The work of Patricia Kane PhD has brought to light the crucial importance of phosphatidylcholine (PC). Perhaps you have never heard of it. It is a component of lecithin, and the major phospholipid of every human cell membrane. It is also a precursor to acetylcholine, a major neurotransmitter, via its intermediary choline. It is used in orthodox medicine for the treatment and prophylaxis of fatty embolism, and is the active ingredient in Plaque-X which has been marketed and used In Europe for the treatment of arteriosclerosis and reversal of plaque for many years. Drs Kane and Braccia have developed their own protocol for administration of the imported Essential- N brand of PC and have been applying it clinically for neurodetoxification and for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s, MS, and ALS, as well as Lymes, CFIDS, fibromyalgia, autism, hepatitis, and mood disorders. The “PK Protocol” named after originator Patricia Kane PhD, involves IV push of lower doses of stabilized PC known as Essential –N. This is the product Caring Medical now uses for all therapeutic administration of PC. Certain neurologic conditions will require twice daily injections of PC, often followed by IV glutathione, but the maximum amount of Essentiale-N per IVP is 2 vials or 10cc given up to twice daily. The usual frequency of IV’s is twice weekly. Successful therapy with PC is associated with a drop in serum CPK. and improvement in the FACT vision testing score. The IV is administered as a short IV push.
PC supports endothelial (and every other type) cell membranes and therefore can stabilize the dysfunction which appears to be a regular part of the coronary artery disease process. As a fat emulsifier PC holds the potential to actually reverse the accumulation of plaque inside the arteries. Clinically one would expect to see reductions in angina, and in CRP and cholesterol levels while HDL may rise. Improving the composition of cell membranes will also reduce the tendency to plaque, and to abnormal coagulability (thick blood) of the blood. It has been found that IV and oral PC along with balanced fatty acids can also improve neurologic and liver function, memory, and athletic endurance. It may be able to reverse fatty liver, enhance brain development in children, and restore more normal functioning in autism which is thought to result from arrested brain development. It may be useful in anti-aging protocols, as witnessed by 30% longer life spans in experimental animals (rats) despite the fact that the PC was started relatively later in the life of the animals, and rejeuvenation of rat myocytes (heart muscle cells) in vitro. PC levels in all tissue decrease with age, and PC treatment is able to reverse age related changes in the lipid membrane composition, thus rejeuvenating all cells. The lipid neuronal cell membranes are turned over and made new every 24 hours, so adequate presence of PC and the correct balance of essential fats and oils can make rapid and significant inroads into neurodegenerative conditions. This is why Ed Kane (an expert in lipid chemistry) concluded that PC is life. Beneficial changes may within 4 months of discontinuation of IV and oral supplementation, so a lifetime maintanence program may be necessary.
Injectible glutathione is often given in conjunction with PC IV’s. Together they comprise the key components of the PK Protocol. Glutathione is an important intracellular antioxidant that is especially important in protecting liver, brain, and kidney cells from toxicity and free radicals. Also, neurologist Dr Perlmutter in Florida serendipidously found that IV glutathione can reduce the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, and he has now developed protocols involving glutathione by itself given IVP up to daily which he uses in treating various other neurologic diseases. Dr Kane has taken Perlmutter’s glutathione protocol and added the PC IV component. She claims enhanced effectiveness over a broader range of indications, and has an amzing collection of successfully treated patients to support her claims. The PK protocol IV’s, however, must also be backed up by oral supplements, liver flushing, and dietary changes. Clearing sludge in this way from the liver and bile ducts is a crucially important part of this therapy. I am excited to introduce the entire PK protocol to Caring Medical at this time. We treat very sick patients. Many of our patients suffer from the disorders mentioned above. Many of them have serious brain fog, and neurologic or cardiovascular disease. Many suffer from various toxicities affecting the liver and the central nervous system. We encourage anyone suffering from these disorders to make an appointment to discuss this very important new approach to chronic illness. A simple vision test, the FACT, is available to simply and inexpensively screen patients for the likelihood that they will benefit from this treatment.
The FACT* Vision Test for Brain Toxicity.
The FACT (Functional Acuity Contrast Test) is an approved and validated in-office vision test that determines the patient’s ability to discriminate between shades of gray. The test is completely non-invasive and simply involves the reading of a chart at a set distance. Because retinal cells (rods and cones) are really neuronal cells directly derived from the brain, weakness on this test correlates with toxicity of the central nervous system. This may be from interference to impulse transmission over neurons due to fatty acid abnormalities and lack of membrane fluidity, or the presence of intracellular toxins from infectious agents or heavy metals. Toxicity can be viewed as a foreign object sitting on the cell membrane and blocking the fluidity that is necessary for correct sight. The aging process, on the other hand, is associated with a shift in the type of fats comprising the cell membranes away from phosphatidylcholine to sphingomyelin which directly results in loss of high energy double bonds in the omega 3 and 6 fats needed for optimum cellular function. The resulting sluggish cell membranes are also much less able to dislodge accumulating toxins. The eye is a window to the brain, which is 60% lipid, and the photoreceptor cells themselves are the highest in lipid membrane complexity. Toxic states, the aging process itself, brain fog, neurodegenerative diseases like MS and ALS, and CNS manifestations of chronic diseases such as chronic fatigue syndrome and Lymes are conditions which suggest the need for FACT testing. The test is also useful for monitoring the benefits from a series of phosphatidylcholine/glutathione IV’s and oral supplementation intended to reduce nervous system toxicity. Incidentally, visual problems stemming from Vitamin A deficiency, macular degeneration, cataracts, astigmatism, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy may also be revealed by this test.
A failing score on the FACT test is a helpful diagnostic clue in patients with neurologic or cognitive complaints, or known or suspected toxicity issues. Although a sign of dysfunction that would impair the function of the central nervous system, a poor score points to the need for effective available treatment with oral and intravenous nutritional protocols. Because the neuron cell membrane is so metabolically active, improved readings can actually be seen on this test in some cases within 30 minutes of a single IV treatment with phosphatidylcholine and glutathione. The test is usually repeated at intervals of every three IV treatments to document progress.