Herbal remedies for neurodegenerative disease

1. Alzheimer's, Parkinson's’ ALS,
MS, Fibromyalgia &
Neurodegenerative Disease –
Common Pathologies &
Prevention
By: Morwenna Given
Medical Herbalist
BA MA (Oxon) BSC BHG
1 m.OHA AHG RH
24th January 2012

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WHO AM I?
Iam a medical herbalist, trained in University,
Hospital and clinics in the UK
 Witha practise in downtown Toronto
focussing on:
 Chronicauto immune diseases including MS,
Cancer, Alzheimer's, diabetes, thyroid and
Women's’ issues
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WHAT DO I DO?
 A person who treats medical disease
‘wholistically’ on an evidence based basis
with whole plant extracts
 A person who treats the cause of the problem
not just the symptom
 We are specialists in the use of medicinal
plants and their ability to resolve disease
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WHAT IS: NEURO
DEGENERATIVE DISEASE?
 Theseare diseases with the more familiar
names such as MS & Alzheimer's
 They have been placed in this category of
medical disease as they are diagnosed and
measured by change in the brain and nerves.
 Each specific disease has its own
characteristics for diagnosis such as amyloid
plaques in Alzheimers
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The search for causes
determined by drug patentability
 Genetic in Origin?
 Front Biosci (Elite Ed). 2013 Jan 1;5:167-77.Genetics of familial and sporadic
Alzheimer's disease.Piaceri I, Nacmias B, Sorbi S.
 Failure of current treatments
 Biochem Pharmacol. 2012 Nov 22. pii: S0006-2952(12)00755-1. doi:
10.1016/j.bcp.2012.11.014. Alzheimer's Therapeutics: Continued clinical
failures question the validity of the amyloid hypothesis - but what lies beyond?
Mullane K, Williams M.
 Amyloid hypthesis

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Common causes
 All these disorders have much in common.
Aetiology is surprising uniform Brain Nerve. 2012
Jun;64(6):675-9.
 Are neurodegenerative diseases "protein
cancers"?.Hasegawa M.Dept. of Neuropathology and Cell Biology,
Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science
 Appoptosin is a novel pro-apoptotic protein
and mediates cell death in neurodegeneration.
Zhang H et alJ Neurosci. 2012 Oct 31;32(44):15565-76. doi:
10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3668-12.2012

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 Viral and Bacterial
Implications
 Commensal microbiota and myelin autoantigen
cooperate to trigger autoimmune demyelination.
 Berer K, et al Nature. 2011 Oct 26;479(7374):538-41. doi: 10.1038/nature10554. PMID:
22031325
 Intrathecal antibody production against Chlamydia
pneumoniae in multiple sclerosis is part of a polyspecific
immune response. Derfuss T, et al. Brain. 2001 Jul;124(Pt 7):1325-35. PMID:
11408328
 Intracerebral propagation of Alzheimer's disease:
Strengthening evidence of a herpes simplex virus
etiology.Ball MJ,et al.Alzheimers Dement. 2012 Nov 14. doi:pii: S1552-
5260(12)02420-X. 10.1016/j.jalz.2012.07.005. PMID: 23159044

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
MORE COMMON FACTORS
 More women than men
 Am J Public Health. 2013 Jan 17. Trends in Mortality Risk by Education Level and Cause of Death
Among US White Women From 1986 to 2006. Montez JK, Zajacova A.
 Depression
 Neurochem Int. 2013 Jan 7. pii: S0197-0186(12)00412-3. doi:
10.1016/j.neuint.2012.12.014.Effect of diet on serotonergic neurotransmission in
depression. Shabbir F,et al.
 Poor diet
 Toxicol Lett. 2013 Jan 4. pii: S0378-4274(12)01461-0. doi:
10.1016/j.toxlet.2012.12.023. Acrolein induces Alzheimer's disease-like pathologies
in vitro and in vivo.Huang et al.
 LIFESTYLE
 Infection, inflammation, and chronic diseases: consequences of a modern lifestyle.
 Ehlers S, 99(th) Dahlem Conference. Trends Immunol. 2010 May;31(5):184-90.
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Even More Common
Factors
 Affects an older population
 Previously confined to the Western World
 Now increasing at rapid rates in the BRICK
Countries
 Involves dysregulation of the HPA axis
 Involves prolonged inflammation
 Mechanisms of neurodegeneration shared
between multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's
disease.
Lassmann H. J Neural Transm. 2011 May;118(5):747-52. doi:
10.1007/s00702-011-0607-8. Epub 2011 Mar 5. Review. PMID: 21373761
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RECAP
 In the past @ 75yrs we have changed:
 No exercise – the car
 Diet – proliferation of processed foods high in
sugars and bacteria DT on line bacteria in chicken 23/01/13
 Heavy use of antibiotics
 High stress and culture of not being ill
 But our bodies have not changed but we now
live @ 25yrs more than 50 yrs ago
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THE MICROBIOME
PROJECT
 The microbiome is the most exciting
development in science in the last 50 yrs.
 What you eat is totally under your control and
preventable medicine
 There will never be a drug for bacteria as they
mutate like viruses
 Most plants have anti bacterial and anti viral
properties!
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MICROBIOME
 Auto immunity diseases arise from the gut
Kirsten Berer & Krishnamorthy Max Planck Institute Freiburg
 Gut, bugs, and brain: role of commensal bacteria in the
control of central nervous system disease. Ochoa-Repáraz J,et
al Ann Neurol. 2011 Feb;69(2):240-7. doi: 10.1002/ana.22344. Review.
 Gut bacterias trigger the reaction that causes the
body’s immune system to misbehave – which is why
amyloid deposits in the brain are a late stage
feature…….Parkinson's develops years before signs
and symptoms lead to a diagnosis
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Bacterial Actions
 The inappropriate bacteria in the gut release
 Lipases and other chemicals which in turn
 Release proinflammatory and cytotoxic
compounds which then attack the bodies’ own
cells creating anti bodies which invade the
immune system.
 These chemicals then get circulated via neural
and plasma networks to the brain where the
damage can be visible eg protein clumps of
amyloid.

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PREVENTION
 Itstarts at birth with:
 Exercise
 Appropriate diet. You are what you eat.
 Stress avoidance
 Mental exercise
 Laughter and happiness
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EXERCISE
 "It is clear from this study and others that physical
performance in late life plays an incredibly important
role in our cognitive health," said Dr. Erickson.
"Although more research is needed into the causal
mechanisms and pathways by which this works, it is
clear that physical performance in late life is critical for
retaining a healthy brain."
 Arch Neurol. Published online October 22, 2012.
Exercise May Beat Mental Activity in Preserving
Cognition. Medscape. Oct 24, 2012.
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MORE……
research has shown that exercise programs among patients with
neurologic disorders "increase the patients' sense of self-efficacy, their
sense of involvement in their care and overall belief in their abilities to
perform certain activities."
“… patient involvement leads to higher satisfaction with care, and
greater likelihood of following provider recommendations,". "In
essence, exercise puts the patient — not a pill — at the center of care,
which is exactly where patients want and ought to be."
Arch. Neurologist Nov 5th 2012
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STRESS:
Mitochondrial defects and
oxidative stress in Alzheimer
disease and Parkinson disease.
Free Radic Biol Med. 2012 Nov 29. pii: S0891-
5849(12)01823-0. doi:
10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2012.11.014.
Yan MH, Wang X, Zhu X.
Personal observation: MS starts with a combined
viral infection and emotional distress involving 5
http receptors
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DIET
 Gluten intolerance may be a factor
 Hybridised grains and overconsumption
 Poor nutrition – lack of key vitamins, minerals
in immunocompromised patients directly
relates to poor function
 Inflammation mediated memory dysfunction
and effects of a ketogenic diet
 High glucose levels affect the HPA
 Kim do et al Plos One 2012 7(5) 35476
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More…..
 Human nutrition, the gut microbiome and the
immune system.
 Kau AL, et al;Nature. 2011 Jun 15;474(7351):327-36. doi:
10.1038/nature10213. Review. PMID: 21677749
 Traditional Chinese medicine: balancing the gut
ecosystem.
 Li H,et al Phytother Res. 2009 Sep;23(9):1332-5. doi:
10.1002/ptr.2590.PMID: 19253310
 Homocysteine induces apoptosis of rat
hippocampal neurons by inhibiting 14-3-3ε
expression and activating calcineurin.
 PLoS One. 2012;7(11):e48247. Doi. 10.1371/journal.pone.0048247. Wang et al

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More….
 Overprocessed foods and foods not fit for
human consumption
 Two thirds of all raw shop bought chicken in
the UK is contaminated by campylobacter
 www.telegraph.co.uk/foodand drink/foodanddrinknews/9820838/FSA
 Gloopy type margarine has diacetyl which has
been shown to promote beta amyloid which is
the hallmark of Alzheimers. More SS et ak The butter
flavorant Diacetyl exacerbates Beta-Amyloid cytotoxicity Chem Res. In
Toxicology 25th June 2012

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SUGAR
 Like all diseases of excess sugar plays a key role in
destabilising the body’s normal mechanisms including
brain function
 Excess sugar is derived from an inappropriate diet i.e.
one high in grains
 Insulin resistance a hall mark of co morbidities e.g.
PCOS
 High circulating levels of glucose affect the brain
 J.Physiol 2012 590:2485-2499 Gomez-Pinella
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More….
The Role of Glucose Transporters in Brain Disease: Diabetes and
Alzheimers Disease.Shah K, Desilva S, Abbruscato T. Int J Mol Sci. 2012 Oct
3;13(10):12629-55. doi: 10.3390/ijms131012629
Reccomended reading
J Yudkin: Pure White and Deadly Penguin 2012
reprint

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KEY:
MISSING INGREDIENTS
 Our locally grown vegetables do not have
sufficient zinc, selenium
 Most people do not eat enough fish- iodine
 Most people eat too much processed flour based
food – inhibiting - bromine.
 All of which is interesting considering that is now
recognised neurological diseases starts in the gut.

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MORE…..
 Ameliorationof Alzheimer's disease by
neuroprotective effect of sulforaphane in
animal model. Kim HV, et al Amyloid. 2012 Dec 19.
 Eat your sprouts!!

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VITAMIN D
 Ontario is well known for its lack of vitamin D in
the population – it is recognised to be endemic
 Reduced vitamin D is associated with the
geographic incidence of neuromuscular disorders
 Loss/Lack of vitamin D affects bones, muscles,
thyroid, liver etc.
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Drugs
 Basically the drugs used for most
neurodegenerative diseases do not prevent
progression – merely delay at best
 Extensive side effects
 Affect the quality of life
 VERY POOR EVIDENCE TO JUSTIFY USE
 I RECOMMEND YOU READ BAD PHARMA by
Ben Goldacre 4th Estate
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PLANTS
Protective effect of paeonol on neurotoxicity
induced by Abeta1-42 and underlying
mechanisms. Zhong SZ, et al. (Paeony)
St John’s Wort – Hypericum
Centella asiatica – Gota Cola
Macuna Puriens Uncaria/ Cats Claw
Brahmi –Panax ginseng - Kudzu Pueria Lobata
Plants with anti bacterial & anti viral properties
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More……
 Turmeric
 Curcuminoids in neurodegenerative diseases.
Kim DS, et al Recent Pat CNS Drug Discov. 2012 Dec;7(3):184-204. PMID:
22742420 ©
 Gingko
 Astragalas
 Andrographis
 And more and more but only when used at a
therapeutic dose and as compounds
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THEY WORK!
 Reversible worsening of symptoms after taking Cat’s
claw ( Clin.Neuropharmacol 2008)
 A diversity of compounds isolated from herbal materials
were reported to be effective on neurotoxic models of
PD by modulating multiple key events or signaling
pathways implicated in the pathogenesis of PD
j.Ethnopharmacol 2012 feb 15
 We use a combination of plants in a tincture to
synergise and maximise effectiveness which is not
possible in a conventional drug
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CAUTIONS
 PLEASE NOTE: IT IS ADVISED, THAT ANY PLANTS
MENTIONED IN THIS TALK, ARE ONLY USED
UNDER PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE.
 BOTANICAL MEDICINE AS COMPOUNDED BY A
PROFESSIONAL IS NOT AVAILABLE OVER THE
RETAIL COUNTER.
 It is not advisable to self treat
 A professional: will recognise all the issues within
the body; Select herbs that will impact positively on
these issues without causing problems in order to
co exist with other medications
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REFERENCES
 www. Pubmed, Science direct
Ihave a full list of references for those who
are interested – if you would like either to
email me or put your name down tonight I will
send them to you. It is several pages long!
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THANK YOU
MORWENNA GIVEN
WWW.MEDICUSHERBIS.COM ©2013