Sesaminol – a chemical abundantly found in empty and waste-thrown shells of sesame, reveals protective effects against Parkinson's disease, as per a study at Osaka City University. Sesame seed oil (known for its nutty aroma and high burn-point) is made by extracting the fatty oils from sesame seeds with the empty shells thrown out as waste. The findings fit the age old saying – "one man's trash is another man's treasure".
‘Sesaminol – a chemical abundantly found in empty and waste-thrown shells of sesame, reveals protective effects against Parkinson's disease. The discovery of this first-ever naturally occurring medicine in food ingredients may help connect the consumption/production chain in a way where the disease is prevented with natural foods and promote societal health.’
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Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that primarily affects movement due to loss of nerve cells – neurons that produce a chemical messenger (neurotransmitter) in the brain called dopamine (black substance). It is mostly caused due to oxidative stress i.e., neurons in the brain come under extreme pressure from an imbalance between antioxidants and reactive oxygen species (ROS). "Currently there is no preventive medicine for Parkinson's disease. We only have coping treatments", says OCU Associate Professor Akiko Kojima-Yuasa. The study explored a series of experiments to understand the effects of sesaminol on in vitro and in vivo Parkinson's disease models.
Sesaminol – Natural Medicine against Parkinson's Disease
It was found that sesaminol protected against neuronal damage by promoting the translocation of a protein called Nrf2 (involved in the response to oxidative stress), in in vitro experiments. Thus the production of intracellular ROS is reduced. Promising results were also seen in in vivo experiments.
The study demonstrated an increase in dopamine levels in the Parkinson's disease mice models, after feeding them with a diet containing sesaminol for 36 days. Also, a significant increase in motor performance and intestinal motor function was proved by a rotarod performance test.
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Source-Medindia