Posted on 11/22/2004 3:57:58 PM PST by QQQQQ
LONDON (Reuters) - An ingredient in chocolate could be used to stop persistent coughs and lead to more effective medicines, researchers said on Monday. The study found that theobromine, found in cocoa, was nearly a third more effective in stopping persistent coughs than codeine, currently considered the best cough medicine.
The researchers, from Imperial College London (ICL), said the discovery could lead to more effective cough treatments.
"While persistent coughing is not necessarily harmful it can have a major impact on quality of life, and this discovery could be a huge step forward in treating this problem," said Professor Peter Barnes of ICL and Royal Brompton Hospital.
Ten healthy volunteers were either given theobromine, codeine or a dummy pill during the trial, which also involved Royal Brompton Hospital and St Bartholomew's Hospital.
To measure the effect of the different pill the researchers measured levels of capsaicin, which is used in research to cause coughing and as an indicator for the effectiveness of medicines.
The team found when the volunteers were given theobromine, the concentration of capsaicin needed to produce a cough was around a third higher than in the placebo group.
When they were given codeine they needed only marginally higher levels of capsaicin to cause a cough compared with the placebo.
The researchers, writing in the online FASEB Journal, said that theobromine worked by suppressing vagus nerve activity, which is responsible for causing coughing.
They also found that unlike standard cough treatments, theobromine caused no adverse effects on the cardiovascular or central nervous systems, such as drowsiness.
My wife will be glad to hear this-I nearly had her convinced that beer was the miracle drug.
It cures abstinence, too.
Is this involved in hiccups also?
My dear Q....may I have another?
Yes, I noticed this cute puppy's picture also came up, when I searched for a chocolate image. :)
As much as you wish:
http://www.sees.com
See's candy is one of the best.
(Chocolate martini. Mmmmmmmm...)
I have one of those!
I take Hershey's with almonds.
although not as fun, theobromine is also one of the key ingredients in tea -- it is a stimulant, and as a result, it increases blood flow, so the muscles in the lungs and throat are less sluggish and therefore better able to rid themselves of natural fluid, thereby requiring less need for coughing to achieve the same effect.
I also hear that cinnamon works wonders for coughs....
~~~ GeekDejure's Rules Of Chocolate ~~~
If you've got melted chocolate all over your hands, you're eating it too slowly !!!
Chocolate covered raisins, cherries, orange slices & strawberries all count as fruit, so eat as many as you want !!!
Problem: How to get 2 pounds of chocolate home from the store in hot car ??? . Solution: Eat it in the parking lot !!!
Diet tip: Eat a chocolate bar before each meal. It'll take the edge off your appetite and you'll eat less !!!
A nice box of chocolates can provide your total daily intake of calories in one place. Isn't that handy ???
If you can't eat all your chocolate, it will keep in the freezer !!!
But if you can't eat all your chocolate, what's wrong with you ???
If calories are an issue, store your chocolate on top of the fridge. Calories are afraid of heights, and they will jump out of the chocolate to protect themselves !!!
If I eat equal amounts of dark chocolate and white chocolate, is that a balanced diet? Don't they actually counteract each other ???
Money talks. Chocolate sings !!!
Chocolate has many preservatives. Preservatives make you look younger !!!
Q. Why is there no such organization as Chocoholics Anonymous ??? A. Because no one wants to quit !!!
If not for chocolate, there would be no need for control top pantyhose. An entire garment industry would be devastated !!!
Put "eat chocolate" at the top of your list of things to do today. That way, at least you'll get ONE thing done !!!
Thanks for the info. It's good to know.
YUMMY!
A chocolate a day... is the new motto.
It really is supposed to be good for your heart and arteries also.
Just ONE?!!!
Oh, please God!
Mannheim Steamroller's food division (FreshAire Foods) has offered a Cinnamon Hot Chocolate for a couple years now. Maybe they were already onto something.....
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