Methysticin? (meth-this-ta-sin)
Methysticin, also known as the number 6 on chemotypes, has a number of different known functions. Methysticin shows properties of being anti-convulsant and neuroprotective in rat models of the hippocampus. Methysticin blocked all forms of epileptiform discharges (induced epilepsy) [1]. Methysticin was also shown in studies to induce CYP1A1 [2]. CYP1A1 has been found to have the capacity to activate compounds with carcinogenic properties[3], however methysticin has also been shown to protect against oxidative stress, and chronic inflammation. In another study on mice, it was found methysticin significantly improved long term memory decline of models of Alzheimer’s disease. Methysticin has been shown to activate the Nrf2/ARE system in the hippocampus of mice which reduces the secretion of cytokines which play a major role in Alzheimer’s progression [4].
[1] Schmitz D, Zhang CL, Chatterjee SS, Heinemann U. Effects of methysticin on three different models of seizure like events studied in rat hippocampal and entorhinal cortex slices. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol. 1995 Apr;351(4):348-55. doi: 10.1007/BF00169074. PMID: 7630425. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7630425/)
[2] li, Yan & Mei, Hu & Wu, Qiangen & Zhang, Suhui & Fang, jia-long & Shi, Leming & Guo, Lei. (2011). Methysticin and 7,8-Dihydromethysticin are Two Major Kavalactones in Kava Extract to Induce CYP1A1. Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology. 124. 388-99. 10.1093/toxsci/kfr235. (https://academic.oup.com/toxsci/article-abstract/124/2/388/1685738?redirectedFrom=fulltext)
[3] Androutsopoulos, V.P., Tsatsakis, A.M. & Spandidos, D.A. Cytochrome P450 CYP1A1: wider roles in cancer progression and prevention. BMC Cancer 9, 187 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2407-9-187
[4] Fragoulis, Athanassios & Fragoulis, Stephanie & Fendt, Markus & Jansen, Sandra & Soppa, Ulf & Brandenburg, Lars-Ove & Pufe, Thomas & Weis, Joachim & Wruck, Christoph. (2017). Oral administration of methysticin improves cognitive deficits in a mouse model of Alzheimer´s disease. Redox Biology. 12. 10.1016/j.redox.2017.04.024. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.redox.2017.04.024)
Methysticin, also known as the number 6 on chemotypes, has a number of different known functions. Methysticin shows properties of being anti-convulsant and neuroprotective in rat models of the hippocampus. Methysticin blocked all forms of epileptiform discharges (induced epilepsy) [1]. Methysticin was also shown in studies to induce CYP1A1 [2]. CYP1A1 has been found to have the capacity to activate compounds with carcinogenic properties[3], however methysticin has also been shown to protect against oxidative stress, and chronic inflammation. In another study on mice, it was found methysticin significantly improved long term memory decline of models of Alzheimer’s disease. Methysticin has been shown to activate the Nrf2/ARE system in the hippocampus of mice which reduces the secretion of cytokines which play a major role in Alzheimer’s progression [4].
[1] Schmitz D, Zhang CL, Chatterjee SS, Heinemann U. Effects of methysticin on three different models of seizure like events studied in rat hippocampal and entorhinal cortex slices. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol. 1995 Apr;351(4):348-55. doi: 10.1007/BF00169074. PMID: 7630425. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7630425/)
[2] li, Yan & Mei, Hu & Wu, Qiangen & Zhang, Suhui & Fang, jia-long & Shi, Leming & Guo, Lei. (2011). Methysticin and 7,8-Dihydromethysticin are Two Major Kavalactones in Kava Extract to Induce CYP1A1. Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology. 124. 388-99. 10.1093/toxsci/kfr235. (https://academic.oup.com/toxsci/article-abstract/124/2/388/1685738?redirectedFrom=fulltext)
[3] Androutsopoulos, V.P., Tsatsakis, A.M. & Spandidos, D.A. Cytochrome P450 CYP1A1: wider roles in cancer progression and prevention. BMC Cancer 9, 187 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2407-9-187
[4] Fragoulis, Athanassios & Fragoulis, Stephanie & Fendt, Markus & Jansen, Sandra & Soppa, Ulf & Brandenburg, Lars-Ove & Pufe, Thomas & Weis, Joachim & Wruck, Christoph. (2017). Oral administration of methysticin improves cognitive deficits in a mouse model of Alzheimer´s disease. Redox Biology. 12. 10.1016/j.redox.2017.04.024. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.redox.2017.04.024)
