Sage Advice
In the e-Alert "Pain Takes a Holiday" (9/8/03) I told you how the herb sage has been shown to inhibit an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase (AChE), which breaks down a chemical called acetylcholine that is typically deficient in Alzheimer's patients. Now, a new study from the U.K. has confirmed that four compounds isolated from the extract of Chinese sage root act as AChE inhibitors. For more than a millennium, Chinese sage has been used to "prolong active life." Professor Peter Houghton, one of the authors of the King's College London study, told NutraIngredients.com that, "Our data provide some justification for this traditional use." Houghton's team is currently attempting to isolate the compounds in several Korean herbs, which have also been shown to inhibit AChE. Chinese sage - also known as danshen, salvia chinensis, and shi jian chuan - is available through many sources on the Internet, and can probably be found in most herbal shops. It rarely causes adverse side effects, which makes it preferable to Alzheimer's drugs such as donepezil; an AChE inhibitor with unpleasant side effects such as dizziness, weakness, and joint pain. If you've ever used a Chinese sage root extract to treat any type of memory or dementia problems, please drop us a line and tell us about your experience with it.
To Your Good Health…and, oh, yeah…Go Ravens!
Jenny Thompson Health Sciences Institute
Sources:
"Sage, Alternative Treatment to Alzheimer's Drug" NutraIngredients.com, 9/23/03, nutraingredients.com
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