Sydney Researchers Testing Herbal Treatment For Dimentia

MELBOURNE, March 20 (Bernama) - Researchers in Sydney have begun a clinical trial to investigate if traditional Chinese herbal medicines can slow the debilitating progress of dementia.

As the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer's Disease, vascular dementia can be caused by anything which slows blood flow to the brain including changes in blood pressure, high cholesterol and an irregular heart beat.

"A lot of the Western medications are actually made from plants and derive their origins from herbal medications," says Prof Daniel Chan, director of Aged Care and Rehabilitation at Sydney's Bankstown Hospital.

He is leading a trial of three herbs -- ginkgo, ginseng and saffron -- which have been used to treat dementia in China for thousands of years. This is the first time though such a treatment has been tried outside China.

"These herbs actually improve the circulation in the brain and enhances transmission of certain substances between nerve brain cells," Hongkong-born Prof Chan says.

Bankstown Hospital and the University of Western Sydney have joined forces with the China Academy of Traditional Medicine in Beijing. Eighty patients will take part in the study over four months.

"This is the first herbal trial conducted for the treatment for this particular disease," says trial researcher Dennis Chang, from the University of Western Sydney's Centre of Complimentary Medicine Research.

For many dementia patients, the burden is not just physical -- it is also financial, with some medications costing up to A$200 (about RM580) a month.

Doctors say these herbs are so common that if placed on the market, this treatment is expected to cost no more than A$200 a year.

-- BERNAMA

Ginkgo :: Ginkgo biloba is commonly used in the treatment of early-stage Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, peripheral claudication, and tinnitus of vascular origin. Multiple trials investigating the efficacy of ginkgo for treating cerebrovascular disease and dementia have been performed, and systematic reviews suggest the herb can improve the symptoms of dementia. Ginkgo is generally well tolerated, but it can increase the risk of bleeding if used in combination with warfarin, antiplatelet agents, and certain other herbal medications. Clinical issues of safety, dosing, use in the perioperative period, and pharmacology are addressed in this review.

Ginseng :: The herbal remedies referred to as "ginseng" are derived from the roots of several plants. One of the most commonly used and researched of the ginsengs is Panax ginseng, also called Asian or Korean ginseng. The main active components of Panax ginseng are ginsenosides, which have been shown to have a variety of beneficial effects, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer effects. Results of clinical research studies demonstrate that Panax ginseng may improve psychologic function, immune function, and conditions associated with diabetes. Overall, Panax ginseng appears to be well tolerated, although caution is advised about concomitant use with some pharmaceuticals, such as warfarin, oral hypoglycemic agents, insulin, and phenelzine. Panax ginseng does not appear to enhance physical performance. Products with a standardized ginsenoside concentration are available.

Saffron :: Not to be mistaken for tumeric. Saffron soothes the membranes of the stomach and colon. It helps reduce cholesterol levels by neutralizing uric-acid build up in the system. It has been known to prevent heart disease. In Valencia, Spain, Saffron is eaten daily and little heart disease exists there. Saffron contains vitarnins A and B12. It contains potassium, some calcium, phosphorus, sodium, and lactic acid. This is the first time i have heard of saffron being used fro early treatment of dementia. Other medicinal uses of saffron in the past included its general employment as an antidote against poisoning, a digestant, an aphrodisiac, a tonic, and as a specific for dysentery and measles. In accordance with the Doctrine of Signatures, its yellow color signified its natural ability to treat jaundice

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