Gossycin found in hibiscus can treat Alzheimer's disease

In winter, a cup of ruby red hibiscus tea not only warms the body, but also strengthens the immune system, controls blood pressure, and reduces weight
.
There's another reason to enjoy this tea – it might beat Alzheimer's
.

Professor Jin Jingtai and PhD student Kyung Won-jo of the Department of Life Sciences at Pohang University of Technology confirmed that gossycin found in hibiscus activates microglia, an immune cell in the brain
.
The team also confirmed that microglia clear amyloid β (Aβ) from the brain, improving cognitive impairment
caused by Alzheimer's disease (AD).

AD begins when Aβ and Tau proteins aggregate in brain tissue to form deposition
.
Microglia internalize this aggregate (phagocytosis) to protect the brain
.
However, continued exposure to a β eventually depletes microglia, leading to a chronic inflammatory response and nerve cell damage
.
As a result, the victim suffers from cognitive decline and memory loss
.

In their search for a new treatment for AD without serious side effects, the POSTECH team focused on gossypin, a flavonoid compound found in hibiscus and also known as Hibiscus sabdariffa (roselle).

The research team gave gossyptin to AD model mice over a period of 3 months, and the memory and cognitive function of the mice basically returned to normal levels
.
In addition, they found reduced various types of A β aggregates, which are common
in brain tissue in people with dementia with type AD.

The researchers then collaborated with Professor Jong Kyoung Kim (Department of Life Sciences) to continue single-cell RNA sequencing
.
The results of the analysis showed that gossipin inhibited the expression of genes related to glial hyperplasia, thereby promoting chronic inflammatory response, while increasing the expression
of genes related to Aβ phagocytosis.
In other words, gossyptin promotes Aβ clearance
of microglia.

Professor Kim Jingtai explains: "We have confirmed that clearing Aβ aggregates deposited in the brain is effective
in preventing and treating dementia.
The gossyptin in hibiscus flowers will help develop a safe, affordable drug to treat AD patients
.
”