Alzheimer’s: Treat the disease, not symptoms

With age forgetfulness or loss of memory takes the better of a person. The main reason behind this phenomenon among older people called dementia in medical terminology is Alzheimer’s disease. So widespread is the disease that millions of people are suffering from it. As per a prediction the number of Alzheimer’s patients will double or even treble in the years to come.

While there are drugs which may delay the memory loss and decline in mental faculties, the disease can not be treated or cured completely as there is no medicine which could provide a lasting solution to the Alzeimer’s. 

Doctors have yet to ascertain the exact cause of the disease. However, levels of a neurotransmitter known as acetylcholine are said to be responsible for the disease. 

According to Pharmaceuticals, in some cases of Alzheimer’s cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs) can slow the advancement of the disease that too momentarily. Many remedies are being investigated to find a cure of for Alzheimer’s. Herbal therapies are among them.

Huperzine A which is being widely sold in the market as memory enhancer is billed to be the most useful drug in the treatment of the disease.

A moss that grows in China is the source of the compound. In China, the moss is known as huperzia serrata or lycopodium serratum has been used in herbal tea for centuries. But even Chinese did not know that it has medicinal properties or can be used to treat dementia.

Studies have shown that huperzine A acts as a ChEI and hence its investigation as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease.

According to a review of research on huperzine A carried out by the Chinese Cochrane Centre, six clinical trials proved that the compound has the potential to considerably improve cognitive function. But these tests can not be relied upon as most of the trials carried out by the researchers were of a comparatively low quality.

In view of the prolonged duration of the disease, unless long term studies are carried out on Alzheimer’s a conclusive results can not be found. But so far no studies on the patients lasted beyond three years duration.