FYI - Chinese skullcap is the only thing that is claimed to regenerate brain tissue!
 

At least I haven't found another. Consider this review published just this year-

1. CNS Neurol Disord Drug Targets. 2011 Mar;10(2):184-91.

Flavones from root of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi: drugs of the future in
neurodegeneration?

Gasiorowski K, Lamer-Zarawska E, Leszek J, Parvathaneni K, Yendluri BB,
Błach-Olszewska Z, Aliev G.

Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Wroclaw Medical
University, 14 Kochanowskiego Str., 51-601Wroclaw, Poland.

Flavonoids are natural, plant-derived compounds which exert diverse biological
activities, also valuable neuroprotective actions within the brain and currently
are intensively studied as agents able to modulate neuronal function and to
prevent age-related neurodegeneration. Among them, flavones isolated from
Scutellaria baicalensis root exhibit strong neuroprotective effects on the brain
and are not toxic in the broad range of tested doses. Their neuroprotective
potential has been shown in both oxidative stress-induced and amyloid-beta and
alpha-synuclein-induced neuronal death models. Baicalein, the main flavone
present in Scutellaria baicalensis root, strongly inhibited aggregation of
neuronal amyloidogenic proteins in vitro and induces dissolution of amyloid
deposits. It exerts strong antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities and
also exhibits anti-convulsive, anxiolytic, and mild sedative actions.
Importantly, baicalein, and also another flavone: oroxylin A, markedly enhanced
cognitive and mnestic functions in animal models of aging brains and
neurodegeneration. In the preliminary study, wogonin, another flavone from
Scutellaria baicalensis root, has been shown to stimulate brain tissue
regeneration, inducing differentiation of neuronal precursor cells. This concise
review provides the main examples of neuroprotective activities of the flavones
and reveals their potential in prevention and therapyof neurodegenerative
diseases.


PMID: 21222632 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

According to research cited in Science Daily: "The latest research shows that a combination of three factors together are needed to damage the cell. If any are missing the cell remains viable. The three are dopamine itself, alpha-synuclein and calcium channels. Neurons die because calcium channels lead to an increase of dopamine inside the cell; excess dopamine then reacts with alpha-synuclein to form inactive complexes; and then the complexes gum up the cell's ability to dispose of toxic waste that builds up in the cell over time."

Bacalein from Baikal Skullcap also prevents and dissolves alpha-synuclein protein tangles in neurodegenerative diseases such as PD. Perhaps a combo of this and
the CCB isradipine with a calcium binding protein such as apoaequorin (Prevagen) might disrupt this process.

How about Baikal Skullcap but instead of the CCB Isradipine, a TCM CCB with less side effects eg Diao Teng Gou (Gambir) and/or Di Gu Pi (Lycium Chinense) plus a calcium binding protein? We applaud your efforts and find your posts very helpful. Paul & Sarah

Thanks for the kind words. I am not familiar with the properties of those
Chinese herbs but I will check with my TCM doctor and see what she thinks.

We find the publication "Handbook of Chinese Medicinal Plants" (2 vols) by Tang & Eisenbrand, published by Wiley-VCH 2011, ISBN 9783527322268 a good reference.

We were alerted to the actions of Gou Teng/Gambir/Uncaria Rhynchophylla by an article in New Scientist 17th of June 2011, "Chinese Medicine Offers New Parkinson's Treatments" in which Li Min, a tradition Chinese doctor at Hong Kong Baptist University is interviewed about a Parkinson's trial in which gou teng was used as part of a formula. She talks about its actions on alpha-synuclein. Rhynchophylline, found in Uncaria Rhynchophylla, is described in Wikipedia as a "calcium channel blocker" with some references, which is why we thought of it for your triple therapy idea.

Perhaps we shouldn't have mentioned Lycium Chinense in this context. We were thinking of it because we were researching Gou Teng and came across an article titled "Inhibition of monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) by Chinese Herbal Medicines", 2003, (see Pubmed). In this article both Uncaria Rhyncophylla and Lycium Chinense performed well.

Thanks again, Paul & Sarah