Carnosic acid and Carnosol for Neuroprotection

Kayashima and Matsubara (2012) studies carnosic acid and carnosol themselves and determined carnosic acid is neuroprotective and is dose dependent where carnosol is not dose defendant with the same activity.  In mice, they fed these constituents then looked at the inside of the aorta of each mouse to determine the effectiveness.  The images in this study speak volumes though they only show the comparison between carnosic acid and the control, not one for carnosol.  For carnosol, at a dose of 10 micrometers, microvessel growth was inhibited at 32% (these support the growth of tumors).  At a dose of 50, that percentage only went up to 37%.  The authors felt the carnosic acid was converting a small amount to carnosol to support this activity. The effect of carnosol and carnosic acid on endothelial cells were different which may have resulted on the carnosol being weaker. Carnosic acid seems to work by activating the Keap1/Nrf2 transcription pathway to express antioxidant enzymes and protect against oxidative stress. They end their study mentioning there are studies underway to determine the exact pathways that these 2 constituents use to be effective in protecting these cells.

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Kayashima, Y., and Matsubara, K. (2012). Antiangiogenic Effects of Carnosic Acid and Carnosol, Neuroprotective Compounds in Rosemary Leaves. Bioscience, Biotechnology and Biochemistry, 76(1): 115-119. Doi: 10.1271/bbb.110584