Causes

Remedial steps

• Nutrition
• Oxidative Stress
• Systemic Inflammation
• Immune System
  Modulation
• Physiotherapy
  
• Body pH
• Lymphatic System
• Endocrine System

Cutting Edge

• IVIG
• Stem cell transplants

Psychology

Astragalus

Dietary supplements in lessening inflammation associated with polymyositis
On the spotlight: Astragalus propinquus, synonymously known as A. membranaceus (AM)

Studies on Immunemodulation

"AM presents immunorestorative and immunomodulating effects in immunosuppressed chickens by activating macrophages and increasing the production of interferons."(Cho, Leung, Aug. 2007)^[1]

"Formononetin, 7-hydroxy-4'methoxyisoflavone, from the roots of AM is an isoflavone which modulates the secretion of cytokines in culture and thus indicating their anti-inflammatory role in vivo." (Diterich, Härter, Hassler, Wendel, Hartung. February 2001) ^[2]

Isoflavones from other sources such as soy bean have been shown to reduce LPS-induced inflammation by lowering the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF α, No and PGE2. ( Medjakovic, Mueller, Jungbauer. 2010)^[3]

"Following supplement administration, isoflavone serum concentration can reach 10 µM and plasma concentrations of between 1 and 2.4 µM after taking isoflavone-rich diet. These ranges of isoflavone concentration can exert anti-inflammatory effects."

"AM increases the production of IL-12 while reducing the production of IL-10 and IL-18 thus correcting the immunologic dysfunction. It is the imbalance in cytokine system which leads to inflammation associated with..."
(Wang. 2009)^[4]

1. Cho W, Leung K. In vitro and in vivo immunomodulating and immunorestorative effects of Astragalus membranaceus. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, August 2007 as found at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17611061
2. Diterich I, Härter L, Hassler D, et al. Modulation of Cytokine Release in Ex Vivo-Stimulated Blood from Borreliosis Patients. US National Library of Medicine 
   National Institutes of Health Infect Immun. 2001 Feb. as found at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC97940/
3. Medjakovic S., Mueller M., Jungbauer A. Potential Health-modulating Effects of Isoflavones and Metabolites via Activation of PPAR and AhR. Nutrients. 2010; 2(3):241-279.
4. Wang, J. Effects of Astragalus membranaceus on Cytokine Secretion of Peripheral Dendritic Cells in Children with Henoch-Schonlein Purpura in the Acute Phase., Chinese Journal of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine. 2009. as found at http://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTOTAL-ZZXJ200909006.htm