Recent research has shown the potential benefits of extracts from the Chinese herb Uncaria rhynchophylla in treating Alzheimer’s disease.
Dementia is a prevalent condition among older people, and as of now, there is no definitive cure.
Recent research published in Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy has shown the potential benefits of extracts from the Chinese herb Uncaria rhynchophylla in treating Alzheimer’s disease.
A new technique for transporting the plant extract allows for more precise targeting of affected brain regions.
According to statistics published in
The Lancet Public Health, in 2019, about 57.4 million people worldwide had dementia. The researchers estimated that by the year 2050, this number will rise to 152.8 million.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, characterized by the accumulation of amyloid-beta and hyperphosphorylated tau proteins in the brain. Current medications for treating Alzheimer’s mainly focus on alleviating symptoms or slowing the progression of the disease.
A study conducted by Hong Kong Baptist University revealed that the bioactive compound corynoxine B, derived from Uncaria rhynchophylla, promotes autophagy and maintains cell health, effectively improving the condition of those with Alzheimer’s disease. However, the blood-brain barrier, designed to protect the brain from potentially harmful substances in the bloodstream, poses a challenge to the absorption of corynoxine B.
To address the issue of drug absorption, the research team recently developed a novel method utilizing exosomes to deliver corynoxine B to the brain. Exosomes are extracellular vesicles released by cells and act as nano-carriers capable of transporting molecules between cells. They have also been proven to be effective vehicles for drug delivery.
The research team behind the Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy article engineered the neuron cells in mice to induce the overexpression of the adaptor protein Fe65 on the surface of extracellular vesicles, or exosomes, released by these cells. Fe65 is involved in the operation of amyloid-beta precursor protein (APP), and elevated levels of APP are a typical characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease. The modified exosomes, with an increased level of Fe65 on their surface, can selectively “target” neuron cells exhibiting the overexpression of APP.
The team loaded corynoxine B into modified exosomes, which were then injected into mice with Alzheimer’s disease. The results demonstrated that corynoxine B within the exosomes could cross the blood-brain barrier, delivering the compound to the brain and reducing accumulated APP by almost 30 percent. Following treatment, mice with dementia showed improvement in learning and memory abilities.
Li Min, vice dean of the School of Chinese Medicine at Hong Kong Baptist University, highlighted that the research suggests exosomes hold great potential as a novel method for delivering drugs to the brain to treat Alzheimer’s disease. However, further exploration is necessary. The team said it hopes this research will ultimately benefit older people, people at high risk of neurodegeneration, and patients with neurodegenerative diseases.
Uncaria Rhynchophylla Extract for Treatment of Various Neurological Disorders
Uncaria rhynchophylla is known for alleviating neuropsychological symptoms. In the classic Chinese novel “Dream of the Red Chamber,” Aunt Xue, Xue Baochai’s mother, experiences a distressing situation in which she is contradicted by her daughter-in-law, leaving her feeling sorrowful and angered, accompanied by pain in her left side. Acting swiftly, Xue Baochai procured Uncaria rhynchophylla, boiled it, and administered it to Aunt Xue. Subsequently, Aunt Xue felt much better after getting some rest.Furthermore,
a study by the same team that showed corynoxine B’s effects on Alzheimer’s indicated that corynoxine B also exhibits therapeutic effects for Parkinson’s disease.
A Life Sciences study also found that components of Uncaria rhynchophylla possess neuroprotective effects. In addition to treating neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, these components can reduce ischemia-induced neuronal damage.
Research has revealed that various other components in traditional Chinese herbs can inhibit the accumulation of amyloid-beta proteins in the brain. Ongoing trials are assessing the potential of these herbs.
In East Asia, the use of herbal medicine for treating dementia is widespread. A
clinical trial found that compared with Western medications such as donepezil or memantine alone, a combination of Western medicine with Chinese herbal medicines exhibited better efficacy in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Over the 24-month experimental period, the combined use of Western medication and herbal medicine helped maintain stable cognitive abilities in patients with mild dementia.
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