Abstract
High levels of cholesterol are implicated in potentiating Alzheimer's disease (AD). Therefore, the use of cholesterol-lowering agents such as statins has attracted considerable interest in treating AD. However, statins stimulate inflammatory response, which may aggravate AD-pathology. Although garlic (Allium sativum) is historically known for its hypocholesterolemic effects in relation to cardiovascular functions, no reports indicate its use in treating AD. Current study tested the feasibility of using dietary garlic on the reduction of amyloid burden in a transgenic mouse model of AD that overexpresses the human amyloid precursor protein 695 carrying Swedish double mutation (K670N/M671L) (Tg2576). Animals were treated with aged garlic extract (40 mg/kg/d/4 wks). Cerebral levels of sAPPa, sAβ40, sAβ42 were analyzed by sandwich ELISA. Results show 64% reduction of sAPPa, and ∼21-fold elevation of Aβ40 and Aβ42 in untreated Tgs compared to wild type and littermate controls. Dietary garlic increased sAPPa by 25% and de- creased Aβ40 and Aβ42 by 31% and 32%, respectively, compared to untreated Tgs. These results suggest a simple and non-invasive dietary therapy for reducing risk of AD in probable cases and reducing preexisting amyloid burden in clinically diagnosed AD cases.
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Notes on contributors
Neelima B. Chauhan
F. U. Alakbarov is Head Scientific Officer, expert in the Oriental and Folk Medicine, Institute of Manuscripts of the Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences, 8 Istiglaliyat str., Baku, 370001, Azerbaijan.
At the time of writing Liya Davydov was PharmD candidate, College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions, St. John's University. Currently, she is Pharmacy Practice Resident, Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, NY.
Ila Mehra Harris is Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems, College of Pharmacy, and Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Family Practice & Community Health, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.
Colin J. Briggs is Professor of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Manitoba. Recently he completed a secondment to Health Canada, as Senior Science Advisor in the Therapeutics Products Programme with special responsibility for complementary medicines.
Gemma Briggs is Research Assistant, IMPACT, The Injury Prevention Centre of Children's Hospital, 501G-715 John Buhler Research Centre, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
Mary Chavezis Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Director of Complementary Medicine Education and Research, The Center for the Advancement of Pharmacy Practice, Midwestern University, College of Pharmacy Glendale, Glendale, AZ 85308.