Extraordinary plant from Japan provides breakthrough treatment for ITP patients across the globe
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To the outside world, people with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura can appear to be in perfect health. But on the inside, they may be experiencing a physical and emotional roller coaster as they try to manage their platelet levels, avoid a bleeding injury, and deal with the side effects of their medications.
Before sharing the news of a safe breakthrough treatment for ITP, let’s learn what this disease is all about:
Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is a rare autoimmune disorder where the body produces antibodies that attack and destroy its own platelets.
At this point, some of you may be thinking, “What are platelets, again?!”
Platelets are plate-shaped cells that circulate in our blood and are essential for the proper formation of blood clots.
For example, if a person gets a cut, the platelets in the body rush to the area and form a plug (or clot) to help heal the area and stop the bleeding. If a person doesn’t have enough platelets, it can result in protracted bleeding and potentially lead to serious complications.
A normal platelet count is between 150,000 and 450,000 per microliter of blood. Most people with ITP have less than 100,000 platelets per microliter of blood.
Thrombocytopenia may develop after exposure to certain infections, medications, or vaccines. It sometimes occurs in pregnancy. But in cases where the cause is unknown, it is named “idiopathic” (i.e. unknown cause) thrombocytopenic purpura.
It’s important to know that ITP not contagious and there is nothing that anyone could have done to prevent the disorder.
Common ITP symptoms often include:
- Petechiae (small red spots on the skin)
- Bruises that have no explanation and aren’t the result of any specific injury.
- Heavy or long menstrual periods.
- Frequent bleeding in your nose, cheeks, or gums that can take a long time to stop.
- Excessive fatigue or feelings of depression that may make it difficult to maintain your normal daily routine.
An ITP diagnosis begins with a review of your medical history and a physical examination. A blood test called CBC (complete blood count) is often used in order to determine your platelet levels. Doctors must also rule out any other possible causes for low platelets. If no other cause is found, the diagnosis is often ITP.
Chronic ITP frequently requires regular check-ups and follow up care with a blood specialist known as a hematologist.
Treatment may include a number of approaches to help you to live your life to the fullest. People with ITP are recommended to live an active lifestyle which includes a healthy diet and exercise to improve their overall health.
Corticosteroids (such as prednisone) are often used to treat ITP. Due to their adverse side effects (such as increased risk of infection, blurred vision, weight gain, personality changes, etc.), corticosteroids can only be used on a short term basis and must be stopped as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, many patients find that the side effects of treatment are far more troublesome to deal with than the disease itself and choose not to treat their ITP, despite the difficulties and potential risks involved.
As one ITP blogger described:
”Between the extreme limits that were placed on my activity levels and the more-extreme side effects from the medications I was on, life was miserable — absolutely and completely miserable…No amount of medication seemed to help, so it was determined that I would just have to “live with it” from then on… I fear for the day when my counts are so low that I am hospitalised and unable to take control of my life. I fear for the day when my counts are really low and there are no outward signs — because that means I am out and about with a dangerously low count and I don’t even know it!…I cope by going out and living my life as much as possible. I try to be active. I try to remember that life is for living and you can’t live if you wrap yourself in bubble wrap and hide away inside.”
It is a tremendous pity that more people are not aware of Cepharanthine, an extraordinary medicine from Japan which has been approved by the Japanese Ministry of Health to treat thrombocytopenia.
Cepharanthine is a pure and natural extract of the Stephania cepharantha Hayata plant which grows in the mountain regions of southwest China and Taiwan.
For the past forty years, Cepharanthine has been widely used in Japan to treat a wide variety of acute and chronic diseases but it is not yet widely available in other parts of the world.
Nearly 80 research studies have now been published on Cepharanthine which have demonstrated its remarkable effects on the body.
According to a recent pharmacological report:
“Cepharanthine is a fascinating pharmacological agent with a complex set of physiological actions and an array of clinical benefits. To date, preclinical and clinical studies have provided compelling evidence for the potential uses of Cepharanthine in… idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.”
Clinical trials have shown that many ITP patients who were on a daily regimen of Cepharanthine had a significant elevation in platelet counts without any reported side effects.
Incredibly, a number of these patients were still experiencing elevated platelet counts up to 5 months after stopping Cepharanthine treatment.
Research has shown no difference in the results between patients who were treated with Cepharanthine alone and those who were treated with Cepharanthine in combination with Prednisolone (a man-made corticosteroid). As a result of Cepharanthine, many patients were able to either reduce or completely wean themselves off steroids.
In two studies involving pediatric ITP, children who were being administered Cepharanthine had their platelet levels fully restored to normal, even quicker than the standard costly platelet associated IgG treatment.
The daily dose of Cepharanthine used in these studies was between 40–60mg for adults and 1–2 mg/kg per day for children.
Cepharanthine has even proven to be effective for ITP patients that have become resistant to all other forms of treatment.
Cepharanthine has an excellent safety and tolerability track record. The only side effects that have been reported are both extremely mild and rare (such as upset stomach reported in only one of every 140 users).
Cepharanthine does not require a prescription and there are no known medications that need to be avoided when using Cepharanthine. Its’ positive effects are often experienced within just a few weeks of beginning treatment.
Cepharanthine is now available to ITP patients worldwide through specialty medication pharmacies that are servicing the ITP community.
Article Resources:
http://www.if-pan.krakow.pl/pjp/pdf/2011/2_337.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23318963
