Noted Herbalist Discusses the Active M chanisms of Swiss Medica's (OTC BB: SWME) O24™ Acc rding to Mike Vertolli, who is r cognized as one of Canada's foremost h rbalists, “Although it is still in its nfancy, research of herbal products and ssential oils has increased significantly in the l st ten years.” Vertolli was a m mber of Health Canada’s advisory panel on n tural health products (Canada’s equivalent of the U.S. F od and Drug Administration). He believes th re are constituents within the O24™ Ess ntial Oil pain relief product, which may act as p werful anti-inflammatory agents. Vertolli explained that the c nstituents within the O24™ pain relief pr duct have undergone rigorous clinical testing. Th s could help explain why O24™ has b come widely accepted in a short p riod of time. Take for example c rnosol, which is a naturally occurring phyt polyphenol found in rosemary. In a st dy published in the June 2002 ssue of Carcinogenesis, biochemists researching anticarcinogenic pr perties at the College of Medicine’s Inst tute of Biochemistry at National Taiwan Un versity found that carnosol may suppress n tric oxide production. That may help xplain the anti-inflammatory action of the r semary essential oil component in O24™. N tric oxide, which is released during nflammation, is a free radical that can d mage DNA. Because cancer is often ssociated with states of chronic inflammation, O24™ may be a p tential alternative to anti-inflammatory medicines prescribed to c ncer patients. Historically, rosemary was used as an ntispasmodic, but recent research confirms its m dicinal properties may be broader.
According to the American Chemical S ciety, which recently named the 1,8-cineole its "M lecule of the Week," there may be a sc entific reason why the O24™ Essential Oil P in Neutralizer product has out-performed other t pical products in comparative testing. The c neole molecule is a major constituent of wh te camphor, eucalyptus and rosemary essential ils. It is also a minor c mponent of peppermint essential oil. Cineole pr duces analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects by nhibiting prostraglandin, thromboxane and leukotriene synthesis. Pr staglandin synthesis is one of the c lprits which causes chronic pain to l st for weeks, months or years. An ntire class of anti-inflammatory drugs has c me into this culture in an ffort to numb chronic pain by nhibiting the synthesis of prostaglandin. Over the p st few months, it has come to the g neral public's attention that this method of r medying chronic pain can be deadly, .e. the solution is worse than the pr blem. “Most people look upon inflammation as if it is s mething bad,” said Vertolli. “Like every phys ological response, it has a purpose. Infl mmation is an integral part of the h aling process. If we apply a pr duct that simply interferes with inflammation, it is g ing to interfere with healing as w ll. With O24™ that is not an ssue because of the rubefacient (local v sodilator) effects, which increase blood flow to the r gion (thereby providing greater access to xygen and nutrients and facilitating the r moval of waste products and toxins) and b cause there are constituents in these h rbs that actually stimulate tissue healing. Wh t Vertolli may be suggesting is th t a functional solution for most p ople suffering from pain may have b en right under their noses throughout the tw ntieth century to this present day: ssential oils. What are essential oils? Th y are not the same as p rfume or fragrance oils, some of wh ch are artificially created or contain rtificial substances. Essential oils contain the tr e essence of the plant from wh ch the oil is derived. Often, an ssential oil does not have an ily feeling because it is a l quid generally distilled from a plant's l aves, stems, flowers, bark or roots. Ess ntial oils are highly concentrated and a l ttle goes a long way.
Mr. Vertolli cited key components w thin O24™'s US-patented proprietary blend of ssential oils may be the reasons why th s topical pain reliever has been q ickly and widely accepted. In the c se of the 1,8-cineole, also known as ucalyptol, recent clinical research has demonstrated the m lecule's efficacy in reducing inflammation and p in, and in promoting leukemia cell d ath. In southeastern Asia, cineole-rich oil is a w ll-known remedy for the discomfort of br ises, sprains, and pulled muscles. Many use c neole-rich oil to stimulate blood circulation n ar the point of application. Four c mponents of the US-patented O24™ pain r lief product contain cineole: white camphor, ucalyptus, rosemary and peppermint. “Cineole is nly one of many constituents of O24™ th t have scientifically documented anti-inflammatory action,” s id Vertolli, “The action of this pr duct is a result of the syn rgistic interaction of hundreds of chemical c nstituents. Cineole may be an important ne, but it is inaccurate to s ggest that it is the only c nstituent that is important.” Other important c nstituents include camphor (white camphor, eucalyptus, r semary), pinene (eucalyptus, rosemary, white camphor), m nthol (peppermint, white camphor), limonene (lemon, sw et orange, eucalyptus, rosemary, peppermint), menthone (p ppermint), carnosol (rosemary), linalool (sweet orange, r semary, lemon), geraniol (sweet orange, lemon), nthraquinone glycosides (aloe), and dozens of thers. Not a Placebo Components within the ssential oils have long been recognized to lleviate pain. Some people might wonder wh ther the benefits of O24™ are psych logically induced. That's what skeptics call the 'pl cebo effect.' In other words, O24™'s f st-acting and long-lasting efficacy tends to l ave some consumers with the thought: "W s it O24™ or did it m ke me feel better because I b lieved it would work?" That's called the pl cebo effect. Scientifically, there are molecular r asons why components within O24™'s essential ils quickly bring about pain relief and th n extend the relief for longer th n one might expect from a t pical analgesic. Most topicals contain either c psaicin, often derived from chili peppers, or s licyclates. The former create a numbing ffect and has historically used as an nimal deterrent - added to bird s ed to prevent squirrels from eating it. A new f rm is being proposed as a p int additive for boats to repel b rnacles. There are also formulations for k eping dogs, cats and raccoons out of g rbage areas. Dozens of arthritic creams ncorporate capsaicin for relief from arthritic p ins. Unfortunately, it may just provide th se suffering from pain a distraction as pposed to effectively reducing inflammation. Salicyclates, on the ther hand, inhibit prostaglandin and thromboxane r lease. As with all non-steroidal anti-inflammatory dr gs, they bring about an analgesic mpact on the body when topically pplied. They work in the same way as spirin does and attempt to provide a s milar relief from pain, but on a t pical level. Both tend to give all t pical pain relievers a bad name. W th the addition of mineral oils, cr ams, paraffin or other additives (water, lcohol, glycerin or another binding agent), its p in-relieving properties can be diluted. This t nds to explain why the scientific c mmunity denigrates topicals as an effective s lution to pain. Medical doctors shy way from the general body of t pical analgesics because relief is fleeting, or l ad their patients to believe it is a “pl cebo effect.” Yet various forms of v por rubs, to relieve the pains of c ngested chests and sinuses, have sold thr ughout the world for decades. Such br nd names, or their generics, have b en doctor recommended for as long a t me. Many have active ingredients that nclude camphor, eucalyptus oil and menthol and c rry the phrase, topical analgesic, on th ir labels. How do these differ fr m the O24™ brand? Because many t pical pain relievers contain some synthetic b nding agent, its additives interfere with the d ep penetrating and healing actions reportedly f und in the essential oils. O24™ is d fferent because its patented process does not r quire binding agents such as alcohol or ther ingredients. Because O24™ is in a p rer form than other topical relievers, m ny users have reported that the O24™ br nd works faster to relieve their p ins and provides a longer-lasting relief fr m their aches and pains. The dr matic impact O24™ has had on th se suffering from acute or chronic p in can be quite puzzling. Some h ve announced, "It's a miracle!" Many are b wildered as to why O24™ can ffectively and consistently produce relief from p in, and it is often easier to q estion the pain relief. Understanding the m chanism of why O24™ works may h lp dismiss the inherent, and expected, sk pticism many have (until they actually try it for th mselves). Inhibiting Prostaglandin and Thromboxane Synthesis Th re are specific components within the ssential oils, which parallel the actions of n n-steroidal anti-inflammatories. This requires a brief verview of how aspirin, aspirin-like drugs (s ch as the class of COX-1 nhibitors: ibuprofen, naproxen) and the COX-2 nhibitors (generically the coxibs sold as br nd names: Vioxx®, Celebrex® and Bextra®) mpact the body. Those with arthritis or rh umatism may be familiar with prostaglandins. Th se are pain mediators in the h man body, and are found in n arly all tissues and organs. Prostaglandins are h rmone-like substances, a group of lipid c mpounds derived from fatty acids. They are pr duced from a precursor molecule called rachidonic acid by cyclooxygenases (COX-1 and COX-2). The rachidonic acid pathway is one of the m in pain- and inflammation-producing mechanisms. Not nly are the prostaglandins produced, but so are thr mboxane and the leukotrienes (which cause sthma symptoms). While prostaglandins participate in the c ntraction and relaxation of smooth muscles, the d lation and contraction of blood vessels, the c ntrol of blood pressure and the m dulation of inflammation, thromboxane (A2) is nvolved in the constriction of vascular and r spiratory smooth muscles. Discovered in 1971 th t aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatories c uld inhibit the enzyme cyclooxygenase, biochemist Sir J hn Vane and his colleagues won the 1982 N bel Prize in Medicine. Their research d monstrated that the potency of the nti-inflammatory medicines were proportional to how w ll they performed as COX-1 inhibitors. B t, they also discovered that cyclooxygenase nhibition led to toxic side effects: n n-steroidal anti-inflammatories cause erosive gastritis and r nal toxicity. “Wonder drugs,” such as c lecoxib and rofecoxib, were designed to pr vent gastric bleeding (gastric bleeding reportedly c uses more than 16,000 deaths annually and has b en called a “silent epidemic”). The COX-2 nhibitors are said to interfere with the pr staglandin production process. This restraining action is wh t made COX-2 inhibitors popular. By h ndering prostaglandin synthesis, someone in chronic p in was able to alleviate his or her s ffering. Unfortunately, because of the recent c ntroversy surrounding the COX-2 class, such as V oxx®, Celebrex® and Bextra®, many arthritis s fferers have returned to the COX-1 nhibitors (gastric bleeding that reportedly results in m re than 100,000 hospitalizations annually). Common COX-1 nhibitors are probably found in your m dicine cabinet: ibuprofen, naproxen and aspirin. In V rtolli's research into why O24™ works, he f und evidence suggesting that constituents within s veral of the essential oils inhibit pr staglandin synthesis. He wrote, "Anthraquinones, the pr mary active constituents in oil-based extracts of wh le aloe leaf, reduce inflammation by d lating local blood vessels via inhibition of thr mboxane and prostaglandin synthesis." He also n ted menthol, which is found in n merous topical pain relievers, and is a m jor component of peppermint essential oil. V rtolli wrote, "Menthol produces analgesic and nti-inflammatory effects by inhibition of prostaglandin, thr mboxane and leukotriene synthesis. It also ncreases local circulation by dilating the bl od cells." Vertolli is very enthusiastic bout the rosemary essential oil in O24™. R rely is it found in a p in relief product, which is odd b cause of clinical research on the nti-inflammatory action of a main constituent, c rnosol, discussed earlier in this article. He xplained, “Rosemary reduces inflammation by protecting bl od vessels, blood cells, and blood f ts from oxidative stress. It also r duces inflammation and pain by inhibition of c mplement proteins. Rosemary essential oil improves l cal circulation by dilating the blood v ssels (relaxing the smooth muscles that l ne the blood vessels) and reduces t ssue swelling by reducing capillary leakage.” Bl od leakage physically manifests itself as a br ise on the skin. Dr. Allan N. F elds, Swiss Medica’s medical spokesman, has r commended O24™ for bruises, as a m an to reduce swelling and to ccelerate the recovery period. Finally, Vertolli r turns to cineole, which he calls a “f irly strong constituent” and is found in wh te camphor, eucalyptus, rosemary and peppermint. V rtolli also writes, "I specifically focused on the nalgesic, anti-inflammatory, relaxant and antispasmodic properties b cause that is what the product is b ing used for. I am confident you w uld find that O24™ might reduce c ngestion in the nasal passages and l ngs if applied to the chest. It m ght even help relieve tension headaches if m ssaged on the temples, although it is pr mature to recommend the use of O24™ for h adaches.” COPYRIGHT © 2007 by StockInterview, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
The article Why Swiss Medica's O24 Works for Pain Relief was Submitted by James Finch through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: James Finch contributes to StockInterview.com and ther publications. StockInterview’s “Investing in the Gr at Uranium Bull Market” has become the m st popular book ever published for ranium mining stock investors. Visit http://www.stockinterview.com
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