Abdullatif Azab
Carobway Ltd, Israel
Title: Neuroprotective potential of carob nutrition, extracts and natural products – past, present and future
Biography
Biography: Abdullatif Azab
Abstract
Carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.) is one of the most widespread medicinal plants in the Mediterranean area. Traditionally, it was cultivated for its nutritional and medicinal benefits, especially from its fruits (pods). The phytochemical constituents of Carob (Ceratonia siliqua L) showed therapeutic medical importance especially concerning neurotoxicity which represents the major public health problem. Carob extracts showed in vitro neuroprotective effect of carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) pulp (wild and cultivated varieties) at the unripe and ripe stage was investigated through testing against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), linked to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Some studies indicated that the extract of unripe carob may provide a substantial source of secondary metabolites, which act as natural antioxidants and as AChE inhibitors that may be beneficial in the treatment of AD. Other studies that pure natural products isolated from Carob, such as D-Pinitol, or combinations of them (polyphenols) can also provide potential therapy for AD, memory loss and dementia.