New research has shown that a product from a plant might be able to help reduce inflammation in the brain for those suffering from Parkinson’s disease. The plant, called sophora flavescens, contains something in its root called kurarinone, that has the ability to act as a soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibitor.
The plant, sometimes referred to as kushen, is well known as a medicinal herb. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. However, this current research indicates that it might be more effective than once thought. The team found that when used correctly, it had the potential to help reduce inflammation, inflammatory pain, and neuropathic pain. These elements won’t provide a cure for Parkinson’s–there is no cure at this time. But, it might prove to be an effective treatment for those with the disease and help improve the quality of life for those struggling with it.
The study was conducted by researchers from the University of California at Davis. They recently published their findings in the journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. And even though it doesn’t put forth a cure for Parkinson’s disease, it has the potential to act as a stepping stone for future researchers to hopefully head in that direction.
This research was conducted on mice and is still quite a ways away from being an approved method of treatment for humans. However, the fact that it did see success on mice is promising. Mice are used in research because they share many characteristics with humans, especially when it comes to the brain. Also, they tend to respond to treatments and therapies much more quickly than humans do, making research periods much shorter. So although we’re a long way from knowing whether this will be a realistic way to help people, we are headed in the right direction.
Having a loved one with any major illness or disability can be very hard. Things might start out okay and you might even feel like you are prepared to handle these things on your own as a family caregiver. As things progress and conditions worsen over time, this might not be possible.
Having a team you can rely on is important. It might be a professional caregiver–like what we offer here at Paradise In-Home Care–but it doesn’t necessarily need to be like this. A trusted family member or friend can often help to carry some of this burden with you.
But if professional in-home care sounds like something that might help, or you’d just like to learn a little bit more about what this might look like for your family’s unique needs, feel free to reach out. We offer free consultation sessions for precisely this reason.
Senior care doesn’t have to be intimidating. Please don’t hesitate to give us a call and further the conversation. Even if you’re not yet in the market for a caregiver, it’s always better to understand the differences in the types of care that are out there so that in the event that care is needed, you can make a more informed decision.
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