts in childhood or young adulthood. Although we do not fully understand why some people develop allergies and others don't, heredity is a key factor. If both parents have allergies, a child’s chances of developing allergies are 75% to 80%. If only one parent has allergies, a child’s chances of developing them are about 25%. Early exposure to possible allergens like cat dander or irritants like cigarette smoke is also believed to increase a child’s chances of developing allergies.

Why do I have allergies?

When your body mistakes something that is normally harmless for something dangerous, your body tries to get rid of it the same way it fights off an invading bacteria or virus. Your body’s attempt to get rid of the allergen causes symptoms like sneezing, watery eyes, and a runny, stuffy, or itchy nose. This is called an "allergic reaction."

The first time your body encounters an allergen, your immune system may consider it harmful and form antibodies to it. Each antibody recognizes and binds to one specific foreign substance - like a key fitting into a lock. Millions of different antibodies circulate in your bloodstream and are present throughout your body to help fend off any unwanted substances. With each repeated exposure, your immune system produces increased amounts of antibodies to the allergen until, eventually, you experience symptoms. With seasonal allergies, a couple of seasons may pass by before you experience any symptoms.

People can develop allergies for the first time at any age. It is not unusual to acquire new allergies when you are in your sixties. In children, allergies often diminish as they grow older. Prompt care and treatment can diminish allergy symptoms.

Why do allergies affect my nose?

Your nose filters the air you breathe, preventing unwanted substances from traveling into the lungs. As you inhale, the air circulates over, under, and around the inferior, middle, and superior nasal turbinates (passages). This process filters, moistens, and warms the air.

When you breathe in an allergen like pollen, it gets filtered out and lodges in the mucus that lines the nasal passages. There, it encounters mast cells, which react by releasing histamine. The histamine causes blood vessels in the nose to dilate and leak fluid into the surrounding tissue. When the fluid seeps into the surrounding tissue, it causes swelling, itching, and inflammation. As a result, you experience symptoms like a runny, itchy nose, and sneezing.

Mast cells are also found in the mucous membranes lining your eyes (called conjunctiva), so if an allergen gets into your eye, you may have itchy, red, watery eyes.

Sometimes your allergies may also affect your sinuses, the air-filled cavities lined with mucous membranes in the bones surrounding the nose. The four facial sinuses - maxillary, ethmoid, frontal, and sphenoid - are normally responsible for producing protective mucus that drains into the nasal passages.

Seasonal allergic rhinitis

"Seasonal allergic rhinitis" describes nasal allergies that change with the seasons due to pollen from plants. "Hay fever" is a popular term for seasonal allergies and was coined in 1828 by a British physician, Dr. John Bostock, who noticed that his symptoms worsened during the British haying season. The expression is misleading because allergies seldom cause a fever and are rarely related to hay. Hay Fever symptoms are intense seizures of sneezing, inflammation of nose and eye membranes, and wheezing. Hay fever occurs annually at the same season. It is a reaction to inhalation of airborne pollens to which an individual is sensitive. Persons with a family history of hay fever may inherit a tendency to react, not to specific allergens, but to those to which they are exposed.

If you have seasonal allergies, you are allergic to pollen from trees, grasses, or weeds. Pollen is the male fertilizing agent of plants and to the naked eye, it looks like a fine grain or a particle of dust. For plants to reproduce, they must transfer it from one plant to another. They rely on the wind to sweep pollen into the air and onto female reproductive structures of other plants, a process known as pollination. Unfortunately, we breathe the same pollen-filled air. The pollens that commonly create allergies come from three groups of plants: trees, which account for 10% of allergies, including common varieties like oak and birch; grasses, which account for about 30%; and the biggest culprit, ragweed, which causes nearly 60% of all allergies. You can have allergies to more than one thing, so your symptoms may get worse more often than once each year. For example, you may have difficulty in the spring due to tree pollen, but have no relief in the fall because you are also allergic to ragweed. No two people are exactly the same.

Perennial rhinitis

"Perennial rhinitis" describes nasal allergies that can affect persons at any time during the year and does not change with the seasons. If you have perennial allergies, you are allergic to substances such as dust mites, which can be found in mattresses, pet dander (small scales from animal skin) or pet saliva, or mold spores, which can be found throughout your home. Your symptoms may bother you continuously, or they may flare up several times throughout the year. It is possible to have more than one type of allergy. For example, you may be allergic to pollen as well as mold spores.

Molds are parasitic, microscopic fungi with spores that float in the air like pollen. Outdoor mold spores begin to appear after a spring thaw and reach their peak in July, August, September, or October in the northern United States. In the South and on the West Coast, outdoor molds can be found all year long. Indoor molds shed spores all year long, particularly in damp environments. People increase their exposure to mold when they cut the grass, rake dead leaves, or work with hay or mulch piles. Mushrooms also have many spores under their caps, so if you are mold-sensitive, don't kick them.

How are allergies treated?

Experts agree that the best way to treat allergies is to avoid exposure to the allergens in the first place. But sometimes that is impossible to do. Many different treatments are available to relieve allergy symptoms, ranging from dietary considerations to over-the-counter medications to allergy shots. Because different treatments have different benefits and drawbacks, it is best to see your doctor to determine which treatment is best for you.

Some common medications used to treat allergies include antihistamines and decongestants. Antihistamines are often used to relieve mild-to-moderate allergy symptoms like itching, sneezing, and runny nose. A decongestant may help relieve a stuffy nose. Sometimes, an antihistamine and a decongestant are used together to relieve multiple symptoms.

A doctor may determine the sensitizing agent or agents by scratching the skin of the patient and applying various pollens. The pollens to which the patient is allergic will produce a wheal-and-flare reaction. Because hay fever involves an antigen-antibody reaction in which histamine in the body is released and irritates blood vessels and glands, some anti-histaminic agents may furnish relief. Long-term therapy involves a series of injections of pollen extracts before the pollen season begins. Repeated annually, these relieve approximately 75 percent of the cases.

A number of alternative therapies can help with symptom control and as preventive measures. Inhalations of eucalyptus, peppermint, or hyssop, may help to ease sinus irritation and pain. Licorice and ginseng also possess antiallergy and anti-inflammatory properties. Regular doses of parsley may also help fight hay fever, since it works by reducing your body's production of histamines.

Certain vitamins, mineral, nutrient supplements can also be effective in the fight against allergies, either by boosting the immune system or by acting as natural antihistamines (such as vitamin C). For additional information about some of these products or for some suggestions, feel free to write to us at ahs-news@aomega.com Otherwise, please visit these web pages:

More information regarding allergies can be found by following the links that appear in the "Health Resources" section below.

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HEALTH RESOURCES

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The following the web sites provide useful information regarding allergies and disorders of the respiratory system such as asthma. You will find current news articles, treatment options, links to related sites, allergy evaluations, and a variety of other helpful resources.

Site #1: ALLERGY LEARNING LAB
** http://www.allergylearninglab.com/ **

Site #2: ALLERGY AND ASTHMA NETWORK
** http://www.aanma.org/ **

Site #3: THE ONLINE ALLERGY CENTER
** http://www.sig.net/~allergy/welcome.html **

Site #4: AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ALLERGY, ASTHMA & IMMUNOLOGY
** http://www.aaaai.org/ **

Site #5: CLARITIN.COM
** http://www.claritin.com/ **

Site #6: ALLERDAYS
** http://www.allerdays.com/ **

Site #7: THE FOOD ALLERGY NETWORK
** http://www.foodallergy.org/ **

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