Five plants used in Ayurvedic medicines might pave way to finding effective treatment for Alzheimer’s. These plants are known to prevent the breakdown of neurotransmitters, responsible for the disease.
These plants are being studied by the scientists of Jadavpur University London
Researchers say ayurveda works in the same way as conventional drugs for boosting mental agility in the disease.
They found that the plants used in ayurveda acted to improve memory and concentration in Alzheimer's sufferers.
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, degenerative and irreversible brain disorder. There is no known cure.
The disease causes intellectual impairment, disorientation and eventually death.
Researchers from King's College, London and Jadavpur University in the eastern Indian city of Calcutta, studied five plants commonly used in ayurvedic medicine.
They found that the plants acted to prevent the breakdown of neurotransmitters, improving memory and concentration in people with Alzheimer's disease - the most common form of dementia.
The scientists are now trying to identify the chemical compounds responsible so they can be used to develop more effective drugs.
If a cure for Alzheimer’s is possible through Ayurveda, it will open new vistas for alternative treatment.
We have already lost valuable medicinal plants due to the clearing of forests. The populations of tribes who have the knowledge about these plants too are shrinking. Protecting tribal knowledge is a must as it contains wisdom of ages.