Drinking three cups of tea daily can protect against heart attacks and stroke. A new review study shows regular drinking of either black or green tea can reduce the risk of heart problems by 11 percent. It cuts plaque build-up in arteries – a combination of dangerous fat and cholesterol. In terms of the delivery of antioxidants, two cups of tea is equivalent to five portions of vegetables or two apples, reports the journal Molecular Aspects of … full story

Babies whose mothers have the flu jab during pregnancy are less likely to catch the virus themselves, finds a recent study. A flu jab protects youngsters in the first six months of life and makes them 40 percent less likely to need hospital treatment for respiratory illnesses, according to a US research. Research shows pregnant women are at higher risk of serious complications from swine flu compared with the general public, and have a higher rate … full story

People recently diagnosed with lung cancer are at higher risk of having a stroke than those without lung tumors, suggests a large new study from Taiwan. Researchers looking at data covering more than 150,000 adults found that among those with lung cancer, 26 in every 1000 experienced a stroke each year, compared with 17 in 1000 who did not have cancer. "This is one more telling sign of the long term risk of smoking," said Dr. Andrew Russman, a … full story

Simply suggesting that a treatment will ease chest pain may not only dampen the pain, but directly alter heart arteries, a small study concludes. Among 30 patients having a procedure to evaluate their chest pain, researchers found that those who were told they were being given an infusion of a pain-relieving drug did, on average, report a decrease in pain. But the participants also showed a measurable change in their heart arteries: a slight but … full story

Simply suggesting that a treatment will ease chest pain may not only dampen the pain, but directly alter heart arteries, a small study concludes. Among 30 patients having a procedure to evaluate their chest pain, researchers found that those who were told they were being given an infusion of a pain-relieving drug did, on average, report a decrease in pain. But the participants also showed a measurable change in their heart arteries: a slight but … full story

An experimental malaria vaccine tested on children in Burkina Faso has shown "a high level of efficacy" in protecting against the disease, a study published in the United States said Wednesday. The study was initially planned to study the safety and immune response of the vaccine, known by the name MSP3. "However, as malaria attacks were documented as part of the safety follow-up, the investigators decided to explore the protective effect of the … full story

Scientists have developed what they call a "suicide bomber" bacteria, which can detect and destroy a hospital superbug resistant to antibiotics. Researchers in the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore engineered a strain of E.coli that can detect signs of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a leading cause of infection that can be fatal to patients with weak immune systems. The specially designed bacteria produces a toxin that is lethal to the superbug, … full story

Some brain cells are naturally protected against a stroke – and now we know why. Jack Mellor at the University of Bristol, UK, exposed slices of rats' hippocampi to the low-oxygen conditions typical of a stroke. Neurons in the hippocampi known to resist stroke damage acted differently from a population of vulnerable cells: they removed receptors for the neurotransmitter glutamate from their cell surface, reducing their sensitivity to the chemical. … full story

Indirubin, a herbal compound used in traditional Chinese remedies might beat deadly brain tumours. Indirubin is derived from the Indigo plant, an active ingredient in the Dang Gui Long Hui Wan formula that is used to treat chronic myeloid leukemia. Researchers from the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Centre (OSUCCC) discovered indirubin, a compound that blocks migration of glioblastoma cells and endothelial cells, halting them from forming … full story

Dietary protein reduces hunger and increases fullness in overweight men during weight loss programmes, a study says. Diets “containing 18 to 35 percent of daily calorie intake from dietary protein, are associated with reductions in hunger and increased fullness throughout the day and into the evening hours,” said Heather Leidy, study author and professor in nutrition at the University of Missouri. “In our study, the two groups ate either 25 or … full story