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#Post#: 1117--------------------------------------------------
The Thunder god vine for Rheumatoid arthritis? YEP!
By: AGelbert Date: May 13, 2014, 8:05 pm
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Could a Chinese Herb Replace Life-Threatening RA Drugs?
May 13, 2014
[img width=640
height=380]
HTML http://etc.usf.edu/clippix/pix/thunder-god-vine-at-the-arnold-arboretum-of-harvard-university_medium.jpg[/img]
Thunder god vine
The famous Cleveland Clinic has opened a Chinese herbal medicine
center, but Europe is virtually banning it. Action Alert!
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease in which your
body’s immune system mistakenly attacks your joints. The
abnormal immune response causes inflammation that can damage
joints and organs, such as the heart. It’s chronic, extremely
painful, and can be debilitating. But now, a high-profile study
published in the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases has shown that a
natural herb can be more effective than FDA-approved drugs.
The Annals study tested whether thunder god vine (Tripterygium
wilfordii, a perennial vine native to China, Japan, and Korea)
was more effective in the treatment of RA than the most commonly
prescribed disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug, methotrexate.
The results were astounding: of the 207 trial participants, 55%
of those who took thunder god vine extract experienced at least
a 50% improvement in the tender and swollen joints, pain, and
disability associated with RA. By comparison, just 46.5% of
patients on methotrexate had the same reduction in symptoms.
A third group, who took a combination of thunder god vine and
methotrexate, had the best results: 77% showed a reduction of
symptoms. But as we shall see below, methotrexate is an
extremely dangerous drug to take.
This study has confirmed what Chinese herbalists have known for
more than 400 years:[img width=110
height=100]
HTML http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/chinese-emoticon-22648577.jpg[/img]<br
/> thunder god vine is useful in the treatment of inflammation a
nd
autoimmune diseases. The herb has even been shown to have
anti-cancer properties: in one 2012 study, the herb completely
wiped out pancreatic tumors in mice in just forty days.
As Dr. Jonathan Wright notes, thunder god vine may produce mild
side effects such as nausea, indigestion, or diarrhea. As
always, and especially because it’s difficult to get high
quality thunder god vine in the United States, talk to your
integrative doctor before starting a new health regimen.
Thunder god vine could become a cost-effective alternative to
dangerous RA drugs: a month’s worth of the herbal extract costs
just $12.90. [img width=40
height=40]
HTML http://www.clker.com/cliparts/c/8/f/8/11949865511933397169thumbs_up_nathan_eady_01.svg.hi.png[/img]<br
/>
By comparison:
•Methotrexate, $38.70 a month, has a laundry list of disturbing
side effects: nausea, vomiting, mouth sores, rash, diarrhea,
blood count abnormalities, cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver,
persistent cough, shortness of breath, slow hair loss, skin
sensitivity to sunlight, and cancer of the blood. It is not at
all unusual for people to die from taking this drug. An ANH
staff member had a friend who did. Methotrexate can also cause
serious birth defects and complications during pregnancy.
•TNF-alpha blockers (Enbrel and Humira) cost as much as $3,650
per prescription. :o >:( These are used to treat juvenile
rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and other inflammatory
diseases. Because TNF-alpha blockers are immunosuppressants,
patients are at increased risk of developing serious infections
that may lead to hospitalization or death due to bacterial,
mycobacterial, fungal, viral, parasitic, and other opportunistic
pathogens. In 2008, 2009, and 2011, the FDA determined that
these drugs increase the risk of different—but all potentially
fatal—infections and cancers, including tuberculosis and
childhood leukemia.
•Xeljanz, at $2,055 a month, caused four patient deaths before
it even hit the market. It causes such side effects as
infections, shingles, lymphoma, and stomach ruptures. The
European regulatory agencies rejected Xeljanz twice on safety
grounds (the Committee was “of the opinion that the benefits of
Xeljanz did not outweigh its risks”).
RA can be debilitatingly painful. Even when they’re fully aware
of the danger of RA drugs, many patients will still choose drugs
over crippling joint pain and lifelong disability. With
conventional medicine’s “discovery” of thunder god vine,
patients should soon be able to access cheaper, safer treatment
alternative.
The Cleveland Clinic—one of the most highly lauded hospitals in
the country (President Obama himself has sung its praises)—has
opened its very own Chinese herbal therapy center. Slowly, the
world of mainstream medicine is catching on to the benefits of
natural health.
That is, in America. In Europe, the noose has been tightened on
both Chinese and Indian traditional medicine, and it is becoming
increasingly unavailable. :( >:(
Is US mainstream medicine’s and Big Pharma’s interest in thunder
god vine a good thing? ??? Now that its effectiveness has been
demonstrated so amply, will Big Pharma attempt to turn thunder
god vine into an expensive, patented drug? :P Or, as we’ve seen
with other supplements, will this result in less effective,
bargain basement-quality products? Will the FDA leap on the
chance to reserve another powerful health tool for Big Pharma
via burdensome, expensive regulations? 8)
Action Alert! Doctors often recommend folate supplementation
with methotrexate treatment. This is yet another reason why
access to folate supplements is crucial. Even if you have done
so already, please take action again on the FDA’s proposed
folate ban!
HTML http://www.anh-usa.org/chinese-herb-ra-drugs/
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