Neuroprotectors
How they work and why they are needed
Neuroprotectors are being created at the I. P. Pavlov Institute of Physiology. Why are they needed, how are they created, are dietary supplements effective and do I need to eat antioxidants?
In the laboratory of regulation of brain neuron functions of the Pavlov Institute of Physiology, they are studying the mechanisms of normal regulation of brain metabolism.
Knowledge about the "breakdown" of which molecular processes is associated with the development of brain pathologies allows us to offer new effective ways of treating diseases such as post-stroke pathology, Alzheimer's disease and the consequences of traumatic brain injury.
Oleg Vetrovoy, Candidate of Biological Sciences and an employee of the Laboratory of Regulation of Brain neuron Functions at the Pavlov Institute of Physiology, spoke about a new round of applied research that will help create neuroprotectors based on plant components.
– What are neuroprotectors and how do they work?
– Neuroprotectors are medicinal substances that can protect brain cells from damaging effects, prevent their death or even improve their work.
The improvement of work means the restoration of connections between neurons, improving the quality of signal transmission, which ultimately for a person will be expressed in improved or normalized mental activity, absence of headache and good mood.
– What are neuroprotectors of plant origin?
– In the course of fundamental research, we studied various pathologies of the brain, the mechanisms that cause them and ways to correct them. So we have identified some mechanisms of regulation of the energy metabolism of the brain, which it makes sense to influence in the treatment of a number of pathologies of the brain associated with the state of oxidative stress.
Now it is important that our discoveries contribute to the development of medicine.
Six months ago, we joined forces with pharmacologists and scientists involved in plant biochemistry, and now we are starting work on a major project. The idea is to create effective neuroprotectors based on substances contained in large quantities in many plants widely distributed in Russia.
Thus, within the framework of our project, eight plant species rich in polyphenolic compounds (in particular, condensed tannins) will be used as sources of neuroprotective metabolites aimed at oxidative stress in the central nervous system (CNS).
These are Rubus chamaemorus L. – common cloudberry (leaves), Epilobium hirsutum L., – common willow-tea (shoots), Filipendula ulmaria (L.) Maxim. – elmberry (shoots), Geum rivale L. – river gravitate (shoots), Comarum palustre L. – marsh sabelnik (shoots, rhizomes and roots), Alhagi pseudalhagi Gagneb. – camel thorn (shoots), Polygonum bistorta L. – snake mountaineer (underground shoots) and Sanguisorba officinalis L. – common hemophlebus (underground shoots and roots).
It's great that you can not reinvent the wheel, but take what is in nature, develop good cleaning methods in large quantities and subsequently use it for treatment.
– How are you planning to make neuroprotectors from these plants?
– Of course, fundamental knowledge is one thing, but its transformation into a final product is quite another. During the practical part of the study, we plan to purify herbal preparations, divide them into specific components, and characterize the quantitative and structural composition.
Then the purified preparations will undergo a toxicity assessment on cell models – animal cells. They evaluate certain dose-dependent effects of the drug: cell death, the presence of pathological processes, for example, excessively active generation of oxygen forms, oncogenic effect.
When dealing with neuroprotectors, you need to remember that protection is the prevention of cell death, which is not always good. There is a fine line here between preventing cell death – aging – and uncontrolled cell division – oncopathology.
For the body, both ways will end in death, so it is necessary to take into account the potential oncogenic effect of the substances under study.
After the toxicity assessment, the range of optimal values is determined, that is, the harmless amount of the substance. From harmlessness we turn to the question: is this drug useful? Because, as you know, homeopathy is harmless and useless in our country. We are engaged in real medicine.
That is, at the next stage, we will model various pathological conditions on these cells and see if the drugs contribute to treatment.
– In this regard, it is impossible not to remember about antioxidants, which are also often of plant origin and also protect against pathogenic environmental effects. When and why should they be used and is it necessary at all?
– The media is actively calling for drinking green tea and eating oranges, because they contain antioxidants. There are a huge number of antioxidant preparations of plant and animal origin, which offer to be used as antihypoxants, neuroprotectors, means of eternal youth, and so on.
But it's not that simple. Antioxidants protect against reactive oxygen species (they are also free radicals). The latter, in case of excessive formation, really pose a threat to the body, damaging cell membranes, disrupting the work of proteins and the structure of the genome.
But they are also signaling molecules that transmit important information, thanks to which the body corrects its work. If we use antioxidants randomly, then the body's functions will be disrupted.
Reactive oxygen species are the molecules we need, so it is dangerous to use antioxidants thoughtlessly.
Reactive oxygen species formed during various reactions perform not only harmful, but also many useful functions for cells.
For example, the formation of forms such as superoxide anion and hypochlorite is used by cells of the immune system to protect against infections and other foreign factors.
It really makes sense to use antioxidants only in emergency therapy – for example, in the early post–stroke period, when the formation of free radicals is excessively intense and uncontrolled, but including them in the diet on a regular basis means harming the body.
One way or another, this is an unintended impact. We, on the basis of previously conducted studies, select thin preparations of plant origin that act on certain targets.
They are not applied systemically to the whole body, but to specific molecules that need to be activated in a specific situation – after a stroke, for example.
– Do dietary supplements work and do residents of St. Petersburg need to drink vitamin D?
– Dietary supplements will work if there really is a shortage of a certain vitamin or element for reasons of dietary bias, due to the region of residence or any other reasons. For example, residents of St. Petersburg have a lack of vitamin D.
Recently, we conducted a chain of studies on rats related to vitamin D. In animals, the formation of this vitamin deteriorates greatly with age.
Mental abilities are falling, skin quality and functional condition are impaired. When using vitamin D, the mental abilities of the animals were preserved, they felt better, were more active, and no serious dysfunctions were observed.
This component is important for the quality of old age, but it did not affect the life expectancy.
Anfisa Rodionova was talking.
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