Gene expression profiling in practitioners of Sudarshan Kriya.

Background: The rapid pace of life, eating habits, and environmental pollution have increased stress levels and its related disorders. The complex molecular response to stress is mediated by stress genes and a variety of regulatory pathways. Oxidative stress is internal damage caused by reactive oxygen species.

Effect of rhythmic breathing (Sudarshan Kriya and Pranayam) on immune functions and tobacco addiction.

Stress, a psychophysiological process, acts through the immune-neuroendocrine axis and affects cellular processes of body and immune functions, leading to disease states including cancer. Stress is also linked to the habit of tobacco consumption and substance abuse, which in turn also leads to diseases. Sudarshan Kriya (SK) and Pranayam (P), rhythmic breathing processes, are known to reduce stress and improve immune functions.

Chemotherapy alone vs. chemotherapy plus high dose multiple antioxidants in patients with advanced non small cell lung cancer.

Objective: In vitro and animal studies suggest that antitumor effect of chemotherapeutic agents may be enhanced by antioxidants. Therefore, we initiated a clinical study to test the efficacy of high-dose multiple antioxidants (vitamins C, E and beta carotene) as an adjunct to chemotherapy (paclitaxel and carboplatin) in non-small-cell lung cancer.

Methods: 136 patients of stage IIIb and stage IV NSCLC were randomized to receive chemotherapy (paclitaxel and carboplatin) alone (chemotherapy arm, n = 72) or chemotherapy in combination with ascorbic acid 6100 mg/day, dl-alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) 1050 mg/day and beta-carotene 60 mg/day (combination arm, n = 64).

Sudarshan Kriya practitioners exhibit better antioxidant status and lower blood lactate levels.

Oxidative stress may contribute to the pathophysiology of many chronic diseases. Since psychosocial stress increases oxidative stress, we conducted an exploratory study to investigate the effects of stress reduction with the Sudarshan Kriya (SK) program, on superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione and blood lactate levels in practitioners and non-practitioners of SK. Blood samples of ten practitioners of SK and 14 non-practitioners of any formal stress management technique were analyzed for SOD, catalase, glutathione and lactate levels.

Randomized study comparing 4'-epi-doxorubicin (epirubicin) versus doxorubicin as a part of induction treatment in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Doxorubicin or daunorubicin are routinely used to induce remission in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Efficacy of epirubicin (an analog of doxorubicin), however, has not been adequately evaluated in ALL management. This randomized study was undertaken to compare the relative efficacy of epirubicin vs.