Turmeric for Parkinson's
Subhra Priyadarshini
The researchers: Mythri, Bharath, JagathaThe researchers: Mythri, Bharath,
Jagatha
Curcumin, the wonder compound in turmeric, has found another possible
therapeutic use — this time for treatment of Parkinson's Disease1.
Researchers conducting experiments on mice have shown that curcumin increased
the content of glutathione (GSH), an anti-oxidant in certain nerve cells of
the brain that control body movement. The increased GSH protects the brain
against abnormal accumulation of toxic free radicals that damage the
mitochondria of these nerve cells triggering off Parkinson's Disease (PD).
"During Parkinson’s, there is a gradual death of specific nerve cells called
dopaminergic neurons in the mid-brain. If we understand why these cells die,
we can slow the process down or reverse it by developing better therapies,"
says M. M. Srinivas Bharath, the lead researcher.
During early PD, there is a significant depletion of GSH leading to abnormal
accumulation of toxic free radicals. These free radicals damage mitochondria,
the powerhouse of the cell, ultimately killing the nerve cells. "So, if we
could prevent depletion of GSH in mid-brain nerve cells, we could protect
nerve cells against degeneration," Bharath says.
The team found that selective GSH depletion in mid-brain nerve cells damaged
mitochondria mimicking an early PD condition. To protect against this insult,
they administered curcumin. The compound protected mouse brain and nerve
cells in culture by increasing the GSH content and protecting against toxic
free radicals thus exhibiting therapeutic potential in early PD.
To support this conclusion, the team used computer simulations and biochemical
experiments. They simulated disease pathways of PD using mathematics and
computer modeling to generate a virtual experimental system that gives a
complete picture of disease cascades and potential therapeutic targets. Using
this 'in silico' model, they corroborated that curcumin could be a potential
therapeutic compound in PD.
The authors of this work are from: Department of Neurochemistry, National
Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Hosur Road, Bangalore,
Karnataka, India; Cell works group Inc., Marathahalli, Bangalore & Pierce
Road, Saratoga, CA, USA.
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