Ranucci M, Isgro G, Giomarelli PP, Pavesi M, Luzzani A, Cattabriga I, Carli M, Giomi P, Compostella A, Digito A, Mangani V, Silvestri V, Mondelli E; Catheter Related Infection Trial (CRIT) Group.

Department of Cardiothoracic Anesthesia, Istituto Policlinico S. Donato, Milan, Italy. [email protected]

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a new antimicrobial treatment for central venous catheters in comparison with a traditional treatment, by assessing the catheter colonization and catheter-related bloodstream infection rates in two groups of patients. DESIGN: Multiple-center, prospective randomized study. SETTING: The medical and surgical departments of ten institutions. PATIENTS: Patients requiring a central venous catheter for medical or surgical pathologies between June 2000 and November 2001. INTERVENTIONS: Patients in the control group received a conventional benzalkonium-treated double-lumen central venous catheter, while patients in the oligon group received an oligon-treated (polyurethane combined with silver, carbon, and platinum) catheter with the same characteristics. Data collection included demographics, preexisting clinical conditions, main pathology, catheter insertion, and management data. Catheter colonization was defined as the growth of > or = 15 colony-forming units in culture of catheter segments by the roll-plate method, or > or = 1000 colony-forming units for the sonication method, and catheter-related bloodstream infection was defined as isolation of the same organism from the colonized catheter and from the peripheral blood of a patient with clinical signs of bloodstream infection. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Data were obtained from 545 catheters. Of these, 132 catheters (24.2%) were positive for colonization. Patients in the oligon group demonstrated a lower risk for catheter colonization in the overall population (relative risk, 0.63; 95% confidence interval, 0.46-0.86; p = .003) and in the surgical subgroup (relative risk, 0.5; 95% confidence interval, 0.33-0.76;p = .001). Significant differences between groups were detected for coagulase-negative staphylococci and Gram-negative bacilli colonization rates. Twenty-one patients (3.8%) were positive for catheter-related bloodstream infection, without significant differences between control and oligon groups. CONCLUSIONS: Oligon treatment is effective in limiting the catheter colonization rate. Due to the limited amount of events, this study lacked the power to detect significant differences in terms of catheter-related bloodstream infection rate.

Publication Types:

* Clinical Trial
* Multicenter Study
* Randomized Controlled Trial

PMID: 12544993 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

And google antelman and you'll eventually get to all the patents which are on the net. This is not legal, but I have thought for a while it would probably cure lyme (if it didn't kill you from a massive herxheimer).

Also here's the catheter patent--this is apparently being used in Mexico, I forget where. If anybody wants to track it down and try it please post here . I don't want to be the guinea pig. Problem here is will the stuff get into privileged niches where borrelia hides:

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United States Patent 6,539,252
Fields , et al. March 25, 2003

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Method and apparatus for the treatment of blood borne pathogens such as immunodeficiency virus

Abstract
A method and apparatus for destroying blood borne pathogens is disclosed which utilizes a low intensity direct current to generate positive particles from various metals which destroy viral pathogens. A first electrode comprised of a metal such as silver is inserted into a patient's venous system. Then, a second electrode is placed on the patient's exterior in the vicinity of the first electrode. A low intensity direct current is applied to the first metal electrode which releases silver cations to be bonded to the virus, resulting in the denaturing of the virus. The first electrode is placed in the venous system of the infected patient via a catheter.

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Inventors: Fields; Charles Bruce (Pittsburg, CA); Burris; Phillip F. (P.O. Box 221, Lafayette, CA 94549)
Assignee: Burris; Phillip F. (San Diego, CA)
Appl. No.: 491782
Filed: January 26, 2000

Current U.S. Class: 604/21; 604/264; 604/508
Intern'l Class: A61N 001/30; A61M 005/00; A61M 031/00
Field of Search: 604/20,21,27,28,500,508,510,264 607/115,122

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References Cited [Referenced By]

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U.S. Patent Documents
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3878564 Apr., 1975 Yao et al. 3/1.
3964477 Jun., 1976 Ellis et al.
4046151 Sep., 1977 Rose 128/404.
4411648 Oct., 1983 Davis et al. 604/21.
4464166 Aug., 1984 Edelson 604/6.
4473449 Sep., 1984 Michaels et al. 204/101.
4528178 Jul., 1985 Babb 424/7.
4605394 Aug., 1986 Skurkovich 604/4.
5043073 Aug., 1991 Brunner et al. 210/646.
5091152 Feb., 1992 Thomas, Sr. 422/23.
5133932 Jul., 1992 Gunn et al. 422/24.
5139684 Aug., 1992 Kaali et al. 21/748.
5185086 Feb., 1993 Kaali et al. 210/748.
5188738 Feb., 1993 Kaali et al. 210/748.
5322520 Jun., 1994 Milder 604/265.
5328451 Jul., 1994 Davis et al.
5409467 Apr., 1995 Raad et al.
5669874 Sep., 1997 Feiring 604/21.
5683916 Nov., 1997 Goffe et al. 436/535.
5755685 May., 1998 Andersen 604/53.
5759489 Jun., 1998 Miura et al. 422/28.
5776091 Jul., 1998 Brugger et al. 604/4.
5980954 Nov., 1999 Bolton 424/613.
6027469 Feb., 2000 Johnson 604/4.
6027688 Feb., 2000 Wainwright 422/28.
6066489 May., 2000 Fields et al. 435/236.
Foreign Patent Documents
2189677 Nov., 1987 GB.

Primary Examiner: Hayes; Michael J.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Logan, II; Charles C.

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Parent Case Text

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This is a division of application Ser. No. 08/708,083, filed Aug. 30, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,066,489.
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Claims

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We claim:

1. An apparatus comprising:

a catheter having a first lumen and a second lumen, a proximal end and a distal end;

a bifurcation fitted at said proximal end of said catheter, said bifurcation having a first leg and a second leg, said first leg having a first connector attached thereto, said second leg having a second connector attached thereto;

an electrode extending out of said distal end of said catheter for the in situ creation and release of cations from the electrode directly into the blood of a venous system of a patient,

an electrical conductor extending through said first lumen and said first leg of said bifurcation, said electrical conductor being in electrical communication with said electrode;

a lead cable electrically connected to said electrical conductor at said first connector;

a main cable, said main cable comprising a first branch and a second branch, said first branch electrically connected to said lead cable, said second branch electrically connected to an electrode pad;

an electrode pad disposed on the patient;

a power supply, said power supply in electrical communication with said first branch of said main cable and said electrode pad, said power supply adapted to supply direct current to said electrode; and

a catheter flushing apparatus connected to said second connector, said catheter flushing apparatus having a stylet extending from said catheter flushing apparatus, said second leg of said bifurcation and said second lumen of said catheter.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said electrode is comprised of silver.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said electrode is comprised of silver, platinum and copper.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said electrode is comprised of approximately 97.8 percent silver, 0.2 percent-copper, and 2.0 percent platinum.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said catheter further comprises an side portal which allows fluids to exit said second lumen.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second lumen has a D shape.

7. An apparatus comprising:

(A) a catheter having a first lumen and a second lumen, a proximal end and a distal end;

(B) a bifurcation fitted at said proximal end of said catheter, said bifurcation having a first leg and a second leg, said first leg having a first connector attached thereto, said second leg having a second connector attached thereto;

(C) a first electrode extending out of said distal end of said catheter for the in situ creation and release of cations from the electrode directly into the blood from the circulatory system of a patient;

(D) an electrical conductor extending through said first lumen and said first leg of said bifurcation, said electrical conductor being in electrical communication with said first electrode;

(E) a lead cable electrically connected to said electrical conductor at said first connector;

(F) a main cable, said main cable comprising a first branch and a second branch, said first branch electrically connected to said lead cable, said second branch electrically connected to a second electrode;

(G) a second electrode;

(H) a power supply, said power supply in electrical communication with said first branch of said main cable and said second electrode, said power supply adapted to supply direct current to said first electrode; and

(I) a catheter flushing apparatus connected to said second connector, said catheter flushing apparatus having a stylet extending from said catheter flushing assembly apparatus, said second leg of said bifurcation and said second lumen of said catheter.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said first electrode is comprised of silver.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said first electrode is comprised of silver, platinum and copper.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said first electrode is comprised of approximately 97.8% silver, 0.2% copper, and 2.0% platinum.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said catheter further comprises a side portal which allows fluids to exit said second lumen.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said second lumen has a D shape.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a catheter having a first lumen, a proximal end and a distal end;

an electrical conductor extending through said first lumen;

an electrode extending out of said distal end of said catheter for the in situ creation and release of cations from the electrode directly into the blood of a venous system of a patient, said electrode being solid and in electrical communication with said electrical conductor, said electrode defining a distal end configured and dimensioned for passage through the patient's skin and into the blood of the patient's venous system; said electrode is comprised of approximately 97.8 percent silver, 0.2 percent copper, and 2.0 percent platinum; and

a power supply, said power supply in electrical communication with said electrode and with an electrode pad on the patient.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a catheter having a proximal end and a distal end;

an electrical conductor extending through said catheter;

an electrode extending out of said distal end of said catheter for the in situ creation and release of cations from the electrode directly into the blood of a venous system of a patient, said electrode defining a distal end configured and dimensioned for passage through the patient's skin and into the blood of the patient's venous system, said electrode being in electrical communication with said electrical conductor;

said electrode is comprised of approximately 97.8 percent silver, 0.2 percent copper, and 2.0 percent platinum; and

a power supply, said power supply in electrical communication with said electrode and with an electrode pad on the patient.

15. An apparatus comprising:

(A) an electrically insulative member having a first lumen, a proximal end and a distal end;

(B) an electrical conductor extending through said first lumen;

(C) a first electrode extending out of said distal end for the in situ creation and release of cations from the said first electrode directly into the blood from the circulatory system of a patient, said first electrode defining a distal end configured and dimensioned for passage through the patient's skin and into the blood of the patient's venous system, said first electrode being solid and in electrical communication with said electrical conductor; said first electrode is comprised of approximately 97.8 percent silver, 0.2 percent copper, and 2.0 percent platinum; and

(D) a power supply, said power supply in electrical communication with said first electrode and with a second electrode, said second electrode being in electrical communication with said first electrode via the patient's blood.

16. An apparatus comprising:

(A) a catheter having a proximal end and a distal end;

(B) an electrical conductor extending through said catheter;

(C) a first electrode extending out of said distal end of said catheter for the in situ creation and release of cations from the electrode directly into the blood from the circulatory system of a patient, said first electrode defining a distal end configured and dimensioned for passage through the patient's skin and into the blood of the patient's venous system, said first electrode being in electrical communication with said electrical conductor; said first electrode is comprised of approximately 97.8 percent silver, 0.2 percent copper, 2.0 percent platinum; and

(D) a power supply, said power supply in electrical communication with said first electrode and with a second electrode, said second electrode being in electrical communication with said first electrode via the patient's blood.

17. A method for the destruction of blood borne pathogens comprising:

(A) inserting a first metal electrode into a patient's blood, said the first metal electrode comprising silver;

(B) placing a second electrode in electrical communication with the first metal electrode via the patient's blood;

(C) applying a first low intensity direct current to the first metal electrode for a first period of time; said first low intensity direct current is approximately two and one-half microamps; and

(D) applying a second low intensity direct current to the first metal electrode for a second period of time; said second low intensity direct current is approximately one hundred and twenty-five nanoamps.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said first period of time is approximately twelve minutes and said second period of time is approximately seventy-one hours and forty-eight minutes.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein said first period of time is approximately twelve minutes and said second period of time is approximately six weeks.

20. Apparatus for the destruction of a blood borne viral pathogen comprising:

(A) a first electrode for the in situ creation and release of cations from the electrode directly into the blood of a patient's venous system, the first electrode being at least partially disposed in a catheter lumen and having an exposed portion extending out of the distal end of the catheter lumen and a non-exposed portion disposed within the catheter lumen;

(B) a second electrode for placement on a patient's skin;

(C) conductive means for electrically connecting the first and second electrodes to power supply means; and

(D) power supply means for applying low-intensity direct current to the first electrode in a pattern sufficient to destroy the blood borne viral pathogen through the release of pathogen-binding cations from the first electrode into the blood of the venous system of the patient.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the first electrode includes an electrical conductor portion disposed within the catheter lumen and an electrode portion extending out of the distal end of the catheter lumen for the in situ creation and release of cations directly from the electrode directly into the blood of the venous system of a patient, the electrode portion being in electrical communication with the electrical conductor portion and releasing pathogen-binding silver cations.

22. Apparatus for the destruction of a blood borne viral pathogen comprising:

(A) a first electrode for the in situ creation and release of cations from the electrode directly into the blood from a patient's venous system, said first electrode being at least partially disposed in a catheter lumen and having an exposed portion extending out of the distal end of the catheter lumen and a non-exposed portion disposed within the catheter lumen;

(B) a second electrode, said second electrode being in electrical communication with said first electrode via the patient's blood;

(C) conductive means for electrically connecting said first and second electrodes to power supply means; and

(D) power supply means for applying low-intensity direct current to said first electrode in a pattern sufficient to destroy the blood borne viral pathogen through the release of pathogen-binding cations from said first electrode into the blood from the circulatory system of the patient.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said first electrode includes an electrical conductor portion disposed within the catheter lumen and an electrode portion extending out of the distal end of the catheter lumen for the in situ creation and release of cations from the electrode directly into the blood from the circulatory system of a patient, said electrode portion being in electrical communication with said electrical conductor portion and releasing pathogen-binding silver cations.
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Description

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FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention pertains to treatment of blood borne viral infections and more particularly concerns antiviral apparatus and methods.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Blood borne viral infections are extremely difficult to treat or cure once a patient is infected with the virus. Blood borne viruses can completely inundate the patient (i.e., the "host") and defeat the patient's immune system, which almost certainly leads to death of the patient. Examples of viral infections affecting humans include polio, measles, chicken pox, small pox, mumps, Ebola, the common cold and the human immunodeficiency virus ("HIV"). In addition, animals are affected by other viral infections. For example, cattle can be infected by foot-and-mouth disease, dogs can be infected by distemper, cats can be infected by panleukopenia and feline immunodeficiency virus, and hogs can be infected by cholera.

The HIV virus has become a leading cause of death among humans. The prior art has not provided an effective antiviral agent which can effectively kill the HIV virus, thereby leading to either a cure or an effective treatment for infected patients.

The mechanisms of viral infections and specifically the HIV virus will now be discussed so as to provide background into how the present invention acts to kill viruses that have infected a patient. A virus is not an independent living organism. Outside of living cells, for example in body fluids, some viruses can remain dormant. They do not reproduce, metabolize, grow or assimilate food. For a virus to live and reproduce, it needs a host cell. Thus, until a virus finds a host cell, it it may remain dormant in body fluids. During this dormancy period, the virus may come in contact with a suitable host.

Viruses have many different shapes and sizes. For example, the individual virus or virions can be spherical, rod-shaped, or can have a many headed configuration. Virions range in size from approximately 0.02 microns to approximately 0.25 microns. The smallest living bacterium is approximately 0.4 microns. Virions are generally comprised of a viral core which is made up of nucleic acids which carry the viral genes and a capsis of fatty materials and proteins which surrounds the core. In some cases, viral proteins are associated with the nucleic acid in the viral core. This capsis may be surrounded by an additional lipoprotein envelope. The virus attacks a cell by causing at least its nucleic acid to enter the cell. The virus then takes over the cell's metabolic machinery and uses it to make many of copies of itself, thus producing many new virions. In the case of the HIV virus, the virions are released from the cell by lysing (i.e., the cell bursts), which destroys the cell. Many of the virions, however, are able to go on to infect other cells, which are eventually killed.

Humans and other animals have developed natural defenses to viruses. One of the body's first reactions to infection by a virus is a fever. Fever is often the only response necessary since elevated temperatures can deactivate many viruses. Other viruses cause cells to secrete the protein interferon. Interferon can inhibit the production of virions in uninfected cells. Another reaction to infection by a virus is the production of antibodies and activation of other parts of the body's immune system, which can inactivate the virus. Different viruses result in the production of different antibodies.

Part of the immune response of humans and other animals to viral infection is the production of T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes. T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes are classes of white blood cells that fight infection in a manner specific to the infecting agent. "B-cells" produce antibodies while "T-cells" have receptors on their surface that mate with the antigen of an invading agent. This mating prevents the invader from infecting other cells until that invading agent can be removed from the bloodstream by the kidneys. More than ten million different T-cell receptor patterns are known to exist. Once a specific T-cell has been produced to fight a specific agent, that T-cell continues to reproduce so that it is present at the time of the next infection by the agent it was created to fight. Approximately two-thousand T-cells can be produced by the body per second in a healthy individual.

The HIV virus is extremely deadly because it attacks these T-cells, eventually producing so many virions that attack the T-cells that the body cannot make T-cells fast enough to replace those destroyed by the HIV virus. The specific T-cell targeted by the HIV virus is the T4 helper lymphocyte. T4 cells are extremely important to the immune defense system of a human. T4 cells control the body processes which produce immune responses to infections. If a T4 cell determines that a response is necessary, it instructs the body's immune system to release T8 cytotoxic lymphocytes and antibodies.

When an HIV virion finds a T4 cell, it is believed that it attempts to penetrate the cell wall to gain access to the T4 cell's nucleus. Many believe that when the HIV virion contacts a T4 cell, the glycoproteins Gp120 and Gp41 on the exterior of the HIV virion attach the virion to CD4 proteins protruding from the T4 cell's surface. After attachment, it is thought that the HIV virus fuses with the T4 cell and injects capsid protein P24 with the genomic ribonucleic acid ("RNA") of HIV and reverse transcriptase, RNaseH, and integrase into the cell. After the HIV virus is injected into the cell, the reverse transcriptase, RNaseH, and integrase manufacture HIV deoxyribonucleic acid ("DNA") out of the genomic RNA. After the HIV DNA is manufactured within the cell, the HIV DNA enters the cell's nucleus and splices itself into one of that cell's chromosomes. At this point, the T4 cell is infected with the HIV virus.

Once the T4 cell is infected with the HIV virus, the T4 cell begins to reproduce copies, i.e., virions, of the HIV virus. One infected T4 cell can produce approximately three hundred thousand to one million copies of the HIV virus per infected T4 cell. Eventually, the infected T4 cell lyses, which destroys the cell. The copies of the infecting HIV virus released from the destroyed T4 cell go on, however, to infect other T4 cells. Since an infected T4 cell produces copies of the HIV virus faster than humans can produce T4 cells, eventually the immune system of the infected person is overrun and is unable to fight off infection. This is because there are too few T4 cells left to create an immune response to invading agents. It is these infections which eventually lead to the death of a patient from the HIV virus. Furthermore, copies of the HIV virus are created faster than the antibody the body creates to fight it. Since the T4 cells are destroyed faster than they can be reproduced, the body will never be able to create enough HIV antibody to fight the virus.

The prior art teaches that infection by many viruses can be prevented by vaccination. Vaccination involves injecting an uninfected patient with a weakened or denatured virus. In response to the weakened or denatured virus, the body will create antibodies specific to that virus. With respect to the HIV virus, however, there is no known vaccine. Further, because the HIV virus mutates so rapidly, a vaccine may not be possible. The prior art does teach several drug therapies for a person infected with the HIV virus. Prior art drug therapies include Azidothymidine, known as AZT, Dideooxyinosine, known as ddI, and Zalcitabine, known as ddc. Recently, a new class of drugs, for example Zidovudine, known as ZDV, and Saquinavir, ddc known as Invirase.TM., have been used for treating HIV infected patients. ZDV and Saquinavir are members of a class of drugs known as protease inhibitors. AZT tends to slow the HIV virus' reproduction cycle in humans. This lengthens the amount of time that it takes for the HIV virus to completely destroy the immune system. ddI has results similar to AZT and tends to be used if AZT is too toxic for a particular patient. ddc is generally used in combination with AZT to treat advanced HIV infection. AZT, ddI, and ddc are nucleotide analogues which make it difficult for the HIV virus to replicate by interfering with the reverse transcriptase. ZDV and other protease inhibitors are anti-retroviral agents that interfere with the replication machinery of HIV, resulting in non-infectious. Because the HIV virus mutates so rapidly, however, the virus within a patient eventually becomes immune to protease inhibitors.

Further, prior art methods have developed whereby the patient takes several different medications at the same time. These drug combinations have become known in the art as "cocktails." Cocktails of these drugs are proving somewhat effective at delaying the destruction of the immune system by the HIV virus. However, the HIV virus eventually does overrun the immune system in patients undergoing this therapy for the reasons discussed above. Furthermore, such treatment is extremely disruptive to the patient, as often the patient will be required to take thirty to forty pills at many different times during the day. The long-term results of these three-drug combinations are not yet known. Furthermore, the cost of the three-drug combination is extremely high and is therefore beyond the reach of many infected individuals. Finally, the three-drug treatments are not well tolerated by some patients.

Thus, there has been a long felt need for a treatment of subjects infected with blood-borne pathogens, such as the HIV virus, which destroys the pathogen.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Until the present invention, prior art treatments for subjects infected with viruses for which the body could not defeat with its own immune system only delayed death. For example, the prior art treatments discussed above for the HIV virus only lengthen the amount of time it takes for the HIV virus to destroy the immune system, which leads to death of the patient. The present invention provides a method and apparatus for destroying viruses such as the HIV virus, thereby eliminating the virus from the patient. The present invention utilizes a low intensity direct current to generate silver ions which destroy viral pathogens. The device operates in vivo via an exposed metal electrode in the bloodstream. A first electrode is inserted into a patient's venous system. This first electrode comprises silver. In a preferred embodiment, the first electrode comprises an alloy of silver, copper and platinum and traces of other metals. Then, a second electrode is placed on the patient's skin in the vicinity of the first electrode. Then, a low intensity direct current is applied to the first metal electrode. The low intensity direct current causes silver cations to be released from the electrode. The silver cations are attracted to the slight but distinct negative polarities of blood borne viruses. The bonding of the silver cation to the virus denatures the virus. The denatured virus is then removed from the bloodstream by the patient's kidneys.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a first low intensity direct current is applied to the first electrode for a first amount of time. Then, a second low intensity direct current is applied to the electrode for a second amount of time. The second amount of time is a significantly longer period of time.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a catheter having a first lumen, a proximal end and a distal end. An electrical conductor extends through the first lumen. The electrical conductor is in electrical communication with the first electrode, which extends out of the distal end of the catheter. A power supply is in electrical communication with the electrode and supplies the low intensity direct current.

The above and other preferred features of the invention, including various novel details of construction and combination of parts, will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims. It will be understood that the particular devices embodying the invention are shown by way of illustration only and not as limitations of the invention. As will be obvious to those skilled in the art, the principles and features of this invention may be employed in various and numerous embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which are shown illustrative embodiments of aspects of the invention, from which novel features and advantages will be apparent

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an expanded side view of an electrode for use in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a view in section of a dual lumen catheter of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a view in section of a connection point of a wire and a lead cable of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a main power cable for a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a power supply for use with preferred embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a view of an exit port for one lumen of a dual lumen catheter of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a view in section of the distal end of a catheter of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Ionic silver is useful in fighting bacterial infections and is widely used as a bacteriostatic agent. For example, electrically generated silver ions are effective on infectious bacteria in deep puncture wounds and on broken bones that have become infected. There are some indications that silver ions generated in small quantities (i.e., less than twenty parts per billion) in the blood stream are effective in destroying bacterial pathogens but remain totally nontoxic to mammalian cells. Silver ions are also toxic to eukaryotic microorganisms in levels as low as one to five parts per billion. The theories behind the effectiveness of silver ions are as follows.

All biological life forms have a negative charge. This phenomena can be photographed under certain conditions and is called an aura. Positive electrical energy is highly attracted to this negative polarization and is fatal to the life form when introduced directly, as in a human being standing near a tree in a lightening storm.

While this phenomena occurs in single cell and multi-cell animals, the individual cells comprising the animal, while having slightly positive or slightly negative polarities (it is these slightly positive and slightly negative polarities that allow magnetic resonance imaging systems to function) have an electromagnetic field surrounding the cell that is neutral. Therefore, because individual cells have polarity and are not polarized, positive cations are not attracted to individual cells.

As discussed, a virion is generally comprised of a core having nucleic acids and other protein-like substances and the virus' genomic RNA. Like the nucleus of a eukaryotic cell, the viral core has a slight but a distinct positive polarity and a slight but a distinct negative polarity. When the aggressive positive charges of the silver ions are placed in the vicinity of a virus, it is believed that the silver ions are attracted to the negative polarity of the core of the virus. This attraction leads to an ionic bond between the silver ion and the negative polarity of the virus' core. This bond leads to an exchange of a neutron between the silver ion and viral proteins. This leads to either the denaturization of the viral proteins or the breaking of the bonds in the virus' DNA, thereby killing the virus. Once the virus is killed, it is flushed from the blood by the patient's kidneys.

Silver salts such as silver chloride appear naturally in human blood serum at concentrations of approximately thirty to eighty parts per billion. Furthermore, silver is not reactive with body tissues. These characteristics, combined with the silver ion's efficacy in deactivating viruses make it ideal for treating patients with blood borne viral infections. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other ions from the class of heavy metals will work well using the concepts of the present invention. An example of such heavy metals includes gold, zinc, copper, lead, and other metals capable of electrochemical reaction.

With reference to the drawings, presently preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be discussed. FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment 10 of the present invention. The embodiment 10 of FIG. 1 comprises an elongated catheter 15. Catheter 15 is preferably made of a biocompatible polymer material such as silicone rubber, polyurethane, or the like and depending upon where on the patient it will be installed, can be a peripherally inserted central catheter. While a single lumen catheter is within the scope of the invention, a preferred embodiment of the present invention utilizes a dual lumen catheter 15 comprising first lumen 20 and a second lumen 22, as shown in FIG. 3. First lumen 20 is preferably circular in shape so as to accommodate an electrical conductor. Second lumen 22 preferably has a substantially "D" shape. Second lumen 22 is used to infuse medications or hydration fluids into the patient undergoing therapy while the embodiment 10 is installed. Second lumen 22 is particularly useful because patients infected with viruses are usually receiving many different medications, many of which could be dispensed through second lumen 22. Further, infected patients are often so dehydrated that their blood volume is too low to allow the present invention to operate effectively. The "D" shape of the second lumen 22, if used, maximizes the flow of fluids through this lumen 22.

Catheter 15 is fastened to bifurcation 25. Bifurcation 25 has a first leg 27 and a second leg 29 and wings 30 having suturing holes 31. First lumen 20 branches into first leg 27 and second lumen 22 branches into second leg 29. Bifurcation 25 can be either integral with first and second legs 27, 29 or securely fastened to first and second legs 27, 29. Disposed in first lumen 20 and passing through first leg 25 is a conductive wire 32, which is best seen with reference to FIGS. 2 and 4. Wire 32 can be constructed of any electrical conductor, but is preferably constructed of silver. In an alternative embodiment, catheter 15 can have wire 32 extruded therethrough,

At the distal end of wire 32, anodal tip 35, i.e., an electrode, is installed thereon. Electrode 35 is fastened to wire 32 so that they are placed in electrical communication with each other. Preferred fastening techniques include soldering, welding, or brazing. After installation in a patient, anodal tip 35 will reside exposed in the bloodstream of the patient, as will be discussed below. At the proximal end of wire 32, a lead cable 38 fastened thereto. Lead cable 38 is fastened to wire 32 such that they are placed in electrical communication with each other. Preferred fastening techniques include soldering and welding. FIG. 4 shows the connection point 42 of the wire 32 and the lead cable 38. Lead cable 38 is fastened to wire 32 within connector 41. A seal 43 is placed within connector 41 (see FIG. 4). Seal 41 seals the first leg 25 and first lumen 20 from reflux of blood or other body fluids. At the proximal end of lead cable 38 is electrical connector 39. In a preferred embodiment, electrical connector 39 is a female electrical connector. However, other electrical connectors can be utilized without straying from the teachings of the present invention.

As discussed, second lumen 22 branches into second leg 29 at bifurcation 25 such that second leg 29 remains in fluid communication with lumen 22. Disposed on the side of catheter 15 is an exit port 45 (see FIG. 7). Exit port 45 is preferably one to two inches from the distal tip of catheter 15 so that any effluents released therefrom are not prematurely mixed into the ion field created by electrode 35. Lumen 22 initially may have a guidewire or stylet 48 slidably pre-inserted. Pre-inserted stylet 48 extends from lumen 22, through bifurcation 25 and leg 29. At the end of leg 29 is preassembled hub 51 which preferably has a Luer fitting 53 integral thereto. Stylet 48 extends out of leg 29 and passes through flushing assembly 55. Flushing assembly 55 comprises a three-way connector 56 having an inlet port 58, an outlet port 60, and a flushing port 62. Flushing assembly 55 has a Luer fitting 65 at the outlet port 60 which mates with the Luer fitting 53 on leg 29. A reclosable septum 67 is affixed at the inlet port 58. Septum 67 is preferably constructed of a resilient rubber material. The resilient nature of the rubber reclosable septum 67 is such that it makes a water tight seal around the stylet 48. The reclosable septum 67 provides a slight resistance to movement of the stylet 48. This resistance prevents the stylet 48 from being moved too quickly through the flushing assembly 55, leg 29 and catheter 15. This is advantageous since moving too quickly can cause patient discomfort and may result in puncturing the catheter 15 by the stylet 48. Puncturing the catheter 15 in an infected patient can be a serious problem since the user's ability to repair the damaged vein may be compromised by wire 32. Further, once stylet 48 is removed, the reclosable septum 67 forms a watertight barrier, which prevents the reflux of blood. The stylet 48 passes through lumen 22, leg 29, outlet port 60 inlet port 58 and reclosable septum 67. A stylet handle 69 may be placed at the end of the stylet 48 which emerges from the flushing assembly 55. Stylet handle 69 allows the installer to manipulate the stylet 48 during insertion so that the catheter can be maneuvered around obstructions in the patient's venous system.

The flushing port 62 of the flushing assembly 55 is used to add fluids such as flushing solutions to lumen 22 to aid in the installation of the catheter 15 into a patient. Flushing solutions also make removal of the stylet 48 after installation easier, as the fluids can lubricate the stylet 48. Flushing solutions are added to flushing assembly 55 by affixing a syringe (not shown) to flushing port 62. When a syringe is not affixed to flushing port 62, a cap 72 may be placed over the flushing port 62. A preferred flushing apparatus and method are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,961. U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,961 is assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of an embodiment of the electrode 35 used in the present invention. The electrode 35 is frictionally attached to the catheter 15 at the catheter's distal end 75 and preferably is one-half inch long and 0.03 inches in diameter. The security of the fit between the distal end 75 of catheter 15 and the electrode 35 is important as it is highly desirable to prevent fluids such as blood or other fluids from leaking around the electrode 35 and into lumen 20. Catheter 15 preferably tapers at its distal end 75 to allow for a smooth transition into electrode 35 (see also FIGS. 7 and 8). Approximately eighty percent of the electrode 35 is uninsulated and therefore exposed. That portion of the electrode 35 that resides within lumen 20 of catheter 15, along with wire 32, is preferably covered by insulation 77. Insulation 77 is preferably a biocompatible insulation material such as parylene. Other polymers like parylene can be used as an acceptable insulation material. In a preferred embodiment, the electrode 35 is an alloy comprised of 97.8 percent silver, 0.2 percent copper, and 2.0 percent platinum. While the silver component produces the ions most reactive with viruses, the copper and platinum of electrode 35 provide very important features. The platinum acts as a catalyst and aids in the release of the silver ions from the electrode 35. The platinum also helps to prevent oxides from building up on the electrode 35. The copper acts to control the release of silver ions from the electrodes. In particular, the copper causes the silver ions to be released in short bursts.

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of a dual lumen catheter 15. As discussed, the present invention contemplates the use of a single lumen catheter as well as the dual lumen catheter shown in FIG. 3. If a single lumen catheter is used, only lumen 20, which contains wire 32, will be present. If fluids or medications are infused into the patient's bloodstream, other means will be required. In addition, the present invention contemplates the use of catheters having more than two lumens, such as a triple lumen catheter.

FIG. 4 shows a cross sectional view of the electrical connection of wire 32 to lead cable 38 inside connector 41. Connector 41 fits snugly within first leg 27, as shown in FIG. 4. A Luer fitted cap 44 fits over connector 41.

FIG. 5 shows a main power cable 85 of an embodiment of the present invention. Power cable 85 is comprised of a main cable 88 and two separate branches 90 and 92. First branch 90 terminates at an electrical connector 95. Electrical connector 95 can be securely connected to electrical connector 39. In a preferred embodiment, electrical connector 95 is a male connector. Second branch 92 terminates an electrode pad 98. Electrode pad 98 can be an EKG pad. Main cable 88 terminates at another electrical connector 100. In a preferred embodiment, electrical connector 100 is a male electrical connector.

FIG. 6 shows a power supply 110 which is used to apply power to the electrode 35. Electrical connector 100 of power cable 85 fits securely within a jack 112 on power supply 110. In a preferred embodiment, jack 112 is a female electrical socket which can receive connector 100 from power cable 85. Also on power supply 110 is a display 115 which, when illuminated, indicates that the power supply 110 is supplying current to the electrode 35. A switch 118 is provided which allows the amount of current to be varied. In a preferred embodiment, switch 118 has two positions which provide two different levels of current to electrode 35. The amount of current supplied at the two different positions will be discussed below. Using the teachings of the present invention, however, it is possible that different types of switches may be provided so that more than two levels of current can be supplied to the patient. Further, in another preferred embodiment, the power supply 110 is able to automatically switch between the different levels of current that must be supplied to treat the virus which the patient is infected with. Power supply 110 is preferably housed in a sealed case 120 constructed of a material that can be sterilized with ethyleneoxide. Power supply 110 should be powered by a self-contained power source such as a battery which is capable of providing the power necessary for a substantial length of time, e.g., six-to-eight weeks. In a preferred embodiment, the power supply 110 is powered by a nine volt alkaline battery which is sealed within case 120. Preferably, provisions are made to allow the replacement of the battery should the need arise. In another embodiment, the power supply can be powered by a 1.5 volt alkaline battery.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show the distal end of catheter 15. FIG. 7 shows a preferred embodiment of exit port 45. Presently preferred exit port 45 comprises an axially oriented, oval-shaped opening 123 and an axially oriented slit 121 extending from an end of opening 123 toward bifurcation 25. Slit 121 is expandable from a closed position to an open position. Slit 121 opens by separating the top and bottom portions beginning at the opening 121. An embodiment of such a side port is found U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/660,020, filed on Jun. 6, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,776,096. This application is incorporated herein by reference.

As will be discussed below, the power supply 110 supplies a low intensity direct current to the electrode 35. Because the electrode 35 releases silver cations, there is a chemical reaction that occurs on the surface of the electrode involving silver and oxygen that results in a nonconductive oxide on its surface. Over the treatment period, this oxide increases the surface resistance on the electrode 35. This increased resistance requires that the power supply 110 increase the voltage applied to the electrode 35 to produce the same number of silver ions throughout the treatment period. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the power supply 110 adjusts its voltage to maintain the proper current level and hence voltage level. However, at 0.88 volts and higher, the oxide can be forced off of the electrode, which could cause blood clots, stroke and the like. Therefore, a preferred embodiment of the present invention has a voltage limit of 0.86 volts. If the power supply 110 is required to supply more than 0.86 volts, it will shut down. In a preferred embodiment, the power supply 110 has a display (not shown) which would inform the clinician or the patient that the power supply 110 has shut down. The display could also provide other pertinent information such as the level of current and voltage being supplied and the elapsed time of treatment. An audible warning can also be provided that is indicative of a possible malfunction. In the case where the power supply 110 shuts down because it exceeded 0.86 volts, the apparatus 10 can be removed and a new one can be installed in the manner described herein. The current supply capability of the electronics of power supply 110 will be discussed below.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the power supply 110, cable 85 and apparatus are integral with each other.

The method of installation of the apparatus 10 of the present invention will now be discussed. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that many other installation procedures may be appropriate depending upon the patient and the preferences of the installer. Prior to installation, a proper location must be found on the patient for insertion of the catheter. Generally, a location on one of the arms of the patient is selected where venous introduction will be possible. Because patients infected by such blood borne viruses as HIV virus may have experienced severe weight loss, disease and other problems, the present invention can be installed through the veins or arteries in areas of the body other than the arm. For example, the apparatus 10 can be installed in the jugular vein of a patient.

As discussed, a stylet 48 is runs the length of lumen 22 of catheter 15. Stylet 48 makes installation of the apparatus 10 easier because it stiffens catheter 15, which makes pushing it through a patient's venous system easier. This is especially important in patients severely affected by viruses because they are often dehydrated. Dehydration makes passing catheters through the venous system difficult, as there is less blood volume. Stylet 48 preferably comprises a hydrophilically coated, twist-braided stylet. As discussed, handle 69 provides a larger surface which makes manipulating the stylet 48 easier. This can reduce the amount of time it takes to install the catheter. Shortened installation times are especially important with infected patients because during installation, blood can reflux from the patient, which can place the installer in danger of infection.

After the installation site is selected, it is prepared for apparatus 10 insertion. If desired, a small amount of flushing solution can be flushed through flushing port 62 and into leg 29 and lumen 22. Flushing prior to installation allows the user to check for patency. The user will know that the catheter 15 has been successfully flushed when drops of flushing solution begin to emerge from the exit port 45 of second lumen 22. After ensuring patency, the vein is punctured through the skin using a catheter introducer (not shown). Suitable introducers include the SAFE-T-PEEL.RTM. brand break-away introducer from HDC Corporation and any other over the needle type peel away introducer. After the introducer provides access to the patient's vein, the catheter 15 is threaded through the patient's venous system until the electrode 35 reaches his or her superior vena cava. As will be discussed below, the superior vena cava is the preferred location for the electrode 35.

While threading the catheter 15 through the patient, it may be necessary to flush the second lumen 22 of catheter 15 to aid in installation. When the second lumen is flushed during installation, the flushing solution will act to slightly move the tip of catheter 15, thereby allowing it to move past any venous obstruction. Flushing during installation can also remove any blood that may accumulate inside the second lumen 22. After the apparatus 10 is installed in the patient and the electrode 35 is placed within the superior vena cava, the stylet 48 should be removed from the second lumen 22. To remove the stylet 48, the stylet's 35 handle 69 is pulled. If any resistance is felt, the second lumen 22 can be flushed. As discussed above, the flushing solution lubricates the stylet 48, thereby making removal much easier. Once the electrode 35 is properly placed, apparatus 10 can be affixed to the patient via suturing holes 31.

Once the apparatus 10 is installed in the patient, the main cable 85 is installed. The electrode pad 98 is affixed to the exterior skin of the patient such that it is in close proximity to the electrode 35 installed within the patient. Then, connector 95 at the end of branch 90 of cable 85 in is connected to connector 39 on lead cable 38. Then, connector 100 on main cable 88 is connected to jack 112 on power supply 110. As discussed above, in another preferred embodiment, the power supply 110, cable 85 and apparatus 10 are integral with each other. Such an arrangement eliminates the need for the installer to make these connections. As it will be necessary for an apparatus of the present invention to remain installed in the patient for a long period of time, the apparatus 10, cable 85 and power supply 110 should be arranged on the patient so that the patient can remain comfortable and have the ability to move about.

The present invention operates by providing a low intensity direct current to electrode 35. By placing the electrode pad 98 on the surface of the patient in the vicinity of electrode 35, the low intensity direct current will cause the electrode 35 to act as an anode, thereby releasing metal ions into the bloodstream of the patient. These positively charged metal ions are attracted to the negative polarity of the virus, thereby destabilizing it, as discussed above. The superior vena cava of the patient is the preferred location for installation of electrode 35 because it is the largest blood vessel in the body. The use of such a large blood vessel is preferred because metal ions such as the preferred silver ion have a half life of approximately seven seconds. The device as will be seen below, creates an average output of four-hundred billion silver cations per second. With an average blood volume of four liters passing by the electrode 35 approximately twice per minute, the probability of a virus passing by the electrode 35 and being bonded to a metal ion increases when the volume of blood available to carry the virus is higher. Thus, placing the electrode 35 in the superior vena cava will increase the probability that metal ions generated by the apparatus 10 will bond to a virus in the bloodstream.

It is very important that the amount of metal ions entering the bloodstream from the apparatus 10 be controlled so that while large numbers of virus are killed, the patient is not harmed. The human body has naturally occurring silver ions as components of stable salts present in the bloodstream. These particular silver ions are present in human blood serum in concentrations of approximately thirty to eighty parts per billion as previous experiments have shown. However, these naturally occurring ions are associated with other negatively charged ions. Because of this, they are not attracted to the viruses present in the bloodstream and therefore cannot kill any viruses.

In the presently preferred method of administering metal ions to an infected patient, the patient is initially flooded with large amounts of metal ions for a relatively short period of time. The reason for this is that a patient infected with a pathogen such as the HIV virus may have two million or more copies of the virus per milliliter of blood. With the average human having approximately four-thousand milliliters of blood, an infected individual may have approximately eight billion copies of the virus that must be bonded to a silver ion. Since silver ions have a relatively short half-life (approximately seven seconds), a significantly larger number of silver ions must be produced than there are viruses because the probability of a silver ion bonding to virus is much lower than one-hundred percent However, the need for large numbers of silver ions must be balanced with the need to keep the silver content within levels safe for humans. Since humans can withstand only approximately thirty to eighty parts per billion of silver in the blood serum without resulting in a toxic reaction, it is important that the present invention not introduce more than this safe amount into the bloodstream.

To balance the need for large numbers of silver ions with the need to keep the amount of silver within safer ranges for humans, the power supply 110 supplies two and one-half microamps of current for twelve minutes at the beginning of treatment. This produces 1.56.times.10(13) ions of silver per second. During the twelve minutes (i.e., seven-hundred twenty seconds) that the power supply 110 supplies two and one-half microamps of current, 0.0018 Coulombs enters the bloodstream (i.e., seven-hundred and twenty seconds multiplied by two and one-half microamps). Under Faraday's law, one mole of silver ions equals 96485 Coulombs. Further, one mole of silver ions weighs 107.87 grams. Thus, in the initial twelve minute operating period, nearly two micrograms (1.94 micrograms) of silver ions are introduced into the bloodstream. This is less than five parts per billion silver content in the blood serum, which is significantly below the level of harmful silver content within a human. Thus, during the initial twelve minute treatment using the concepts of the present invention, the silver content does not exceed toxic levels.

After the initial twelve minute operating period, the low intensity direct current provided by power supply 110 is reduced to one-hundred twenty five nanoamps. This causes the production of silver ions to be produced at a rate of seven-hundred seventy-four billion ions per second. Under a preferred embodiment of the present invention, this level of electric current is maintained for a period of seventy-one hours and forty-eight minutes. During this time (i.e., 258,480 seconds) that the power supply 110 supplies one-hundred twenty-five nanoamps of current, 3.2.times.10(-4) Coulombs enters the bloodstream (i.e., 258,480 seconds multiplied by one-hundred twenty-five nanoamps). Under Faraday's law, one mole of silver ions equals 96485 Coulombs. Further, one mole of silver ions weighs 107.87 grams. Thus, during this entire period, only approximately 36.1 micrograms of silver ions are introduced into the bloodstream. Thus, in the entire seventy-two hour treatment, only 38.1 micrograms of silver have been introduced into the patient's bloodstream. This is less than nine parts per billion silver content in the blood serum for a seventy-two hour period, which is significantly below the range for harmful silver content within a human.

The present invention, in addition to providing a non-toxic level of silver ions into the bloodstream, does not exceed unsafe levels of current. Low intensity direct currents of two and one-half microamps and one-hundred twenty five nanoamps is far lower than the current levels provided by, for example cardiopacing devices. Thus, the small amounts of silver ions introduced into the patient's bloodstream coupled with the extremely low currents result in a treatment that, in addition to being highly effective, is also physiologically safe.

The concepts of the present invention have been tested on subjects and resulted in highly positive results. In a first example, the human patient had 2,165,823 copies of the HIV virus per milliliter of blood by the RNA PCR quantification test method. In addition, this patient's T4 cell (Helper) count was at 18. This particular subject was experiencing serious kidney malfunction prior to treatment. Twenty-four hours after treatment, this patient's viral load was reduced to 1,336,817 copies of the HIV virus per milliliter of blood while the T4 cell count was 11. Because of this patient's kidney malfunction, it was suspected that most of the viral copies detected during the RNA PCR quantization test had been denatured but had not yet been removed from the patient by the kidneys. Thus, one month after treatment, the viral load was measured again and found to be reduced to 621,215 copies of the HIV virus per milliliter of blood. After treatment, the patient immediately felt improved health, was able to eat solid food, and experienced a dramatic increase in quality of life.

A second human subject had a viral load of 1,814,466 copies of the HIV virus per milliliter of blood (RNA PCR quantification method) and a T4 cell count of 17. This patient was too dehydrated to place the electrode 35 into the superior vena cava. Thus, the electrode 35 was placed in the subclavian vein. This patient was subjected to twelve minutes of treatment at 2.5 microamps and then only forty-seven hours and forty-eight minutes of treatment at one-hundred twenty-five nanoamps. Forty-eight hours after treatment, the patient's viral load and T4 cell count were measured to be 394,972 copies of the HIV virus per milliliter of blood (RNA PCR quantization method) and 18, respectively. Once again, this patient immediately felt improved health and was able to eat solid food.

A third human subject had a viral load of 693,832 copies of the HIV virus per milliliter of blood (RNA PCR quantification method) and a T4 cell count of 5. This patient was also undergoing treatment with AZT. For this patient's treatment, the initial twelve minutes of treatment at 2.5 microamps was followed by seventy hours and eighteen minutes of treatment at one-hundred twenty-five nanoamps. Twenty-four hours after treatment, the patient's viral load and T4 cell count were measured to be 634 copies of the HIV virus per milliliter of blood (RNA PCR quantization method) and 6, respectively. Once again, this patient immediately felt improved health, was able to eat solid food, and experienced a dramatic increase in quality of life.

In a presently preferred method for practicing the invention, the low intensity direct current is maintained for a longer period of time than the seventy-two hour period discussed above. The reason for this is that it is currently believed that it takes approximately six weeks for an HIV virus that infects a cell to cause that cell to lyse (i.e., burst). Any viruses that infected a cell immediately prior to treatment with the methods of the present invention could avoid being denatured by a metal ion while reproducing in a T4 cell. Thus, for a six week period following treatment, T4 cells will lyse, causing new HIV virions to enter the bloodstream. These new HIV virions can eventually infect new cells. Because of this, while the patient's health may be improved in the short term, the HIV virus will once again work to destroy the immune system in the fashion discussed above. Thus, in a presently preferred embodiment, the patient receives an initial treatment of 2.5 microamps for twelve minutes. Then, the low intensity direct current is lowered to one-hundred twenty-five nanoamps for a period of six weeks by doing this, the invention can denature the HIV virions produced by lysing cells after treatment begins. By doing so, virtually all of the HIV virions can be denatured, thereby resulting in a potential cure.

The methods of this invention have also been successfully tested on a different virus and a different host: namely, a cat infected with feline immunodeficiency virus ("FIV"). A seven year old male house cat weighing ten pounds and ten and three-quarter ounces had "heavy third eyelid", some hair loss, eleven bite marks along his back and rump, and a wound to the top of the ear, all indicative of acute disease. The cat was anesthetized with ketamine, a catheter was placed in the neck, and the negative electrode was placed on the underchest. Approximately four micrograms of silver was delivered in twenty-four minutes, followed by one-half a microgram of silver per hour for ninety minutes. The next morning the subject cat had returned to normal activity and appetite.

Thus, method and apparatus for the treatment of blood borne viral infections such as human immunodeficiency virus and feline immunodeficiency virus is disclosed. While embodiments and applications of this invention have been shown and described, it would be apparent to those skilled in the art that many more modifications are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The invention, therefore is not to be restricted except in accordance with the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, one skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention is useful for treating infections other than the HIV virus. For example, the teachings of the present invention would be effective at treating patients infected with such blood-borne pathogens as bacteria, fungi, Rickettsia, etcetera.

* * * * *

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A patent granted by the patent office is NO proof WHATSOEVER that the patented idea does what the inventors claim that it does.

Nor is it any indication that the patented idea is useful in any way to anyone.

It is perfectly legal to patent an idea on something that can kill you.

There is NO veryfication of the idea and method of a patent OF ANY SORT in the process of getting a patent approved.

So to say this briefly.

A patent on some medical treatment ...

MEANS SQUAT.

All it means to have a patent is that the inventor were able to patent an idea on something that can not be found elsewhere in socalled prior art (e.g., literature, other patents, common sense, etc.)

quote:

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Originally posted by cmichaelo:

Nor is it any indication that the patented idea is useful in any way to anyone.

It is perfectly legal to patent an idea on something that can kill you.

Michael

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quote:

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Originally posted by brentb:
anyone excited yet?

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???

No, not exited!

But bewildered about your posts? Yes.

The other method--the indwelling catheter--is being used at a clinic in Mexico...I forget where, I have emailed it to myself at some point.

I myself am not interested in being a guinea pig, as I think the catheter would only get blood borne stuff, so you'd have to keep it in for ages, too unsafe...borrelia hides out in niches and as granules and cysts.

quote:

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Originally posted by oxygenbabe:

Big pharma would not want to look at this as it would put too many drugs out of business.

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quote:

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Originally posted by cmichaelo:
???

No, not exited!

But bewildered about your posts? Yes.

Michael

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``We tested the compound against a four-hour, eight- hour, and 24-hour exposure period and found no surviving SARS virus upon 24 hours of exposure to the polymer...''
- Zhang Panhe, professor at the Chinese Academy of Military Medical Sciences

"The new technology...can be used in a variety of injection-molded amino compounds such as Aminel� and AmitecTM resins, as well as compression-molded aminos...The additive is homogeneously distributed throughout the molded part and is locked into the resin matrix, so it provides protection for the lifetime of the part and never wears off, unlike surface treatments."

quote:

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Originally posted by brentb:

I'm excited because it will save the lives and suffering of countless people. That doesn't get you excited???

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Theory....PROOF?

I pass. If it's going into the drinking water, I definitely pass.

quote:

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Originally posted by Lymetoo:
Theory....PROOF?

I pass. If it's going into the drinking water, I definitely pass.

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quote:

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Originally posted by oxygenbabe:
You are wrong, you didn't closely read the ANtelman patents if you just think it gets silver ions into the blood.

Silver *is* a heavy metal. IV silver longterm would not be safe. Some lymies have tried IV silver and it helped for a while but I don't recall any cures.

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Approximately four micrograms of silver was delivered in twenty-four minutes, followed by one-half a microgram of silver per hour for ninety minutes. What does this mean? I can pull other quotes on this as well.

Silver is NOT a heavy metal. please read treepatrols post on this. Heavy metal infers toxicity. I think we have shown that is not the case.

There are certainly field trials occuring by a number of doctors. However, they will only qualify as anecdotal evidence as there are no controls and no blinding of the tests.

It was also mentioned that there were several conditions under which IV silver in particular would not be safe to administer, most having to do with liver issues.

So it is being done, whether it is safe or effective, we will have to wait to see.

As for all the really long posts, have pity on us! My scrolling finger is worn out just getting here. Maybe some of the longer bits of info could just be links? That way those who want could read all the details.

quote:

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Originally posted by riversinger:
I just came back from the OHM Lyme Conference in San Francisco. Silver hydrosol as a treatment for Lyme was one of the presentations.

There are certainly field trials occuring by a number of doctors. However, they will only qualify as anecdotal evidence as there are no controls and no blinding of the tests.

It was also mentioned that there were several conditions under which IV silver in particular would not be safe to administer, most having to do with liver issues.

So it is being done, whether it is safe or effective, we will have to wait to see.

---

The toxicity issue may be due to a selinium deficiency from what I've read. As far as the testing, thats great news Thats all us "silver freaks" have been asking for!

I can live with it being only anecdotal with no control or blind. I think we all know what happens when Lyme goes untreated

I think everyone here applauds genuine efforts to find new ways to treat diseases, be it with silver or anything else.

The research Riversinger mentions is what we like to see... real medical people looking for practical, effective ways to treat disease without harming their patients. This is what we want to see.

Keep in mind we here are not scientists or medical researchers. We are just sick people giving support to one another and trying to get better. Preaching to us that silver therapies should be researched does little good as we are not the ones in the position to do so.

The danger comes when we make the jump from:
---------
The knowledge that silver is relatively non toxic and has useful antibacterial properties.
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To:
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TRYING various menthods of putting it directly into our bodies to see if it cures our disease.
---------

I personnally would prefer to have the intermediate research steps Riversinger mentions before jumping directly to dosing myself up with something.

Even if one has discovered the substance that is THE CURE for a disease... Getting the right form, the right dosage, and the right method of administration could be a dangerous process in itself.

That was the connection between Chlorine and Silver as they apply to municipal water systems... You obviously missed the point.

Both substances are approved and considered safe in small amounts in the water drawn from the tap... But from that we cannot just automatically assume these same substances could be put into our bodies in large quantities to kill the bacteria making us sick.

The lethal toxicity of chlorine just illustrates that suitability for one application does not *automatically* equal suitability for another. That is not an insult to the precious metal.

My understanding also is that with the water purification methods, the object is to use the silver as passively as possible to kill bacteria without losing too much of it into the water. They aren't just adding it to water like they do the chlorine. If for no other reason the stuff is pretty expensive.

(It it a PRECIOUS metal, not a HEAVY metal IMO.)

Still some of it is consumed, so there are standards to allow that. That is true for any substance that is in public drinking water, harmful or beneficial.

I hope some good comes of that research... I think it does have merit.

I just do not *personnally* want to be a test subject until the treatment regimens are much more developed and tested for safety and effectiveness. It would be good to see some actual cures too.

Perhaps some of those poor little infected white footed mice would be good test subjects while we learn more about it.

Brent, please don't be offended that some of us do not want to buy a bunch of the stuff and pour it down ourselves. We are just being cautious with the health we have left.

quote:

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Originally posted by James H:
Brent,
I just do not *personnally* want to be a test subject until the treatment regimens are much more developed and tested for safety and effectiveness. It would be good to see some actual cures too.

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I'll post some anecdotal cures which normaly I do not like but we must keep in mind that in theory it should work and except for a few trials that's all we will be getting in the near future.

On safety if we compare silver to traditional abx we are not even on the same playing field. Keep in mind that chronic lyme will probably require cyst busting drugs such as flagyl with has possible side effect of severe neurological disturbances (i.e., convulsive seizures and peripheral neuropathy). I'm very comfortable with my silver.

Argyria

FDA

Links to silver Problems

Over-the-Counter Drug Products Containing Colloidal Silver

quote:

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Originally posted by treepatrol:

Nice to keep it balanced As I've always said we need to know everything. BUT as posted earlier Rosemary Jacobs, the most popularised argyria victim, who is used to demonise colloidal silver, was poisoned more than forty years ago by "silver nose drops of unknown composition" (NEJM, 340(20), 1999). There are no cases of argyria in modern medical history as a result of electro-colloidal silver, despite its popularity.

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October 14th, 1999

Food and Drug Administration
U.S. Department Of Health and
Human Services
Public Health Service
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857

Dear Sirs/Madam,

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act and in regard your August 17th, 1999 ruling regarding colloidal silver, could you please supply the following documentation on which you based your decision?

1. The number of deaths related to the consumption of colloidal silver.

2. The number of allergic reactions to the consumptionof colloidal silver.

3. The number of harmful drug interactions from both OTC and prescription drugs when combined with colloidal silver.

4. The number of reported cases of Argyria from colloidal silver made with the AC or DC electrical process.

5. The number of cases of Argyria from colloidal silver that did not contain protein stabilizers.

Thank you for your time and consideration of this request.

Sincerely,

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The FDA response:

Public Health Service
Center for Drug Evaluation and Research
Office of Training and Communication
Freedom of Information Staff HFD-205
5600 Fishers Lane 12 B 05
Rockville, Maryland 20857
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

November 3, 1999

In Response Refer to File: F99-22589

[ Name Removed ], WA 98408

Dear [ name removed ]:

This is in response to your request of 10/14/99, in which you requested adverse events associated with the use of Colloidal Silver. Your request was received in the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research on 10/25/99.

We have searched the records from FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS) and have been unable to locate any cases that would be responsive to your request.

Charges of $3.50 (Search $3.50, Review $0, Reproduction $0, Computer time $0) will be included in a monthly invoice. DO NOT SEND ANY PAYMENT UNTIL YOU RECEIVE AN INVOICE.

If there are any problems with this response, please notify us in writing of your specific problem(s). Please reference the above file number.

Sincerely,

quote:

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Originally posted by hiker53:
Sam Jones, a representative from Montana, was poisoned by colloidal silver (he turned grey) in 2002.

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The Stan Jones argyria case has recently received an enormous amount of press coverage. Stan Jones is a charming and very mild tempered politician from Montana, who acquired the condition of argyria by consuming extremely high quantities of a very poorly made colloidal silver.

What the AP Press release doesn't tell the general public, is that Stan brewed his home-made colloidal silver by using tap water and salt with a battery colloidal silver generator, and let his generator run for an hour, which not only produced an abundance of silver chloride, but also produced larger particles of silver due to agglomeration caused by a runaway electrolysis reaction. He drank eight ounces or more of this product containing an extremely high concentration of silver daily for at least two years.

quote:

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Originally posted by robi:
can you turn back or is it always permanent?

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A Cure for Argyria: The Formula

3 Vitamin E 1000 mg 100% Natural d-alpha Tocopheryl
1 Selenium 100mcg yeast free
2 vegetarian Vitamin C 1000 mg
1 teaspoon MSM organic
1 super potency Vitamin B 100,
1 teaspoon of Kelp powder:

Nancy Delise

What follows is the story of Nancy Delise, who, over the years, has utilized retail colloidal silver , colloidal silver made with a basic generator, basic colloidal silver enhanced with H2O2 ( orally ), and finally IV Silver ( Argentyn 23 by Natural-Immunogenics - Available only to MD's ).
Condition: MS... before silver
I have been on Betaseron since it came on the market--for 6 or 7 years? I would say it did as promised; I have had no exacerbation since I began the injections. However, everyday I hate to get up to see what additional symptom I have to add to my list to get used to.

My right had is numb, my feet, especially my toes are numb. When I get hot or tired my right leg does not lift well. It drags when I walk. After a day at work, I practically have to crawl to my car. I must hold on to a wall at all times. I really should use a cane. I cannot even go up a curb without holding on to someone or something. No way can I climb a ladder.

When I sit for any length of time, my legs stiffen and get spasms and I have to wait awhile before I can walk. It appears that I have had too much to drink. I really should use a cane, but usually I can take my companion's arm to get to my car.

If I sit on the floor for any reason, like play with my grandchildren, I must first get on my knees, then on all four's, then finally I can get up. Just like a cow. I cannot use help getting up from the floor, I need more control. I sit on the floor as little as possible.

When it is hot, I must wear a cold pack vest or I cannot walk. My feet are hot all the time, and I cannot sleep unless my feet are uncovered.

I have night paralysis. I must throw my body in order to turn to another side. My legs are locked in the fetal position and it is a real chore to get them unlocked and able to walk. I must use a cane to get to the bathroom during the night. It is about ten feet from my bed.

Jane Wyman has become my good friend with the Poise pads. I cannot go out without the Ultra Poise pads. If I know I will be away from a bathroom for any length of time, I must use Depends. It goes without saying, I must use the pads at night, also.
Colloidal Silver: Oral Use

I drank 2 oz of Silver water twice a day - in the morning & at three PM. Day four I begin to drink 8 oz of Silver water two times per day. I seem to have more energy and the end of the day seems to come a little later. I do not drag as much to my car.

Day 12 The night paralyzation seems to be easing. I can get out of bed with more ease Day 14 thru Day 18 My fingers and toes are tingling more and more. My toes are aching. As the days go by my fingertips seem to be aching, also. Day 20 I seem to have surreal feelings in my fingers. It's like a far away out of body feeling. They still ache.

Day 21, I am getting out of bed much easier and quicker. I climbed a ladder at work, and I am not nearly so tired when I leave work. I can actually walk to my car without holding on to the wall. I did some things on the floor at work, and was able to get up without too much trouble.

Week four, The bottom of my feet are tingling, and I could feel whiskers on Mike's face (a surreal feeling). I could feel cool bathroom tile on bottom of my feet.

My legs ached all night. It was very painful, I wanted to scream out. My legs hurt a great deal. The next morning I was able to walk further than I had in years. Mike and I walked about four blocks that morning. I feel stronger and stronger every day.

Week five, More and more feeling in both fingers and toes every day. Less surreal and more natural. Both toes and finger get cold.

Week 10, Seem to have small changes every day. Again my toes ached for several days, then I had more feeling in my toes. It's as though I have a non feeling pad at the bottom of my feet, but feeling all the way around. Like an animal's paw with the padded bottom. It seems I hurt for a few days, then something feels better.

Week 12, I feel like a caterpillar in a cocoon. I wonder if they have pain during the metamorphosis. The bottom of my feet are no longer numb, the fingers on my right hand tingle only at the very tips. I don't even think about lifting a heavy container with my right hand. For years, I wouldn't dare lift, or I would drop whatever I was holding. I poured coffee from a pot without even thinking about it, until I noticed myself. Doing it. There is NO WAY I could be working the hours I have this Christmas, if not for the water. Last year, I had to wear my cooling vest all day every day, and when I went home I could barely walk to my car. Some days I literally dragged my right leg to get to my car. I had to hold on to the building to get around the corner and into my car. When I got home I actually crawled on my hands and knees to get up the steps. This year I never once had to wear my cooling vest. I walk normally to my car at the end of the day, and the steps are not too much of a problem. I still go up one leg only, but it is stronger. The fatigue is minimized, also. I've worked many more hours this year than last.

Week 14: I started making my own water about three weeks ago, and I've had to send samples to San Antonio for testing. It seems the probe they sent me was not working to full potential, and for about a week I was drinking water with very minimal amounts of silver. After the week I KNEW IT!!! I was regressing. Things were not working so well, again. I was regressing. Thankfully we figured out the problem and within a couple of days I was back on track. Thank God. This set back has convinced me even more. As if that were possible. I have my life back. I will never give up silver water. Week 20: Christmas Week. I had 16 people for dinner Christmas eve. I had 7 people for dinner Christmas day, I worked 11 hours the day after Christmas, and I had 14 people for dinner the next day. That is four days out of four I entertained at my house. I can't remember when I did something like that. I still have night paralysis, but not nearly as bad as it used to be, and I have a lot of stiffness still when I sit a long time, but nothing near as bad as it used to be. My energy level is very high.

August 2002

My MS Update This is the second anniversary of my long, but wonderful journey with colloidal silver (CS). I am a 59-year-old female who had relapsing remitting MS for 31 years. About 1995 it changed to secondary progressive MS. Thus began my long road of decline. Everyday I got worse. When I discovered CS I could barely walk. I was beginning to use a cane. I could not even go up on the curb without aid. My prognosis was grim. I had some knowledge of the great properties of silver, so the idea of CS intrigued me. I researched CS. What did I have to loose?

I began drinking 16 oz per day. In about three weeks I began to notice a difference. You already have a log of my first year's progress. I seemed to reach a plateau about this time. I did not improve, BUT I never got worse.

I have since had an MRI and it showed that at this time Aug 2001, I no longer had MS. I have had no new lesions for well over a year. What I was working on at the time is to now repair the damage. Since the damage is to the myelin and not the central nervous system, I was quite confident I could improve.
1 year-6 months: Hydrogen Peroxide Added

I have researched adding hydrogen peroxide to the CS. One drop of H2O2 per 2 oz. of CS. I learned this would cause the tiny silver particles to break up into even more minute particles. After 15 minutes, the peroxide was evaporated out of the CS, so it is not harmful to the body, but the tinier particles of silver got into the blood stream quicker. All this time it was a slow process because by the time the silver got to the myelin where it was needed, it was so diluted, it couldn't penetrate the lesions and kill the mycoplasma (MS virus). Within a week I began to feel old symptoms again. This is what I call a healing crisis: I would get symptoms of the MS as the virus was dying and the dying pathogen aggravated the nerves, so for 2-4 days I would feel like I was having varying degrees of exacerbation. After a short period, it would end and I was improved again.

If I had known about this earlier, I am convinced my recovery time would have increased a great deal.

1 year-9 months: I am sure there is a way to go even quicker......... I began to research IV drips. There are cases of HIV-AIDS infected patients going into complete remission after three infusions. I worked on this project for about six weeks. I finally found someone with a protocol of infusing CS intravenously. I also found a doctor willing to work with me and give this a try.

1 year-11 months: Colloidal Silver IV Administered

First IV: I had my first IV. By that evening I had my first healing crisis; my legs became extremely heavy (like they were 2 years ago). My fingers tips were still numb, but the numbness was extremely exaggerated. All was better at day four.

Second IV a week later: My legs are again aching a great deal, the numbness in my fingers is very intense. It almost feels like they are not attached to me. All better by day three.

Third, fourth, fifth IV: Each time I experienced a reverse of some symptoms I had either forgotten about over the last 40 years, or didn't realize over the years were actually MS symptoms. I've practically no problems at all. I feel better then I have in 15 years. I will have no more IV's, but I will NEVER stop drinking CS.

If I had known about the IV's I probably would have had full recovery even sooner. I am quite sure the old lesions are going away. I am anxious for another MRI to prove this also.

TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY: No more MS, no more symptoms. Most myelin repaired.

PS: My friend, also an MS patient is on the IV drip. She also no longer has MS (By her MRI), but she was sores than me, and not able to get out of her wheel chair. Since IV's she has given up all her spasm medication and has begun to take STEPS ON HER OWN.

quote:

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Originally posted by cave76:
unable to locate any cases that would be responsive to your request. {about adverse effects}.

Hmmmm. Is that a yes or a no?

cave76

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That's a no. They say it's not safe but when asked directly they say we have no information of it being unsafe??? Actually the FDA has a point in that it is and has always been a medicine. Silver was THE ANTIBIOTIC before penicilin. However, what is does for wounds is very well documented. Whats next ban H2O2?

Hydrogen No 1 Group 1
Most obviously as part of the water molecule, H2O, hydrogen is also part of many other essential simple molecules and complex organic molecules including DNA.

Carbon No 6 Group 4
Carbon dioxide, CO2, is produced by animals and taken in by plants. The plants then use the CO2, with water, H2O, and with the help of sunlight and nutrients from the soil, to make the gigantic number of organic compounds we find in the plant world. Carbon is the fundamental atom in organic molecules including DNA.

Nitrogen No 7 Group 5
One of the most important elements for life. The simplest molecule NH3, ammonia, is important in our internal chemistry. Often found as part of organic molecules is the NH2 group, typical of an amine and found in amino acids and proteins and in DNA..

Oxygen No 8 Group 6
In its role as the central atom in water, H2O, oxygen provides most of your body weight. Oxygen-containing ions such as nitrates (NO3), carbonates (CO3) and phosphates (PO4) combine with ions such as Ca2 and Al3. We breathe oxygen molecules (O2) from the air and transport these molecules in the blood to cells of the body. Oxygen is one of the five elements in DNA.
H2S, with sulphur from the same oxygen group 6, is the 'rotten egg' poisonous gas. H2Te, with tellurium from the same group 6, is the worst smelling inorganic compound known.

Fluorine No 9 Group 7
Too much fluorine can be as injurious as too little. If the fluoride ion (F-) level in water is about 1 part per million, tooth decay in children is cut in half compared with water deficient in fluoride.

Sodium No 11 Group 1
All animals and plants contain large amounts of sodium and potassium cations dissolved in water. Both ions are often accompanied by the chloride ion, since there must be an equal number of positive and negative charges in any small region. The sodium ion is mostly found in the fluids surrounding the cell. A large number of body processes depend not only on the presence of Na and K ions, but on the proper balance being maintained between them.

Magnesium No 12 Group 2
Magnesium ions are essential to the body, especially for nerve impulses and muscle contraction. There are many enzymes that include magnesium as part of their structure.

Silicon No 14 Group 4
Silicon has been shown to be an essential element in the chickin and rat, and thus may have a role for humans.

Phosphorus No 15 Group 5
Very important in life. Phosphates are involved in DNA and in energy transfer processes.

Sulphur No 16 Group 6
Is found in protein molecules, forming part of the 'bridge' structure which holds protein molecules together. H2O is essential water but H2S, from the same group 6, is the 'rotten egg' poisonous gas.

Chlorine No 17 Group 7
The chloride ion (Cl-) is the major anion of the human body, forming salts. Stomach acid is a solution of hydrochloric acid HCl. Chlorine is used to kill bacteria in drinking water.

Potassium No 19 Group 1
All animals and plants contain large amounts of sodium and potassium cations dissolved in water. Both ions are often accompanied by the chloride ion, since there must be an equal number of positive and negative charges in any small region. The potassium ion is generally found inside the cell. A large number of body processes depend not only on the presence of Na and K ions, but on the proper balance being maintained between them.

Calcium No 20 Group 2
Calcium ions make up about 2% of our body weight, almost entirely in the bones and teeth. A proper level of calcium in the body is needed for nerve response, muscle contraction (include heart pumping) and even the maintenance of correct body temperature. Ca ions must also be present for the clotting of blood.

Vanadium No 23 1st Transition Series
Required by some animals other than humans and there is no clear evidence of how it may work in the human body.

Chromium No 24 1st Transition Series
Known since 1959 to serve a variety of roles in the human body.

Manganese No 25 1st Transition Series
Has many essential functions in every cell. A manganese deficiency is almost impossible to have, and thus we are not absolutely sure what symptoms would result.

Iron No 26 1st Transition Series
Perhaps the most essential transition metal in the body where an iron-containing molecule called haemoglobin carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. Small amounts of iron are found in every tissue cell in molecules that use oxygen. About 3% of the iron in the body is in muscle cells in a molecule called myoglobin. Both ferrous (Fe2+) and ferric (Fe3+) ions are involved in energy-producing processes.

Cobalt No 27 1st Transition Series
Cobalt is an essential part of one molecule, vitamin B12. Like iron in haemoglobin, cobalt serves to hold the large vitamin molecule together and to make it function properly.

Nickel No 28 1st Transition Series
Required by some animals other than humans and there is no clear evidence of how it may work in the human body.

Copper No 29 1st Transition Series
Required for a variety of roles in the body, several of which are connected to the use of iron. Deficiency of copper will result in weak blood vessels and bones as well as nerve damage.

Zinc No 30 1st Transition Series
Zinc is essential for normal growth of genital organs, wound healing, and general growth of all tissues. It is also associated with the hormone insulin, which is used to treat diabetes. Oysters are an unusually rich source of zinc.

Selenium No 34 Group 6
As important a nutrient as zinc, iron and copper. However too much selenium is harmful - more toxic than mercury or lead.

Molybdenum No 42 2nd Transition Series
Molybdenum is part of several important enzymes. It is not certain if a deficiency is possible or what symptoms would result.

Tin No 50 Group 4
Tin seems to be required by rats and thus possibly by humans.

Iodine No 53 Group 7
Like chlorine, but unlike bromine, iodine is essential to life. It is part of the thyroxine molecule, a thyroid gland hormone that controls growth. Seafood contains enough iodide to supply the body's needs.

Yes iron copper and nickle are metals but they are required in our systems.

Elements in Life Processes

More than 30 elements have a key function in helping plants and animals live and be healthy.

Everything around us is composed of chemical elements. Elements are the basic building blocks of our lives. Elements combine with one another in different proportions to form everything from the air that we breathe, to the wood that we use to build our homes, to our own bodies.

Our bodies use different chemical elements for different functions. For instance, our bodies use calcium to build strong bones and fluorine makes our teeth healthier. As our bodies consume these elements through daily functioning, we have to replace them in order to stay healthy and strong. The greatest source of these elements is through the food we eat. Because some of us do not always eat the right foods, we sometimes have to take dietary supplements, such as vitamins, to assure that we maintain the proper chemical balance in our bodies.

Some of the major elements that our bodies use to function properly are described in the following paragraphs. Some surprising minor elements are also described.

Aluminum (Al)

Until recently, aluminum was thought to be useless to life processes. It is now thought to be involved in the action of a small number of enzymes. For a technical explanation: "it may be involved in the action of enzymes such a succinic dehydrogenase and d-aminolevulinate dehydrase (involved in porphyrin synthesis)." I have no idea what that means.

Even if this element is necessary for some life function, the amount necessary is greatly exceeded by our incidental intake through our drinking water, food, deodorants and some antacids. Aluminum is relatively benign, and it is used in food additives and indigestion pills. It has been linked to Alzheimer's disease and the body has a hard time ridding itself of excess aluminum. Aluminum is somewhat more toxic to plants.

Periodic Chart
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Arsenic (As)

Despite Arsenic's reputation as a highly toxic substance, this element may actually be necessary for good health. Studies of animals such as chickens, rats, goats and pigs show that it is necessary for proper growth, development and reproduction. In these studies, the main symptom of not getting enough arsenic was retarded growth and development. It is suspected, but not known, that arsenic is necessary . It is thought to be necessary for the functioning of the nervous system and for people to grow properly. Since arsenic is present in our food and water, all humans have some arsenic in their bodies and a deficiency of this element in humans has apparently never been observed. An arsenic trioxide has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat a rare and deadly form of leukemia called acute promyelocytic leukemia, or APL.

Periodic Chart
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Boron (B) - a micronutrient

At first, boron may seem like an unimportant, uncommon and boring element. But boron is actually required by the body in very small amounts, and is necessary for good health. Though it is commonly known that calcium builds strong bones, boron is also important. Bones are not just the dead, white, stone-like things we see on skeletons. In our bodies bones are constantly breaking down and being rebuilt. They also have a constant blood supply and are very much "alive". Without small amounts of boron, bones would slowly break down and become brittle.

This element is also necessary to allow the brain to function properly. In fact, boron can increase mental alertness. According to a series of studies recently conducted by the US Department of Agriculture, low boron intakes by humans caused decreased brain activity. The studies showed that people on low boron diets also had lower brain performance on attention and short-term memory tests.

Our bodies also need boron in very small amounts to allow calcium, magnesium and phosphorus to function properly. So in a sense, boron is also necessary for many other body functions and we could not survive without it.

Periodic Chart
[Top]

Bromine (Br)

This is another element that is probably not necessary for good health and no deficiency of this element has ever been documented. Bromine is suspected to be an essential trace element in red algae and possibly humans. No specific role for this element in human health has been identified. Bromine is found in the mollusk pigment "royal purple", but it's purpose in that pigment is not known.

Periodic Chart
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Cadmium (Cd)

Mixed opinions on cadmium. While it is definitely believed to not be essential for plant and animal life processes, some believe cadmium is a trace element with some necessary role in life processes. Although its need and use are not currently understood. It is thought to be involved with the metabolism Its status as an essential trace element remains unclear.

Periodic Chart
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Calcium (Ca) - a macronutrient

Calcium is an extremely important element in the human body. It is one of the most abundant elements in our bodies and accounts for 2 to 3 pounds of our total body weight. Most of us know that calcium is important in building and maintaining strong bones and teeth, but it is also important for many other things. It helps control things like muscle growth and the electrical impulses in your brain. This vital element is also necessary to maintain proper blood pressure and make blood clot when you get cut. Calcium also enables other molecules to digest food and make energy for the body. Increasing calcium intake in our diet is believed to lower high blood pressure and prevent heart disease. It is also used to treat arthritis.

When we don't get enough calcium, many things happen in our bodies. It is possible to get leg cramps, muscle spasms, our bones may become brittle and even we may even have an increased risk of getting colon cancer. Also, when we don't get enough calcium in our diets, our bodies will actually use the calcium that we have stored in our bones. This makes the bones thinner and more brittle. In growing children and teenagers the bones may not develop fully and the person can enter adulthood with brittle bones. Further calcium deficiency can lead to serious problems.

Therefore, it is extremely important to get enough calcium in your diet. Unfortunately, that is not always easy to do. Most Americans don't get enough from their diets. But eating a good balanced diet, including drinking milk on a daily basis, should get you enough calcium.

Periodic Chart
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Carbon (C) - a macronutrient

The element carbon is perhaps the single most important element to life. Virtually every part of our bodies is made with large amounts of this element. The carbon atom is ideal to build big biological molecules. The carbon atom can be thought of as a basic building block. These building blocks can be attached to each other to form long chains, or they can be attached to other elements.

This can be difficult to imagine at first, but it may help to think about building with Legos. You can think of carbon as a bunch of red legos attached together to form one long chain of legos. Now, you can imagine sticking yellow, blue and green legos across the tops of the red (carbon) legos. These other colors represent other elements like oxygen, nitrogen or hydrogen. As you stick more and more of these yellow, blue and green legos to the red chain, it would start to look like a skeleton of legos with a "spine" of red legos and "bones" of yellow, blue and green legos. This is a lot like the way that big molecules are made in the body. Without carbon, these big molecules could not be built.

Now, virtually every part of your body is made up of these big molecules that are based around chains of carbon atoms. This is the reason we are known as "carbon based life forms". Without carbon, our bodies would just be a big pile of loose atoms with no way to be built into a person.

Periodic Chart
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Chlorine (Cl) - a micronutrient

Anyone who has ever swallowed a mouthful of water at a swimming pool would probably tell you that chlorine is one of the most unpleasant things they have ever swallowed and they wouldn't mind if they never ingest chlorine ever again. This element, however, is actually essential for humans to live - we would die without it. Chlorine is found throughout the body; in the blood, in the fluid inside cells and in the fluid between cells.

Along with sodium and potassium, chlorine carries an electrical charge when dissolved in body fluids. This is why these elements are termed "electrolytes". The electrical charge that these elements carry is what allows nerve cells to work. Chlorine also works with potassium and sodium to regulate the amount of fluids in the body and to regulate pH in the body. This vital element also helps muscles flex and relax normally.

Stomach acid is a compound of hydrogen and chlorine (hydrochloric acid, or HCl). Logically, chlorine is extremely important in allowing us to digest our food properly and to absorb the many other elements that we need to survive. Excessive vomiting can lead to a serious loss of chlorine in the body. This can lead to a dangerous imbalance of pH in the body, which can cause muscle weakness, loss of appetite, dehydration and coma.

It is easy to get enough chlorine from natural, unprocessed foods, and deficiencies of this important element are rare. Most Americans, however, consume massive amounts of salt in their diet. Table salt is a compound of sodium and chlorine (sodium chloride, or NaCl). This means most of us get much more chlorine than we really need.

Periodic Chart
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Chromium (Cr)

When we think of chromium, our brains may generate images of everything from the shinny finish on our first bicycle to the brilliant chrome rally wheels on the '66 Mustang GT. The last thing that comes to mind is a substance that we actually need to eat in order to stay healthy. Chromium, in fact, is an element that is essential to good human health. It does many important things in the body. Most significantly, it is a vital component of a molecule that works with insulin to stabilize blood sugar levels. In other words, it helps our bodies absorb energy from the food we eat and stabilizes the level of energy that we feel throughout the day.

Our bodies need sufficient quantities of chromium to make many of the large biological molecules that help us live. This vital element can also help increase muscle mass while reducing fat mass in our bodies. It helps cells, such as heart muscle cells absorb the energy they need to work properly.

Unfortunately, it is often difficult to get enough chromium in our diets. People who exercise frequently have especially high demands for this element. Scientists estimate that 90% of all Americans don't get enough chromium from their diet. Foods that are high in chromium include whole grain breads, brown rice, cheese and lean meats. Chromium is also in many (but not all) multi-vitamins and supplements, but the body absorbs chromium much better from food.

Periodic Chart
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Cobalt (Co)

Cobalt is another element that is necessary for good human health. While cobalt has no specific function by itself, it forms the core of vitamin B-12. Without cobalt, Vitamin B-12 could not exist. The body uses this vitamin for numerous of purposes. B-12 is necessary for the normal formation of all cells, especially red blood cells. Vitamin B-12 also helps vitamin C perform its functions, and is necessary for the proper digestion of the food that we eat. Additionally, vitamin B-12 prevents nerve damage by contributing to the formation of the protective sheath that insulates nerve cells.

A deficiency of vitamin B-12 can cause our red blood cells to form improperly. This can prevent our red blood cells from carrying enough oxygen from our lungs to the different parts of our bodies, thus causing a condition called anemia. Symptoms of anemia include loss of energy, loss of appetite, and moodiness. B12 deficiency can also cause nerve cells to form incorrectly, resulting in irreversible nerve damage. This situation is characterized by symptoms such as delusions, eye disorders, dizziness, confusion and memory loss.

Unlike other B complex vitamins, vitamin B-12 can be stored in the body. Because of this, it is very easy to get enough of this important vitamin in your diet. Deficiencies of B-12 are rare in young people, but do occasionally occur in adults due to digestive disorders or poor absorption by the digestive system. Strict vegetarians are also at risk of B-12 deficiency, because vegetables do not contain this important vitamin. B-12 is only found in animal sources such as red meat, fish, eggs, cheese and milk. Fortunately for vegetarians, you can also get plenty of vitamin B-12 from most multi-vitamin pills.

Periodic Chart
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Copper (Cu) - a micronutrient

Copper is an element that is very important for our good health. Actually, that may be understating the true importance of this element. Copper is critically important for dozens of body functions.

To begin with, copper is a major component of the oxygen carrying part of blood cells. Copper also helps protect our cells from being damaged by certain chemicals in our bodies. Copper, along with vitamin C, is important for keeping blood vessels and skin elastic and flexible. This important element is also required by the brain to form chemicals that keep us awake and alert. Copper also helps your body produce chemicals that regulate blood pressure, pulse, and healing. Current research is looking into other ways copper can affect human health, from protecting against cancer and heart disease, to boosting the immune system.

General symptoms of not getting enough copper in your diet include anemia (a condition in which your blood can't supply enough oxygen to your body), arthritis (painful swelling of the joints), and many other medical problems.

Copper can be found in dried beans, almonds, broccoli, garlic, soybeans, peas, whole-wheat products, and seafood. Unfortunately, many people do not get enough copper in their diets. Also, eating food rich in fructose (sugars in fruit, and cornstarch) and taking mega-doses of vitamin C for long periods of time can keep your body from absorbing the copper in your food. This lack of copper intake by your body can cause the medical problems mentioned above, or it can even affect your life span.

Periodic Chart
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Fluorine (F)

Fluorine is an element that the body uses to strengthen bones and teeth. This element differs from the other elements that the body needs because we get most of it from the water that we drink, not from the food that we eat. The form of fluorine that normally exists in nature, fluoride, is actually added to most drinking water supplies. In areas where fluoride is added to the drinking water, children get up to 70% fewer dental cavities than in areas where the drinking water is low in fluoride. As you may have noticed, it is also added to most brands of toothpaste for its ability to fight cavities.

But this important element is also valuable because it helps the body strengthen the bones in your body. Fluoride is the most important trace element affecting bones and teeth. In fact, fluoride is the only element known to single-handedly stimulate bone growth. Fluoride, along with large quantities of calcium, is a large part of what makes your bones strong. When the body does not receive enough fluoride, bones start to loose calcium, and then become weak and brittle. Fortunately, it is easy for us to get enough fluorine because of the fact that it is added to our drinking water. Other good sources of this key element include seafood, teas and toothpaste.

Periodic Chart
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Germanium (Ge)

Germanium is a trace element that some believe is highly beneficial to good human health. In fact, germanium has many important medicinal properties. In the body, germanium attaches itself to oxygen molecules. This has the unexpected effect of making our bodies more effective at getting oxygen to the tissues in our body. The increased supply of oxygen in our bodies helps to improve our immune system. It also helps the body excrete harmful toxins.

The increased supply of oxygen in our bodies caused by germanium has many other exciting effects as well. Taking germanium supplements is effective in treating arthritis, food allergies, elevated cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and even cancer. Germanium can also be used to control pain in the human body.

Perhaps the most exciting thing about germanium is that it can stimulate the human immune system to fight cancer cells. This is exciting for two reasons. First, and most obvious, it helps fight cancer - one of the most deadly diseases in the world. But more importantly, it is not toxic to human cells. In fact, germanium is completely harmless to human cells, even cancer cells. Since it works by stimulating our immune system, which fights the cancer, it doesn't damage the rest of the body like many other cancer treatments. Testing of new cancer treatments with germanium are underway, and perhaps we will soon see new, less damaging, cancer treatments using the element germanium.

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Hydrogen (H) - a macronutrient

It would be virtually impossible to understate the importance of this element to human life. First of all, water is a compound of hydrogen and oxygen (H2O). We can survive years, or at least months without getting most of the other elements that we need to survive. We can survive weeks without food, but we would die after only a few days without water. Water is incredibly important in our bodies. In fact, almost _ of our bodies are made of water. It dissolves other life-supporting substances and transports them to fluids in and around our cells. It is also a place in which important reactions take place in our bodies. Chemically, water is a remarkable substance and it's many unique attributes make life possible. Hydrogen is obviously a critical component of water and minute chemical bonds called "hydrogen bonds" are what give water many of its unique attributes.

Also, hydrogen is practically always bound to the carbon that our bodies are constructed of. Without this arrangement, our bodies would be little more than a pile of atoms on the ground. Stomach acid is a compound of hydrogen and chlorine (hydrochloric acid, or HCl). Logically, hydrogen is extremely important in allowing us to digest our food properly and to absorb the many other elements that we need to survive. Finally, many chemical reactions that make life possible involve the hydrogen ion. Without this unique and important element, we simply couldn't exist.

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Iodine (I)

Iodine is an element that is required in very small amounts by the human body. You are probably already aware of some of the uses of this element. Iodine is found in a purple solution that we often put on scrapes and cuts to help our wounds heal faster by preventing them from getting infected. Also, backpackers and campers often add iodine to river and lake water to make it safe to drink.

But the most important thing about iodine is that it keeps our thyroid gland healthy. Most of the iodine in our bodies is stored in this organ, located in the base of your neck. The thyroid gland uses iodine to make chemicals that affect our growth, the way we development and how we burn the energy that we get from the food we eat. If we don't get enough iodine in our diets, we can expect to have a loss of energy and to gain weight.

Iodine is found in large amounts in seafood, sea vegetables (for example, kelp), dairy products and iodized salt (table salt). It is easy to get enough of this element in your normal diet, and you probably get more than enough if you eat salty foods(with iodized salts, not salt substitutes) like potato chips or french fires.

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Iron (Fe) - a micronutrient

The element iron has many functions in the body. This element is used by the body to make tendons and ligaments. Certain chemicals in our brain are controlled by the presence or absence of iron. It is also important for maintaining a healthy immune system and for digesting certain things in the food that we eat. In fact, plays a vitally important part of how our body obtains energy from our food.

The iron we obtain from our diet is an essential part of hemoglobin - the part of our blood that carries oxygen. Iron is essential for blood to work efficiently. If we don't get enough iron in our diets, our blood won't carry enough oxygen to our bodies and we can feel tired, have decreased alertness and attention span and our muscles may not function properly. This type of iron deficiency is not uncommon among athletes, especially long distance runners. This is frequently the cause of fatigue among these athletes. If the lack of iron in our bodies is severe, we can get "iron deficiency anemia", which essentially means that our blood won't carry enough oxygen to our bodies so we can function normally. Iron deficiency anemia is probably the most common nutritional disease in the world, affecting at least five hundred million people.

Fortunately, it is easy to get enough iron in your food, if you eat a balanced diet. Many foods contain iron, and eating a wide range of foods can help most people meet their needs for this important element.

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Magnesium (Mg) - a macronutrient

Magnesium is an element that is required by our bodies for numerous different functions. We need it for the proper growth, formation and function of our bones and muscles. In fact, magnesium and calcium even control how our muscles contract. Magnesium prevents some heart disorders and high blood pressure. Higher intake of magnesium is also associated with improved lung function. Our bodies use it to help convert our food into energy and it helps our bodies absorb calcium and potassium. This important element also helps our brains function normally. Magnesium even helps to prevent depression.

Magnesium is essential in allowing your body to control insulin levels in your blood. This means that it is very important in the amount of energy that your body has to operate. It is suspected that taking extra magnesium might be beneficial for those suffering from fatigue.

Taking extra magnesium is helpful for treating some medical conditions. Magnesium is sometimes injected into patients' veins in emergency situations such as an acute heart attack or acute asthma attack. In non-emergency situations, magnesium is sometimes given to asthma sufferers in a pill form. It relaxes the muscles along the airway to the lungs, which allows asthma patients to breathe easier. Magnesium is effective in treating numerous heart / lung diseases and has been used for over 50 years.

Foods high in magnesium include fish, dairy products, lean meat, whole grains, seeds, and vegetables.

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Manganese (Mn) - a micronutrient

Manganese is actually an extremely important element that the body uses for a variety of things. For instance, we use it to make chemicals that help us digest the food that we eat. Manganese also supports the immune system, regulates blood sugar levels, and is involved in the production of energy and cell reproduction. This important element is also important for bone growth. Additionally, manganese works with vitamin K to support blood clotting. Working with the B-complex vitamins, manganese helps to control the effects of stress while contributing to ones sense of well being.

Though it is extremely rare in humans, it is suspected that not getting enough manganese can cause poor bone formation, affect our fertility and the ability for our blood to clot. Birth defects can possibly even result when an expecting mother doesn't get enough of this very important element. Some researchers are also looking into a link between poor manganese intake and higher skin cancer rates. The fact that manganese is so important to humans, yet deficiencies in humans are so rare, may indicate that humans have evolved ways to make sure that we don't ever run out of this element in our bodies.

As is the case with most, if not all, elements, we can easily get enough manganese from a good balanced diet. Foods high in manganese include avocados, berries, nuts and seeds, egg yolks, whole grains, green leafy vegetables and legumes (such as peanuts, peas and beans).

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Molybdenum (Mo) - a micronutrient

Molybdenum (pronounced mo-lyb-den-um) is necessary for good health, though in extremely small amounts. Molybdenum is found in all tissues of the human body, but tends to be the most concentrated in the liver, kidneys, skin and bones. It is required for the proper function of several chemicals in the human body. Some of these chemicals have the very important job of allowing the body to process the iron and nitrogen in our diets. Molybdenum is believed to be important in helping our cells grow. Also, small amounts of dietary molybdenum have been credited with promoting healthy teeth. Some evidence suggests that molybdenum might reduce the risk of some types of asthma attacks.

A deficiency of molybdenum in our diets can cause mouth and gum disorders and can contribute to getting cancer. A diet high in refined and processed foods can lead to a deficiency of molybdenum, resulting in anemia (lack of oxygen in the blood), loss of appetite and weight, and stunted growth in animals. While these deficiencies have not been observed directly in humans, it is known that a molybdenum deficiency can lead to impotence in older males.

The amount of molybdenum in plant foods varies significantly and is dependent upon the mineral content of the soil that the plants were grown in. Nevertheless, the best sources of this mineral are beans, legumes (peanuts and peas), dark green leafy vegetables, and grains. Hard tap water can also supply molybdenum to the diet.

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Nickel (Ni)

Nickel is known to be an essential trace element for several species of animals. Experimental research shows that when chickens and rats are fed a diet that lacks nickel, they develop liver problems. If they are fed a normal diet, the symptoms do not appear. Animals are not the only ones that need this element to function properly. Bacteria use nickel to make special chemicals called enzymes. These enzymes are necessary for bacteria to function properly.

Though many scientists suspect that nickel is necessary for good human health, it has not been proven. People with certain liver and kidney diseases are known to have low levels of nickel in their bodies. Also, excess nickel in the body is associated with a high incidence of heart disease, thyroid disease and cancer. In both of these cases, the significance of the amount of nickel in the body is unknown. Some scientists think that nickel affects hormones, cell membranes and chemicals called enzymes. Whatever the case, nickel certainly appears to affect human health, even though we do not know exactly how.

Good sources of nickel include chocolate, nuts, fruits and vegetables. Meats are typically low in this interesting element.

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Nitrogen (N) - a macronutrient

Nitrogen is another important element. It plays an important role in digestion of food and growth. As you may know, almost 80% of the air we breathe is made up of nitrogen. But humans cannot use the nitrogen in the air we breathe, that nitrogen is in the wrong form. We have to get nitrogen, in a different form, from the food that we eat. Fortunately, there is plenty of nitrogen in food to nourish our bodies.

Nitrogen is found in large amounts in all kinds of food. Spaghetti, salads, breakfast cereal, hamburgers and even cookies have lots of nitrogen in the form that our bodies need. When your body digests this food and makes it into energy, the first step is to remove nitrogen atoms from the molecules in the food. While your body is busy digesting the rest of this food and making it into energy, these nitrogen atoms are already being used to help you grow. One specific time that this is especially important is during pregnancy. When a woman is pregnant, the nitrogen removed from food during digestion is needed to help the fetus to grow properly. By term, the mother and infant will have accumulated over a pound of nitrogen.

It is also worth noting that in the plant kingdom, nitrogen is one of the 3 main elements that make plant life possible. (Potassium and phosphorus are the other two, and you may hear them referred to collectively as N-P-K whenever talking about key plant nutrients.)

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Oxygen (O) - a macronutrient

It may seem obvious that people need to breathe oxygen to survive, but plants need this element too. Many people think plants "breathe" carbon dioxide and "exhale" oxygen. But in reality, plants also "breathe" oxygen at certain times. Without oxygen, plants could not survive. Without plants, we wouldn't have food to eat.

It is also worth mentioning that water is a compound of hydrogen and oxygen (H2O) and that water is absolutely necessary for virtually all life as we know it. Water is incredibly important in our bodies. In fact, more than 50% of our bodies are made of water. It dissolves other life-supporting substances and transports them to fluids in and around our cells. It is also a place in which important reactions take place in our bodies. Many people consider water to be the "blood of life".

When you consider the full importance of oxygen, it becomes clear that this versatile element is the single most important substance to life.

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Phosphorus (P) - a macronutrient

Phosphorus is one of the most abundant minerals in the human body, second only to calcium. This essential mineral is required for the healthy formation of bones and teeth, and is necessary for our bodies to process many of the foods that we eat. It is also a part of the body's energy storage system, and helps with maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. Phosphorus is also found in substantial amounts in the nervous system. The regular contractions of the heart are dependant upon phosphorus, as are normal cell growth and repair.

Since phosphorus is found in almost all plant and animal food sources, a deficiency of this mineral is rarely seen. However, phosphorus deficiency can and does occur, particularly in people who take certain types of antacids for many years. Since phosphorus is important in maintaining the body's energy system and proper blood sugar levels, it should seem logical that not getting enough of this mineral will affect the energy level in the entire body. Indeed, feeling easily fatigued, weak and having a decreased attention span can be symptoms of mild phosphate deficiency.

It is also worth noting that in the plant kingdom, phosphorus is one of the 3 main elements that make plant life possible. (Potassium and nitrogen are the other two, and you may hear them referred to collectively as N-P-K whenever talking about key plant nutrients.)

The human body must maintain a balance between magnesium phosphorus, and calcium. Excess intake of phosphorus can occur in people with diets high in processed foods, soft drinks, and meats, leading to osteoporosis.

The Recommended Dietary Allowances for phosphorus is 300 milligrams for infants, and between 800 and 1,200 milligrams for adults. It is estimated that Americans ingest on average between 1,500 and 1,600 milligrams of phosphorus per day, almost twice the recommended amount. Foods highest in phosphorus include asparagus, brewers yeast, dairy products, eggs, fish, dried fruit, meats, garlic, legumes, nuts and seeds, and whole grains.

Many antacids, which are widely used for treatment of peptic ulcer disease, gastritis (heart burn) and acid reflux, contain magnesium and aluminum, both of which bind to phosphate, preventing its absorption into the body.

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Potassium (K) - a macronutrient

The element Potassium is an extremely important element in the human body. Our bodies are made up of millions of tiny cells, such as brain cells, skin cells, liver cells etc. These cells make up the different organs in our bodies, such as the brain, skin, or liver. Potassium is extremely important to cells, and without it, we could not survive.

Cells are the small building blocks of the human body. In order to work properly, cells need to let things enter and leave them. Cells have many ways by which they can control what (and how much) enters and leaves. Most of the ways that cells do this requires potassium. In fact, without potassium, cells loose control of what can enter and leave them. As you can imagine, this could be very bad. Imagine a nerve cell in your finger for a moment. Normally, it doesn't really do very much. But when you touch something, it sends messages down a chain of many nerves to your brain that help you determine what it is that you just touched. When a nerve cell does this, it actually pumps out chemicals, which give the message to the next nerve cell and eventually to the brain. Potassium helps control the release of those chemicals. Without potassium, the nerve cell couldn't send those messages to your brain.

But it is not just nerve cells that depend on potassium. Most, if not all, of our cells depend on it. Just think of it for a minute. Every time you flex your muscles, blink your eyes, yawn in chemistry class, eat lunch, or do anything, you are using potassium. This element is indeed a very important element in our bodies.

It is also worth noting that in the plant kingdom, potassium is one of the 3 main elements that make plant life possible. (Nitrogen and phosphorus are the other two, and you may hear them referred to collectively as N-P-K whenever talking about key plant nutrients.)

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Selenium (Se)

Despite selenium's reputation as a toxic heavy metal, this element is actually very important to good human health. Selenium is an important part of a molecule in the body that protects blood cells from certain damaging chemicals. Together with vitamin E, selenium helps our immune system produce antibodies, which is obviously an immensely important task. Selenium helps keep the pancreas and heart functioning properly. This remarkable element is also needed to make our tissues elastic. Imagine, for instance, if our skin wasn't elastic; we'd have loose skin draping all over our bodies. It may be cool to have loose clothes draping all over our bodies, but people might make fun of you if you had that much loose skin. Sufficed to say that selenium is a very important element to our bodies.

A deficiency of this vital trace element has been linked to the development of leukemia, arthritis, and other diseases. Researchers have also found that the lower the concentration of selenium in the blood stream, the higher the risk of developing many types of cancer. In fact, some researchers tout selenium as being a powerful cancer-preventing substance. High selenium intake has also been correlated with a dramatically lower incidence of heart disease.

The amount of selenium in food is dependent on the amount of the element in the environment where the food is from. Fish, grains and brazil nuts are considered to be good dietary sources of selenium. However, in the current global marketplace it is difficult to know whether the food you eat comes from selenium-rich or selenium-poor growing areas. As with virtually all elements, it is easy to get enough selenium from a well balanced diet.

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Silicon (Si)

If we reflect upon what we all know about silicon for a moment, some of us may recognize silicon as being the key component of sand. Others may think of computer chips; and there is no doubt a few that think of breast implants. Few of us would consider that silicon is something our bodies actually need to be healthy. Silicon is indeed a very common mineral that is required by our bodies. We use it, along with calcium, to grow and maintain strong bones. It is also important to the formation of connective tissues, like ligaments and tendons. Silicon is also important for the growth of hair, skin and fingernails. Unfortunately, despite the fact that silicon is important to the human body, there is comparatively little being done to learn more about why and exactly how it is important for good health.

It is possible that silicon is influential in preventing veins and arteries from getting hard and stiff, though there is no clear understanding of how this element affects artery hardening. Also, it is known that silicon reduces the effectiveness of aluminum in the body. It has been suggested that silicon may be able to delay or prevent Alzheimer's disease. But once again, it is unclear how silicon may affect this degenerative disease of the brain. A form of silicon is actually a home remedy for problems with weakening bones, painful joints and aging skin, though there is no clear evidence that it actually helps such conditions.

Generally it is quite easy to get plenty of silicon in a normal diet and deficiencies are extremely rare. Foods rich in silicon include whole grain breads and cereals, alfalfa, beets, bell peppers, beans and peas.

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Sodium (Na)

Sodium is an element that is vital to human life. Together with potassium and chlorine, it forms a very important part of blood plasma. Without sodium, our cells could not get the nutrients they need to survive. Sodium also allows our bodies to maintain the right blood chemistry and the correct amount of water in our blood. This element also allows our muscles to contract normally. Furthermore, our bodies need sodium to digest the food that we eat. Normal functioning of our nervous system also depends on this important element.

Having the proper amount of sodium in our blood is so important that our bodies have special ways to maintain the right levels of this important element. For instance, if you eat a bag of salty potato chips (salt is actually a compound of sodium and chlorine), your body will soon sense that there is too much sodium in your body. Your body's first response will be to become thirsty. When you drink water, the sodium in your blood becomes diluted and then your kidneys can remove the excess sodium that you consumed when you ate the salty potato chips.

The foods that most Americans eat are very high in salt content (i.e. potato chips, french fries and popcorn). Salt is really a compound of sodium and chlorine. Therefore, most Americans consume far more sodium than our bodies actually need and it is uncommon that someone would not get enough of this element. One situation that a sodium deficiency can occur, however, is when you sweat a large amount from playing sports or exercising extensively. Your sweat contains a lot of sodium and if you sweat enough, you will loose too much sodium. This can lead to dehydration, weakness and mental confusion. Many athletes drink sports drinks that contain a lot of sodium, like Gatorade, to prevent this from happening.

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Sulfur (S) - a macronutrient

Sis is an important element that is used in small amounts to help construct virtually all parts of the human body. Sulfur helps protect the cells in our bodies from environmental hazards such as air pollution and radiation. Consequently, sulfur slows down the aging process and extends our life span. Also, sulfur helps our liver function properly, helps us digest the food that we eat and then turn that food into energy. Sulfur is also important for helping our blood clot when we cut or bruise ourselves. Additionally, sulfur is an important part of vitamin B1 and insulin. Interestingly, sulfur is also an important part of a substance that keeps your skin supple and elastic. If you don't think that is important, just imagine trying to get a date to the homecoming dance with stiff, loose skin hanging all over your body.

Fortunately, there is plenty of sulfur in the food that we eat and it is easy to get enough of this important element in our daily diets. There is no need to worry about getting too much sulfur in your diet. If you get more than your body needs, you just excrete it in your urine. Foods that have a lot of sulfur include meats, fish, dairy products, eggs and garlic.

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Tin (Sn)

Tin is possibly an essential element for animals, but no specific role for tin in human health has been identified. Some scientists suspect that extremely small quantities of tin are necessary for some species of animals, such as rats, to grow and develop correctly. Some nutritional supplement retailers suggest that a deficiency in tin can cause baldness in humans, but that has not been proven. Actually, no specific function of any kind for tin has been identified in humans.

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Titanium (Ti)

Very little has been written on the biological role of titanium. Titanium has no known biological use in humans, although it is known to act as a stimulant. In some plants, titanium is used in chemical energy production. Titanium is used in prosthetics because it won't react with the biological tissues in the body.

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Tungsten (W)

Opinions are mixed about the need for tungsten in plant and animal life processes, although it has been proved to be necessary for certain bacteria. This element has a small function in biological processes. Tungsten is used by certain non-oxygen consuming bacteria in extremely hot ocean environments, such as in hot ocean sediments and deep-sea ocean vents. The bacteria in these environments use tungsten to produce special chemicals called enzymes, which are necessary for certain life processes. Exactly how tungsten is used by these unique and interesting bacteria is quite complex and beyond the scope of this discussion.

It is not known if humans need tungsten for good health. Tungsten is thought to be used by a small number of enzymes in a fashion similar to molybdenum. Here's how it might be important.

The enzymes described above are in a class of enzymes that perform important tasks for human health. However, the enzymes in this class that humans use incorporate molybdenum, not tungsten, into their structures. Some sources indicate that tungsten is important to humans. But their reasoning is faulty: (a) tungsten is in some of the enzymes of enzyme class "x" (b) some enzymes of class "x" are important to human health (c) therefore, tungsten is important to human health.

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Vanadium (V)

Vanadium has recently been declared by some scientists to be essential for good human health. It is believed that vanadium is involved in helping the body convert some foods into energy. It has also been suggested that diabetics may benefit from vanadium when trying to stabilize blood sugar levels. This element is also thought to help bones and teeth form properly.

There is not a great deal of scientific knowledge as to the exact importance of vanadium. Actually, no specific symptoms of vanadium deficiency have been identified in human beings. It is possible that not getting enough of this element may affect the body's ability to control blood sugar levels and contribute to developing diabetes or hypoglycemia (abnormally low blood sugar levels). Some scientists suspect that a deficiency of this mineral may increase the chance of getting kidney and heart disease. Some research has also shown that vanadium may slow the growth of tumors and provide protection against the development of breast cancer. But more research is clearly needed to determine its exact role in human health.

As is the case with most, if not all, of the biologically important elements, it is easy to get enough of this element from a healthy, balanced diet. Good sources of vanadium include seafood, mushrooms, olives, whole grain breads, carrots and vegetable oils.

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Zinc (Zn) - a micronutrient

Zinc has been recognized as an essential trace element for plants, animals and humans for more than 70 years. Though the average adult body only contains between 2-3 grams of zinc (a paperclip weighs about one gram), this element has some very important functions. Zinc is involved in well over one hundred different reactions in the body. Some of these reactions help our bodies construct and maintain DNA, the molecule that controls how every single part of our bodies is made and works. Zinc is also needed for the growth and repair of tissues throughout our bodies. This extremely important element is used to form connective tissue like ligaments and tendons. Teeth, bones, nails, skin and hair could not grow without zinc. Zinc is widely considered by doctors to be one of the most important elements to a healthy immune system. This unique element is essential for the creation, release and use of hormones in the body. It helps developing fetuses grow correctly and our brains to work right. Additionally, our senses of sight, taste and smell depend on this element.

Not getting enough zinc can have serious effects on our health. Some of the symptoms of zinc deficiency include hair loss, mental apathy and damage to reproductive organs. Decreased growth rate and impaired mental capacity are other symptoms. Additionally, you can loose most of your senses of taste and smell, develop mental disorders and men can even become impotent without enough zinc.

Many factors affect how well our bodies absorb zinc in the food we eat, and at times it can be difficult to get enough zinc - even from a well balanced diet. Good sources of zinc include whole wheat bread, seafood and other animal meats.

I was absolutely stunned to read this - this couldn't be the Germany I know. Therefore, I checked the Website of the "Umweltbundesamt", the governmental office for environmental protection.

What I found is this:
http://www.umweltbundesamt.de/index-e.htm
http://kepler.han-solo.net/uba/wgs-e/mysql_wgs-stoff.php3

Collodidal silver is classified as a hazardous substance to water, in classification class "3" which means "severe hazard to water". This is the same classification level as mercury.
http://kepler.han-solo.net/uba/wgs-e/archiv/vwvws.pdf

Annex 2
Substances hazardous to waters according to number 2.1.1

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Silvernitrate and silversulphate are approved for a transitory period (until 1st January 2006)to conserve stored water in small facilities for non-systematic use and only in exceptional cases!!!

So, it is simply NOT TRUE !

Go and check yourself - most of it is in English.

Gabrielle

It didn't help at all.

In my previous life I was a hospital lab tech. I have a Bachleors in Biology and my board certification as a Medical Technologist (ASCP). I worked the microbiology dept. of a hospital lab for 5 years, along with all the other departments of the lab.

It is very simple and easy to grow Group A beta-hemolytic Streptococcus pyrogenes in your everyday lab. Antibody titers called ASOT (anti-streptolysin antibody titers) are used to check for systemic infection. Strept is not a stealth pathogen.

quote:

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Originally posted by Gabrielle:
[B
I was absolutely stunned to read this - this couldn't be the Germany I know. Therefore, I checked the Website of the "Umweltbundesamt", the governmental office for environmental protection.

[/B]

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quote:

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Originally posted by janet thomas:
Antibody titers called ASOT (anti-streptolysin antibody titers) are used to check for systemic infection. Strept is not a stealth pathogen.

Janet, MT(ASCP)

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quote:

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Originally posted by zuzuu:
brentb, just out of curiosity I'd like to know which CS you are taking. .

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The product I added to my homebrew is called Silver Wings. Correction it's 250 ppm. Just purchased one for $34.

Dr. Burgerdorfer seems to understand the problem with the medical
communitity taking colloidal silver seriously: it's " never [been]
established scientifically." Yet he optimistically states, In vitro
studies with DEDI's Mild Silver Protein and the Lyme disease spirochete,
B. burgdorferi, revealed a lOO% killing effect within less than five
minutes after exposure to the silver preparation."

His article discusses possible protocols for use of this product in
treating Lyme disease.

Here's a couple websites with this article and comments about a study of
the effects a silver product on Lyme bacteria from Willy Burgdorfer,
Ph.D., Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Division of N.I.H., discoverer of
the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.
http://www.xpressnet.com/bhealthy/bhealthy.html#univ (jump to "Booklet
Page #12" continued to "Booklet 13".

He told me he thought it would treat Babesia, as well as Lyme. I did all right for the first ten days or so, but then fell into a continuing cycle of increasingly severe herxheimers, or toxicity reactions.

My heart rate elevated to the point that I needed to be put on beta blockers. My headaches were excruciating. Life was the most miserable it has ever been.

To go along with all of this, for the first time, my standard blood tests began to go wonky. My white blood cell levels dropped, then my red blood cells. Neutrophils went up and down, eosinophils were all over the place.

Liver function went out of range for the first time, in spite of many months of meds that are hard on the liver. My kidneys started to show signs of severe stress.

My doctor wanted me to continue, in spite of all these indications that things weren't going well. By the end, I was only able to infuse every ten days, at very minmal amounts. I finally just said no!

By the time I went to the SF Lyme conference, I had already stopped using the silver, but hadn't yet made up my mind what was going on.

It took me several months for my blood chemistry to stabilize.

At this point, I want to say that I feel the current research is VERY biased. The people doing the resaerch are making money by doing it. They make money when they sell the silver, and when they do the infusions.

This includes my own doctor, who I continue to believe is basically a good man. But it doesn't make good science. It is impossible to be unbiased in a situation like this.

I have talked to some people who feel the silver benefitted them. I've talked to others who had trouble. I don't know if the silver is any more dangerous than antibiotics are for any individual. But don't be fooled. It is not completely harmless. And the research is far from reliable.

------------------
Sonoma County Lyme Support
[email protected]

quote:

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Originally posted by riversinger:
I did all right for the first ten days or so, but then fell into a continuing cycle of increasingly severe herxheimers, or toxicity reactions.

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Sounds like you needed to cut back.

quote:

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Originally posted by riversinger:

At this point, I want to say that I feel the current research is VERY biased. The people doing the resaerch are making money by doing it.

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quote:

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Originally posted by riversinger:
I used Argentyn 23 silver hydrosol for three months via IV, under the supervision of my doctor, who is very enthusiastic about it.

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Another possibility.
As I've said before there is a controversy over what is the correct form of silver. MSP or ionic silver. Argentyn 23 is 97% ionic I believe. The MSP camp even states that the ionic form is toxic. There is alot of hype on the internet so I take everything with a grain of salt but one thing to consider is this. AFAIK the trials done by the doctors pre abx era dealt with silver atoms not ions.

I did try reducing the amount used, and the frequency. Like I said, it took months to recover normal lab tests after completely stopping.