Can Flax Lignans Control Influenza Infections Including Bird Flu
A few years ago, a number of studies were conducted showing that flu shots were much less effective in preventing the flu in the elderly than previously anticipated. This isn't surprising since elderly people have relatively poor immune systems.
In addition, it was determined that two major flu drugs, Symmetrel and Flumadine, are increasingly ineffective against flu infections. In 2005, 14.5% of flu viruses were resistant to these two drugs...up from 1.9% in 2004. In China, 74% of flu viruses are resistant to the drugs.
Future prospects for controlling flu virus infections via vaccines and drugs are not promising.
http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/news/20050921/flu-shots-for-elderly-far-from-perfect?print=true
Tamiflu, a new flu virus drug, blocks the uptake of viral particles into cells. Once in the virus enters the cell, Tamiflu and other drugs of this nature are useless. They have a VERY short period of effectiveness. And they are very expensive.
I believe that flax lignans can both prevent flu virus infections AND effectively treat current infections.
This is how it works.
In the last blog, I showed that flax lignans, such as enterolactone, produced in the intestines by bacteria breaking down flax pre-lignans, can inhibit AKT signaling while increasing the number of p53 molecules in the cells. I firmly believe that these bacterial produced lignans can also block many viral infections, including HIV, hepatitis B/C and influenza.
When viruses enter cells, they stimulate the synthesis of alpha and beta interferon, two immune hormones which control the spread of viruses. A few years ago, scientists found that these interferons activated the gene for p53, a major tumor suppressor. When p53 is activated, it induces apoptosis in the virally infected cells, thereby preventing further viral synthesis. If this biochemical pathway is activated shortly after viral infections, further viral replication is completely inhibited. The following articles can be read online.
Based upon the literature, influenza virus infections can be controlled by BOTH a reduction in AKT activation and an increase in p53 synthesis.
P53 deficient cells promote the synthesis of influenza virus. This confirms that p53, induced by alpha and beta interferons, does indeed control the spread of the influenza virus.
Further, influenza virus NS1 protein stimulates the activity of the PI-3k/AKT pathway. This results in the suppression of virally induced cell death while promoting further viral synthesis.
The NS1 structural protein is common to all influenza viruses, including the Bird Flu strain H5N1. However this deadly strain does not induce the synthesis of alpha and beta interferon. In fact, it may act as an antagonist. This means that this deadly virus does NOT induce the synthesis of p53, thereby allowing the continued synthesis of virus from infected cells.
A mutation in the H5N1 Bird Flu NS1 structural protein is responsible for its virulence. This virus is incapable of stimulating the synthesis of alpha and beta interferon, and, correspondingly, the synthesis of p53. Therefore, once infected the virus continues to replicate without constraint.
Maybe.
Although alpha and beta interferons can stimulate p53 synthesis, these proteins are not the only factors that can stimulate p53 synthesis. In general, DNA damage and oxidative stress can both stimulate P53 synthesis in the absence of interferon synthesis. Flax lignans can increase the level of p53 in cells by inhibiting the degradation of this molecule.
Flax lignans can inhibit AKT activation and promote p53 accumulation in the absence of interferon synthesis. This makes flax lignans an ideal treatment protocol for BOTH the prevention of influenza infections and the control of preestablished influenza viral infections.
The Omega Nutrition flax product, sold by VitaCost, product JF218003, is standardized to 105 mgs of prelignans per tablespoon. This product, and another being investigated, are the two most potent flax products on the market. The VitaCost product can be purchased at the bottom of our home page.
http://www.grouppekurosawa.com
Stay tuned....
Grouppe Kurosawa, Medicine in the Public Interest
posted by Dr. Steve at 4:24 PM
3 Comments:
I noticed Jarrow has produced a lignan concentrate in a capsule,
http://www.iherb.com/ProductDetails.aspx?c=1&pid=213&at=0
Again, Dr. Steve -
If someone was taking coconut oil for an HIV infection, can they also use this? Didn't you say in an earlier post that flax interferes with the coconut oil protocol??
Jarrow does not make the recommended product. They just sell it. Its made by Omega Nutrition in Canada. If the product is not standardized to a specific amount of SDG, a pre-lignan, I am not interested.
There isn't enough omega 3 oil in the ground flax to make a difference. It won't interfere with the coconut oil and the immune response in HIV.
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