THE HEALTH | NOVEMBER , 2022

BRAIN BITES

BY DR WAEL MY MOHAMED

• Two compounds in coffee may team up to fight Parkinson ’ s

• A compound derived from turmeric essential oil has neuroprotective properties

• Licorice extract may help prevent and treat Parkinson ’ s

• Sesaminol , a chemical by-product of sesame seed shells , has neuroprotective properties against Parkinson ’ s disease . So how true or accurate are such statements ? After all , there is an age-old adage “ One man ’ s trash is another man ’ s treasure ”.

Pharmacognosy is the study of natural drug substances and several related substances . Emerging dangers to human health need a coordinated effort in search of both preventative and therapeutic techniques , with natural products at the core of attempts to gain novel medicines and limit the spread and death associated with illness .

The medicinal efficacy of plant-based substances has been recognised for centuries , resulting in their use to treat a variety of maladies ranging from minor headaches to severe disorders such as wounds . Despite the observed progress in the globe , plant-based medicines continue to be utilised to treat several pathological illnesses or as substitutes for current medications .

In most instances , these natural items or plant-based medications are used as crude extracts . Many studies are being conducted to discover and purify the healing-active chemicals .

Lack of standardisation poses problems

The true difficulty is in discovering medications with little or no adverse effects . Innovative and novel approaches to drug discovery are required . In addition , the “ wonder drug ” techniques in which a single medicine may treat several illnesses and all individuals must be rethought . Nature already gives choices for drug development , while many molecules are yet to be identified .

Paclitaxel and Morphine are two examples of currently-approved medications that are derived from plants . In fact , a substantial proportion of medications accessible in the previous two decades are derived from natural compounds or synthetic analogs .

In addition to tetracycline , artemisinin , and doxorubicin , several more pharmaceuticals have been derived from natural ingredients . Since ancient times , plant extracts and mixtures have been used as medicines ,

but they are not refined , and it is unknown which components within the extracts have curative properties .

Over time , it has been recognised that the healing potential of these extracts is due to the synergistic actions of the many substances inside them . The lack of standardisation and the unprocessed nature of these plant-based extracts provide difficulty for drug research experts .

Sometimes , the purification of plant components results in losing their curative and therapeutic properties . In many instances , these extracts have varied effects on biological systems , necessitating clarifying their biological mechanisms of action . Natural product and plant-based chemical research is difficult since these combinations are complex and may lose their medicinal properties once extracted from plants or microorganisms .

Most medication development is predicated on the analysis of single

Pharmacognosy is the study of natural drug substances and several related substances . Emerging dangers to human health need a coordinated effort in search of both preventative and therapeutic techniques , with natural products at the core of attempts to gain novel medicines and limit the spread and death associated with illness . ”

Dr Wael MY Mohamed is with the Department of Basic Medical Science , Kulliyyah of Medicine , International Islamic University Malaysia ( IIUM ). molecules , despite the complexity of many illnesses . Thus , the research of specific chemicals for some disorders will fail to provide viable treatments .

Paradigm change needed

When analysing candidate compounds , contemporary drug development methodologies also include combinatorial approaches . Using combinatorial techniques , new technologies enable scientists to evaluate candidate compounds ’ medicinal qualities and molecular impacts in more precise biological systems .

Although it is feasible to extract all components from natural goods , it is impossible to determine the impact of each ingredient in an extract since specific effects may be negligible . In addition , some chemicals in extracts may conceal the actions of other substances .

Thus , it has been claimed that eliminating some chemicals , such as tannins , may aid in exposing the influence of other compounds in extracts . Utilising new extraction techniques and pre-fractionation are two options that may be used to attain this goal . These tactics have been demonstrated to generate more promising hit leads for medication development .

To stop the increase of Parkinson ’ s disease , medication design and development must undergo a paradigm change . Innovative methods are required to produce new curative medications .

Innovative methodologies based on natural product inspiration have assisted in creating and developing many prospective medicinal molecules . In this context , technical advancements have enabled the study of profiles of complex molecules , culminating in the design and synthesis of several substances .

Many chemicals and blockbuster medications have been produced from natural sources or compounds derived from natural materials . This places natural products at the centre of drug development , and current technology improvements will assist in boosting the success rate of novel therapeutic molecules . Overall , natural products will continue to play a significant role in medication development and our efforts to combat global health concerns and achieve health-related sustainable development objectives .

Now , our International Islamic University Malaysia ( IIUM ) research team is assessing the neuroprotective benefits of Thymoquinone ( TQ ) and Edible Bird ’ s Nest ( EBN ) against Parkinson ’ s disease . Our research slogan at IIUM BMS is “ I may not have been able to help everyone live , but at least I saved this one life .” – The Health