Alzheimer’s is a devastating disease that afflicts roughly 6.7 million Americans, but scientists may have just found a way to reverse its effects by using a common herb found in many products for hair loss.
A new study published in the journal Antioxidants has identified carnosic acid — a compound found in rosemary and sage — as a promising warrior in the fight against Alzheimer’s.
Researchers found that when mice with the disease were given a stabilized form of carnosic acid, their brain function dramatically improved.
Memory loss was reversed, and brain inflammation — a major driver of cognitive decline — was significantly reduced.
“We did multiple different tests of memory, and they were all improved with the drug,” lead author Dr. Stuart Lipton, a neuroscientist at the Scripps Research Institute, said in a statement.
“It didn’t just slow down the decline, it improved virtually back to normal.”
Thanks to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, carnosic acid is often utilized to promote hair growth. Some believe that rosemary oil, which is rich in the compound, can rejuvenate and strengthen hair follicles by stimulating blood circulation in the scalp.
Previous research has found that carnosic acid may have neuroprotective effects by shielding hippocampal neurons, as well as by helping the brain battle oxidative stress — both of which are hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease.
Like this new study, previous research has been based on mouse models, but since carnosic acid is already considered “generally safe” by the Food and Drug Administration, Lipton hopes human trials aren’t far off.
He also believes the compound has potential in treating other inflammatory diseases like diabetes, heart disease and Parkinson’s — and it could make current Alzheimer’s drugs “work better by taking away or limiting their side effects.”
A Mediterranean herb, rosemary has long been hailed for its medicinal properties — especially when it comes to memory.
“There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance,” Ophelia says in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.”
Meanwhile, scientists are constantly finding new ways to combat dementia and slow down brain aging, from drinking green tea to having more kids.
