Analysis of Plant Reveals Possible Treatment for Aging Brain

Scientists at the Balk Institute for Biological Studies have discovered that the compounds from the African cata-manginga leaf may protect cells from altered molecular pathways linked to Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and neurodegeneration that often follows stroke. For hundreds of years, healers from São Tomé e Príncipe — an island off the western coast of Africa — have prescribed cata-manginga leaves and bark to their patients. These pickings from the Voacanga Africana tree have been said to decrease inflammation and ease the symptoms of mental disorders. “There was already a lot of descriptive information of particular plants that have potential effects on the nervous system,” said one of the study’s research associates. “We took that further to quantitatively document the real neuroprotective action of the compounds in these plants.” Results of the study showed that when researchers isolated different components of the plant, they found that the anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects of the plant were due to one particular molecule, called voacamine. The compound hasn’t yet been tested in animal models, but its performance in the experiments suggest it may have pharmaceutical potential for treating neurodegenerative diseases. To read more about this study, click here.