Compound found in common herbs inspires potential anti-inflammatory drug for Alzheimer's disease

The herb rosemary has long been linked with memory. So it is fitting that researchers would study a compound found in rosemary and sage—carnosic acid—for its impact on Alzheimer's disease. Carnosic acid is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound that works by activating enzymes that make up the body's natural defense system. Scientists have now synthesized a stable form, diAcCA. This compound is fully converted to carnosic acid in the gut before being absorbed into the bloodstream. The research showed that when diAcCA was used to treat mouse models of Alzheimer's disease, it achieved therapeutic doses of carnosic acid in the...