Roadside weed restored nerve cells
German scientists have come to the conclusion that curly wolfsbane is largely capable of regenerating nerve cells in both animals and humans.
Cnicus benedictus (Cnicus benedictus), or curly wolfsbane, is a plant of the aster family, a relative of the well-known cornflowers. It is cultivated in many European countries as a fragrant spice and as an additive for perfumery. But in general, cnidus can often be found along roadsides, on heaths, sunny and stony slopes in several regions of Russia, Europe, Asia, South and North America. The plant tastes bitter. It is also used medicinally - it stimulates gastric juice secretion and has a mild choleretic effect, it is used in the treatment of gastrointestinal tract and pneumonia.
Scientists from the University of Cologne (Germany) have shown that knicus is also very effective in regenerating nerve cells. The findings of their work are presented in the journal Phytomedicine.
Damaged long cylindrical branches of nerve cells (axons) in the peripheral nervous system, which is located outside the brain and spinal cord, contrary to popular belief, still recover, but often not completely (and for the final return of mobility after injury need their full recovery). German researchers studied the effect of bitter glycosidic substance extracted from Cnicus benedictus - knitzin - on human cells and whole animals (mice, rats and rabbits). In the former, retinal cells were taken from the eye, and in the others, sciatic nerve cells were studied by treating them with knitzin.
The researchers found that knitzin significantly promoted axon growth in sensory neurons in all species studied. The effect depended on the dose administered. Knicin also increased the average length of neurites (neuronal outgrowths that eventually form axons) in the central nervous system of mice and humans.
Animals with injured sciatic nerves also showed significant axon regeneration when Knitzin was administered intravenously compared to control groups. Daily doses of knicin were particularly effective in improving sciatic nerve regeneration. At the same time, the first noticeable improvements were observed as early as four days after nerve cell injury. An increase in the level of sensory functions occurred after seven days. Innervation of skin and muscles improved after 10 days. Oral administration of knicin proved to be as effective as intravenous administration.
Nerve cells taken from rats reached pre-traumatic parameters in 35 days after the start of administration of knicin. The control group needed a week longer to reach them. Delayed by five days of treatment with Knitzin also gave the effect, but a little slower than the same therapy, which began immediately after the damage to nerve cells. The researchers found no toxic effects of the drug even at high doses - its elimination half-life from the rats' blood was 12.7 minutes.