Prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases(Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease) via inhibition of Syk kinase.

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The active substance of the herbal medicine 'Shikon', shikonin, shows strong anti-inflammatory properties due to its pharmacological effects like inhibition of Syk kinase activity. Because neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease are suggested to occur on basis of chronic inflammation, we decided to investigate shikonin's preventive and therapeutic effects using animal models of the diseases. After 2 months oral administration of shikonin to mice presenting symptoms of these two diseases, improvement in cognitive symptoms was not clearly detected, but shikonin was suggested to ameliorate the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.