Sage improves memory
ANI
The Hindustan Times
Washington, August 29, 2993 - "It is singularly good for
the head and brain and quickeneth the nerves and memory"
said John Gerard in 1597 about sage. And now British
scientists say that sage can indeed improve memory.
Carrying out the first clinical trials with healthy,
young adults, the team, from the Medicinal Plant Research
Centre (MPRC) at the Universities of Newcastle and
Northumbria, found that those who had taken sage oil
capsules performed significantly better in a word recall
test.
Published in the academic journal Pharmacology,
Biochemistry and Behaviour, the Newcastle study tested 44
healthy young adults aged between 18 and 37. Some were
given capsules containing sage oil and others were given
placebos. The volunteers then took part in a word recall
test and tested at intervals to see how many words they
could remember.
Results showed that those who had taken the sage oil
consistently performed better than those who had taken
placebos.
Sage is being investigated as a potential treatment for
Alzheimer's Disease after earlier research by the MPRC
found that it inhibits an enzyme called
acetylcholinesterase (AChE) which breaks down the
chemical messenger acetylcholine. Many of the current
drugs, such as donepezil, have unpleasant side effects
and doctors are keen to find alternatives. No side-
effects were noted in the sage trial.
Further investigation is needed to find out why sage is
so effective but researchers think it could be a
combination of chemicals in the oil which have an effect
on AChE and which give it antioxidant, oestrogenic and
anti-inflammatory properties, also considered to be of
value in Alzheimer's therapy.
"This proves how valuable the work by the old herbalists
is, and that they shouldn't just be ignored because they
were writing centuries ago", said Lead researcher Nicola
Tildesley.
She warned that people who were taking exams should not
get too excited by the findings, saying: "However, this
research does have serious implications for people
suffering from Alzheimer's Disease, as it will inform
drug research and development."
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