INVESTIGATING THE NEUROPROTECTIVE EFFICACY OF ASHWAGANDHA ROOT EXTRACT AND UBISOL-Q10 AS TREATMENT FOR MECHANISMS OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE IN DOUBLE TRANSGENIC MOUSE MODELS
Standing
Undergraduate
Type of Proposal
Oral Research Presentation
Challenges Theme
Open Challenge
Faculty Sponsor
N/A
Proposal
Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and one of the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorders. Due to the rapid aging of today’s population, the disorder is drastically increasing in prevalence. Among other symptoms, AD causes severe deficits in cognition and behaviour, as well as a progressive loss in memory. The disease manifests itself through oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, and a decrease in autophagy and cellular senescence. At present, there is no treatment for AD that can halt its progression or reverse its effects, only medications for treatment of AD associated symptoms. These medications can cause many adverse side effects. Natural Health Products (NHPs) are compounds that avoid detrimental side effects while being advantageous in the treatment of many disorders. Two in particular, Ashwagandha Root Extract (ASH) and Ubisol-Q10 have been shown separately to aid in the reduction of the negative effects of AD and the restoration of healthy neurological mechanisms. The current study utilizes ethanolic ASH and Ubiol-Q10 in combination, to determine its efficacy of treatment in double transgenic mouse models of AD. Mice with two transgenes, PSEN1 and APP, were subjected to one of 5 treatment groups which were stained with immunofluorescent antibodies. Oxidative stress, autophagy, inflammation, and activation of neurotrophic growth factors were observed with fluorescent microscope imaging. Results demonstrate that ASH and Ubisol-Q10 have neuroprotective effects which are depicted through each of the aforementioned processes. Future research in this area should conduct a quantitative analysis of the mechanisms.
Grand Challenges
Viable, Healthy and Safe Communities
INVESTIGATING THE NEUROPROTECTIVE EFFICACY OF ASHWAGANDHA ROOT EXTRACT AND UBISOL-Q10 AS TREATMENT FOR MECHANISMS OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE IN DOUBLE TRANSGENIC MOUSE MODELS
Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and one of the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorders. Due to the rapid aging of today’s population, the disorder is drastically increasing in prevalence. Among other symptoms, AD causes severe deficits in cognition and behaviour, as well as a progressive loss in memory. The disease manifests itself through oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, and a decrease in autophagy and cellular senescence. At present, there is no treatment for AD that can halt its progression or reverse its effects, only medications for treatment of AD associated symptoms. These medications can cause many adverse side effects. Natural Health Products (NHPs) are compounds that avoid detrimental side effects while being advantageous in the treatment of many disorders. Two in particular, Ashwagandha Root Extract (ASH) and Ubisol-Q10 have been shown separately to aid in the reduction of the negative effects of AD and the restoration of healthy neurological mechanisms. The current study utilizes ethanolic ASH and Ubiol-Q10 in combination, to determine its efficacy of treatment in double transgenic mouse models of AD. Mice with two transgenes, PSEN1 and APP, were subjected to one of 5 treatment groups which were stained with immunofluorescent antibodies. Oxidative stress, autophagy, inflammation, and activation of neurotrophic growth factors were observed with fluorescent microscope imaging. Results demonstrate that ASH and Ubisol-Q10 have neuroprotective effects which are depicted through each of the aforementioned processes. Future research in this area should conduct a quantitative analysis of the mechanisms.