时间:2018-12-07 作者:英语课 分类:健康与环境


英语课

HEALTH REPORT - May 22, 2002: Guggulsterone & Cholesterol 1


By Nancy Steinbach
21 May 2002, 20:20 UTC



This is the VOA Special English Health Report.


Researchers say that a natural substance found in some trees can control high cholesterol in laboratory animals.
Cholesterol is a fatty substance in the blood. Too much of it can attach to the inside of blood vessels 2, restrict
blood flow, and cause heart disease.


The guggul (GOO-gle) tree grows in dry areas of India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. A substance
found inside the guggul tree has been used in India for two-thousand years to control weight
and treat arthritis 3.


About forty years ago, an Indian researcher found that the substance was effective against heart
disease. Later studies in India showed that it lowered cholesterol. In India, the substance has



been an approved treatment for high cholesterol for almost twenty years.


American researchers at the Baylor School of Medicine in Houston, Texas reported the results of recent work on
the substance in the publication Science. They showed that the liquid inside the guggul tree contains a compound
called guggulsterone (GOO-gle-STER-own). They discovered how guggulsterone controls cholesterol levels. It
blocks the action of a receptor called F-X-R. A receptor is a protein that sends messages to cells. F-X-R helps
control the amount of cholesterol in the body. Blocking the action of the F-X-R receptor would mean that more
cholesterol is naturally removed from the body.


Other researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas tested guggulsterone on two
groups of mice. One group had normal F-X-R receptors. The other group had no F-X-R receptors. The
cholesterol levels dropped in the livers of mice with the F-X-R receptor, but not in the others. The researchers say
this proves that guggulsterone works by affecting the F-X-R receptor.


The researchers do not know how guggulsterone affects the F-X-R receptor. They say more tests must be done.
However, they say the substance might be used to control cholesterol in people who cannot take the drugs now
used for that purpose.


The researchers say the discovery supports the idea that some traditional medicines may have important uses in
modern medicine.


Guggulsterone can be bought in stores around the world. However, the researchers say people should not use it
without medical advice. They say guggulsterone can affect the action of other drugs.


This VOA Special English Health Report was written by Nancy Steinbach.



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1 cholesterol
n.(U)胆固醇
  • There is cholesterol in the cell of body.人体细胞里有胆固醇。
  • They are determining the serum-protein and cholesterol levels.他们正在测定血清蛋白和胆固醇的浓度。
2 vessels
n.血管( vessel的名词复数 );船;容器;(具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的)人
  • The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
3 arthritis
n.关节炎
  • Rheumatoid arthritis has also been linked with the virus.风湿性关节炎也与这种病毒有关。
  • He spent three months in the hospital with acute rheumatic arthritis.他患急性风湿性关节炎,在医院住了三个月。
学英语单词
acoustilog
adawing
altitude assignment
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
antenna tower
antileptics
apodizing
aptitude to
autotronic system
balarsen
bewhisker
blind image restoration
Bourdon's test
brain mushrooms
bronze screw hook
brush scraper
Bulbophyllum spathulatum
cannefas
Ceppaloni
chair
Chambers
circular capacitor
co-screenwriters
coffe
company inspector
convection-cooled power supply
cut off your nose to spite your face
Deweyites
diabetin
dirt eating
distribution cutout
dives-in
Dolfor
dual species
ecliptie
el-mahdi
enhorting
exhaust-air monitor
exogene
fan fictions
gas load
genitaliss
hairline cracks
Haloragaceae
illustrated parts catalogue
immediate release singal
international organization
ionic product
largemouth black basses
lathe lapping
Leigh light
Lohfelden
low water ordinary neap tide
mancinella intermidia
MO Diskette
nubers
ollila
ostosis
overfeedings
partial birth abortion
phonotepherite
photochromic lens blank
placentome
podosols
prepared hank yarn
pressure (tight) casing
probability of events
propellant flow
real topological linear space
recognition colo(u)r
refinement of equilibrium
reinoculations
relation to uprightness
root length
Rowdies
sedimentation equilibrium
self adjuster
sensitive latitude
side buoyancy tank
sinusoidal rotating flux field
Skerryvore
small mill
spheroidization
step to me
subordinated automatic speed control
sup out
swingism
switches-on
Sölvesborg
taches laiteuses
transport and hoisting load
triethyleneglycol
turbolaser
ujongs
ultraviolet reflectance spectrometry
Uyanga
vehicle warning indication
videotaped
warpiss
water cartridge
WFS
Witbroek