Can Carnosine Prevent the Aging-Induced Changes of Blood Platelet and Brain Regional Monoamine Oxidase-A mRNA in Relation to its Activity?

Metabolic disorder in Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD), a well known aging-induced neurodegenerative disease is related to amyloid proteinopathy. This proteinopathy occurs due to abnormalities in protein folding, structure and thereby its function in cells. The root cause of such kind of proteinopathy and its related neurodegeneration is a disorder in metabolism, rather metabolomics of the major as well as minor nutrients. Metabolomics is the most relevant "omics" platform that offers a great potential for the diagnosis and prognosis of neurodegenerative diseases as an individual's metabolome. In recent years, the research on such kinds of neurodegenerative diseases, especially aging-related disorders is broadened its scope towards metabolic function. Different neurotransmitter metabolisms are also involved with AD and its associated neurodegeneration. The genetic and epigenetic backgrounds are also noteworthy. In this review, the physiological changes of AD in relation to its corresponding biochemical, genetic and epigenetic involvements including its (AD) therapeutic aspects are discussed.

Carnosine research in relation to aging brain and neurodegeneration: A blessing for geriatrics and their neuronal disorders

Carnosine, an endogenous dipeptide (β-Ala-l-His), is enriched in prefrontal cortex and olfactory bulb of the brain, blood and also in muscle. It has mainly antioxidant and antiglycating properties which makes this molecule unique. Its content reduces during aging and aging-induced neurodegenerative diseases. Aging is a progressive biological process that leads to develop the risk factors of diseases and death. During aging the morphological, biochemical, cellular and molecular changes occur in brain and blood including other tissues. The objective of this review is to combine the updated information from the existing literature about the aging-induced neurodegeneration and carnosine research to meet the lacuna of mechanism of carnosine. The grey matter and white matter loses its normal ratio in aging, and hence the brain volume and weight. Different aging related neurodegenerative disorders arise due to loss of neurons, and synapses as a result of proteinopathies in some cases. Carnosine, being an endogenous biomolecule and having antioxidant, antiglycating properties has shown its potency to counteract erroneous protein biosynthesis, stress, activated microglial and astrocyte activity, and different neurodegenerative disorders. It (carnosine) can also inhibit the metal ion-induced degeneration by acting as a metal chelator. In this review the trends in carnosine research in relation to aging brain and neurodegeneration have been discussed with a view to its (carnosine) eligibility (including its mechanism of action) to be used as a promising neurotherapeutic for the betterment of elderly populations of our society at the national and international levels in near future.

Does patchouli oil change blood platelet monoamine oxidase-A activity of adult mammals?

Patchouli oil, an essential aroma oil extracted from patchouli leaf during short-term exposure with five and ten drops either inhibited (at 1 or 2 h) or stimulated (at 4 h) the platelet MAO-A activity depending on the dosages of the aroma oil mainly due to inhibition or stimulation of its K m. The long-term 15 consecutive days exposure (with two or five drops) of patchouli oil, on the other hand, maximally stimulated the platelet MAO-A activity with five drops patchouli oil for 1 h exposure, but further continuation of its exposure with same doses (two or five drops) for 30 consecutive days significantly stimulated (with two drops) and inhibited (with five drops) the platelet MAO-A activity due to stimulation and inhibition respectively of its corresponding both K m and V max. These results thus suggest that this aroma oil exposure may modulate the blood platelet serotonergic regulation depending on the dose, duration, and conditions of exposure.