Chinese skullcap protects against brain disorders by preventing neuronal death

( Natural News ) Scutellaria baicalensis , also known as Chinese skullcap, is a flowering plant that belongs to the mint family (Lamiaceae). It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for over 2,000 years. TCM practitioners value S. baicalensis for its ability to treat conditions caused by inflammation. Researchers, on the other hand, have studied this plant extensively due to its abundance in beneficial phytochemicals, such as flavonoids, glycosides, and glucuronides. In a recent study published in The American Journal of Chinese Medicine , researchers from different universities in Taiwan investigated the bioactivity of one of the main active components of S. baicalensis , baicalein. They found that baicalein can be used to treat brain disorders caused by glutamate excitotoxicity. Their study is the first to demonstrate this activity of baicalein in the brain. Baicalein can inhibit glutamate release and protect neurons from excitotoxicity For their study, the researchers used rats to evaluate the effects of baicalein on glutamate release and glutamate neurotoxicity in the hippocampus. The hippocampus is the part of the brain involved in the formation of new memories . It is also associated with learning and emotions. Cell degeneration in the hippocampus is linked to the aging process and the onset of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s . Hence this small but crucial part of the brain is the focus of many studies. Recently, interest in the health benefits of flavonoids — bioactive compounds that are present in plants — has increased, particularly in their beneficial effects against neurodegenerative diseases. Baicalein, the compound used in this study, is a flavonoid that can be isolated from S. baicalensis. The researchers found that baicalein inhibits depolarization-induced glutamate release in the rat hippocampal nerve terminals (synaptosomes). On the other hand, chelating the extracellular Ca2+ ions and blocking presynaptic […]

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