Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Alzheimer’s participants who took a herbal combination for 12 months had significantly higher cognitive function scores, significantly lower inflammation levels, and greater antioxidant levels than those who took the Alzheimer’s drug Aricept.
In 2010, an estimated 35.6 million people worldwide suffered from dementia, with 65.7 million expected cases by 2030 and 115.4 million by 2050 (1). Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, accounting for up to 70% of all dementia cases, with a new case of Alzheimer’s being diagnosed every 4 seconds (2, 3). Dementia in the population older than 65 years of age is referred to as senile dementia, affecting 7 % of those older than 65 years of age and 30 % of those older than 80 years are thought to be affected by senile dementia (4).
Fortunately, an alternative approach to helping with senile dementia of the Alzheimer’s type may be available in the form of an herbal combination. A 2014 study (5) involved 104 patients aged 60 to 75 with senile dementia of the Alzheimer’s type. They received either 500 milligrams of an herbal combination of extracts of Bacopa monnieri (whole plant), Hippophae rhamnoides (leaves and fruits) and Dioscorea bulbifera (bulbils) (56 subjects, male/female split not provided) or 10 mg of the prescription medication Aricept (48 subjects, male/female) twice daily for 12 months. The researchers did not state why the 10 milligrams twice daily of Aricept was used. Every 3 months, each subject competed tests to measure cognitive function.
After 12 months, those in the herbal therapy group showed the following improvements compared to the Aricept group:
- 8.7% higher scores on “Digital Symbol Substitution” DSS (38.984 vs 35.852, p = 0.0001)
- 28.6 % higher scores on “Word Recall Immediate” (3.594 vs 2.794, p = 0.0001)
- 11.8% higher attention span scores (4.918 vs 4.396, p = 0.0208)
- 21.1% higher functional activity questionnaires (11.873 vs 9.801, p = 0.0001)
- 22% lower depression scores (16.387 vs 21.006, p = 0.0001)
In addition, inflammation in the herbal therapy group was 32.5% lower, with
- 32.5% lower levels of homocysteine (30.22 vs 44.73 nmol/L, p < 0.0001)
- 19.3% lower C-reactive protein (4.751 vs 5.887 mg/L, p < 0.0001)
- 28.8% lower tumour necrosis factor alpha levels (1139.45 vs 1598.77 picograms/milliliter (p < 0.0001).
Those in the herbal group also showed greater levels of antioxidants and less cell damage, with
- 13% higher levels of superoxide dismutase (1296 vs 1145.92 U/g Hb, p = 0.00130)
- 25% higher levels of glutathione peroxidase (25.99 vs 20.78 U/g Hb, p = 0.0001)
- 25.4% lower levels of a marker of cell damage called TBARS (131.62 vs 176.40 nmol/g Hb (p = 0.0001).
For the researchers, “The results of this study demonstrate the therapeutic potential of this novel polyherbal formulation for the management and treatment of senile dementia of the Alzheimer’s type.”
Source: Sadhu, Ananya, et al. “Management of cognitive determinants in senile dementia of Alzheimer’s type: therapeutic potential of a novel polyherbal drug product.” Clinical drug investigation 34.12 (2014): 857-869.
© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014
Posted December 21, 2015.
Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Hauppauge, NY. You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.PitchingDoc.com.
References:
- World Alzheimer’s Report 2009. London: Alzheimer’s Disease International; 2009
- Karachitos A, Pozo JSG, Groot PWJ, Kmita H, Jorda´n J. Minocycline mediated mitochondrial cytoprotection: premises for therapy of cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Current Drug Targets. 2013;14:47–55.
- WHO. ICD-10. International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision. Vols 1–3. World Health Organization, Geneva; 1992–94
- Neurological disorders: public health challenges. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2006
- Sadhu A. Management of cognitive determinants in senile dementia of Alzheimer’s type: therapeutic potential of a novel polyherbal drug product. Clin Drug Investig 2014 Dec;34(12):857-69. doi: 10.1007/s40261-014-0235-9
