Scientists Turn to Sage to Combat Alzheimers

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Scientists Turn to Sage to Combat Alzheimers

 

Reuters

 

http://66.242.35.139/news/item.php?keyid=5652 & page=1 & category=1

August 28, 2003

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists searching for a cure for Alzheimer´s disease

have found a potential ally in the humble herb sage.

 

Alzheimer´s is one of the most common forms of dementia, affecting some 10

million people worldwide, making it one of the hottest areas of

pharmaceutical research.

 

Checking the writings of herbalists working four centuries ago, scientists

at the northern English universities of Newcastle and Northumbria found a

marked improvement in the memory capabilities of people taking sage oil

extract.

 

The finding was consistent with a discovery by researchers at the

Universities´ Medicinal Plant Research Center that sage protects a key

chemical destroyed in Alzheimer´s.

 

" This research does have serious implications for people suffering from

Alzheimer´s disease, as it will inform drug research and development, " lead

researcher Nicola Tildesley said in a statement, noting sage has no side

effects.

 

" This proves how valuable the work by old herbalists is, and they shouldn´t

just be ignored because they were writing centuries ago, " she added.

 

It is by no means the first time scientists have turned back to the plant

world to find cures for diseases -- particularly Alzheimer´s.

 

Johnson & Johnson and Shire Pharmaceutical already market a drug called

Reminyl derived from daffodil bulbs while Britain´s Phytopharm is working on

an experimental compound from an unnamed Asian plant.