Whey : A Miraculous Food stuff

Whey is a co-product of cheese production. It is one of the components that separate from milk after curdling, when rennet or an edible acidic substance is added. Generally 100 L of milk produces about 12 kg of cheese or about 3 kg of casein. In either case, about 87 L of whey is made as a by-product.

COMPONENTS

Bovine milk has about 3.5% protein, 80% of which are caseins and the remaining 20% are whey proteins. It contains proteins, lactose, vitamins, minerals, and traces of fat. Whey proteins is a noted complete, high biological value (HBV) protein with a rich amino acid profile that meets all the essential, sulfur containing and branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), which collectively constitute whey protein’s excellent protein efficiency ratio (PER), as well as its broad scope of application.

THERAPEUTIC APPLICATIONS

Whey and LDL Cholesterol: It was discovered that the minor constituent responsible for the ability of whey protein concentrate to prevent the oxidation of LDL appears to be the lactoferrin fraction of the protein.

Cancer: Whey protein concentrates have been researched extensively in the prevention and treatment of cancer. Glutathione stimulation is thought to be the primary immune-modulating mechanism. Bounous, 2000; discusses the antitumor and anticarcinogenic potential. The amino acid precursors to glutathione available in whey might: (1) increase glutathione concentration in relevant tissues, (2) stimulate immunity, and (3) detoxify potential carcinogens. Other authors conclude the iron-binding capacity of whey may also contribute to anticancer potential, as iron may act as a mutagenic agent causing oxidative damage to tissues.

Hepatitis: Whey protein supplementation demonstrates variable effects in patients infected with Hepatitis B or C. Initially it was found that bovine lactoferrin prevented hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in vitro in a human hepatocyte. line. In hepatitis, gluthone level may fall to below normal level. Whey is rich in cystine and body uses uses cystine to make glutathione. Thus it helps the people with hepatitis.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV): Glutathione deficiency is a common problem for individuals infected with HIV. An increase in GHS status is thought to optimize immune function. Compared to other common protein sources, incorporating whey proteins into the diet is shown to boost GHS production and optimize immunity. In an effort to increase cysteine, and ultimately glutathione, several studies have been conducted on the use of whey proteins in HIV-positive individuals.

Antimicrobial: Plasma levels of lactoferrin have been found to be elevated due to release from neutrophils during infection, inflammation, tumor development, and iron overload. Several studies have examined the effects of whey protein concentrates on the eradication of Helicobacter pylori. In a concise review, Shah, 2000; discusses the bacteriostatic and bacteriocidal activity lactoferrin exhibits against a number of organisms, including Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Shigella dysenteriae, Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus stearothermophilus, Bacillus subtilis, and Micrococcus luteus.

Obesity: Whey has made a significant commercial impact in the weight-loss industry for its protein content alone. The essential and non-essential amino acids in whey act as substrates for protein synthesis and may improve body mass index in individuals participating in exercise programs. The bioactive components in whey are thought to act synergistically with calcium to attenuate lipogenesis, accelerate lipolysis, and effect nutrient partitioning between adipose tissue and skeletal muscle.

Osteoporosis: Osteoporosis is a condition where bones become less dense from osteoclastic versus osteoblastic dominance. Milk has been proposed as a nutritional food that aids in the prevention of osteoporosis due to its bio available calcium content . Research shows that whey protein helps prevent and treat Osteoporosis by increasing the number of Osteoblasts at the expense of osteoclast. Whey protein stimulated the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblastic cells .

Gastrointestinal Support: Whey protein has demonstrated a protective effect on the gastric mucosa. This effect is thought to be related to the sulfhydryl component, particularly cysteine and its link with glutamic acid in the production of glutathione. Interestingly, three non carbohydrates prebiotics from whey have also been found. The first is a glycomacropeptide (GMP). The second whey derived prebiotic is lactoferrin (Lf) and the third whey component with prebiotic potential is actually mineral. Dietary calcium, in the form of calcium phosphate (one of the forms found in dairy calcium) has been shown to selectively stimulate the growth of intestinal lactobacilli and decrease the severity of salmonella infections. Whey acts as a befitting carrier for the delivery of lactobacillus and bifidobacteria, acting as a protective sheath for them from the digestive protease activity of the intestinal enzymes in an efficient way .

Ulcers: Laboratory and animal studies demonstrated that Lactoferrin, present in whey effectively eradicated Helicobacter pylori colonizing the stomach through the inhibition of the bacterium’s attachment to tissues and had a direct anti-bacterial effect on the microorganism. Hence, lactoferrin can potentially be included in the course of therapy for people suffering from ulcers relating to Helicobacter pylori.

Wound Healing: Adequate protein intake is essential for post-surgical wound healing and protein depletion delays the healing time. Whey provides protein necessary for wound healing. Surgery stresses the body, altering natural defenses, leading to various post-surgical complications. Zimecki demonstrated lactoferrin regulated the immune response and provided protective measures in post-surgical patients.

Role of Herbs in Antihypertension

Hypertension is the leading member of the so called “non communicable diseases” (NCD group) and a leading contributory cause of death world wide . A large number of population surveys from different parts of the world have all along demonstrated hypertension to be a ubiquitous disease that affect all ethnic groups and engulf all geographic regions.

In countries with old civilizations and heritages like India, the ancient wisdom, folkfore and alternate medicinal systems just as Ayurveda, have always promoted the concept of food and herbs based prevention and management of diseases like cardiovascular, hypertension and diabetes mellitus. It is surprising that modern medicine with a glare of newer health gadgets and technologies has made us lopsidedly reliant on them. It is high time; we recapitulate perspective and give the natural herbal bounty with wealth of potential a real chance.

Hypertension is considered to be a predisposing factor for stroke, coronary heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, heart failure and end-state renal disease. It is estimated that hypertension contributes about 57 percent towards all deaths from strokes and 24 percent towards all deaths from coronary artery disease in India. Nearly one billion people are affected by hypertension worldwide, and this figure is predicted to increase to 1.5 billion by 2025. Each year, two million new cases of hypertension are diagnosed.It is estimated that 43 million people in the United States , almost 24% of the adult population are afflicted with hypertension and taking antihypertensive medication. The risk of hypertension increases with age in both men and women (Whelton and Klag, 1989). Before age 55, more men than women are hypertensive; but the reverse is true for those over the age of 55. As a matter of fact, it is a chronic medical condition in which the blood pressure stays elevated, mostly for no ostensible reason. It is also referred to as high blood pressure or shortened to HT, HTN or HPN. The word "hypertension", by itself, normally refers to systemic, arterial hypertension.

Medication for Hypertension:

Common clinical strategies to achieve a lowering of blood pressure include the use of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers (or CCB’s) and diuretics. For simplistic reasons, these agents work by reducing arterial resistance and/or decreasing cardiac output.Indeed, ACE inhibitors work by interrupting the conversion of angiotensin-I to angiotensin-II and therefore attenuating the arterial constrictor effects of angiotensin-II . Beta receptor blockers act to counter the stimulatory effects of vascular and cardiac noradrenergic receptors. CCB’s inhibit calcium entry thus decreasing the tone of vascular smooth muscle and promoting vasodilatation. Diuretics work by promoting the expulsion of urine, measured as the urinary volume (UV) excreted, and urinary sodium (UNa) from the body and this helps reduce the volume of blood circulating through the cardiovascular system .

 Role of Plant Products in the Management of Hypertension:

Since time immemorial, people have used plants in treating various diseases without any side effect. Their use has been safe and they are cost effective also. One well documented use of plant products is their use as antihypertensive and hypotensive agents. Hence, there is an ever increasing need for safe antihypertensive and hypotensive agents.

Antihypertensive / Hypotensive Herbs

Herbal based therapeutics for hypertension has been in use since Vedic era and now a days, it has been used and practisized due to lack of its adverse side effective property, and efficacy in curing hypertension and cost effectiveness. Some herbs are not being used in pharmacological preparations in the industry because of non availability of clinical studies on them. Their safe amount of use is questioned till now along with efficacy. However, the use of natural herbs for curing hypertension is well documented in different traditional medicine systems since Ayurveda to Chinese and Europian traditional system. In this modern era, use of herb is being more popular day by day due to evidenced by clinical trials, safety, efficacy and cost effectiveness. A large no. of plants has been supported by evidences to treat hypertension. Therefore, plant based drugs should be developed to make the use of drugs safe and effective. 

Garden cress (Lepidium sativum): A Panacea

Lepidium sativum (L. sativum) (Garden Cress, Fam: Cruciferae) is an annual erect herbaceous plant, growing up to 30 cm. It is a native shrub. Its seeds contain volatile essential aromatic oils, active principle and fatty oils and carbohydrate, protein, fatty acid, Vitamin: β‐carotene, riboflavin, and niacin, and ascorbic acid, Flavonoids, Isothiocynates and glycoside. It is a well known culinary herb and the leaves are widely used as a garnish and are consumed raw in salads. The plant is known to possess varied me-dicinal properties. Leaves of this plant are diuretic and gently stimulant. The seeds are aperient, diuretic, tonic, demulcent, aphrodisiac, carminative, galactagogue and emmenagogue. The seeds are rubefacient and are applied as a poultice for hurts and sprains . The plant also shows teratogenic effect  and antiovulatory properties . The root is used in the treatment of secondary syphilis and tenesmus. A preliminary pharmacological study on seeds of L. sativum has sug-gested the presence of cardioactive substance and is shown to have probable action through adrenergic me-chanisms. The aqueous extract of L. sativum seeds has been reported to exhibit a potent hypoglycaemic activity in normal and streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Aqueous extract of L. sativum was found to have antihypertensive and diuretic effect when studied both in normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats. The effectiveness of this plant in treatment of bronchial asthma, hiccups, cough with expectoration and bleeding piles has been reported . Seeds of L. sativum are prescribed by many Ayurvedic practitioners. The paste of seeds is applied in rheumatic joints to relieve the pain and swelling. It is also useful in hiccup, dysentery, and diarrhea and skin disease caused by impurities of blood .

Use of Garden cress in Traditional system:

As per traditional wisdom, garden cress helps as a healer in the following ways:

Ø  One part of seeds added to twenty parts of boiling water or ten parts of cold water, when consumed orally is remedy for dysentery, diarrhea and skin disease caused by impurity of blood.

Ø  People are also accustomed to making comfits with garden cress seeds, which are useful for expelling worms in old and young alike, for opening the mesenteric veins, for preventing apoplexy, purifying blood and for expelling mucous & sand from the kidneys.

Ø  Powder of garden cress seeds with sugar can also be used to cure diarrhea, indigestion and dysentery. Seeds are recommended for the dispersion of chronic enlargement of spleen.

Ø  A tea spoon full of garden cress seeds boiled in 6 ounces of water for ½ hour and the decoction with a table spoonful of honey is given as an effective medicine to increase breast milk, sexual stamina, and sexual retentivity.

Ø  Seeds roasted in ghee and mixed with sugar are given as a tonic for general weakness in young girls and after child birth to increase breast milk.

Ø  One teaspoon of seed juice obtained by grinding with one ounce of water mixed with a glassful of tender coconut water is given as a folk medicine to cure diarrhea, dysentery, bleeding piles, scanty urination due to liver disorders and irritation of the intestinal mucous membranes.

Ø  The seeds roasted in till oil, and the seed oil as is used as analgesic medicated oil in gout, rheumatism, glandular swelling etc. Oil massaged over pains every night increase blood circulation and helps proper erection during conjugal union. It should be noted that this oil is counter irritant and therefore care must be taken to use a little at a time.

Ø  Internally, candrasura is used with great benefit to alleviate the hiccup. The seeds (20 gm) are soaked in 250 ml. of sater and the cold infusion is recommended to sip frequently. This household remedy is very commonly used and is effective. This infusion also augments the quantity of urine, hence, mitigates dysuria.