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* A New Approach to Fibromyalgia?

* A New Drug for Irritable Bowel Syndrome Proves Successful in Clinical Trial

* Understanding Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT
* Prunella vulgaris

SUPPORT and COPING
* Support and Inspiration in the Coping Corner * Got Questions? Here are Answers...Find them in our Chat Room

ANNOUNCEMENTS
* CFIDS/Fibromyalgia Self-Help Course Signup
* ImmuneSupport.com Webmaster Tools & Link Exchange Programs

EVENTS
* NIH to Host CFS Research Workshop
* Program on the Discovery Channel: Dangerous Catch

ENDNOTES
* Refer a Friend
* Not a Subscriber?
* About Us

Feature Articles

A New Approach to Fibromyalgia?

The treatment of fibromyalgia is, for the most part, unsatisfactory. Maybe that's why sufferers often have a considerable degree of anxiety and depression. And while it's known that exercise has proven helpful in some studies in reducing tender-point pain, its general effect on the poor mood in fibromyalgia subjects has been questionable. A Canadian study was reported in 2001 in Arthritis Care & Research that provided more conclusive results.

http://www.immunesupport.com/track.cfm?id=1776

A New Drug for Irritable Bowel Syndrome Proves Successful in Clinical Trial

Pain Therapeutics, Inc. announced that PTI-901, the first of a new class of drugs developed to treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), significantly improved all the common symptoms associated with IBS in a 50 patient pilot clinical study.

http://www.immunesupport.com/track.cfm?id=1777

Understanding Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

According to Jill McLaughlin, Executive Director of an association for CFS, "Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) disproportionately affects women, but has long been under-recognized and under-diagnosed. CFS is now one of the most common chronic illnesses of our time. It is also one of the most misunderstood. Private and government research is shattering many misconceptions, showing chronic fatigue syndrome to be a major public health problem."

http://www.immunesupport.com/track.cfm?id=1778

RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT: Prunella vulgaris

An agent derived from a common herb - Prunella vulgaris, may effectively treat herpes in animals, according to a new study. Researchers from Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia presented their data on May 19th at the 103rd General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.

Prunella vulgaris [also known as 'self-heal'] is a perennial plant commonly found in China, the British Isles, Europe, and North America. In herbal literature, P. vulgaris has been described as a hot water infusion to treat sores in the mouth and throat, according to Song Lee, one of the researchers of the study.

Lee and his colleagues extracted a lignin-carbohydrate compound from the plant, which was incorporated into a topical cream and tested on mice and guinea pigs with experimental herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) and herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2) infections. Guinea pigs receiving the lignin-carbohydrate complex cream treatment showed a significant reduction in skin lesions compared to those that received no treatment. Mice receiving the lignin-carbohydrate complex cream treatment showed a significant increase in survival rate compared to animals that received no treatment. To read more about these research findings, click on the link below:

http://www.immunesupport.com/track.cfm?id=1779

Support and Inspiration in the Coping Corner!

Dealing with the day-to-day struggles of living with a chronic illness can be trying. Coping Corner is the spot where you can find the online support you need to get through your day. Featuring personal stories, advice columnist Eunice Beck, RN, book reviews, and more.

http://www.immunesupport.com/track.cfm?id=1782

Got Questions? Here Are Answers...

Need a specialist in your location? Not sure what sleep meds are the best? Don't know how to deal with the spouse, kids, and dog? Who better to help you than your fellow readers at ImmuneSupport.com? When you post a question to the message board, you can be assured of speedy and helpful replies. Other people have been through the same struggles and are happy to share their wisdom. It's easy, too!

If you're feeling chattier, go to the chat room and 'talk' to others in real time. You can let people know when you'll be there by posting a note to the message boards.

Just click on the link below to find friends and support in the message boards and chat room:

http://www.immunesupport.com/track.cfm?id=1780

CFIDS/Fibromyalgia Self-Help Course Signup

Signups for the summer groups of the CFIDS/Fibromyalgia Self-Help course end June 9. The course begins June 16.

The class is an 8-week, solution-oriented email discussion group that focuses on practical strategies for coping with common problems of CFIDS and fibromyalgia. In this solution-oriented course, you exchange ideas with fellow patients to learn how to manage symptoms, pace yourself, set realistic short-term goals, reduce stress, manage emotions, improve relationships, and minimize relapses.

Visit the CFIDS/Fibromyalgia Self-Help website to learn more and to register:

http://www.immunesupport.com/track.cfm?id=1783

ImmuneSupport.com Webmaster Tools & Link Exchange Programs

Pro Health is happy to offer CFS & FM Webmaster Tools & Link Exchange Programs at ImmuneSupport.com! We have designed these features to enable CFS & FM sites all over the world to get connected so we can work together to share important information and resources with our readers.

We invite webmasters to post headlines for the latest CFS & FM treatments and breaking news on your websites (linking to the complete content), in addition to linking to CFS & FM events, chat forums and message boards. We also invite CFS and FM related websites to link with us. To learn more about these programs, click on the link below:

http://www.immunesupport.com/track.cfm?id=1784

NIH to Host CFS Research Workshop

Neuro-Immune Mechanisms and CFS: Will understanding central mechanisms enhance the search for the causes, consequences and treatment of CFS?

The Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will host a scientific workshop designed to enhance understanding of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) by examining the interface between the brain, immune system and symptoms of CFS and related disorders.

The workshop will be held June 12-13, 2003 at the Bethesda Marriott Hotel. Dr. Leslie Crofford of University of Michigan and Dr. Dedra Buchwald of University of Washington will chair.

Scientists from NIH and academic institutions, representing diverse disciplines will explore the mechanisms by which hormones, cytokines and other mediators act as intermediaries between the brain and other body systems. The potential application of new technologies in the study of these mediators and their central and peripheral actions will also be discussed. NIH intends for these deliberations to form the basis for future interdisciplinary initiatives.

Presentations will be given on the HPA axis, autonomic nervous system, neuroactive drugs, sleep, imaging studies (including PET and functional MRI scans), genomics and more. Dr. Vivian Pinn, ORWH director, will deliver opening remarks followed by introductory talks by Drs. Crofford and Buchwald.

For additional information, please visit:

http://www.immunesupport.com/track.cfm?id=1785

Program on the Discovery Channel: Dangerous Catch

Channel: The Discovery Channel
Premier Air Date: June 04, 2003
Time: 9:00 PM (EST)

In 1993 an aquatic researcher suffered skin lesions and memory loss while working in her lab. Fishermen and the Maryland governor all experienced the symptoms until the lesions were linked to Pfiesteria, a single cell organism linked to increased fish kills. Dr. Shoemaker is interviewed on this program regarding Pfiesteria and neurotoxins.

For more information about this Discovery Channel program, please visit: http://www.immunesupport.com/track.cfm?id=1766

Dr. Shoemaker's research, testing method and treatment strategy for neurotoxicity was featured in a two-part article series by Patti Schmidt for Pro Health's Healthwatch newsletter. To read these articles online at ImmuneSupport.com, please visit:

http://www.immunesupport.com/track.cfm?id=1786

REFER A FRIEND!

Do you have a friend or relative who would find the information in this bulletin useful? All you need to do is click on the link below, or forward this email to them, and they can begin reading all the latest CFS and FM research and support news.

http://www.immunesupport.com/track.cfm?id=1781

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About ImmuneSupport.com

Published by Pro Health, Inc., ImmuneSupport.com is the Web's largest resource for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and fibromyalgia. Since 1988, Pro Health has raised and donated over 2.3 million dollars to CFS and FM research and advocacy groups seeking a cure. Every purchase made at ImmuneSupport.com funds research - as does every purchase made from Pro Health's Health Resource catalog. Click on this link to visit ImmuneSupport.com's home page:

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