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

草药“紫草”的活性物质，紫草素，由于其药理作用，如抑制Syk激酶活性，显示出强烈的抗炎特性。由于阿尔茨海默病和帕金森病等神经退行性疾病的发生与慢性炎症有关，我们决定通过动物模型研究紫草素对这些疾病的预防和治疗作用。对出现这两种疾病症状的小鼠口服紫草素2个月后，认知症状没有明显改善，但建议紫草素可以改善帕金森病的症状。

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.