Multiple Sclerosis Research: Flowers to the Rescue

Huang Q, Ma X, Zhu DL, Chen L, Jiang Y, Zhou L, Cen L, Pi R, Chen X. Total glucosides of peony attenuates experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in C57BL/6 mice. J Neuroimmunol. 2015 Jul 15;284:67-73. doi: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2015.05.009. Epub 2015 May 12.

Total glucosides of peony (TGP), an active compound extracted from the roots of Paeonia lactiflora Pall, has wide pharmacological effects on nervous system. Here we examined the effects of TGP on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an established model of multiple sclerosis (MS). The results showed that TGP can reduce the severity and progression of EAE in C57 BL/6 mice. In addition, TGP also down-regulated the Th1/Th17 inflammatory response and prevented the reduced expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase of EAE. These findings suggest that TGP could be a potential therapeutic agent for MS.

I don't often do "Cure of the Week" which is the latest thing to stop EAE, but this one caught my eye. China has most of the worlds population and it also has a few MSers. You would think that with all the money and the technology travelling Eastwards, you would think that Chinese Government would be making drugs to treat its MSers.

In China, Korea, and Japan, a decoction of the dried root without bark of Paeonia lactiflora Pall. has been used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, hepatitis, dysmenorrhea, muscle cramping and spasms, and fever for more than 1200 years. A water/ethanol extract of the root is now known as total glucosides of peony (TGP), which contains more than 15 components. Paeoniflorin is the most abundant ingredient and accounts for the pharmacological effects observed with TGP in both in vitro and in vivo studies.

This study looks for extracts from plants and finds some from the peony that treats EAE. Will this have translatability as this has been used in humans and become available from a health food shop near you? Many drugs have their origins in nature, but unless pharma can exploit them they tend to stay in the garden.