Alchemica Posted March 2, 2018 (edited) While I'm a polyphenol fiend, I also cherish the healing phytochemical rainbow. Today for my carotenoids, I'm having a tiny bit of saffron, some T. erecta flowers and kale. Have a glass of tomato juice, too. Still got some chlorella left, so I'll have a dose. While saffron crocins are really healing, so are β-Carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin and things like lycopene, which keep the brain working well β-Carotene β-Carotene improves memory, recognition and verbal skills Really became a fan of spirulina for awhile but cost made it a bit of an issue. Keen to know if anyone here with mental illness or autism has tried it themselves? Started to start add chlorella - chlorella tended to reduce oxidative stress and significantly prevented the decline of cognitive ability, it also buffered stress responses, diminishing the impact of stressors by reducing the HPA response. Noticed the spirulina not only helps with mood and cognition but when I was using that, helped the ASD stuff (my premorbid issue). It's also good for the body on the whole, nicely restorative. One component, β-carotene is a strong antioxidant but interestingly may do more for autistic traits. While phycocyanin and related constituents are one interesting component, potently neurorestorative, improving oxidative status, improving neuroinflammation, protecting from demyelination and axonal loss, modulating the expression of genes related to remyelination, gliogenesis and axon-glia processes etc, spirulina is rich in β-Carotene β-Carotene oral supplementation to animal model of ASD significantly reduced restricted and stereotyped behaviours and interests, increased social interactions and communication, CD38, and oxytocin, probably by enhancing brain neuroplasticity without toxicity [ref]. All-trans retinoic acid is a potent inducer of CD38 and can be used as a novel therapeutic strategy in autism. It's been put forward the prospect that retinoids are potential therapeutic agents in autism and possibly other disorders that are characterized by dysfunctional social cognition/relationships especially where oxytocin has been suggested to play a role. "There is a longstanding notion that vitamin A plays a role in psychiatric illness likely based on the profound effects of retinoids on brain development and processes such as long-term potentiation (LTP) and mood regulation Intriguingly, the cortex of retinoic acid deprived rats is characterized by beta-amyloid accumulation and other changes that parallel those in Alzheimer’ disease. Additionally, normal memory loss in aging rats can be alleviated by vitamin A therapy. In the adult hippocampus, retinoids are essential for the maintenance of synaptic plasticity including LTP and neurogenesis. The hippocampus is a brain region dependent upon neural plasticity for its function in learning and memory. CD38 transcription is correlated with cognitive function in ASD and secondly, that retinoids are potential therapeutic agents in autism." Crocins The crocins are hydrophilic carotenoids that can act as antioxidants, improve learning and memory, be used for treatment of brain injury, mood disorders, OCD, joint pain and muscle dysfunction in osteoarthritis, metabolic syndrome and related mood disorders and neurodegenerative damage, and have a protective effect against brain damage Aside from the NMDA affinity and sigma-1 binding, there is evidence that crocins act as reuptake inhibitors of dopamine and norepinephrine. "The antioxidant properties of saffron derivatives may also be relevant. Mood disorders are associated with elevated oxidative stress and a deficit of exogenous antioxidants, affecting immune and inflammatory responses in a way, which may promote neurodegeneration (Leonard and Maes, 2012). There is good evidence that the antioxidants in saffron extracts protect against oxidative stress in the central nervous system (Mehri et al. 2015; Oruc et al. 2016), constituting a second potential mechanism of therapeutic action. The most important indicator of the quality and commercial value of the saffron is its contents of crocin I and II, which are specified in trade standards. The Chinese Pharmacopoeia stipulates that the total content of crocin I and II should not be less than 10.0 %." In an analysis of 63 saffrons, the crocin I content range was 6.6–23.7 %. Considering a therapeutic dose is sometimes considered to be 30mg crocins that works out to be about 127-455mg saffron going on crocin I. I stuck with 300mg/day for my saffron dose for bad days - cost is ~ $4/gram from my Indian shop for decent stuff. There is a TGA listed coated tablet containing either 11 mg or 14 mg of standardised saffron extract (affron), derived from the stigmas of Crocus sativus L. and standardised to contain >3.5% Lepticrosalides® (a measure of bioactive compounds present in saffron, including safranal and crocin. Two tablets daily constitutes a dose. As I mentioned before: Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) has demonstrated antidepressant effects in clinical studies and extensive anxiolytic effects in experimental animal models. It reputedly has acute effects. Quite quickly, it increases mood, reduces anxiety and manages stress without side effects in studies. It has been traditionally used for the treatment of insomnia and other diseases of the nervous systems, it has sleep quality improving effects. Crocins attenuated schizophrenia-like behavioural deficits. It has a satiating effect and decreases the frequency of snacking events. It's been used in emotional disorders and it was found that using saffron (30 mg/day) was effective in relieving symptoms in some cases. Crocin can regulate HPA axis activity and has therapeutic effects in stress disorders, potentially PTSD where it is effectve in an animal model. It may serve an appropriate treatment for subjects who experience a extremely stressful or traumatic event. Saffron and its metabolites have proven to be effective in different models of psychiatric disorders, including depression and anxiety. It is as least effective as first-line medications for MDD in quality studies with less side effects. It's got a good safety margin, while 30mg may prove effective “to a daily maximum dose of 1.5 grams there has not been any risk documented. Lethal dose is 20 g and the abortive dose, 10 g, because as such it was employed in the past due to its stimulating action on the smooth muscle of the uterus. 5 g daily dose can already cause intoxication accompanied by vomiting, bloody diarrhea, hematuria, skin hemorrhages in nose, lips and eyelids, vertigo and dulling. The skin and mucous membranes take a yellowish colour similar to jaundice”. Crocin is an isolated chemical compound that belongs to a group of commercial carotenoid derived from the stigma branches of dried saffron. The spice’s high antioxidant capacity explains most of its preventive or healing properties in relation to chronic and degenerative diseases Crocin and crocetin may have a neuroprotective effect because of their anti-inflammatory action in microglial cells, as tested in rat brains, accompanied by a reduction in neurotoxic molecules (TNF-α, interleukin-1β and intracellular ROS. The restoration of a redox balance in brain tissues can be a good therapeutic strategy to limit neuro-inflammation and consequently tissue oxidative damage). Many of the anti-inflammatory effects of crocin demonstrated in animal models of neuronal degeneration could be mediated by its direct effects on microglia homeostasis. It also has anti-adiposity effects Crocin can be considered as healthcare product to prevent age-related brain diseases, it is able to enhance memory function in an aging model through anti-glycative and anti-oxidative properties which finally can suppress brain inflammatory mediators and increase protective pathways Crocin can improve learning and memory and may prevent neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease. Saffron is a source of novel acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. It is not mutagenic and prevents alcohol-induced disorders of memory and learning. Its mechanism is thought to be prevention of the inhibitory effect of ethanol on N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptors in the hippocampus. It has clear binding capacity at the PCP binding side of the NMDA receptor and at the sigma(1) receptor There is an anti-fatigue effect of crocetin - its intake improved performance when taken 4 h before a physical fatigue-inducing task Treatment with saffron extract for seven consecutive days in a study conducted in rats in an experimental model of MS improved learning and memory impairment and alterations in the parameters of oxidative stress in the hippocampus. Clinically saffron was able to reduce MS symptoms - crocetin might prevent demyelination and neurodegeneration. Such findings show that saffron may potentially prove useful in the treatment of MS through the inhibition of oxidative stress and the infiltration of leukocytes to the CNS. Saffron protects many cells of the dopaminergic system with relevance to Parkinson's disease. Studies on the bioactive substances of saffron in depression indicate that the crocin acts by inhibiting the reuptake of dopamine and norepinephrine neurotransmitters, while safranal inhibits the reuptake of serotonin. There are in vivo studies suggesting inhibitory effects on the monoamine oxidases, MAO-A and MAO-B, enzymes responsible for the degradation of the neurotransmitters, as mentioned above, leading to an increase in their levels in the synaptic space and reducing depressive symptoms. Saffron extracts and crocetin had a clear binding capacity at the PCP binding side of the NMDA receptor and at the sigma-1 receptor while crocins attenuated schizophrenia-like behavioural deficits. Crocin has been shown to be an antioxidant and neural protective agent Saffron is a potential efficacious and tolerable treatment for major depressive disorder with anxious distress. [1] It increased mood, reduced anxiety and managed stress without side effects, offering a natural alternative to standard treatments [2] Saffron is as effective as fluvoxamine in the treatment of patients with mild to moderate OCD [3] A recent review found: "Saffron, derived from the stigma of Crocus sativus flower, is commonly used as a spice and as medicine in the Middle East and in South Asia. In patients with mild to moderate anxiety, extracts of saffron were reported to be effective in relieving symptoms in several RCTs (Akhondzadeh et al., 2005; Mazidi et al., 2016; Talaei, Hassanpour Moghadam, Sajadi Tabassi, & Mohajeri, 2015). Studies also show that the effects are comparable to standard antidepressant drugs such as fluoxetine (Moosavi, Ahmadi, Amini, & Vazirzadeh, 2014; Noorbala, Akhondzadeh, Tahmacebi‐Pour, & Jamshidi, 2005; Shahmansouri et al., 2014) and imipramine (Akhondzadeh, Fallah‐Pour, Afkham, Jamshidi, & Khalighi‐Cigaroudi, 2004).Saffron reduced anxiety and depression scores in women with premenstrual syndrome as well (Agha‐Hosseini et al., 2008)." [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27701683 [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28735826 [3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29062366 Lutein & Zeaxanthin Good sources of lutein and zeaxanthin include kale, spinach, turnip greens, summer squash, pumpkin, paprika, yellow-fleshed fruits and avocado Supplementation with the these carotenoids significantly reduces stress, cortisol, and symptoms of sub-optimal emotional and physical health. Low blood serum or plasma concentrations of the xanthophyll carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin have been implicated in poorer cognitive health in older adults. They may assist with cognitive control. They have anti‑inflammatory and antioxidative effects and putative neurotrophic effects. The dietary intake of carotenoids should be promoted as this may have a substantial positive effect on cognition, memory and things like stroke prevention and stroke mortality reduction. Supplementation appears to benefit neurocognitive function by enhancing cerebral perfusion, even if consumed for a discrete period of time in late life. Higher intakes may result in the ability to respond to cognitive tasks more efficiently, maintaining high performance while displaying neural indices indicative of lower cognitive load. Lycopene Lycopene is the major carotenoid in tomatoes. Tomatoes contain a matrix of many bioactive components, including vitamin C, vitamin E, other carotenoids (a-, beta-, gamma- carotene, lutein), and flavonoids. The processing that heated tomato products is said to increase the bioavailability of key phytonutrients and antioxidants, such as lycopene, lutein and other carotenoids The consumption of foods rich in carotenoids that possess significant antioxidant and inflammatory modulating properties has been linked to reduced risk of neuropathology. Lycopene helps to protect against induced cognitive dysfunction. Lycopene inhibits glutamate release in cortical synaptosomes Lycopene food sources may be useful in neurodegenerative conditions, including AD ad PD. Lycopene significantly improved cognitive deficits and were accompanied by the attenuation of inflammatory injury via blocking the activation of NF-κB p65 and TLR4 expressions and production of cytokines. It could ameliorate oxidative stress induced neuroinflammation and cognitive impairment possibly via mediating Nrf2/NF-κB transcriptional pathway. In degenerative conditions, it causes modifications in the activity of cholinesterase and antioxidant pathways. Lycopene reverses neurochemical deficts, oxidative stress, apoptosis and physiological abnormalities in PD mice Oral lycopene administration attenuates insulin signaling deficits, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and cognitive impairment In models of epilepsy, when used alongside conventional anti-convulsants, lycopene significantly restored the seizure score, latency, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance, reduced glutathione, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and gamma-aminobutyric acid levels near to normal Carotenoids may modulate inflammation and enhance antioxidant defenses within both the central nervous system (CNS) and systemic circulation. Increased levels of lycopene also appear to moderate decline in the essential pyridine nucleotide [NAD(H)] in both the plasma and the CSF. Edited March 10, 2018 by Alchemica 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alchemica Posted March 10, 2018 (edited) This intrigues me, there's interest in saffron, be good to see some solid measure of Positive/Negative symptom outcomes, cognitive domains, alongside metabolic parameters in further studies, hope they go to some depth. " Medicinal plants are among the adjunct alternatives that could reduce the clinical complications and adverse effects of current treatments especially for people with schizophrenia. Saffron, a well known spice, has several potential therapeutic properties including antioxidant, antihyperglycaemic and anti-obesity effects. In addition, saffron has demonstrated tolerability and few adverse effects in human and animal studies (Kianbakht 2011; Mashmoul 2013; Fadai 2014; Kianbakht 2015). With these pharmacological properties, saffron and its bioactive constituents could be considered as an adjunct treatment for reducing metabolic syndrome symptoms. There is currently no evidence on the clinical efficacy of saffron for people with schizophrenia, and this review will evaluate the evidence available for using herbal supplements in managing prevalent adverse effects of current treatments for schizophrenia." [1] Not only does saffron have established efficacy and good safety for treating mental health conditions including depression, anxiety, OCD and high potential in neurodegenerative conditions but it may be helpful for more serious mental illness and induced metabolic disorders. Constituents of saffron are potential agents for the treatment of schizophrenia Added to satiety enhancing and beneficial metabolic effects, it may target comorbid symptoms and impacted domains including addressing anxiety, depressive, OCS, cognition/memory, target negative symptoms (including social withdrawal) and provide neuroprotection against further declines. Added to this, crocins have the ability to attenuate psychotic-like behaviours in animal models, potentially alleviating positive symptoms. - crocins displayed pronounced antidepressant and anxiolytic-like effects - these compounds attenuate HPA axis reactivity after traumatic stress - Saffron constituents were able to attenuate the social isolation induced by sub-chronic treatment with ketamine - crocins were found to reduce compulsive behaviour - Acute administration of crocins reversed recognition memory deficits produced by the NMDA receptor antagonist ketamine in rats eliciting, thus, the effects of this active constituent of C. sativus in schizophrenia-related cognitive deficits. Crocins attenuated ketamine-induced psychotomimetic effects (hypermotility, stereotypies and ataxia) Saffron extracts and crocin administered at 15 mg twice daily were safe and well tolerated in schizophrenic patients. My life has been exploring the pharmacopeia, and the phytocopeia. Definitely got better results with the phytocopeia. Another recommendation was grabbing some seaweed to make salads with. I bought a "50% fucoxanthin extract" but I wasn't convinced it was what it said it was. Likewise I've bought 'pure lutein', wasn't convinced it was what it said, even visually. I prefer my plant sources to many extracts, at least I can munch some marigold flowers, chew down kale, buy some saffron, make a seaweed salad, get stuck into some colourful veggies. Seaweed I'm keen to find some cheap sources of. More on carotenoids: Lutein, a carotenoid found in fruits and vegetables, has long been associated with eye health. Recent studies have found that this nutrient may also help slow cognitive decline. This pigment or carotenoid may play an important role in the development and maintenance of brain function while improving memory and learning. Accumulating evidence has shown that lutein may influence various aspects of brain function ranging from visual-motor to executive functions. Being lipid-soluble, lutein easily passes the blood-brain and blood-retinal barriers and tends to deposit within central nervous system tissues with high specificity. Research indicates it likely reduces inflammatory and oxidative stress while simultaneously stimulating regenerative processes. Recent research found the level of lutein in children relates to how efficiently and accurately their brain works, marking a significant step forward in our understanding of the impact of lutein on children's cognition. It allows us to better understand the impact nutrition, and specifically lutein, has on learning, memory and even academic performance. In younger individuals, supplementing lutein increased systemic levels of BDNF. A number of clinical trials have shown, mostly in the young, that supplementation increases visual processing speed and reaction times. Although there is no direct data on mechanism, it has been speculate that this influence on processing speed is due to direct effects on brain connectivity, perhaps by enhancing gap junctions between neurons. A past study has shown that brain concentrations of lutein associate with higher cognitive test scores in the elderly prompting the possibility that increasing intake could lead to benefit. Lutein appears appears to benefit neurocognitive function by enhancing cerebral perfusion, even if consumed for a discrete period of time in late life. A fMRI study found lutein appeared to buffer cognitive decline on the verbal learning task. Significant interactions during learning were observed in left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex. Participants receiving the active lutein supplement had significant improvements in complex attention and cognitive flexibility domains, relative to participants taking the placebo. Seaweed for fucoxanthin etc: Phytochemical research reports exhibit a plethora of chemical compounds from brown seaweeds, including sulfated polysaccharides and fucoxanthins. Fucoxanthin is abundant in seaweed and is considered as a powerful antioxidant. It has been proposed to possess anti-cancer, anti-obesity and anti-diabetic effects. It is neuroprotective and anti-neuroinflammatory, decreasing the pro-inflammatory factor production. Fucoxanthin isolated from the brown seaweeds reduces TNFα, inducible nitric oxide synthase and COX-2 which are important inflammatory cytokines responsible for eliciting depression. Fucoxanthin regulates Nrf2-autophagy pathways and increases neuroprotective molecule expression in models of neurodegenerative diseases. Extracts acted as antidepressants on 5-HT, DA and NE systems. Nice sustainable functional food option. "Fucoxanthin is a brown seaweed pigment that is found in most brown seaweeds, as well as a few other marine sources. It is a xanthophyll, which is a molecule structurally similar to beta-carotene and vitamin A; yet fucoxanthin does not possess vitamin-like activity in the body. Fucoxanthin, via its metabolites, seems to be stored in fat cells for a prolonged period of time and can induce fat loss while inhibiting fat cell differentiation and proliferation. Although only one human study has been published, it appears to be a promising non-stimulatory fat loss agent but requires time to work (5-16 weeks). It also possesses other health benefits, such as correcting abnormalities in glucose metabolism in muscle tissue which can help diabetics and might reduce cholesterol levels and triglycerides by currently unverified mechanisms. Reductions in blood pressure and reductions in both liver fat stores and liver enzyme values have been noted with fucoxanthin supplementation in humans. Fucoxanthin, although usage as a supplement is preliminary, appears to be a very promising joint fat loss and health boosting agent." Some studies suggest that a daily dosage of 2.4-8mg fucoxanthin has shown benefit in some human studies over a prolonged period of time but that's mainly weight benefits and peripheral stuff. That said, the bioavailability is low (but may be improved by consuming in oil) Edited March 10, 2018 by Alchemica Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alchemica Posted March 14, 2018 (edited) Yesterday, Does higher dietary intake of different carotenoids, getting those serum levels up and getting them into my brain, have acute subjective beneficial CNS effects? With a little elevated polyphenols, playing with a diverse range of carotenoid sources in food. Lots of vibrant Tagetes flowers. A new food experience, too. Seaweed salad made with therapeutic doses of Alpinia galanga. Trying to make a stimulating CNS active, cognition enhancing salad beyond flower power kale salads. I bought a 50% fucoxanthin extract but wasn't impressed, so many extracts seem dodgy. See what I think of seaweed salads, try and have these more often, I like the taste. The most notable and predominant seaweed carotenoids, such as β-carotene, astaxanthin and fucoxanthin have remarkable biological functions and applications in human health, When I start having a drop in mood and health, my cognitive and emotional style changes. It becomes very 'locked in'/'preserved'. I stop approaching/seeking new experiences and get in pathological loops. Gradually today that rigid preserved pattern dissolved a bit, slowly, on the high intake of carotenoids (incl. a small bit of crocins, lycopene (few glasses of tomato juice), β-carotene, xanthophylls, fucoxanthin etc). Supplementation of carotenoids improves stress, serum cortisol, and general physical and emotional health but most studies are longer term. Research has found significant relationships between serum and brain concentrations of dietary carotenoids and various measures of cognitive function. Carotenoids significantly corresponded to global cognitive abilities including verbal learning, verbal fluency, memory recall, processing speed, and perceptual speed. In different populations, serum lutein, zeaxanthin, and β-carotene concentrations were most consistently related to better cognition. Serum zeaxanthin had significant relationships with most measures of cognitive function, with higher concentrations being significantly related to global cognitive performance,and better concept formation/abstraction. Serum concentrations of β-carotene were also significantly correlated to most measures of cognitive function. Serum lutein concentrations were significantly related to measures of global cognition, lower dementia severity, and executive function. Carotenoid levels have also been shown to protect cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. Supplements have shown strong cognitive enhancement benefits over longer term studies Carotenoids have strong anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory action in the brain, lowering inflammatory markers, and preventing cognitive decline. Mechanisms by which certain carotenoids may function include modulation of functional properties of synaptic membranes along with changes in their physicochemical and structural features and increasing perfusion. They have direct effects, some directly modulating NMDARs, others signal transduction molecules including in dopaminergic systems. Crocins have established monoaminergic effects, too. Carotenoids have also been shown to enhance gap junctional communication. Cortical carotenoids may be protective in nature and may also influence interneuronal communication and function via multiple mechanisms. Want to keep these in my diet longer term as cheaply and effectively as possible. Edited March 14, 2018 by Alchemica Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alchemica Posted March 17, 2018 How can we use a safe plant medicine to therapeutically help one of the most marginalised groups out there? How can we help them is what we should be asking, not how should we make things worse, stigmatise, narrow opportunity etc. Things like this can give people a break free from personal hells which are often induced by a sick society ie the one we live in, contracted through hardship and vulnerability. This approach interests me. There is often high comorbidity between addictions and psychiatric disorders and the two feed each-other. The Effect of Saffron on Depression among Recovered Consumers of Methamphetamine Living with HIV/AIDS. Saffron has a positive effect on reducing depression among a strongly marginalised population. This intervention can reduce depression among this particular group by high effect size (81%). Mental disorders including depression are among factors that increase the tendency to use methamphetamines. In fact, methamphetamines and other drugs are used as self-medication for mental disorders One of the major triggers for relapse among methamphetamine abusers is depression and the symptoms continue after treatment, can saffron help? http://sci-hub.tw/10.1080/10826084.2018.1447583 There's also recent summary for neurodegenerative disorders Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
