{"id":29090,"date":"2025-07-01T05:54:10","date_gmt":"2025-07-01T05:54:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/29090\/"},"modified":"2025-07-01T05:54:10","modified_gmt":"2025-07-01T05:54:10","slug":"alzheimers-disease-common-herbs-used-in-the-kitchen-could-help-slow-down-the-progression-of-the-disease-study-finds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/29090\/","title":{"rendered":"Alzheimer’s disease: Common herbs used in the kitchen could help slow down the progression of the disease, study finds"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Alzheimer's Imagine a common sprig of rosemary or sage gracing your roast chicken! Now, imagine that this modest herb may harbor a powerful ally in the fight against Alzheimer\u2019s.Yes, that\u2019s right.Recent breakthroughs spotlight a compound called carnosic acid, an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory powerhouse present in these kitchen staples. In its natural form, carnosic acid is unstable, yet innovative science has transformed it into a stabilized prodrug, diAcCA, capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier and selectively activating in damaged, inflamed brain cells. While still in the pre-clinical stages, this discovery lights a spark of hope, hinting that everyday herbs might play a role in slowing, or even preventing, cognitive decline.<\/p>\n

What does the study say?<\/p>\n

In a recent study published in the journal Antioxidants, researchers from the Scripps Research Institute discovered a compound called carnosic acid \u2013 found in rosemary and sage \u2013 with impressive antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. They suggest that this compound could be beneficial for neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer\u2019s.Researchers Piu Banerjee and Dr. Stuart Lipton shared their findings with Fox News Digital. They said, \u201cIn this study, we observed that administering this drug to mice that had advanced Alzheimer\u2019s-like disease significantly improved the number of neurons, as well as the number of synapses or connections between the brain cells.\u201dThey also noted, \u201cIt reduced inflammation caused by current anti-amyloid antibody therapies and improved learning and memory behavior in the mice that received the drug.\u201d\"Alzheimer'sBanerjee explained that carnosic acid is a \u201cprodrug,\u201d meaning it\u2019s inactive until it enters the body, where it gets activated by oxidative and inflammatory stress. \u201cIt specifically targets cells undergoing oxidative and inflammatory stress, without affecting healthy, normal brain cells,\u201d she added. This makes it a safer option for treatment.The researchers believe carnosic acid might help reduce inflammation in aging brains. However, they urge caution. Courtney Kloske, director of scientific engagement for the Alzheimer\u2019s Association, stressed that while studying mice helps us understand the disease, we really need to conduct human studies for a complete picture. \u201cThese findings are intriguing, but more research is needed to see how these compounds affect people living with or at risk for Alzheimer\u2019s,\u201d she advised.Banerjee and Lipton also noted that just cooking with sage and rosemary won\u2019t deliver the same anti-inflammatory benefits. “Critically, one cannot take sufficient herbs safely to produce the same effect as our new drug,\u201d Banerjee explained. Kloske added, \u201cAt this point, no one should consume these herbs or carnosic acid to prevent or treat Alzheimer\u2019s or other cognitive impairments.\u201d<\/p>\n

Origins and key compound: Carnosic acid in rosemary and sage<\/p>\n

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and sage have both storied reputations\u2014ancient scholars hung rosemary in their robes to boost memory. Modern research confirms that carnosic acid, alongside carnosol and rosmarinic acid, provides potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that can reach the brain.These compounds activate the Nrf2 pathway, which spurs the production of endogenous enzymes that combat oxidative stress \u2013 one of Alzheimer\u2019s disease\u2019s key drivers.\"Alzheimer's<\/p>\n

From kitchen to Lab: Creating diAcCA<\/p>\n

Carnosic acid\u2019s instability limited its therapeutic potential \u2013 until researchers at Scripps created diAcCA, an acetylated prodrug version. When consumed, diAcCA converts into its active form in the gut, crossing into the bloodstream and, crucially, the brain.In mouse models mimicking Alzheimer\u2019s (5xFAD strain), three months of diAcCA treatment led to restoration of memory and learning to near-normal levels, increased synaptic density in hippocampal circuits, and reduced neuroinflammation and diminished amyloid-\u03b2 and phosphorylated tau accumulation.These results were consistent across behavioral tasks, histology, and biochemistry, with no observed toxicity.<\/p>\n

Mechanisms at work: A multi-front attack<\/p>\n

diAcCA (and its metabolite carnosic acid) appear to combat Alzheimer\u2019s via several reinforcing mechanisms:Antioxidant defense: Activates Nrf2, turning on protective genes that tackle oxidative stress and stabilize cell redox balance.Anti\u2011inflammatory action: Blocks cytokine release (IL-1\u03b2, IL-6, TNF\u2011\u03b1) and inhibits inflammasome activation, reducing harmful microglial activity.Neurotrophic support: Boosts nerve growth factor, BDNF, and synaptic resilience.Cholinergic enhancement: Rosemary\u2019s 1,8\u2011cineole component inhibits acetylcholinesterase, helping sustain acetylcholine levels vital for memory.Reduced neurotoxic proteins: Helps clear amyloid\u2011\u03b2 and tau aggregates via synaptic and inflammatory pathways.\"Alzheimer's<\/p>\n

The future ahead:<\/p>\n

While diAcCA hasn\u2019t yet been tested in people, several encouraging signals emerge:FDA classifies carnosic acid as \u201cGenerally Recognized as Safe\u201d, which may speed early\u2011stage trials. diAcCA appears well tolerated in mice, with even digestive system benefits, while smaller human trials using rosemary\/sage extracts showed improved cognitive speed and memory performance in older adults.Meta\u2011analyses of animal studies reflect moderate\u2011to\u2011strong cognitive gains from rosemary extract. Banerjee expressed hope for the future, stating, \u201cI hope our drug will start human clinical trials soon. If it proves to be effective, it will be a great new drug for those suffering from Alzheimer\u2019s. We are cautiously optimistic for its success in human clinical trials!\u201d<\/p>\n

Reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease linked to target protein for diabetes, as per a study<\/p>\n

NB: This article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Imagine a common sprig of rosemary or sage gracing your roast chicken! Now, imagine that this modest herb…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":29091,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[10263,24941,24938,16875,24939,210,24942,24943,24945,24944,24940,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-29090","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health","8":"tag-alzheimers-disease","9":"tag-anti-inflammatory-benefits","10":"tag-carnosic-acid","11":"tag-cognitive-decline","12":"tag-diacca","13":"tag-health","14":"tag-rosemary-and-sage","15":"tag-rosemary-health-benefits","16":"tag-rosemary-herb","17":"tag-sage-health-benefits","18":"tag-scripps-research-institute","19":"tag-united-states","20":"tag-unitedstates","21":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/114776431997777789","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29090","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29090"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29090\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29091"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29090"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29090"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29090"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}