Plant compound eases motor, cognitive symptoms in mice

[Boscoejean]

Gardenin A slows loss of nerve cells, decreases protein clumps, study finds

(an extract from the gardenia that has a history of use in TCM)

parkinsonsnewstoday.com/new...

So of course we do not know if the results of the research in mice will help humans however it is interesting to read about this

Dr. Lukasz Ciesla, associate professor of biological sciences, and Dr. Urmila Maitra, a researcher in his lab, led the project at UA. They found that Gardenin A, a flavonoid found in a common South Asian shrub, reduced both the cognitive and motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

[park_bear]

Study here: sciencedirect.com/science/a...

Firstly, these researchers are serious, because they used the A53T mouse, which is genetically engineered to reproduce a human Parkinson's, rather than some invalid pre-treatment scheme.

The substance being used as treatment, Gardenin A, regulates NRF2, so avoiding over dosage is a concern. "We found that four weeks of treatment with a high dose GA [Gardenin A] (100 mg/kg), administered by oral gavage, attenuated motor and cognitive deficits apparent in the A53T Syn mice" Adjusting for human equivalent dose this would be 500 mg in a 60 kg human.

The substance in the study is found in the gum of the medicinal plant Gardenia resinifera which is known as "Deekamali resin". It is available on Etsy from a seller in India: etsy.com/in-en/listing/6303... It seems they will deliver it to the US or the UK. I was unable to find the Gardenin A content of this resin, but it is unlikely to be sufficient to provide the necessary dosage.

However, from here: chemfaces.com/natural/Garde..., we have Gardenin A is an extract of the fruit of Gardenia jasminoides Ellis. According to Google, the dried fruit is known as Zhizi in China. It is available from Amazon here: amazon.com/dp/B0CVMSV7KG, I ordered some just for fun, but once again the Gardenin a content. is unlikely to be sufficient.

[gomelgo in reply to park_bear]

Thank you both, and it makes perfect sense that mother nature provides answers to even unnatural illnesses. Why do they keep testing on mice, and why such high dosages?

[park_bear in reply to gomelgo]

They did test lower dosages, but the dosage mentioned worked the best. The animal model used is probably the best one we have because the A53T mouse is genetically engineered to possess the same mutation that causes defective alpha synuclein and Parkinson's in humans.

[gomelgo in reply to park_bear]

I still don't think the harm is justified but these are the evils we humans seem to believe we cannot avoid.

[Boscoejean in reply to gomelgo]

TCM Traditional Chinese Medicine has used a lot of plants etc for a very long time. There has recently been a lot of research to see what compounds are in the ingredients in these remedies especially the plant material to find out their chemical composition and figure out how they may work on a cellular level. I have it on good advice that these compounds will probably be used to make medications which will likely be offered at costs that are much higher compared with the currently available formulations. One thing that was researched in Hong Kong is a plant called gouteng (Chinese name) while the plant name is uncaria rhynchophylla. This research is likely to lead to the development of a drug that will contain this substance. The compound of primary interest is corynoxeine.

"The main active alkaloids in Gou Teng (Table 1) include corynoxeine, isocorynoxeine, hirsuteine, hirsutine, rhynchophylline, and isorhynchophylline"

"Gouteng, a Chinese herb, is believed to alleviate Parkinson's symptoms by potentially promoting autophagy (a cellular process that cleans up abnormal proteins), reducing inflammation, and protecting dopaminergic neurons, which are significantly affected in Parkinson's disease; this is often achieved through its active compounds like isorhy which can trigger the autophagy pathway without impacting the immune system, potentially stabilizing Parkinson's symptoms.

Key points about Gouteng and Parkinson's:

Mechanism of action:

Studies suggest that Gouteng may work by activating autophagy, a process that helps clear damaged proteins within cells, which are accumulated in Parkinson's disease.

Neuroprotective effects:

Gouteng may have neuroprotective properties, helping to protect dopaminergic neurons from degeneration, which is a key feature of Parkinson's.

Anti-inflammatory activity:

Some research indicates that Gouteng can also reduce inflammation in the brain, which is thought to contribute to Parkinson's disease progression.

Combined use:

Often, Gouteng is combined with other herbs like Tianma (Gastrodia elata) in traditional Chinese medicine formulas like "Tianma Gouteng Yin" to further enhance its therapeutic effects on Parkinson's symptoms. "