Ayurvedic Treatment for Alzheimer’s

by | Sep 5, 2006 | Health & Fitness

The results reported today at the British Pharmaceutical Conference in Manchester were from joint research carried out by the Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Division at King’s College London and the School of Natural Product Studies at Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India.

Ayurvedic medicine is a natural healing system that was developed in India centuries ago. It is reputed to have originated from sacred ancient Hindu texts. The Ayurvedic medicine system commonly uses specially selected plants to treat mental decline in the elderly.

In recent years Western medicine has been using a group of drugs called acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors to improve memory and concentration in people with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease.

The UK and Indian researchers tested five plant species1 commonly used in Ayurvedic medicine to see if they did inhibit AChE. The results showed that the plants did have a significant inhibitory effect on AChE.

Pharmacist Professor Peter Houghton who led the research says that the research supports the use of natural products to treat serious illnesses such as Alzheimer’s. “The activities displayed in these five plants are similar to those shown by other plants with a pharmacological use in cognitive decline2,” he says.

Work is now in progress to determine the identity of the compounds responsible for the activity.

Needle-Less Immunisation

by | Sep 5, 2006 | Health & Fitness

Researchers at the School of Pharmacy, University of London, have announced that they have found a way of applying low-frequency ultrasound to the skin, coupled with a product (1) that makes the skin more permeable. Vaccines are then applied to the skin in liquid form using a dropper and are easily absorbed.

The researchers tested the tetanus vaccine on mice and rats and it will next be tested on human skin. Pharmacist Afendi Dahlan, who led the research, explains how it will work, “It is estimated that the medium and the ultrasound will be applied to the forearm for up to two minutes. The area will then be cleaned and the vaccine applied.”

He added that the method would remove the problems associated with needle delivery. “Needle usage can spread blood-borne diseases if someone is accidentally pricked with a needle, or if a needle is re-used. And, of course, there is the pain. Also you need a trained nurse or doctor to administer a vaccine using a needle,” he said.

Low-frequency ultrasound is commonly used in laboratories as a cleaning tool. Afendi Dahlan said that he hoped a hand-held, low-frequency ultrasound device could be developed for use in hospitals and clinics.