Aquaponics: Prawn and air-dry fish can cut back incidence of sickle cells
Considering the art science aquaponics, tilapia and prawn have high quantity of free amino acids that can be of profound benefit to the sickler, they concluded that dried fish (Tilapia), dried crayfish (Astacus red) and other families of fish, legumes and edible fruits can, in the near future, prove to be effective in the management of sickle cell disease (SCD).
Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that affects red blood cells. People with sickle cell disease have red blood cells that contain mostly hemoglobin S, an abnormal type of hemoglobin. Sometimes, these red blood cells become sickle-shaped (crescent shaped) and have difficulty passing through small blood vessels.
When sickle-shaped cells block small blood vessels, less blood reach that part of the body. Any tissue that does not receive a normal blood flow eventually becomes damaged. This is what causes the complications of sickle cell disease. There is currently no universal cure for sickle cell disease.
The sickled cells also block the flow of blood through vessels resulting in lung tissue damage, pain episodes (arms, legs, chest and abdomen), stroke and priapism (painful prolonged erection). It also causes damage to most organs including the spleen, kidneys and liver.
The study demonstrated that caffeine could hasten sickling as well as fragility of sickled red blood in a concentration. They also found that the higher the amount of caffeine, the higher its sickling effect on the red blood cells of persons with sickle cell disease and as such, will slow recovery from a sickling crisis. This could prove useful towards the management of sickle call disease, they concluded.
Meanwhile, an earlier study have emphasised the need for persons with sickle cell disease to also reduce their intake of caffeine, be it from coffee, cocoa, kola nut, tea, cola drinks and caffeine-containing analgesics, especially when they are experiencing sickle cell crisis. This is because consumption of these foods and drugs by sickle cell disease subjects during crisis could aggravate their condition.
In 2002, Drs. A. A. Uwakwe, C. Onwuegbuke and N.M Nwinuka, from the Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Port Harcourt, carried out a study with the theme, "Effects of Caffeine on the Polymerisation of HbS and Sickling Rate/Osmotic Fragility of HbS Erythrocytes".
This article is courtesy of http://www.tribune.com.ng/13112008/thr/hlt2.html