Seaweed May Play a Role in Parkinson's Prevention

Antioxidants in Ecklonia cava, a brown algae seaweed, may help prevent Parkinson's disease, a study in mice and lab cells suggests.

Nearly one million Americans are living with Parkinson's disease, a neurodegenerative disorder that causes tremors, gait and balance problems, and slowness of movement.

As the population ages, the rates of Parkinson's disease are rapidly increasing around the world, underscoring the importance of preventing the condition.

Parkison's disease is induced by neuronal damage due to excessive production of reactive oxygen species, which are fatal to dopaminergic neurons that manage dopamine neurotransmitters.

For the new study published in Nutrients, researchers conducted two types of motor function tests in Parkinson's disease model mice.

The rodents were orally fed Ecklonia cava polyphenols for one week and then received rotenone, a naturally occurring chemical known to enhance the production of reactive oxygen species.

Researchers found that seaweed antioxidants helped to restore motor function, which was decreased by rotenone.

A common complication of Parkinson's disease is gastrointestinal motor dysfunction, such as slowed gastric emptying, difficulty swallowing, and constipation.

In the study, Ecklonia cava also improved intestinal motor function and the colon mucosa structure, a special tissue that covers the colon.

Further experiments using Parkinson's disease model cells verified the biochemical interaction of the preventive effect of Ecklonia cava.

The antioxidants activated the AMPK enzyme (adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase), an intracellular energy sensor, and prevented the production of reactive oxygen species that cause neuronal cell death.

"This study suggests that Ecklonia cava antioxidants may reduce neuronal damage by AMPK activation and inhibiting intracellular reactive oxygen species production," said Akiko Kojima-Yuasa, an associate professor at Osaka Metropolitan University's Graduate School of Human Life and Ecology.

Researchers hope that seaweed antioxidants will be effective in preventing Parkinson's disease. However, their effectiveness must first be verified in humans.

As it may take years to create new medications, consider regular exercise and a healthy diet rich in plant foods to reduce the risk of developing Parkinson's disease.