Conclusion: Methods of Traditional
Chinese Medicine improves cellular energy metabolism and utilization,
enhances endogenous neurotrophic effects and decreases neurotoxin
production, thus reduces the cell death and increasing the survival and
regeneration of neurons.
Study: Li L, et al. Xuanwu Hospital of Capital University of
Medical Sciences, Beijing 100053, China. linli97@hotmail.com
The theory that "the kidney nourishes marrow and brain is the sea of marrow"
has been instructing traditional Chinese medical doctors in preventing and
treating dementia in aged people for thousands of years. However, the modern
biological basis of this theory has not been systemically studied. In this
review, we summarized our serial pharmacological studies on the treatment of
Alzheimer's disease (AD) with Chinese medicinal herbs, using multiple kinds
of AD-like animal and cell models. The results show that
"kidney-reinforcing" herbs of traditional Chinese medicine play a very
important role in the anti-AD effects; and different "kidney-reinforcing"
herbs have different effects in brain functions. The common effects of
"kidney-reinforcing" herbs are improving cellular energy metabolism,
increasing neurotrophic factors and the number of cholinergic neurons, and
decreasing neurotoxin production. Based on above results, we propose that
the essence of "brain marrow" is the neurons and neurotrophic factors in the
brain; "the deficiency of brain marrow" is induced by the decrease in
neurotrophic factors and the atrophy and loss of neurons in the brain, thus
resulting in cognitive impairment and dementia. The modern biological basis
of "reinforcing kidney to replenish marrow" by traditional Chinese medicine
includes improving cellular energy metabolism and utilization, enhancing
endogenous neurotrophic effects and decreasing neurotoxin production, thus
reducing the cell death and increasing the survival and regeneration of
neurons.
Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2006
Sep;30(17):1397-400, 1417.
Source: PubMed
For More Information Contact:
Florida Acupuncture Solutions
2815 W. Virginia Ave
Tel: (813) 872 - 4868
FAX:
Internet:
leyunshao@hotmail.com
