Off The Record
Alzheimer’s Disease Could Be Reversed By An Ingredient Concealed In Your Spice Cabinet
A chemical found in sage and rosemary has been developed into a novel medication that has the potential to reverse Alzheimer’s disease.
Both herbs contain carnosic acid, an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory qualities.
A group from California’s Scripps Research Institute found a method to use the acid to dramatically reduce inflammation in mice’s brains, which is a major cause of Alzheimer’s disease.
In addition to reducing inflammation, the medication the scientists developed using carnosic acid, diAcCA, also restored the normal number of nerve cell connections in the brain that support memory and learning.
Furthermore, researchers stated that because carnosic acid is currently deemed “safe” by the US Food and Drug Administration, the novel medication should be expedited to clinical trials so that actual Alzheimer’s sufferers can receive it sooner.
The most prevalent type of dementia, which is well-known for its effects on older persons’ minds and memories, is Alzheimer’s disease.
More than 6.9 million Americans suffered from Alzheimer’s in 2024, making it the sixth most common cause of death in the US.
Researchers think diAcCA will probably save lives without creating serious negative effects, in addition to perhaps saving lives.
Only the inflammation that diAcCA is attempting to combat can activate it, according to a recent study published in Antioxidants.
This limits the potential adverse effects that pharmaceuticals, such as cancer therapies, frequently have when they come into contact with healthy tissue. The carnosic acid-based treatment will therefore only be effective in parts of the brain that are inflammatory.
Since carnosic acid is too unstable to utilize in its pure form, it has been very challenging to use it as a medication or supplement up to this point.
The Scripps team developed a chemical from rosemary and sage that can enter the gut before it decomposes.
Once there, diAcCA is taken into the bloodstream and transforms back into carnosic acid.
According to Professor Stuart Lipton, the mice his group employed in their studies absorbed 20% more carnosic acid in this manner than they would have if they had attempted to consume pure carnosic acid.
This made it possible for more of the substance to treat potentially fatal areas of inflammation in the brain by crossing the blood-brain barrier.
Lipton went on to say that the mice taking the medication rapidly recovered the cognitive abilities that dementia impairs, proving that the medication does more than simply cleanse the brain of the causes of Alzheimer’s disease.
“We did multiple different tests of memory, and they were all improved with the drug,’ Lipton said in a statement.”
“It didn’t just slow down the decline; it improved virtually back to normal.”
The 45 mice in the group were divided into smaller groups of seven or eight by the researchers.
They weren’t just any mice, though; they were 5xFAD mice, which are engineered to exhibit Alzheimer’s-like symptoms by the time they are around five months old, such as memory loss and brain damage.
The group administered diAcCA or a placebo (olive oil) three times a week for three months once they reached that age.
In order to determine the most effective dosage, they also experimented with 10, 20, and 50 mg.
The mice were subjected to a battery of cognitive tests by the researchers following the three-month period.
The first was a water maze in which the mice had to swim in a pool to locate a concealed platform on which to stand. Alzheimer’s mice have trouble finding it, whereas healthy mice improve over time.
The group also tested the mice’s recollection of frightening experiences by teaching them to freeze in response to a sound associated with a light shock.
The researchers next used specialized microscopes to examine the mice’s brains to determine whether the medication altered the damaging protein tangles, plaque accumulations, or connections between brain cells linked to Alzheimer’s.
The outcomes were astounding. Mice administered diAcCA, particularly at larger dosages, demonstrated superior memory for the platform’s location compared to the untreated Alzheimer’s mice by swimming to it more quickly and spending more time there.
They demonstrated a sharper memory by freezing more frequently during the fear test.
Their brains also seemed healthier under a microscope, showing less inflammation, more connections between brain cells, and fewer plaques and tangles.
“By combating inflammation and oxidative stress with this diAcCA compound, we actually increased the number of synapses in the brain,” Dr. Lipton added.
Researchers are very optimistic that what they have discovered in your kitchen herbs represents a significant advancement in the treatment of dementia, even though it is not yet a proven cure for Alzheimer’s.
According to the team, diAcCA may potentially improve the efficacy of current Alzheimer’s treatments by reducing extra inflammation in the brain, which typically reduces their efficacy.
Now Trending:
- Twin Toddlers Drown In A Tragic Accident After Grandmother With Alzheimer’s Leaves Door Open—Rest In Peace
- Music Legend Tony Bennett Shares Health News Following Alzheimer’s Diagnosis
- Chris Hemsworth Is Taking Time Off From Acting Due To Alzheimer’s Predisposition
Please SHARE this story with Family and Friends and let us know your opinion on this!
