Up-regulation of neurotrophic factors by cinnamon and its metabolite SODIUM BENZOATE

[knockout_mice]

Several lines of evidence presented in this study clearly support the conclusion that cinnamon and its metabolite NaB are capable of upregulating neurotrophic factors. Our conclusion is based on the following observations. First, NaB dose-dependently induced the expression of BDNF and NT-3 in primary human astrocytes and neurons. This upregulation was specific as sodium formate (NaFO), a compound structurally similar to NaB but without having the benzene moiety, had no effect. Second, after oral feeding, NaB entered into the brain and upregulated BDNF and NT-3 in vivo in the brain. Third, oral administration of ground cinnamon increased the level of NaB in blood and brain of mice and upregulated BDNF and NT-3 in vivo in the brain. Because the loss of these neurotrophic factors has been implicated in the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases, our results provide a potentially important mechanism whereby cinnamon and its metabolite NaB may ameliorate or delay neurodegeneration.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3663914/

“Mr. D” is a 20-year-old, first-episode, drug-naïve nonpsychotic MDD patient with symptoms for 1 month (Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression [Ham-D] score: 25). He refused to take any psychotropic medication because of possible side effects. He just accepted non-pharmacological treatment, such as nutritional and food therapy. After negotiation, he agreed to take SB (500 mg/day) and also signed the informed consent after being notified about the characteristics and side effects of SB. His MDD symptoms improved within the initial 2 weeks of treatment (Ham-D score: 12) and he achieved partial remission after a 6-week therapy with SB (Ham-D score: 9), with residual symptoms of sleep disturbance, anergia, and anhedonia. No intolerable side effects were mentioned during SB therapy. He received structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning (3T Siemens Version Scanner housed at magnetic resonance Center, National Yang Ming University) at baseline and the 6th week for the evaluation of brain volume changes after SB treatment. The pulse sequence of MRI scanning was three-dimensional fast-spoiled gradient-echo recovery (3D-FSPGR) T1W1 (TR: 25.30 msec; TE: 3.03 msec; slice thickness: 1 mm(no gap);192 slices; matrix: 224 × 256; field of view: 256 mm; number of excitations: 1). Structural MRI was preprocessed with FMRIB's Integrated Registration and Segmentation Tool function (FIRST Version 1.2) of FSL (FMRIB Software Library, Version 4.1.1) to perform subcortical brain segmentation using a shape and appearance model. The subcortical structures include hippocampus, amygdala, nucleus accumbens, thalamus, pallidum, lentiform nucleus, caudate, and putamen. The volumes of bilateral thalami, brainstem, and right amygdala increased after a 6-week therapy with SB.

http://neuro.psychiatryonline.org/article.aspx?articleID=1660544

Among the amino acids tested, D-serine specifically exhibited a significant cell death-inducing effect. DAO inhibitors, i.e., sodium benzoate and chlorpromazine, partially prevented the death of C6/DAO cells treated with D-serine, indicating the involvement of DAO activity in d-serine metabolism.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16452318

 

[Zeds(NCO2CH2CH3)2]

Wait that study is actually frighteningly bad, the concept is great but there are other examples of administering reinforced placebos to MDD patients and the outcome is also "increased sectional volumes" . NOTE: not statistically significant in the one person they present here. Many may disagree based on the "awesome" factor of the study but the first study is a joke

The concept is on point but remember sodium benzoate I.e the sodium salt of benzoic acid, 0.1% ( by weight ) is allowed as the maximum in all foods, it is a decent preservative and cheap.

So it's encouraging and there are other in vitro studies and mice studies but human studies I am not sure of atm..
Zedsdead

 

[knockout_mice]

Of course the human study is n=1, so it's almost anecdotal evidence, but it confirms the in vitro and animal studies, which is encouraging.