Scientists of Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) have found that highly abundant naturally occurring plant-based polyphenols (PPs) like tannic acid found in twigs of trees like Chestnut and Oak can yield a safe, cost-effective strategy for combating Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
AD is a widely prevalent progressive neurodegenerative disorder marked by memory and cognitive decline, yet it remains poorly understood despite decades of dedicated research. As a consequence of this, there are no therapeutics to completely cure the disease.
Their study has demonstrated that the natural polyphenol, tannic acid (TA) , could act as both an activator and enhancer of certain anti-toxicants.
“This novel approach provides a conceptually advanced and comprehensive strategy for combating AD by modulating the GPX4-ferroptosis-AD axis. The ability of TA to elevate GPX4 levels even in the presence of AD pathological conditions offers exciting new avenues for targeting novel pathways in the aetiology of AD while holding promise for tackling the intricate interplay between ferroptosis and AD,” said a statement from the DST.
The study published in the journal Chemical Sciences which steers research toward ferroptosis inhibitors presents a new dimension for drug development. This discovery may inspire medicinal chemists to explore new and derivatives of natural compounds to enhance therapeutic efficacy against AD.
The discovery of a natural polyphenol, TA as a GPX4 activator that ameliorates Aß induced ferroptosis holds great significance and this study presents new opportunities for the synergistic inhibition of ferroptosis in AD. By unravelling the complexities of AD and ferroptosis, the research not only addresses specific neurological challenges but also contributes to scientific knowledge, validating new disease mechanism, global health, and the well-being of dementia patients while inspiring researchers to seek this alternative axis for therapeutic avenues for neurodegenerative diseases, the statement added.
