Celery-derived stroke drug rebuilds brain blood vessels via one protein
Xiao H, Xie H, Qin M, Zuo C, Zheng R
Medicinal Plants
The humble celery seed sitting in your spice rack contains a compound that pharmaceutical researchers have traced down to a single protein target for repairing stroke-damaged brain tissue.
Butylphthalide is a compound first isolated from celery seeds, and doctors already use it to treat stroke patients, but nobody knew exactly how it worked at the molecular level. This study found that it locks onto a protein called vimentin inside blood vessel cells, and that connection is what helps regrow healthy blood vessels and restore brain function after a stroke in rats. It's a reminder that some of the most useful medicines start as ordinary plant chemistry.
Key Findings
NBP (originally derived from celery seed extract) increased cerebral blood flow and microvessel density in rats after induced stroke
Vimentin (VIM) was identified as NBP's molecular target, with the drug binding to the Arg-304 amino acid residue in VIM's active site
Knocking down VIM in blood vessel cells (but not neurons) disrupted proper formation of brain microvessels, showing vascular VIM is essential for neurovascular repair via the Notch signaling pathway
chevron_right Technical Summary
Scientists found that a compound originally derived from celery seeds can help repair blood vessels in the brain after a stroke by targeting a specific protein, offering a clearer picture of how this existing stroke drug actually works.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Butylphthalide enhances neurorestoration following ischemic stroke by restructuring microvasculature through vimentin modulation.
Ischemic stroke severely threatens human health. Rapid restoration of cerebral blood flow (CBF) in ischemic microvessels is significant as it enhances neurovascular function, prevents neuronal deat...
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