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Summary: Cinnamon capsules available at Target, Walmart, etc. 500mg. 2 capsules, three times per day. Give it 4 weeks, 8 if you can. It will cost you all of US$8 per month. Don't say "nothing works" until you've tried this. It's too new. There haven't been enough people who have tried it to know one way or the other. But if it does work, just think how much you will have gained.
Cinnamon extract inhibits the aggregation of tau and disassembles fibers that have already formed
The title is "CINNAMON EXTRACT USEFUL FOR INHIBITING THE AGGREGATION OF TAU AND TREATING ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE" by a researcher at the University of California, Santa Barbara by the name of Donald Graves Published on 2/22/2008???
"Researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara have discovered an extract of common cinnamon that contains a class of small organic molecules that inhibit several key processes in Alzheimer's disease. The cinnamon extract inhibits the aggregation of tau and disassembles fibers that have already formed, suggesting that neurofibrillary tangles can possibly be reversed by these compounds. The extract exhibits potent inhibitory activity, is orally available, water-soluble, non-toxic, and the bioactive molecules are likely brain permeable. The extract is readily produced in large quantities and can be encapsulated in powder form for oral administration. These properties make the cinnamon extract a highly favorable substance for development into an effective therapeutic to slow or prevent Alzheimer's disease."
Donald Graves is an adjunct professor of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He retired from Iowa State University in October 2000. He divides his time between UCSB and the Sansum Institute. ia.ucsb.edu/pa/display.aspx?PKey=1123
It is not clear if tau protein corruption and aggregations are key steps in the disease process, or if they are merely symptoms. Researchers tend to favor the idea that they are in fact a key step, and interfering with this step would be beneficial. However, whatever biochemical processes are present to cause the tau corruption in the first place will stil be present, and may in time overwhelm any drug. Also, the disease causes loss of brain tissue. The memories that were lost with it can not be recovered. Clearing out tau protein aggregations will probably restore some inactive, but still viable neurons, resulting in some recovery. After this, the brain would have to "re-wire" around the damage in order to recover any still intact memory that has been disconnected by the disease. Other therapies would have to be invoked to address this issue.
Those who want to read more from people who have been trying cinnamon to help someone with a tauopathy can find more at the following sites. These links are the BEGINNING of threads where people talk about using cinnamon for tau protein diseases. You will have to follow the threads. There are both positive and negative comments in them.
(start with these) alzheimers.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/762104261/m/6821006162 alzheimers.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/762104261/m/4531039403 (look for a post by "Billsrunning" on June 13...) alzheimers.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/762104261/m/4081064272/p/30 simplesite.com/MotherMary/2926947
(The following links will require registering for free membership on Yahoo, and in the CBGD_support group to read. These links are the BEGINNING of threads.) health.groups.yahoo.com/group/cbgd_support/message/21167 health.groups.yahoo.com/group/cbgd_support/message/21195 health.groups.yahoo.com/group/cbgd_support/message/21268 health.groups.yahoo.com/group/cbgd_support/message/21326 health.groups.yahoo.com/group/cbgd_support/message/21332 health.groups.yahoo.com/group/cbgd_support/message/21371 health.groups.yahoo.com/group/cbgd_support/message/21374 health.groups.yahoo.com/group/cbgd_support/message/21411 health.groups.yahoo.com/group/cbgd_support/message/21453 health.groups.yahoo.com/group/cbgd_support/message/21552 health.groups.yahoo.com/group/cbgd_support/message/21580
There are more chemical "components" of cinnamon than are probably useful for this application, and these might cause some side effects. Some noted were a drop in blood glucose levels and discolored urine.
To make a "cinnamon tea" that separates the water-soluble components out, see:
perpetualcommotion.com/a/Patricias_Protol.html
[ July 10, 2008, 03:13 PM: Message edited by: Lori at WE MOVE ]
Posts: 28 | Registered: Jul 2008
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Hi There MMBT3904 (Wow .... thats a different name ) Anyway.Thankyou for your posting.... I have been on to these websites many times in the past and have read extensively on cinnamon capsules..... extracts etc. It has actually been tossed around much much longer than you think as to whether it is beneficial in its inhibitory activity. .I agree with you. Anything is worth a try and yes there have been positive and negative responses as to whether the cinnamon has had a positive effect on tau protein diseases and the corruption of tau ( aggregration of tau...whichever way you want to put it) of which we all know (or at least they say) is a big factor in cbgd and in certain other degenerative disorders. Thankyou for posting the websites for other members to read up on. It certainly has intrigued me in the past. I guess we won't know for certain these things ( POSITIVE OR NOT) till more time and research has been undertaken.Got to at least take a positive step. I know one thing... Cinnamon extracts.... B12... THE WHOLE WORKS. Its worth considering when there is only one outcome from not doing anything. We tried everything with my mum but still to no avail. I wish everybody luck with their journey and I hope that there are positive outcomes from trying something to beat this horrific disease. If anybody else has heard of any other treatment that may shed light or give some hope please share it on this forum.
Love to all my friends Maxy xxx
Posts: 179 | From: N.S.W | Registered: Nov 2006
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It doesn't surprise me that this isn't a new idea. I've been trying to find other references. I've searched several discussion forums and Google, but the earliest report of someone using cinnamon for a tauopathy I could find is November 2007 on the alz.org forum. I did a search on this forum before I posted that, and didn't find a reference to using cinnamon for this.
Where else have you read about this? I'm trying to find reports from people who have tried it. Our own experience with using the "cinnamon tea" (a term that tends to confuse people) for someone with CBD has been very positive. We've actually seen some improvement over the last 12 weeks. It took about 6 weeks to start seeing really noticeable improvements that others could also see. I don't know how long this effect will last.
I take it that you tried the cinnamon capsules for your mother. How much were you giving her, and how often?
The part I think that IS new, at least as of some time in 2006, is that the researchers were actually able to identify a substance that is able to attack the tau protein problem.
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Here is an update to the cinnamon extract (cinnamon proanthocyanidins) story. As I mentioned in my previous post to this thread, I have searched and searched and searched, but I have not been able to find any reference to using cinnamon to combat a tauopathy prior to November 2007. All I found was a vague reference on the Alz.org message board: "About 6 weeks ago I was told that there was a study in Europe that showed taking cinnamon helped Arthritis, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. I did a search on the internet and found studies showing that taking cinnamon helped with Arthritis and also showed that it could cut glucose levels down as much as 30% for people with type 2 diabetes. It was also shown to help with cholesterol. I didn't find anything out about it for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Except that one research institute in california is going to do a clinical trial with cinnamon and Alzheimers." Can anyone tell me where this was published, either as a research paper or as a news article?
Cinnamon Extract Inhibits Tau Aggregation Associated with Alzheimer's Disease In Vitro Journal Journal of Alzheimer's Disease Publisher IOS Press ISSN 1387-2877 (Print) 1875-8908 (Online) Issue Volume 17, Number 3 / 2009 DOI 10.3233/JAD-2009-1083 Pages 585-597 Subject Group Neurosciences Authors Dylan W. Peterson1, Roshni C. George1, Francesca Scaramozzino1, Nichole E. LaPointe1, Richard A. Anderson2, Donald J. Graves1, John Lew1 1Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA 2Beltsville Human Nutrition Center, Beltsville, MD, USA
Abstract An aqueous extract of Ceylon cinnamon (C. zeylanicum) is found to inhibit tau aggregation and filament formation, hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The extract can also promote complete disassembly of recombinant tau filaments and cause substantial alteration of the morphology of paired-helical filaments isolated from AD brain. Cinnamon extract (CE) was not deleterious to the normal cellular function of tau, namely the assembly of free tubulin into microtubules. An A-linked proanthocyanidin trimer molecule was purified from the extract and shown to contain a significant proportion of the inhibitory activity. Treatment with polyvinylpyrolidone effectively depleted all proanthocyanidins from the extract solution and removed the majority, but not all, of the inhibitory activity. The remainder inhibitory activity could be attributed to cinnamaldehyde. This work shows that compounds endogenous to cinnamon may be beneficial to AD themselves or may guide the discovery of other potential therapeutics if their mechanisms of action can be discerned. iospress.metapress.com/content/06h5g61751404678/ www[.]ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19433898?dopt=Abstract
Hmmmm... an answer I have been looking almost 2 years for. It's Ceylon cinnamon! I wonder if the same substance is in cassia cinnamon. I thought that it said in that patent application posted in an earlier note that it didn't matter which species of cinnamon...
Title: PROANTHOCYANIDINS FROM CINNAMON AND ITS WATER SOLUBLE EXTRACT INHIBIT TAU AGGREGATION
Abstract: Compositions comprising proanthocyanidin compositions (e.g. those extracted from cinnamomum species) that are observed to bind tau and inhibit its aggregation as well as methods for making and using such compositions are disclosed. In certain embodiments of the invention, the proanthocyanidins can be used as a probe to identify and/or characterize tau isoforms in a variety of contexts. In other embodiments of the invention, these compositions are used in methods designed to treat neurological disorders associated with tau aggregation (e.g. Alzheimer's disease). www[.]wipo.int/pctdb/en/wo.jsp?WO=2008121412
I realize that using raw, ground cinnamon may not be effective, but I think it is cheap enough and safe enough to give it a try for a month or two. There have been several good reports from people who have used it. So, if it helps even one out of every ten people who try it, I think that is worth the financial risk. As for reducing possible health risks, apparently using a "aqueous extract" leaves most of the toxins behind.
While wading through that patent application by Graves and Lew on the WIPO web site, I noticed that their procedure used "an aqueous solution at 40 to 90°C". I had been using a recipe that I found on a diabetes web site to make a "cinnamon tea". It said to use boiling water (100°C). Perhaps exposing the cinnamon proanthocyanidins to temperatures above 90°C harms them in some way. I suppose that is why the patent specifies the temperature range. So, I modified my "cinnamon tea" procedure. For my latest batch, I put 3 level tablespoons of ground cinnamon in the 1 quart canning jar, then mixed in 3-1/2 cups of room temperature water. I put the filled jar in a pan of water on the stove. I put a candy thermometer in the water, then heated it to around 70°C and stirred the mixture for at least 1 minute. The rest of the procedure remained the same. I did notice that I had to leave the canning jar in the refrigerator for a couple of days for the coffee filter clogging particles to fall to the bottom.
If I am reading Grave's patent application correctly, it doesn't matter which cinnamon species is used. That's good.
I looked up "proanthocyanidins" on Wikipedia. Here is the link. It is interesting that these are related to tannins. I take it that there are many different types of proanthocyanidins from different plants. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proanthocyanidin Maybe this is the tau-fighting component of the so-called "grape seed extract". I haven't looked into this yet.
We're still left with unanswered questions. Can you get enough of this stuff from a reasonable amount of raw cinnamon? If so, how much should one take? Does it cross the blood-brain barrier? Is this compound responsible for the positive reports we have seen, or is there something else in cinnamon working on some other problem (e.g. the H.pylori infection)?
Here is a recipe and procedure for "cinnamon tea": www[.]perpetualcommotion.com/a/Cinnamon_Tea.html
[Note: I have provided links, but you will have to copy them manually to your browser, and then fix them. by removing the brackets]
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