(08-12-10) Food for thought: compound in licorice may protect brain cells from Alzheimer's and other diseases

by S. L. Baker, features writer

(NaturalNews) Could natural compounds in plants hold the key to helping
prevent or treat neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease,
Parkinson's disease and even HIV-related dementia? University of South Carolina
(USC) neuroscientist Dr. Rosemarie Booze thinks that's a distinct possibility
because a substance found in licorice (also known as liquorice) root may
prevent the nerve cell loss in the brain that's associated with those
devastating health problems.

Dr. Booze, who's the Bicentennial Chair Professor in Behavorial Neuroscience
in the USC College of Arts and Sciences, is isolating liquiritigenin (dubbed LQ
by Dr. Booze) from licorice root and testing its effects on brain cells
(neurons). LQ is one of several natural phytoestrogens which mimics the hormone
estrogen. There are two forms of phytoestrogens that bind to either alpha or
beta estrogen receptors (ER) in the human body. Previous research has shown
phytoestrogens that target alpha ERs, which are found throughout the body, may
prevent breast, ovarian and uterine cancer. But it turns out the licorice
compound LQ is a beta ER -- which means it targets cells in the brain.

"Alpha and beta estrogen receptors are very close in structure, but beta
estrogen receptors are more localized in the brain and have different effects
on brain cells," Dr. Booze explained in a statement to the media. "We know that
LQ is the active compound in one traditional Chinese medicine and is used to
treat post menopausal women. We're looking at it for its brain effects. LQ may
be novel in Western cultures, but it has been used in Eastern cultures for a
long time."

Dr. Booze's research is the first ever conducted on LQ and the first to test
several phytoestrogens on brain cells. She and her USC research colleagues are
running a variety of lab tests to see if these compounds not only help nerve
cells survive but if they can trigger neurons to make new connections. By
studying the cells exposed to the phytoestrogens in Petri dishes, the
scientists can document which parts of the compounds are critical for nerve-
cell survival and how these phytoestrogens differ from the actual hormone
estrogen.

"Plants are amazing chemists!" Dr. Booze said. "Phytoestrogens are only made
by plants, and there are several different ones that target estrogen receptors.
We are focusing on the beta compounds for neural effects, and these can be
found in liquorice root, soybeans and other plants. We're testing the ability
of plant-derived phytoestrogens, such as genistein and LQ, to help nerve cells
survive in neurodegenerative diseases and keep neurons connected and
functional." She added that one reason LQ shows such promise is that the
natural compound is absorbed easily in the intestines and crosses the blood-
brain barrier very well.

Dr. Booze, whose groundbreaking research is funded by a $1.8 million grant
from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), shared a personal reason why she
is so passionate about pursuing the potential of plant compounds to help so-
called incurable brain diseases: "I hope that the compound like LQ, or these
other new estrogen receptor beta-targeted compounds, would both prevent and
slow neurodegeneration in these devastating diseases. My father has severe
Parkinson's, so I understand what families go through and how desperate the
need is for any neuroprotective therapeutic, and this work with phytoestrogens
opens up a whole new era of research for neuroscientists."

More breaking news about licorice: in research recently published in the
journal Integrative Cancer Therapies, Chinese scientists have found that
glabridin, a flavonoid obtained from licorice, could potentially treat human
non-small cell lung cancer.

For more information:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/...
http://www.sc.edu/news/newsarticle....

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