Propolis Compounds May Boost Growth of Neural Stem Cells

Research Showing Increasing Neural Stem Cell Activity with Ppls Brings Hope for Alzheimer's Cure, Implications for Memory Enhancement
BiotechEast (Taiwan), 4/16/2007

Early-stage study in Taipei, Taiwan, on PPLs--a group of prenylflavanone compounds--extracted from bee propolis specific to the island, has shown the compounds provide a boosting effect on the growth of neural stem cells. This research has exciting implications for neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Lou Gehrig's diseases, as well as in the study of memory enhancement.

A large number of neurons grew with the addition of one of the neurotrophic factors identified by NatureWise into the growth media.

Professor Lin Jen-kun of National Taiwan University Hospital, together with his students Dr. Wu Chia-li, and Dr. Chen Chia-nan, were the first to find that these PPls had cytotoxic properties against cancer cells. Further study by Chen, now head of research at Taipei-based NatureWise Biotech & Medicals Corp., additionally found the compounds to have a set of interesting neurotrophic effects, such as maintaining the survival of neural stem cells, promoting neuronal growth, lengthening of neurites, and inducing these stem cells to strongly differentiate into neurons.

NatureWise held a press event at the end of March in Taipei, Taiwan, to introduce an over-the-counter healthfood containing the propolis from which the PPLs were extracted along with other ingredients shown to have memory-boosting qualities, named 'IQBLESS.' While marketing the product in Taiwan, the company plans to continue researching the PPLs with the intent of eventually developing new drug forms for neurological disorders and memory enhancement…