Compound Found in Rosemary Protects Against Macular Degeneration in Laboratory Model
Date: 30.11.2012
In a study published in the journal Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, scientists report that carnosic acid, a component of the herb rosemary, promotes eye health.
Research team found that carnosic acid protects retinas from degeneration and toxicity in cell culture and in rodent models of light-induced retinal damage. Their findings suggest that carnosic acid may have clinical applications for diseases affecting the outer retina, including age-related macular degeneration, the most common eye disease in the U.S.
What's next for carnosic acid? "We're now developing improved derivatives of carnosic acid and related compounds to protect the retina and other brain areas from a number of degenerative conditions, including age-related macular degeneration and various forms of dementia," said Lipton, director of Sanford-Burnham's Del E. Webb Neuroscience, Aging, and Stem Cell Research Center and an active clinical neurologist.
