A new study that provides a multipronged approach to the treatment of several neurodegenerative diseases, offers hope for Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia, and related diseases.

Amyloid proteins and peptides play a pivotal role in various neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. Synthetically designed small molecules show promise towards inhibition of various kinds of amyloidosis.

Prof Anirban Bhunia and his team at the Bose Institute in Kolkata, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology, employed two distinct strategies. First, they utilize chemically synthesized peptides to combat amyloid beta aggregation. Second, they repurpose a drug called Lasunadya Ghrita from Ayurveda, the ancient traditional Indian medicine, which has previously shown efficacy in treating depression-related mental illnesses.

The non-toxic compounds of LG and their components were characterized and repurposed for use against amyloid beta 40/42 (Aβ) aggregation. The water extract of these compounds, referred to as LGWE, not only disrupted the fibrillation process during the elongation step but also inhibited the formation of oligomers in the initial stages of the fibrillation pathway.

Remarkably, these compounds demonstrated greater efficacy in breaking down amyloid aggregates into non-toxic smaller degradable molecules compared to the chemically designed peptides, suggesting its novel role in disaggregating amyloid-prone proteins.

In a recent paper published in the prestigious journal Biochemistry, Prof Bhunia along with his collaborators from the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics of Kolkata and IIT-Guwahati reported that the chemically designed peptides are non-toxic, serum-stable, and effective in inhibiting as well as disaggregating amyloid proteins, particularly Aβ 40/42.

Additionally, Prof Bhunia, in collaboration with Ayurveda expert Prof Dr Sanjeev Rastogi from the State Ayurvedic College and Hospital at Lucknow University, along with other researchers from the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, demonstrated how natural compounds can enhance the inhibition and breakdown of amyloid beta more effectively than the chemically designed peptides.

This research offers hope to individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and highlights the potential of Ayurveda, or ancient Indian traditional medicine, as a viable solution to complex neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s. It may inspire further exploration into natural remedies, improving the quality of life for those affected by dementia.