A dietary staple of India, where Alzheimer's disease rates
are reportedly among the world's lowest, holds potential as
a weapon in the fight against the disease. The new UCLA-Veterans
Affairs study involving genetically altered mice suggests
that curcumin, the yellow pigment in curry spice, inhibits
the accumulation of destructive beta amyloids in the brains
of Alzheimer's patients and also breaks up existing plaques.
Reporting in the Dec. 7, 2004, online edition of the Journal
of Biological Chemistry, the research team also determined
curcumin is more effective in inhibiting formation of the
protein fragments than many other drugs being tested as Alzheimer's
treatments. The researchers found the low molecular weight
and polar structure of curcumin allow it to penetrate the
blood-brain barrier effectively and bind to beta amyloid.
In earlier studies (Journal of Neuroscience, 2001; 21:8370-8377;
Neurobiology of Aging, 2001; 22:993-1005), the same research
team found curcumin has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
properties, which scientists believe help ease Alzheimer's
symptoms caused by oxidation and inflammation.
The research team's body of research into curcumin has prompted
the UCLA Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC) to begin
human clinical trials to further evaluate its protective and
therapeutic effects. More information about enrolling in this
and other clinical trials at the Center is available by calling
(310) 206-3779 or online at http://www.npistat.com/adrc/Treatment.asp.
"The prospect of finding a safe and effective new approach
to both prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease is
tremendously exciting," said principal investigator Gregory
Cole. He is professor of medicine and neurology at the David
Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, associate director of the
UCLA Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, and associate director
of the Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center at
the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System at Sepulveda,
Calif.
"Curcumin has been used for thousands of years as a safe
anti-inflammatory in a variety of ailments as part of Indian
traditional medicine," Cole said. "Recent successful studies
in animal models support a growing interest in its possible
use for diseases of aging involving oxidative damage and inflammation
like Alzheimer's, cancer and heart disease. What we really
need, however, are clinical trials to establish safe and effective
doses in aging patients."
The research was funded by the Siegel Life Foundation, Veterans
Affairs, Alzheimer's Association, UCLA Alzheimer's Disease
Research Center and private donors.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an irreversible, progressive
brain disorder that occurs gradually and results in memory
loss, unusual behavior, personality changes, and a decline
in thinking abilities. These losses relate to the death of
brain cells and the breakdown of the connections between them.
The disease is the most common form of dementing illness
among middle and older adults, affecting more than 4 million
Americans and many millions worldwide. The prevalence of Alzheimer's
among adults ages 70-79 in India, however, is 4.4 times less
than the rate in the United States.
Widely used as a food dye and preservative, and in some cancer
treatments, curcumin has undergone extensive toxicological
testing in animals. It also is used extensively in traditional
Indian medicine to treat a variety of ailments.
Other members of the research team are Fusheng Yang, Giselle
Lim, Aynun Begum, Mychica Simmons, Suren Ambegaokar, Ping
Ping Chen of UCLA; Rakez Kyad and Charlie Glabe of the University
of California at Irvine; and Sally Frautschy of UCLA and the
Greater Los Angeles VA Healthcare System at Sepulveda.
The Alzheimer Disease Research Center at UCLA, directed by
Dr. Jeffrey L. Cummings, was established in 1991 by a grant
from the National Institute on Aging. Together with grants
from the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center of California
and the Sidell-Kagan Foundation, the center provides a mechanism
for integrating, coordinating and supporting new and ongoing
research by established investigators in Alzheimer's disease
and aging.
Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Health Care System and
Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center combine resources to form
a unified Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center,
one of 20 nationwide. These centers of excellence are designed
to improve health care and quality of life to older veterans
through the advancement and integration of research, education
and clinical achievements in geriatrics and gerontology into
the total VA health care system and broader communities.
Reference
Source 131
December 30, 2004
