Are the roots of 'this vegetable' effective against alcohol-related dementia?

They say alcohol-related dementia is quite common these days...

There is a highly effective water celery root 👍

 

Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital Traditional Korean Medicine Psychiatry Research Results

Effects on the roots of the water lily, short-term memory, and spatial cognition

Excellent for neuralgia and anti-inflammatory effects in traditional Korean medicine

Eoseuri root. National Institute of Forest Science

 

Research results have shown that the extract of the root of the water lily (HME) is effective in treating patients with alcoholic dementia.

 

On the 17th, the research team of the Department of Traditional Korean Medicine Psychiatry at Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital (Professors Seong-Hoon Jo and Yoon-Na Kim, and Director Woo-Hee Park of Cheoninji Korean Medicine Clinic) announced that they published their research findings on this topic in the international academic journal 'IJMS (International Journal of Molecular Sciences)'.

 

In the treatment of alcohol-related dementia, memantine, a medication primarily used for severe Alzheimer's disease, is mainly used, as it helps reduce alcohol cravings and improve cognitive function. However, due to side effects such as liver disease or kidney dysfunction, there has been a need for safe and effective alternative medications for patients for whom drug use is risky or for patients in the early stages of the disease.

 

The research team proposed the extract of the root of Eoseuri, which has excellent effects on neural protection and lipid metabolism, as a new alternative, based on the fact that these effects are related to alcohol-related cognitive issues, inspired by traditional Korean medicine.

 

The study involved administering the Aesuri root extract to experimental mice at doses of 100mg/kg and 200mg/kg, along with a normal control group, and conducting Y-maze and forced swim tests (FST). As a result, the experimental group given 200mg/kg of Aesuri root extract showed improvements in short-term memory, spatial cognition, and depressive symptoms.

 

In the experimental group, the expression of proteins related to neuroprotection, such as BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), p-ERK1/2 (a protein involved in cell survival and proliferation), and p-CREB (a transcription factor that plays a key role in memory formation), increased in the hippocampus. In the liver, a decrease in fat accumulation and an increase in the expression of ADH1 (alcohol dehydrogenase 1), a key enzyme in alcohol metabolism, were observed.

 

Professor Kim Yunna stated, "Although the extract of the root of the Eosu-ri plant has traditionally been used in Korean medicine to treat pain and inflammation, this study also revealed its effect in improving cognitive function," and added, "This suggests that the extract of the Eosu-ri root could be utilized in the prevention and treatment of alcohol-related dementia, contributing to clinical practice in Korean medicine."

 

Meanwhile, Eosu-ri is a type of mountain vegetable that was once so precious it was served on the royal table. The 'Dongui Bogam' records it as 'Wangsam,' which is said to purify the blood and be good for inflammation. It mainly grows on high mountains in Gangwon Province and northern Gyeongbuk, at elevations of 700 to 800 meters, where the sun shines for half a day. In particular, Eosu-ri on the slopes of Ilwol Mountain in Yeongyang, Gyeongbuk, is famous for its good taste and aroma.

Reporter Park Byung-tak ppt@nongmin.com