Upper Cervical Manipulation for
Patients with Stage I Hypertension
CO-PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS: Christine Goertz, D.C.,
Ph.D; and Gervasio Lamas, M.D.
CO-INVESTIGATORS: Cynthia Long, Ph.D;
Robert Brooks, D.C.; Maria Hondras, D.C., M.P.H.; and
Ian McLean, D.C., DACBR
The William and Jo Harris Building houses the
Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research (PCCR)
on the Davenport Campus. Independent research
studies also are conducted separately on each of
Palmer’s campuses. |
The Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research (PCCR) is collaborating
with Trinity Terrace Park Family Practice Clinic in
Bettendorf, Iowa, and Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami,
Fla., to conduct a study on chiropractic for hypertension in
patients, or CHiP. The primary study goal is to determine the
efficacy of non-rotary upper cervical spinal manipulation in
lowering systolic blood pressure when compared to a sham
control group after an eight-week follow-up period. CHiP also
will:1) compare blood pressure outcomes between two different
types of non-rotary upper cervical techniques; 2) establish a
reliable method of measuring the atlas alignment using X-ray;
3) explore the relationship between atlas alignment change and
blood pressure change; and 4) determine the durability of
blood pressure reduction over a six-month time period. This
collaborative study is designed to replicate a previous study
conducted by Bakris, et al, which showed a significant improvement
in the blood pressure of individuals who were treated
with an upper cervical technique. CHiP is one of three projects
that are part of a four-year, $2.8 million grant to the PCCR from
the National Institute of Health’s National Center for
Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Effects and underlying
mechanisms of curcumin on
the proliferation of vascular
smooth muscle cells induced
by Chol:M‚CD
AUTHORS: Li Qin; Yun-Bo Yang; Qin-Hui Tuo; Bing-Yang
Zhu; Lin-Xi Chen; Florida Campus Director of Research
Liang Zhang, M.D., Ph.D; Duan-Fang Liao
Proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) contributes
to the development of various cardiovascular diseases.
Curcumin, extracted from Curcumae longae, a plant source of
the spice turmeric, has been shown to have a variety of beneficial
effects on human health, including anti-atherosclerosis, but
the mechanisms are poorly understood. In the present study,
we attempted to investigate whether curcumin, when used as
a daily supplement, has any effect on VSMCs proliferation and
the potential mechanisms involved. Our data showed curcumin
nullifies the proliferation of primary rat VSMCs induced by
Chol:M‚CD, a “water-soluble cholesterol” used as an experimental
replacement for cholesterol. By exploring the underlying
cellular and molecular mechanisms, we found that curcumin
was capable of restoring caveolin-1 expression (regulator of cell
proliferation) which was reduced by Chol:M,CD treatment.
Moreover, curcumin inhibits the increase of extracellular signalregulated
kinases (ERK1/2), which are enzymes that play a key
role in cellular growth, and reverses the cell cycle progression
induced by Chol:M‚CD. Overall, our data suggest curcumin
inhibits Chol:M‚CD-induced VSMCs proliferation via restoring
caveolin-1 expression that leads to the suppression of over-activated
ERK signaling and causes cell cycle arrest at G1/S phase.
These novel findings support the beneficial potential of curcumin
in cardiovascular disease.
The full abstract of this study was published in Biochemical and
Biophysical Research Communication. 2009;379:277-282.
Researchers in bold are graduates and/or faculty members of
Palmer College.