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An Instagram post claims that warts can be removed in just 2 days by using slaked lime (Chuna) and baking soda. The claim is False. 

Claim

The reel posted by the Instagram user ai.pure_health claims that warts/skin tags can be removed in just 2 days by using slaked lime (Chuna) and baking soda. The reel states, “This ₹1 remedy can completely eliminate warts/skin tags from the root—in just 1 minute! You just need to take half a teaspoon of slaked lime (the one used in betel leaves). Then, add half a teaspoon of baking soda to it. Finally, add two to three drops of water and mix it well. Now, apply this mixture only on the wart. Within just 2 days, the wart will dry up and fall off without you even noticing.”

The post has 184,469 likes and can be accessed here.

Fact Check

The claim is False. There is no proven evidence that slaked lime and baking soda can remove warts or skin tags in 2 days. For safe and effective treatment, it’s best to seek medical advice instead of relying on unverified remedies.

What are warts?

Warts are benign skin growths caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). They are highly contagious and can develop at any age, though they are most commonly seen in children and teenagers. These growths form when the virus enters the skin through small cuts or abrasions, leading to excessive cell production that thickens the outer skin layer.

Although most warts are harmless and often resolve on their own within weeks or months, some may cause discomfort, such as itching, tightness, or pain, particularly when located on the soles of the feet. Additionally, some warts may contain tiny black or brown specks, which are actually clotted blood from broken capillaries beneath the skin.

What are Skin Tags?

Skin tags are benign, soft skin growths that commonly develop on the neck, eyelids, and underarms. They may be the same colour as the skin or appear darker, and if irritated, they can turn pink or red. These small growths typically form in areas where friction occurs, such as where the skin rubs against itself, clothing, or jewellery. Common locations include under the breasts, on the neck, eyelids, groin, and underarms. Individuals with diabetes, metabolic syndrome, or a genetic predisposition are at a higher risk of developing skin tags.

What are the Health Benefits of Slaked Lime and Baking Soda?

Limestone (CaCO₃) is a naturally occurring industrial mineral that is widely used across various industries. Its primary component is calcium carbonate (CaCO₃). One of the most important uses of limestone is in the production of lime (CaO), which is obtained by calcining limestone—a process where limestone is heated at high temperatures to drive off carbon dioxide (CO₂).

When lime (CaO), also known as unslaked lime or quicklime, is mixed with water, it undergoes a chemical reaction called slaking, resulting in the formation of slaked lime (Ca(OH)₂.

Slaked lime (calcium hydroxide, Ca(OH)₂) plays a significant role in enhancing calcium intake, particularly in regions where it is used to fortify (adding extra nutrients) staple foods like rice. Calcium is essential for bone health, growth, and development, and adequate intake helps prevent and manage conditions like rickets, a disorder caused by calcium deficiency. 

Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, breaks down into carbon dioxide, water, and salt when used. The carbon dioxide gas it releases causes dough to rise quickly, making it a popular ingredient in baking bread and cakes. Additionally, it enhances athletic performance by helping the body balance acidity levels and reducing muscle fatigue. It also plays a role in lowering bad cholesterol and blood sugar while boosting good cholesterol. For individuals with kidney disease, baking soda can slow disease progression and support better nutritional health. Moreover, it helps cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy by alleviating symptoms like nausea and diarrhoea.

Can Warts/Skin Tag Be Removed in Just 2 Days by Using Slaked Lime (Chuna) and Baking Soda?

Studies show that slaked lime boosts calcium intake when added to staple foods like rice, while baking soda helps balance acidity, reduce muscle fatigue, and support heart health, but there is no scientific evidence or medical consensus to support the claim that warts/skin tag can be removed in just 2 days by using slaked lime and baking soda.

A study in the Journal of Ayurvedic and Herbal Medicine found that Kaalaani Kalimbu is a well-known Siddha cream used to remove hard skin, warts, corns, and skin tags through chemical cauterization. It contains limestone, arsenic trisulfide, copper sulfate, mercuric perchloride, lead sulfide, and beeswax. The study mentions limestone, which is the compound used to produce slaked lime (calcium hydroxide), but it does not directly refer to slaked lime itself. The study also highlights chemical cauterization, a process that involves strong and potentially harmful chemicals, which should not be used by the general public without medical supervision.

Another study in the Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research tested a mixture of sodium bicarbonate and castor oil (1:1 ratio) on warts after cutting them at the base. The results showed that sodium bicarbonate has anti-wart properties, possibly because it makes the affected area too alkaline for the human papillomavirus (HPV) to survive, grow, and spread. But, the study does not confirm that sodium bicarbonate alone can completely remove warts after application.

These studies do not mention any direct role of slaked lime or baking soda in removing warts or skin tags within 2 days. Additionally, there is no medical consensus within the medical community supporting the claim that applying lime and baking soda can achieve this result in 2 days.

Dr. Priyanka Kuri, Consultant Dermatology, Aster Whitefield Hospital, Bengaluru, told Medical Dialogues, “Many patients use slaked lime and baking soda to remove warts, but both are irritants that can burn the skin, causing redness, peeling, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. The concentrated mixtures seen online can be especially harmful. Instead, dermatologists perform safer medical treatments like radiofrequency cautery, which effectively removes warts with minimal scarring. Using slaked lime and baking soda is strongly discouraged to prevent skin damage and long-term marks.”

Dr. Prateek Chauhan, MBBS, MD (Dermatologists, Leprologists), Ultra Health Skin Clinic, Delhi, added, “Applying slaked lime and baking soda to warts can cause skin irritation, burns, and pigmentation issues. While home remedies are popular, they may do more harm than good, especially when used in concentrated forms. It’s always best to consult a dermatologist for safe and effective wart removal, rather than risking unintended skin damage with unverified treatments.”

Medical Dialogues Final Take

While slaked lime and baking soda have various health benefits, there is no reliable basis to support the claim that they can remove warts or skin tags within 2 days. Warts and skin tags require proper medical treatment, and using home remedies without guidance may cause skin irritation, burns, or complications. It is always best to consult a doctor before trying any treatment for skin concerns.

Hence, the claim that warts/skin tags can be removed in just 2 days by using slaked lime and baking soda is False.

A new study published in the journal of Circulation showed that the use of anabolic androgenic steroids (AASs) has been linked in a large cohort with a lengthy follow-up period to a significantly elevated risk of cardiovascular disease.

Increased mortality is linked to the use of anabolic androgenic steroids, and case studies indicate that cardiovascular illness may be the cause of some of these fatalities. Yet, nothing is known about the prevalence of cardiovascular illness among AAS users. Thus, to evaluate the prevalence of cardiovascular disease among male AAS users with that of a general population cohort that was matched by age and sex, Josefine Windfeld-Mathiasen and colleagues undertook this study.

50 times the number of controls from the general Danish population were matched for age and sex with men who had been sanctioned for using AAS at Danish fitness facilities between 2006 and 2018 as part of an antidoping program. The group remained under observation until June 30, 2023. This study collected data on hospitalizations, prescriptions, length of schooling, and occupational status for both the AAS users and controls using the national registries. The incidence of ischemic stroke, arrhythmia, venous thromboembolism, cardiomyopathy, cardiac arrest, heart failure, percutaneous coronary intervention, acute myocardial infarction, or coronary artery bypass graft was examined in this investigation.

AAS users (n=1189) showed a substantially increased incidence of multiple cardiovascular events throughout an average follow-up period of 11 years when compared to controls (n=59,450). Accordingly, AASs were linked to a higher risk of heart failure, arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy, venous thromboembolism, acute myocardial infarction, and percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass graft. These outcomes were not reportable as there were so few incidences of ischemic stroke and cardiac arrest among AAS users.

Overall, AAS use is linked to a significant risk of cardiovascular illness, which includes an increased risk of heart failure, arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy, coronary intervention, venous thromboembolism, and acute myocardial infarction. Together, these results demonstrate the cardiovascular burden linked to AAS misuse and stress the significance of long-term monitoring to completely comprehend the range of hazards. Future clinical initiatives should concentrate on educating medical practitioners about the increased risk of cardiovascular disease among AAS users. 

Source:

Windfeld-Mathiasen, J., Heerfordt, I. M., Dalhoff, K. P., Trærup Andersen, J., Andersen, M. A., Johansson, K. S., Biering-Sørensen, T., Olsen, F. J., & Horwitz, H. (2025). Cardiovascular disease in anabolic androgenic steroid users. Circulation. https://doi.org/10.1161/circulationaha.124.071117

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved Tenecteplase as first FDA-approved stroke medication in nearly three decades. It offers a significant advantage over alteplase by enabling faster administration, potentially improving outcomes for stroke patients.

This approval of TNKase marks Genentech’s second approval for stroke, reinforcing the company’s long-standing dedication to advancing stroke care as the developer of the only two FDA-approved medicines for AIS, TNKase and Activase® (alteplase).

TNKase is delivered as a single five-second intravenous (IV) bolus, a faster and simpler administration compared to the standard-of-care, Activase, which is administered as an IV bolus followed by a 60-minute infusion. Genentech will also be introducing a new 25 mg vial configuration in the coming months to support the approval of TNKase for AIS.

“Today’s approval is a significant step forward and underscores our commitment to advancing stroke treatment options for patients,” said Levi Garraway, M.D., Ph.D., Genentech’s chief medical officer and head of Global Product Development. “TNKase provides a faster and simpler administration, which can be critical for anyone who is dealing with an acute stroke.”

Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death, and the leading cause of long-term disability in the United States, affecting more than 795,000 people each year. During an AIS, brain damage occurs and progresses rapidly, meaning every moment without intervention leads to irreversible loss of nervous tissue, making immediate medical care crucial.

The approval is based on a large multi-center non-inferiority study demonstrating that TNKase is comparable to Activase in AIS patients in terms of safety and efficacy. The AcT (Alteplase compared to Tenecteplase) trial compared TNKase to Activase in treating patients with acute ischemic stroke who presented with a disabling neurological deficit. This investigator-initiated study was conducted by the University of Calgary, was funded by the Canadian Institute of Health Research, and enrolled patients across 22 stroke centers in Canada.

TNKase is also FDA-approved for the treatment of acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in adults.

About TNKase® (tenecteplase)

TNKase® (tenecteplase) is a tissue plasminogen activator, clot-dissolving, thrombolytic medicine. TNKase is administered as a single five-second intravenous bolus and starts a biochemical reaction that can break down fibrin, a component of blood clots. The most frequent adverse reactions associated with tenecteplase are bleeding and hypersensitivity. TNKase is now indicated for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in adults. The Dosage and Administration section of the label recommends to initiate treatment as soon as possible and within 3 hours after the onset of stroke symptoms. TNKase is also indicated to reduce the risk of death associated with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The Dosage and Administration section of the label recommends initiating treatment as soon as possible after the onset of STEMI symptoms. Alteplase and tenecteplase are marketed and supplied by Genentech in the United States and Canada under the brands Activase and TNKase; and by Boehringer Ingelheim in all other countries except the United States, Canada and Japan under the brands Actilyse® and Metalyse®.

Poor sleep health can lead to many daily problems, and for people with chronic illnesses, one of those problems can be difficulty with daily movement.

Researchers from University of Michigan Health used data from the Nurse’s Health Study – a cohort study of more than 70,000 women nurses followed over time with surveys given every 2 years and used the dataset to focus on the impact of sleep on future mobility, with a special focus on chronic health conditions that are known to affect mobility.

The study findings, published in Sleep Epidemiology suggested that poor sleep health predicted a decline in mobility over the eight years following a chronic health diagnosis.

Women with diabetes, osteoarthritis or multiple sclerosis who also had signs or symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea were more particularly likely to have future problems with mobility compared to counterparts who didn’t have signs of sleep apnea.

“Poor sleep is often overlooked or assumed to be a consequence of aging, functional decline or disability in those with chronic health conditions,” said senior author Tiffany J. Braley, M.D., M.S., associate professor of neurology.

“However, sleep disturbances and disorders may also be an upstream contributor to these issues,” said Braley, also the director of the multiple sclerosis and neuroimmunology division at the University of Michigan Health.

“Treating sleep problems can have positive effects on other parts of life, including physical functions like mobility. In our clinical experiences within medical and rehabilitation contexts, we have observed that how someone is sleeping can have a direct impact on how they engage in physical activities as part of their treatment or self-management,” said first author Daniel Whibley, Ph.D., assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at University of Michigan Health.

The study found that signs of obstructive sleep apnea, reported sleep durations outside of the recommended guidelines, and a perception of inadequate sleep were all associated with an increase in the future use of assistive devices to help with mobility, such as a cane or wheelchair.

“Identifying sleep disturbances or signs of a sleep disorder, providing information about healthy sleep habits and referral to a specialist when needed may help to reduce the progression of mobility issues,” said Whibley.

“Our study is the first to observe this association in women, including those with and without long term conditions, making this research important to consider when addressing ways to better the long-term health of women with these conditions.”

“Reasons for these findings may vary depending on the condition, but require further study,” said Braley, who encourages providers to screen patients with chronic conditions for sleep disturbances and refer to sleep specialists early if an underlying sleep disorder is suspected, as “the vast majority of sleep disorders are highly treatable.”

For patients, Whibley recommends speaking up about problems with sleep.

“Consider sleep as an important part of overall health, especially for those who want to take a proactive role in addressing treatable causes of disability,” notes Whibley, “as it can help patients take control of their physical health.”

Reference:

Daniel Whibley, Monica M. Shieu, Galit Levi Dunietz, Tiffany J. Braley, Sleep disturbances and progression of mobility disability: Longitudinal findings from the Nurses’ Health Study, Sleep Epidemiology, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleepe.2023.100071.

The locus coeruleus noradrenergic system could offer a promising avenue for treating insomnia with medication, especially in individuals experiencing heightened distress. Dexmedetomidine, a selective α2-noradrenergic agonist, reduces locus coeruleus activity at lower-than-anesthetic doses. However, there are currently no suitable non-injection methods available for administering dexmedetomidine. Recent study explores the buccal delivery of dexmedetomidine in addressing sleep disturbances. Two oromucosal formulations, sublingual and buccal, were tested for their pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles in healthy individuals. Results showed that buccal dexmedetomidine was rapidly absorbed with minimal variability and dose proportionality. In poor sleepers, 40 µg buccal dexmedetomidine reduced sleep latency by 11.5 min, increased non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep time, and elevated NREM sleep electroencephalographic slow-wave energy. The onset of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep was dose-dependently delayed. Notably, cortisol, melatonin levels, heart rate, and postawakening parameters were not significantly affected.

Measurement and Pharmacokinetics

The study encompassed objective measurements like polysomnography, cortisol, melatonin assessments, and cardiovascular functions. The pharmacokinetics of both formulations were compared, showing superior performance of buccal delivery in terms of bioavailability and variability. The effects of 20 and 40 µg dexmedetomidine on sleep were studied in good and poor sleepers, revealing the rapid onset of action and enhanced NREM sleep in poor sleepers. The dexmedetomidine-induced changes did not affect cortisol levels, orthostatic regulation, or subjective sleep quality.

EEG Analysis and Implications

EEG analysis revealed increased slow-wave energy in NREM sleep with 40 µg dexmedetomidine, particularly in the first half of the night. The study showcased the potential of buccal dexmedetomidine in promoting NREM sleep in healthy poor sleepers, suggesting a role in enhancing sleep quality without adverse effects. The findings highlight buccal dexmedetomidine as a promising tool for investigating the locus coeruleus-norepinephrine system in sleep regulation and propose further clinical studies to validate its efficacy in treating stress-related insomnia. The study was supported by grants and declared potential conflicts of interest from some authors, with data availability upon request from the corresponding author.

Key Points

– Buccal delivery of dexmedetomidine demonstrated rapid absorption with minimal variability and dose proportionality, effectively reducing sleep latency by 11.5 min, increasing NREM sleep time, and enhancing NREM sleep electroencephalographic slow-wave energy in poor sleepers.

– Polysomnography, cortisol, melatonin assessments, and cardiovascular functions were used for objective measurements, revealing superior bioavailability and variability of buccal dexmedetomidine compared to sublingual delivery.

– The study showed that 20 and 40 µg dexmedetomidine induced rapid sleep onset and enhanced NREM sleep in poor sleepers without affecting cortisol levels, orthostatic regulation, or subjective sleep quality.

– EEG analysis demonstrated an increase in slow-wave energy during NREM sleep, especially in the first half of the night, highlighting the potential of buccal dexmedetomidine in promoting NREM sleep in healthy poor sleepers for improving sleep quality without adverse effects.

– The study suggested that buccal dexmedetomidine could be a valuable tool for investigating the locus coeruleus-norepinephrine system in sleep regulation and proposed further clinical studies to validate its efficacy in addressing stress-related insomnia.

– The research was funded by grants and disclosed potential conflicts of interest from some authors, with data accessibility available upon request from the corresponding author.

Reference –

MSc Laura K. Schnider et al. (2024). EFFECTS OF LOW-DOSE ORO-MUCOSAL DEXMEDETOMIDINE ON SLEEP AND THE SLEEP EEG IN HUMANS: A PHARMACOKINETICS-PHARMACODYNAMICS STUDY. Anesthesiology 2025; 142:476–88 https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.07.03.24309892