Study on Ayurvedic herbs for neurological diseases

The neurotoxicity of glutamate has been found in stroke, head trauma, multiple sclerosis and neurodegenerative diseases. The search for herbal remedies that can potentially act as therapeutics is an active area of research to combat these conditions.

The present study conducted in 2012 aimed to investigate the neuroprotective role of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha), also known as Indian ginseng, against glutamate-induced toxicity in retinoic acid differentiated rat glioma cells (C6) and human neuroblastoma cells (IMR-32).

The neuroprotective activity of ashwagandha leaf-derived water extract (ASH-WEX) was evaluated. Cell viability and expression of markers of glial and neuronal cell differentiation were examined in differentiated cells treated with and without ASH-WEX with glutamate .

The study shows that RA-differentiated C6 and IMR-32 cells, when exposed to glutamate, undergo neuronal network loss and cell death accompanied by an increase in the stress protein HSP70 . ASH-WEX pretreatment inhibited glutamate-induced cell death and largely reversed the glutamate-induced changes in HSP70.

Furthermore, analysis of the neuronal plasticity marker NCAM (neural cell adhesion molecule) and its polysialylated form, PSA-NCAM, revealed that Ayurvedic herbs have therapeutic potential to prevent neurodegeneration associated with glutamate-induced excitotoxicity.