Alzheimers Disease

Alzheimer's Disease

Nearly a decade ago, four different people approached me independently in rapid succession, asking if I could find them some Chinese club moss. They had all heard that huperzine, a compound derived from this herb, might help slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease. Each of these people had a parent who had this disease, and they were desperate to find anything that might help.

I'd never heard of using Chinese club moss (Huperzia serrata) for Alzheimer's, so I did a little digging--in my database, not in my garden--and learned that Huperzia is an alternate name for some of the Lycopodium club mosses, including one that grows around my Herbal Vineyard in Maryland.

Moss Compounds for the Brain

I dimly recalled that an Indian tribe had eaten Lycopodium, and sure enough, after a little more research I found that it was the Chippewa tribe of the eastern United States. I sampled some of the club moss growing in my garden and found it rather unappetizing. But as my research continued, I came across some interesting information: The two species of club moss sought by the Chippewa contained huperzine.

Researchers have found that huperzine inhibits the breakdown of acetylcholine, a brain chemical (neurotransmitter) that plays a key role in cognition and reasoning. People with Alzheimer's often have an acetylcholine deficiency. It's still not clear whether this deficiency causes the disease or results from it. But Alzheimer's researchers are actively pursuing treatments that either prevent the chemical breakdown of acetylcholine or add its precursor, choline, to brain tissues. It would seem that anything that boosts acetylcholine in the brain, including a number of herbs, is currently our best approach to dealing with this disease.

The Brain Drain

Alzheimer's is the leading cause of mental deterioration as people age. The National Institute on Aging estimates that Alzheimer's affects four million Americans. It strikes about 10 percent of people over 65 and about half of those who live beyond 85.

Until a couple of years ago, there was no way to treat Alzheimer's. Then the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved tacrine hydrochloride (Cognex), a medication that reportedly slows progression of the disease by preserving acetylcholine in the brain. The problem with this drug is that it is toxic to the liver, with a high potential for causing liver damage.

Other drugs are in the pipeline. As usual, they are synthetics. And as usual, the drug companies and the FDA seem to be overlooking some promising herbal alternatives, namely all of the herbs containing compounds that prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine.

Green Pharmacy for Alzheimer's Disease

Fortunately, along with club moss, there are a number of other herbs that show promise in preventing and treating this devastating disease.

Horsebalm (Monarda, various species). Horsebalm contains the beneficial compound carvacrol, which Austrian scientists have discovered helps prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine. Horsebalm also contains thymol, which also prevents the breakdown of acetylcholine.

Some compounds in horsebalm apparently can cross the blood-brain barrier. Normally your body's protective blood-brain barrier helps prevent harmful substances in the blood from reaching the tissues of the brain. But because this blood-brain barrier sometimes works too well, it can also prevent helpful medicines from reaching the brain. The horsebalm compounds seem to cross that great divide, which means it might have some positive effects even if you use it as a shampoo or skin lotion.

That being so, I'd be willing to wager my head of hair, if not my brain, that a horsebalm shampoo might work nearly as well as FDA-approved tacrine hydrochloride. It would probably be safer, easier on the liver and a whole lot cheaper.

You won't be able to buy shampoo that contains horsebalm, but it's easy to make your own. Simply add several dropperfuls of horsebalm tincture to your favorite herbal shampoo.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis). Some evidence suggests that oxidative damage caused by highly reactive (free radical) oxygen molecules in the body plays a role in Alzheimer's. If that's so, rosemary should help. It contains a couple of dozen antioxidants--that is, compounds that help mop up free radicals. Among the antioxidants is a particularly potent one, rosmarinic acid.

Rosemary also contains a half-dozen compounds that are reported to prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine. Interestingly enough, aromatherapists suggest using rosemary oil for treating Alzheimer's disease. (They also recommend oils of balm, fennel and sage.)

Rosemary has a long history as a memory-enhancing herb, so much so that it's known as the herb of remembrance. I think rosemary shampoo, rosemary tea and rosemary in the bathwater would have anti-Alzheimer's activity similar to that of tacrine or huperzine.

The good thing about this recommendation is that it's safe and pleasant to use rosemary in all of these forms. If I'm wrong, there's little or no harm done. And if I'm right, it's all to the good.

Of the rosemary compounds that retard the breakdown of acetylcholine, several if not all can be absorbed through the skin, and some probably cross the blood-brain barrier. Thus, using rosemary shampoo regularly could conceivably help preserve acetylcholine in the brain just as tacrine does. You can buy commercial herbal shampoo that contains rosemary, or you can make your own by adding rosemary tincture to your favorite herbal shampoo.

Brazil nut (Bertholettia excelsa). In addition to looking into treatments focused on preventing the breakdown of acetylcholine, researchers have also been studying possible treatments that will supplement people's supply of choline, a building block for acetylcholine.

Lecithin contains choline, and according to my database, Brazil nuts are the richest food sources of lecithin (up to 10 percent on a dry-weight basis). Many other plant foods and herbs also contain generous amounts of lecithin. They include, in descending order of potency, dandelion flowers, poppy seeds, soybeans and mung beans.

There are also a number of plants, including fenugreek leaves and shepherd's purse, that contain choline itself. Other plant foods and herbs that contain small amounts of choline include horehound, ginseng, cowpea, English pea, mung beans, sponge gourd, lentils and Chinese angelica, also known as dong-quai.

Researchers have tried feeding high-choline and high-lecithin foods to people with Alzheimer's. Preliminary results were encouraging, but more recent studies have failed to find significant memory improvement. I remain cautiously optimistic that eating foods containing choline and lecithin might help.

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale). These flowers are one of our better sources of lecithin, and they're also a reasonable source of choline (the two often show up in the same foods). Lecithin increases concentrations of acetylcholine in the brain and improves memory in laboratory mice. There's no proof yet that this treatment works in people, but I'm optimistic about the possibility. Besides, dandelions are very nutritious.

Fava beans (Vicia faba). These beans are quite rich in lecithin. Fava beans are a key ingredient in my Biblical Brainfood Soup. In fact, many beans are rich in lecithin and choline and should be included in any diet, not just those for people concerned about preventing and treating Alzheimer's.

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum). Little did I know when I had alu methi at an Indian restaurant that I was indulging in steamed fenugreek leaves. These are among the better dietary sources of choline (up to 1.3 percent on a dry-weight basis). As we have seen, dietary choline could conceivably help prevent and treat Alzheimer's.

Fenugreek greens are also a good source of beta-carotene, an antioxidant that might also help prevent or slow the progression of Alzheimer's.

Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba). Hundreds of European studies have confirmed the use of standardized ginkgo leaf extract for a wide variety of conditions associated with aging, including memory loss and poor circulation. There's not much data on using ginkgo to treat Alzheimer's, but I wouldn't be surprised if it helped. It's probably worth trying. You can take 60 to 240 milligrams of standardized extract a day, but don't go any higher than that. In large amounts, ginkgo may cause diarrhea, irritability and restlessness.

Sage (Salvia officinalis). Seventeenth-century herbalist John Gerard said that sage "helpeth a weake braine or memory and restoreth them . . . in a short time." British researchers have confirmed that sage inhibits the enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine, thus preserving the compound that seems to help prevent and treat Alzheimer's. Like rosemary, sage is also well-endowed with antioxidants. Just be judicious: Sage contains a fair amount of thujone, a compound that in very high doses may cause convulsions.

stinging nettle (Urtica dioica). This herb contains considerable amounts of the mineral boron, which can double levels of the hormone estrogen circulating in the body. And estrogen, tested in several studies, helped improve short-term memory and also helped elevate the moods of some people with Alzheimer's.

Willow (Salix, various species). Some studies have shown a lower incidence of Alzheimer's in those who have taken a lot of anti-inflammatory drugs for arthritis. If these medicines help prevent Alzheimer's, then willow bark, the herbal source of aspirin, should help as well. Remember, though, that if you're allergic to aspirin, you probably shouldn't take aspirin-like herbs, either.

Gotu kola (Centella asiatica). This herb has a centuries-old folk reputation as a memory herb that helps maintain strong mental vigor. I doubt that it would have maintained this reputation if there weren't something to it.

Herb gardening. If you have a family history of Alzheimer's or are otherwise concerned about this disease, you might want to consider starting an herb garden. This would give you an ongoing source of the herbs that show promise against Alzheimer's. All of them can be grown, at least as annuals, in the lower 48 states. Not only that but also gardening requires thought,
creativity and physical activity, all of which I believe help to preserve brain function. (For more detailed instructions on how to grow herbs, see pages 12 and 13.)