Yeast used in production of cachaça can prevent asthma, study shows

A daily dose of a strain of brewer’s yeast used to produce cachaça (distilled spirit made from fermented sugarcane juice) can act as a preventive against asthma, according to a Brazilian study involving male mice. The results are reported in an article published in the journal Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins. The authors are researchers at the University of SĂŁo Paulo (USP) and the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). The yeast strain used in the study was Saccharomyces cerevisiae UFMG A-905.

Irritable bowel syndrome patients may suffer significantly higher rates of anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation

New research from the University of Missouri School of Medicine has established a link between irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and mental health challenges, such as anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. The research highlights the need for health professionals to evaluate and treat associated psychiatric co-morbidities in IBS patients to improve their overall health and quality of life.

Study of intravenous mistletoe extract to treat advanced cancer

Mistletoe extract has been widely used to support cancer therapy and improve quality of life, but there has been a lack of clinical trials and data to support its use. Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center completed what is believed to be the first phase I trial of intravenous Helixor M in the U.S. aimed at determining dosing for subsequent clinical trials and to evaluate safety.