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Michael L. Love: Parsley odyssey continues

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I don't know if I am the first person to eat a cup of parsley flakes every day.  I doubt it, but there are not many reports.  It is definitely a learning experience.  For example, my eyes are a little dry, certainly due the CFTR inhibition by apigenin.  It is only a little bothersome, and not severe.  I have never had dry eyes in my life, and it is an interesting experience.  I don't plan to resort to an eye wash.  I may reduce my dose somewhat, but not yet, I am having too much fun. As noted below, this program easily puts gram levels of flavonoids into your body, and as a plus, you will enjoy the marvellous parsley flavor as never before.  Due to the high flavonoid content, there is a possible increased likelihood of intestinal blockage with prolonged use, again because of the CFTR blockade.  If you are like me, you will merely experience more regularity, but as noted before, those who might have intestinal problems, such as cryptitis, should probably not use this much parsley.  It is remarkable how widespread the effects of CFTR blockade are in the body.  My heartburn is much diminished since starting the parsley regimen, which would also be a consistent effect, since CFTR function is a key component of acid secretion in the stomach, as well as acid quenching in the duodenum.  In fact, this is a key reason why cystic fibrosis patients require special diets, and enzyme supplementation.  I would suspect that this is one reason why enzymes are so popular in the supplement community. Another thing that I am noticing is a prolonged and enhanced effect of dextromorphan.  This is confirmational of the finding that apigenin, like several other flavoniods, inhibits a p450 enzyme that is involved in dextromorphan metabolism, among several other drugs.  A reduced dose may be indicated, and I will be getting my scheduled liver and kidney tests promptly.  My experience is that this enhanced effect is profound, and my coughing symptoms have improved vastly.  It should be noted at this point that this much parsley is quite diuretic as well.  These effects are not limited to parsley or apigenin, and there are quite a few polyphenols that are capable of producing a CFTR blockade, notably resveratrol.  If you get very far above gram level dosing, you are also likely to experience similar effects with quercetin.  The same is true for the p450 inhibition. I am learning more about the parsley plant.  For example, the root and seeds have much more of the other interesting parsley molecule, apiol, also known as parsley extract, parsley oil, or parsley camphor.  There is much to say about apiol, but I will only give it a cursory treatment.  There is much information about this molecule elsewhere on the web.  The apiol extract is an anciently known preparation with many uses, including regularization of menstruation and an abortitive property.  It is also somewhat dangerous, and there are even reported fatalities from ingesting too much apiol.  Perhaps some young women, eager to restore their menstruation, unfortunately abused this chemical in the camphor form. Apiol can have other unhealthful effects, and it has even been demonstrated to form DNA adducts, due to its extended reactive end-group.  This is a commonplace problem associated with the 1-allyl side chain, which is found in many flavonoid producing plants.  Unlike some other compounds, apiol forms weak adducts, which are apparently easily rectified in the cell, and there is much less apiol in the leaves, which is unlikely to present a problem. I would be interested in hearing if any women are experiencing regularization of menstruation while on this parsley regimen.  The effect may be small to nil, due to the comparitively low apiol content of the parsley flakes. Well, this turned out to be rather exhuastive after all.  Cheers! Share | Regards, proclus http://www.gnu-darwin.org/

The blog Michael L. Love: Parsley recipe Michael L. Love: polyphenols and stable free radicals Michael L. Love: some bio info, blog links, plus some molecules site news Michael L. Love: USDA Database for the Flavonoid Content Michael L. Love: recipe; flax oil, tyrosol lignans update Michael L. Love: rutabagas odyssey Michael L. Love: polyphenols, first round results Michael L. Love: Tryosol Lignins Michael L. Love: Bisphenol Molecules Structural Archive and Gallery Michael L. Love: Nano baby doll house music maker Michael L. Love: Molecules Activism on Vitacost: Thai Black Rice update Michael L. Love: Antifungal nasal spray Michael L. Love: Merry Christmas Vitacost Community! Michael L. Love: more on the polyphenol story Michael L. Love: Seafood notes Michael L. Love: Polyphenols, etc Michael L. Love: Linus Pauling Michael L. Love: First entry Follow Michael L. Love: on Google Buzz

Published Monday, January 25, 2010 08:42 PM by proclus

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http://blogs.vitacost.com/Blogs/proclus/Archive/2010/1/25/1052.aspx

Regards,
proclus
http://www.gnu-darwin.org/

Michael L. Love: proclus molecules blog

Welcome to Michael L. Love on Vitacost! Probably my most recognizable feature is that I don't own a car, and I bicycle for exercise twice most days. email:proclus@gnu-darwin.org

Michael L. Love: parsley and triglycerides

How might apigenin chloride channel blockade decrease serum triglycerides?  In other words, could one reduce serum triglycerides by eating parsley?  What follows is abit speculative, and I will admit that I have not yet researched the topic fully in the literature.  More will follow.  If you are comfortable with the fact the following may contain inaccurate extrapolations, the proceed.

The first thing to observe is that a decrease in serum triglycerides would be a paradoxical effect.  The channel blockade agents that are being considered here are also COX inhibitors and COX expression inhibitors, so that at low dose they can be expected to raise serum triglycerides, as observed.

At high dose, the agents would tend to raise the hydrostatic pressure of the cell, by blocking one of the primary means of reducing that pressure, the CFTR chloride channels.  The physical model indicates, that increased hydrostatic pressure may lead to increased inward vesicular transport, and reduce serum triglycerides.  The mechanism is unknown to me at this time.

Some things about the pathway and mechanism are known to me, for example, COX inhibitors would tend to raise serum triglycerides, because the product of the COX reaction, prostaglandins, binds to PPAR alpha and activates inward vesicular transport, probably by some genetic mechanism.  It should be noted that prostaglandin production is the direct result of the activity of phospholipase, which provides the COX reagents.

One could hypothesize that a cellular response to CFTR blockade combined with COX inhibition would be the release of agents which activate phospholipase activity, such as histamine and norepinephrine.  By doing this, the cell would be attempting to make more COX reagents, so that the inward vesicular transport can be turned on, perhaps in order to avoid hydrostatic rupture.

Hydrostatic rupture is probably an over-statement, and what we are discussing are more like tendencies, rather than requirements.  One observation in support of this argument would be that cAMP-activated CFTR chloride permeabiltiy is able to overcome the blockade to varying degrees.  The blockade is unlikely to be complete under cAMP-activated conditions.  In fact, in cells which express cAMP coupled receptors, such as the beta-adenergic receptors, extra-cellular ligands to these receptors can be expected to alleviate hydrostatic pressure, without recourse to vesicular transport.  Moreover, the cell likely has other means of releasing solutes to draw out water.  For example, there is another important chloride channel, which may play a key role.  More on that later.

Two of the ligands which can activate both phospholipase and cAMP production are histamine and adenergics, such as epinephrine and norepinephrine, and cellular secretion of these products would be expected to help relieve hydrostatic pressure, by activating both CFTR, and inward vesicular transport, even during CFTR blockade which tends to be partial.  This cellular response may take time to come to full fruition, perhaps days or weeks.

It should be noted that alpha-1 and H1 activation leading to phospholipase activity is the very stress response that we are trying to avoid.  Phospholipase activity is associated with many problems, being implicated in cancer for example, and one infers that phospholipase activators would have the same association.

My experience is consistent with adenergic activation resulting from CFTR blockade, but I will need another week or so to eliminate some extraneous factors.  Such activation would also be consistent with some of the puzzling and unexpectedly elevated blood pressure readings that I have had transiently in recent days.

Are blockading levels of resveratrol or flavonoids beneficial in the overall sense?  My parsley experience clearly rings a cautionary note, but the animal experiments are indicating that a higher dose is consistent with deeper CR memesis, and that it is more healthfully beneficial than a lower dose.  Perhaps the explanation for this observation resides in the intestine, resulting from CFTR blockade, but it may also result from a greater increase in triglyceride transport, especially inward transport.  I am anxiously awaiting my next blood triglyceride assay.  I would also add that increasing water intake is recommended for the parsley regimen in order to compensate for the diminished mucous secretion, among other things.  

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Regards,
proclus
http://www.gnu-darwin.org/

Published Friday, January 29, 2010 01:23 PM by proclus

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http://blogs.vitacost.com/Blogs/proclus/Archive/2010/1/29/1065.aspx

Regards,
proclus
http://www.gnu-darwin.org/

Michael L. Love: recipe; flax oil, tyrosol lignans update

This is another late night quick update on several items.  I managed to isolate the effects of the flax oil with lignan fraction formulations, and I am checking off.  I could not detect any increase in blood pressure, or any decongestant effect either.  It is likely that this is a most healthful oil formulation, second only to certain fish oils. I think that the lignans add a little bitter taste to this oil, which is comparable to some olive oils that may be similar, but I recommend the flax oil anyway.  Cooking and acidic foods are likely to create something deeply pleasant from the bitters.  In fact, I have a recipe for this below. Before proceeding to the recipe, I would like to point out a problem with citrus bioflavonoids, like hesperidin and naringinin.  Although citrus fruits typically have hundreds of milligrams of these beneficial substances, they are not absorbed well into the body.  In fact, the absorption is terrible, in spite of the high vitamin C content of the fruit.  One reason for this may be that people tend to wolf citrus fruits down without chewing, and I recommend small, well-chewed bites.  I have also applied some biochemical insights and kitchen wizardry to make a recipe that attempts to address this problem. Again, before proceeding to the recipe itself, I need to point out that this citrus pudding has a very unusual ingredient, fresh ground pepper.  Like the flax oil bitters, this spice takes on a very different and rich taste in the acidic pudding mixture.  Here is the recipe. Juice two citrus fruits, and save the pulp.  Set the juice aside, or drink it as you like.  It is not a part of the pudding.  The vast majority of healthful fiber and flavanoids are found in the pulp.  Be sure to juice vigorously all the way to the peel.  Put the pulp in a soup bowl, and add 1/2 teaspoon of vegetable oil.  I am recommending the flax oil because of the high omega 3  and lignan content.  Add 1/2 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper, and a large heaping tablespoon full of yogurt.  Make sure that you have the kind with live cultures, because this will aid in the digestion of the fiber and absorption of the flavonoids.  Like the flax lignans, this is very healthful fiber, and it is helpful to find a way to digest it.  Stir the pudding to a thick uniform mixture, then enjoy your delicious treat. I recommend experimenting with more pepper.  The combination of citric acid and emulsion will remove any unpleasant taste, and like the other ingredients, the pepper may aid in absorption of the citrus bioflavanoids.  Be sure and use fine ground fresh pepper. If you have recommendations for this new recipe, be sure and post them.  I am anxious to try them.  I am really enjoying my citrus this way, and I promise a big wet kiss to anyone who can prove that it does not improve the absorption of these crucial nutrients.  Enjoy your pudding.  It is very filling and satisfying. Share | Regards, proclus http://www.gnu-darwin.org/

The blog Michael L. Love: Parsley recipe Michael L. Love: polyphenols and stable free radicals Michael L. Love: some bio info, blog links, plus some molecules site news Michael L. Love: USDA Database for the Flavonoid Content Michael L. Love: recipe; flax oil, tyrosol lignans update Michael L. Love: rutabagas odyssey Michael L. Love: polyphenols, first round results Michael L. Love: Tryosol Lignins Michael L. Love: Bisphenol Molecules Structural Archive and Gallery Michael L. Love: Nano baby doll house music maker Michael L. Love: Molecules Activism on Vitacost: Thai Black Rice update Michael L. Love: Antifungal nasal spray Michael L. Love: Merry Christmas Vitacost Community! Michael L. Love: more on the polyphenol story Michael L. Love: Seafood notes Michael L. Love: Polyphenols, etc Michael L. Love: Linus Pauling Michael L. Love: First entry Follow Michael L. Love: on Google Buzz

Published Sunday, January 10, 2010 08:03 PM by proclus

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http://blogs.vitacost.com/Blogs/proclus/Archive/2010/1/10/898.aspx

Regards,
proclus
http://www.gnu-darwin.org/