“A tomato a day keeps the cardiologist at bay”. This seems to be the new mantra in the treatment of high cholesterol. Conclusive to seven years of research by scientists at Cambridge Theranostics, a Bio-Tech division of Cambridge University in UK, a pill has been developed which contains strong doses of a natural compound.
The pill, called Afteronon was launched at the conference of the British Cardiovascular Society in London. The manufacturers claim that it can prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol up to 90%. They went on record to say that the initial tests conducted were very promising and the drug had great potential. The highlight being that it is naturally derived and also a safe anti-oxidant as far as children with hypercholesterolemia are concerned. Results of tests conducted on about 150 heart patients showed that the new drug reduced the oxidation of LDL cholesterol to about zero in a time span of eight weeks. The recommended dosage is one daily.
Research has showed that following activities are good health practices.
- Eating fresh tomatoes.
- Consumption of tomato sauce etc.
- Consumption of tomatoes along with fats like olive oil.
The discovery of this drug comes as a real milestone in the treatment of atherosclerosis, it is an entirely new and radical approach. It is much more effective than the current form of medication prescribed by doctors, statin drugs. It opens up a vast array of possibilities for heart patients. Further research is being proposed on the matter. This could lead to even more effective, cheap, safe and natural methods of treatment for various heart diseases.
The new pill is being launched in the market as a dietary supplement. No conclusive evidence has been obtained about the long term effects of the pill. Therefore the credibility of the pill remains to be seen till there is established evidence suggestive of lack of any long term side effects. Long term clinical trials need to be conducted to see if the long term health benefits obtained by consuming the supplement is better than the benefits obtained by just eating a Mediterranean diet consisting mostly of tomatoes. Further, not many tests have been conducted comparing the pill with current statin medication, replacing your current medicine is therefore not recommended without consulting a doctor.
