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05-05-2008, 07:59 AM | #1 | |||
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In Remembrance
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This is a new one for me. Anyone know more?
1: J Med Food. 2006 Spring;9(1):113-8. Nardostachys jatamansi improves learning and memory in mice. Joshi H, Parle M. Department of Pharmacognosy, SET's College of Pharmacy, Dharwad, Karnataka, India. Cure of cognitive disorders such as amnesia, attention deficit, and Alzheimer's disease is still far from being realized in the field of medicine. Nootropic agents such as piracetam, aniracetam, and choline esterase inhibitors like donepezil are being used for improving memory, mood, and behavior, but the resulting side effects associated with these agents have made their applicability limited. In Ayurveda, the roots of Nardostachys jatamansi have been clinically employed for their anti-ischemic, antioxidant, anticonvulsant, and neuroprotective activities. The present study was undertaken to assess the potential of N. jatmansi as a memory enhancer. The elevated plus maze and the passive avoidance paradigm were employed to evaluate learning and memory parameters. Three doses (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, p.o.) of an ethanolic extract of N. jatamansi were administered for 8 successive days to both young and aged mice. The 200 mg/kg dose of N. jatmansi ethanolic extract significantly improved learning and memory in young mice and also reversed the amnesia induced by diazepam (1 mg/kg, i.p.) and scopolamine (0.4 mg/kg, i.p.). Furthermore, it also reversed aging-induced amnesia due to natural aging of mice. As scopolamine-induced amnesia was reversed, it is possible that the memory improvement may be because of facilitation of cholinergic transmission in the brain. Hence, N. jatmansi might prove to be a useful memory restorative agent in the treatment of dementia seen in elderly persons. The underlying mechanism of action can be attributed to its antioxidant property. PMID: 16579738 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Born in 1953, 1st symptoms and misdiagnosed as essential tremor in 1992. Dx with PD in 2000. Currently (2011) taking 200/50 Sinemet CR 8 times a day + 10/100 Sinemet 3 times a day. Functional 90% of waking day but fragile. Failure at exercise but still trying. Constantly experimenting. Beta blocker and ACE inhibitor at present. Currently (01/2013) taking ldopa/carbadopa 200/50 CR six times a day + 10/100 form 3 times daily. Functional 90% of day. Update 04/2013: L/C 200/50 8x; Beta Blocker; ACE Inhib; Ginger; Turmeric; Creatine; Magnesium; Potassium. Doing well. |
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05-05-2008, 08:07 AM | #2 | |||
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In Remembrance
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1: Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2006 Jan;83(1):150-60. Epub 2006 Feb 28.
Attenuation by Nardostachys jatamansi of 6-hydroxydopamine-induced parkinsonism in rats: behavioral, neurochemical, and immunohistochemical studies. Ahmad M, Yousuf S, Khan MB, Hoda MN, Ahmad AS, Ansari MA, Ishrat T, Agrawal AK, Islam F. Neurotoxicology Laboratory, Department of Medical Elementology and Toxicology, Jamia Hamdard (Hamdard University), Hamdard Nagar, New Delhi 110062, India. mahmad7@jhmi.edu Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the commonest neurodegenerative diseases, and oxidative stress has been evidenced to play a vital role in its causation. In the present study, we evaluated whether ethanolic extract of Nardostachys jatamansi roots (ENj), an antioxidant and enhancer of biogenic amines, can slow the neuronal injury in a 6-OHDA-rat model of Parkinson's. Rats were treated with 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg body weight of ENj for 3 weeks. On day 21, 2 microl of 6-OHDA (12 microg in 0.01% in ascorbic acid-saline) was infused into the right striatum, while the sham-operated group received 2 microl of vehicle. Three weeks after the 6-OHDA injection, the rats were tested for neurobehavioural activity and were sacrificed after 6 weeks for the estimation of lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione content, the activities of glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase, quantification of catecholamines, dopaminergic D2 receptor binding and tyrosine hydroxylase expression. The increase in drug-induced rotations and deficits in locomotor activity and muscular coordination due to 6-OHDA injections were significantly and dose-dependently restored by ENj. Lesioning was followed by an increased lipid peroxidation and significant depletion of reduced glutathione content in the substantia nigra, which was prevented with ENj pretreatment. The activities of glutathione-dependent enzymes, catalase and superoxide dismutase in striatum, which were reduced significantly by lesioning, were dose-dependently restored by ENj. A significant decrease in the level of dopamine and its metabolites and an increase in the number of dopaminergic D2 receptors in striatum were observed after 6-OHDA injection, and both were significantly recovered following ENj treatment. All of these results were exhibited by an increased density of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive (TH-IR) fibers in the ipsilateral striatum of the lesioned rats following treatment with ENj; 6-OHDA injection had induced almost a complete loss of TH-IR fibers. This study indicates that the extract of Jatamansi might be helpful in attenuating Parkinsonism. PMID: 16500697 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Born in 1953, 1st symptoms and misdiagnosed as essential tremor in 1992. Dx with PD in 2000. Currently (2011) taking 200/50 Sinemet CR 8 times a day + 10/100 Sinemet 3 times a day. Functional 90% of waking day but fragile. Failure at exercise but still trying. Constantly experimenting. Beta blocker and ACE inhibitor at present. Currently (01/2013) taking ldopa/carbadopa 200/50 CR six times a day + 10/100 form 3 times daily. Functional 90% of day. Update 04/2013: L/C 200/50 8x; Beta Blocker; ACE Inhib; Ginger; Turmeric; Creatine; Magnesium; Potassium. Doing well. |
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05-05-2008, 09:40 AM | #3 | ||
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Senior Member
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In other words, they PRE-TREAT the subject with the drug/herb/extract being evaluated, and THEN induce PD. No one in the world has this luxury! Rather, in real life, we get PD, and then have to deal with it. Why in the world don't these guys induce PD first, and THEN administer the drug/herb/extract they are studying? It's exasperating! Anyone know why they structure the studies like this?
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05-05-2008, 08:46 PM | #4 | ||
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about Spikenard - to me anyway. At the time pd was sneaking into my life I was doing some research on the legend of the Phoenix as a symbol of regeneration, rebirth. This was pre-computer access for me and I didn't find much but there was mention somewhere of the Phoenix carrying Spikenard to start the new nest. Cosmic, huh? Ibby |
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05-05-2008, 08:51 PM | #5 | ||
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[QUOTE=Ibken;273486]about Spikenard - to me anyway. At the time pd was sneaking into my life I was doing some research on the legend of the Phoenix as a symbol of regeneration, rebirth. This was pre-computer access for me and I didn't find much but there was mention somewhere of the Phoenix carrying Spikenard to start the new nest. Cosmic, huh? Ibby[/
http://www.tqnyc.org/NYC063585/pho.htm ENJOY! |
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