KOTA KINABALU: Researchers led by Professor Yuen Kah Hay of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) recently found that palm tocotrienols can protect brain cells in the event of a stroke.
“This breakthrough research suggests that taking 200mg of palm tocotrienols twice daily as a preventative can prevent brain cells from dying in the event of a stroke, which may translate to disability or survival benefits to the patients,” Professor Yuen said during a talk at a hotel here recently.
And considering stroke is the third biggest killer in Malaysia after heart disease and cancer, palm tocotrienols may bring benefits to the millions affected by this condition.
Professor Yuen and his team commenced the clinical trial after promising results were obtained in an American study which elucidated palm tocotrienols to be involved in the cell death signaling pathway to prevent neuronal cell death.
The researchers in America published their result after experimenting on genetically modified mice that are prone to stroke, as well as on canines, showing palm tocotrienols could minimize neuronal cell damage.
He said that 200 human volunteers with white matter lesions (WML), which are oxygen-starved brain cells, were recruited in the study led by him.
The placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind clinical trial, which commenced in January, 2008, continued for two years.
At the end of the first year, the researchers found those taking 200mg of palm tocotrienols orally twice a day showed small increase in the WML volume, whereas those in the placebo group showed seven times more increase in WML volume.
“The placebo group continued to show further increases in the volume of lesions in the second year. Those on palm tocotrienols, however, showed a decrease.”
“The evidence we have now suggests that if people take it as a neuroprotective supplement, it can prevent brain cells from dying in the event of a stroke, and also stimulate the reconstruction of blood vessels after,” he said.
The encouraging results of the neuroprotective agent – palm tocotrienols, have led the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (PEMANDU) to fund a similar trial on diabetic patients, he said.
Meanwhile, USM researcher, Dr Enrico Magosso spoke on fatty liver and how this was a lifestyle disease.
“It is a progressive disease and affects between 10 percent and 30 percent of the world population. It is expected to become a major reason for transplant in the US, and patients with fatty liver are more likely to die from stroke,” he said.
He mentioned that in his study, he has found that tocotrienols has been effective in the prevention treatment of fatty liver.