A water extract of the Ayurvedic plant (L.) Urban, family Apiaceae (CAW), improves cognitive function in mouse models of aging and Alzheimer's disease and affects dendritic arborization, mitochondrial activity, and oxidative stress in mouse primary neurons. Triterpenes (TT) and caffeoylquinic acids (CQA) are constituents associated with these bioactivities of CAW, although little is known about how interactions between these compounds contribute to the plant's therapeutic benefit.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAlterations in epigenetic modifications, like DNA methylation, in peripheral blood could serve as a useful, minimally invasive biomarker of the effects of anti-aging interventions. This study explores this potential with a water extract of the botanical (CAW). Eighteen-month-old mice were treated with CAW in their drinking water for 5 weeks alongside vehicle-treated eighteen-month-old C57BL6 mice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF(L.) Urban (family Apiaceae) () is a traditional botanical medicine used in aging and dementia. Water extracts of (CAW) have been used to treat neuropsychiatric symptoms in related animal models and are associated with increases in antioxidant response element (ARE) genes and improvements in mitochondrial respiratory function and neuronal health.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF(common name: ashwagandha; WS) is an Ayurvedic botanical that has become popular for its reputed effects on stress and insomnia. Research into the bioactive compounds responsible for the biological effects of WS has largely focused on withanolides, a group of steroidal lactones commonly found in the Solanaceae family. Until recently, however, it was unclear which, if any, withanolides were present in the plasma after the ingestion of WS products.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: A water extract of the Ayurvedic plant (CAW) improves cognitive function in mouse models of aging and Alzheimer's disease, and affects dendritic arborization, mitochondrial activity and oxidative stress in mouse primary neurons. Triterpenes (TT) and caffeoylquinic acids (CQA) are constituents associated with these bioactivities of CAW although little is known about how interactions between these compounds contribute to the plant's therapeutic benefit.
Methods: Mouse primary cortical neurons were treated with CAW, or equivalent concentrations of four TT combined, eight CQA combined, or these twelve compounds combined (TTCQA).
(WS), also known as ashwagandha, is a popular botanical supplement used to treat various conditions including memory loss, anxiety and depression. Previous studies from our group showed an aqueous extract of WS root (WSAq) enhances cognition and alleviates markers for depression in . Here, we sought to confirm these effects in the 5xFAD mouse model of β-amyloid (Aβ) accumulation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCharacterization of botanical extracts by mass spectrometry-based metabolomics analysis helps in determining the phytochemical composition that underlies their bioactivity and potential health benefits, while also supporting reproducibility of effects in clinical trials. The quantification of seven withanolides in using three mass-spectrometry methods was evaluated using Deming regression. Two high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry methods were used, one operating in data-dependent acquisition mode and the other in parallel-reaction-monitoring mode with an inclusion list.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: (CA) is known in Ayurvedic medicine as a rejuvenating herb with particular benefits in the nervous system. Two groups of specialized metabolites found in CA and purported to contribute to its beneficial effects are triterpenes (TTs) and caffeoylquinic acids (CQAs). In order to evaluate the role and interactions of TTs and CQAs in the effects of CA, we examined the neurotrophic effects of a water extract of CA (CAW) and combinations of its TT and CQA components in mouse primary hippocampal neurons and in flies .
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA water extract (CAW) of the Ayurvedic plant administered in drinking water has been shown to improve cognitive deficits in mouse models of aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Here the effects of CAW administered in drinking water or the diet on cognition, measures of anxiety and depression-like behavior in healthy aged mice are compared. Three- and eighteen-month-old male and female C57BL6 mice were administered rodent AIN-93M diet containing CAW (0, 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: A water extract of (L.) Urban [Apiaceae] (CAW) has demonstrated cognitive-enhancing effects in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease and aging, the magnitude of which is influenced by whether CAW is delivered in the drinking water or the diet. These cognitive benefits are accompanied by improvements in oxidative stress and mitochondrial function in the brain, two pathways related to the neuroinflammatory response.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRapid screening of botanical extracts for the discovery of bioactive natural products was performed using a fractionation approach in conjunction with flow-injection high-resolution mass spectrometry for obtaining chemical fingerprints of each fraction, enabling the correlation of the relative abundance of molecular features (representing individual phytochemicals) with the read-outs of bioassays. We applied this strategy for discovering and identifying constituents of () that protect against Aβ cytotoxicity in vitro. has been associated with improving mental health and cognitive function, with potential use in Alzheimer's disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe have previously reported that a water extract (CAW) of the Ayurvedic plant administered in drinking water can improve cognitive deficits in mouse models of aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Here we compared the effects of CAW administered in drinking water or the diet on cognition, measures of anxiety and depression-like behavior in healthy aged mice. Three- and eighteen-month-old male and female C57BL6 mice were administered rodent AIN-93M diet containing CAW (0, 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCentella asiatica (Centella) is a traditional botanical medicine that shows promise in treating dementia based on behavioral alterations seen in animal models of aging and cognitive dysfunction. In order to determine if Centella could similarly improve cognitive function and reduce disease burden in multiple sclerosis (MS), we tested its effects in the neuroinflammatory experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model of MS. In two independent experiments, C57BL/6J mice were treated following induction of EAE with either a standardized water extract of Centella (CAW) or placebo for 2 weeks.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF(CA) is a culinary vegetable and well-known functional food that is widely used as a medicinal herb and dietary supplement. CA is rich in pentacyclic triterpenes (TTs), including asiaticoside (AS), madecassoside (MS) and the related aglycones asiatic acid (AA), madecassic acid (MA). Traditionally, TTs have been associated with the bioactivity and health promoting effect of CA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCommon symptoms of depressive disorders include anhedonia, sleep problems, and reduced physical activity. Drugs used to treat depression mostly aim to increase serotonin signaling but these can have unwanted side effects. Depression has also been treated by traditional medicine using plants like (CA) and this has been found to be well tolerated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Pharmacol
August 2023
is an herbaceous plant reputed in Eastern medicine to improve memory. Preclinical studies have shown that aqueous extract (CAW) improves neuronal health, reduces oxidative stress, and positively impacts learning and cognition. This study aimed to develop and validate bioanalytical methods for detecting known bioactive compounds from in human biological matrices and apply them to a human pharmacokinetic trial in healthy older adults.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThere is growing interest in the use of natural products for the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). Mucuna pruriens has been used in the treatment of humans with PD. The goal of this study was to determine if daily oral treatment with an extract of Mucuna pruriens, starting after the MPTP-induced loss of nigrostriatal dopamine in male mice, would result in recovery/restoration of motor function, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) protein expression in the nigrostriatal pathway, or glutamate biomarkers in both the striatum and motor cortex.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAchieving optimal health is an aspirational goal for the population, yet the definition of health remains unclear. The role of nutrition in health has evolved beyond correcting malnutrition and specific deficiencies and has begun to focus more on achieving and maintaining 'optimal' health through nutrition. As such, the Council for Responsible Nutrition held its October 2022 Science in Session conference to advance this concept.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF(WS) extracts have been used in traditional medicine for millennia to promote healthy aging and wellbeing. WS is now also widely used in Western countries as a nutritional supplement to extend healthspan and increase resilience against age-related changes, including sleep deficits and depression. Although human trials have supported beneficial effects of WS, the study designs have varied widely.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFis reputed in Eastern medicine to improve cognitive function in humans. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that aqueous extracts of improve cognition in mouse models of aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD) through the modulation of mitochondrial biogenesis and nuclear factor-erythroid-2-related factor 2 (-dependent antioxidant response genes. This randomized, double-blind, crossover Phase I trial explored the oral bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of key compounds from two doses (2 g and 4 g) of a standardized aqueous extract product (CAP), over 10 h, in four mildly demented older adults on cholinesterase inhibitor therapy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBotanical products are frequently sold as dietary supplements and their use by the public is increasing in popularity. However, scientific evaluation of their medicinal benefits presents unique challenges due to their chemical complexity, inherent variability, and the involvement of multiple active components and biological targets. Translation away from preclinical models, and developing an optimized, reproducible botanical product for use in clinical trials, presents particular challenges for phytotherapeutic agents compared to single chemical entities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDue to an increase in the aging population, age-related diseases and age-related changes, such as diminished cognition and sleep disturbances, are an increasing health threat. It has been suggested that an increase in oxidative stress underlies many of these changes. Current treatments for these diseases and changes either have low efficacy or have deleterious side effects preventing long-time use.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFis an herb used in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine for its beneficial effects on brain health and cognition. Our group has previously shown that a water extract of (CAW) elicits cognitive-enhancing effects in animal models of aging and Alzheimer's disease, including a dose-related effect of CAW on memory in the 5xFAD mouse model of -amyloid accumulation. Here, we endeavor to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the effects of CAW in the brain by conducting a metabolomic analysis of cortical tissue from 5xFAD mice treated with increasing concentrations of CAW.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide in the brain.
Objective: To gain a better insight into alterations in major biochemical pathways underlying AD.
Methods: We compared metabolomic profiles of hippocampal tissue of 20-month-old female Tg2576 mice expressing the familial AD-associated hAPP695SW transgene with their 20-month-old wild type female littermates.
Background: Withania somnifera (WS), also known as Ashwagandha, is commonly used in Ayurveda and other traditional medicine systems. WS has seen an increase in worldwide usage due to its reputation as an adaptogen. This popularity has elicited increased scientific study of its biological effects, including a potential application for neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders.
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