Polyphenols from Ecklonia cava seaweed could suppress Parkinson’s progression

06 Aug 2024 --- Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University’s Graduate School of Human Life and Ecology, Japan, have verified the physiological effect of the polyphenols and antioxidants in the Ecklonia cava variety of seaweed to prevent Parkinson’s disease.

“This study suggests that Ecklonia cava antioxidants may reduce neuronal damage by (AMPK) (adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase) activation and inhibiting intracellular reactive oxygen species production. It is hoped that Ecklonia cava will be an effective ingredient in the prevention of Parkinson’s disease,” explains Dr. Akiko Kojima-Yuasa, the study’s lead researcher.

Accessing antioxidants
In this study published in Nutrients, two types of motor function tests were conducted using a Parkinson’s disease model. Mice consumed the antioxidants daily for a week, after which rotenone — from the rotenoid alkaloid extracted from specific tropical plants — was administered.

The experiment results showed that motor function, which was reduced by rotenone, was restored. There was an improvement in intestinal motor function, the colon mucosa structure and the tissue covering the colon.

Cellular experiments using Parkinson’s disease model cells verified the biochemical interaction of Ecklonia cava’s preventive effect. Validation results showed that the antioxidants activate the AMPK enzyme, an intracellular energy sensor, and inhibit the production of reactive oxygen species that cause neuronal cell death.

Meanwhile, researchers at the University of Massachusetts Lowell’s Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences explored the effect of gut microorganisms on the onset of disease, which they believe will facilitate early detection and improved treatments, especially for cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Managing motor function
Parkinson’s is a neurodegenerative disease caused by the loss of neurons that produce dopamine, the primary neurotransmitter involved in motor control and cognitive function. The number of patients with the disease rapidly increases as the global population ages.

Parkinson’s disease is induced by neuronal damage due to excessive production of reactive oxygen species. Suppression of reactive oxygen species generation is essential because it is fatal to dopaminergic neurons that manage dopamine neurotransmitters. 

According to the researchers, there is a need to develop treatment regimens and prevention methods because only symptomatic treatment is available currently.

In addition, Japan-based researchers have explored the potential role iron supplementation plays in the increased risk of parkinsonism. The longitudinal study, which included nearly 386,000 participants, found that excessive iron consumption was “significantly associated with higher Parkinson’s risk.”