Scientists praise Chinese herb jujube for “remarkable effects” in preventing dementia
Scientists are drawing attention to Chinese herbal medicine for preventing neurodegenerative diseases. A new study in eLife found that Zizyphi spinosi semen, dried seeds of a type of jujube, have the potential to prevent dementia in mice.
“Neurodegenerative diseases are age-related disorders characterized by the cerebral accumulation of amyloidogenic proteins, and cellular senescence underlies their pathogenesis,” explains the paper. “Thus, it is necessary for preventing these diseases to remove toxic proteins, repair damaged neurons and suppress cellular senescence.”
According to the writers, traditional Chinese medicine seeks to balance the body to treat illness rather than focusing on particular symptoms or chemicals. This can be effectively accomplished by mixing different herbal remedies.
Restored cognitive and motor functions
The researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University’s Graduate School of Medicine, Japan, suggest looking at herbal alternatives for dementia prevention in the search for a breakthrough dementia drug.
They found that giving dried jujube seeds has “remarkable medicinal effects” in restoring cognitive and motor function in model mice.
Mice with Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia, Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies were administered hot water extracts and saw cognitive and motor functions restored.
These dried seeds of a type of jujube hold the potential in preventing dementia (Image credit: Osaka Metropolitan University).Researchers found that the powder format had a better impact, with model mice recovering to a level above that of control mice and improving cognitive function to the level of younger mice.
“The results of our research will hopefully make it possible to develop dementia prevention products that middle-aged and elderly people can take at their own discretion,” suggests professor Takami Tomiyama, the study’s co-author.
Although the researchers proved the effects of the herb, “research evidence for the mechanism was incomplete. The main claims were only partially supported.”
Dementia prevention and Chinese medicine
In related developments, the US National Institutes of Health awarded the University of California, Los Angeles Health researchers US$9.5 million to study the effects of polyphenols on cognitive health and the gut-brain axis in preventing Alzheimer’s disease.
Ongoing research at the US Pennington Biomedical Research Center is exploring the potential of THC and CBD to reduce the feelings of agitation, distress and anxiety in patients with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia.
Meanwhile, traditional Chinese medicine is gaining further traction, with recent research offering insights into BaiJi traditional Chinese medicine molecular mechanisms. Another study suggests that cordyceps, an ancient Chinese medicinal fungus, could combat pulmonary fibrosis.
