VOA慢速英語(yǔ)：地中海植物可能對(duì)治療腦部疾病有幫助

Mediterranean Plants May Help Brain Diseases

地中海植物可能對(duì)治療腦部疾病有幫助

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report.

這里是美國(guó)之音慢速英語(yǔ)健康和生活報(bào)道。

In the future, chemicals from plants found in and around the Mediterranean may be used to help treat people with brain diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

來(lái)自地中海及其周邊發(fā)現(xiàn)植物中的化學(xué)物質(zhì)未來(lái)可用于幫助治療患有阿爾茨海默病和帕金森病等腦部疾病的患者。

These two diseases are age-related and neurodegenerative. Neurodegenerative relates to the degeneration of nervous tissue, especially the brain.

這兩種疾病都和年齡相關(guān)，屬于神經(jīng)退行性疾病。神經(jīng)退行性疾病同神經(jīng)組織、特別是腦部的退化存在關(guān)聯(lián)。

People suffering from Alzheimer's and Parkinson's have deposits of sticky plaque in their brains. Over time, this plaque reduces brain function. Eventually, it causes death.

阿爾茨海默病和帕金森病患者的腦部都有粘性斑塊的沉積物。隨著時(shí)間的推移，這種斑塊會(huì)降低大腦功能，并最終導(dǎo)致死亡。

Scientists say plaque can be reduced

科學(xué)家稱可以減少斑塊

But scientists say the plaque deposits can be reduced with chemicals from plants, including prickly pear and brown seaweed. Scientists say the chemicals — or, extracts — appear to replace the harmful, sticky plaque with deposits that are less harmful.

但是科學(xué)家表示，這種斑塊沉積物可以通過(guò)從包括仙人球和褐藻在內(nèi)的植物中提取的化學(xué)物質(zhì)來(lái)減少。這些化學(xué)物質(zhì)或提取物似乎可以用危害較輕的沉積物來(lái)替換這些有害的粘性斑塊。

These scientists are researchers at the University of Malta and the National Center of Scientific Research at the University of Bordeaux.

這些科學(xué)家是來(lái)自馬耳他大學(xué)以及波爾多大學(xué)國(guó)家科學(xué)研究中心的研究人員。

They tested the chemical extracts of the plants on a substance called Brewer's yeast. This yeast had plaque deposits similar to those seen in Alzheimer's disease. Scientists say the health of the yeast improved greatly after exposure to the chemical extracts.

他們用一種被稱之為布魯爾氏酵母的物質(zhì)測(cè)試了這種化學(xué)提取物。這種酵母具有類似于阿爾茨海默病中觀察到的斑塊沉積物。科學(xué)家說(shuō)，在接觸到這種化學(xué)提取物之后，這種酵母的健康大有改善。

Researchers then tested the extracts in fruit flies that were genetically changed to develop symptoms of Alzheimer's.

研究人員然后用經(jīng)過(guò)基因修飾出現(xiàn)了阿爾茨海默病癥狀的果蠅測(cè)試了這種提取物。

They found that when the flies were given brown seaweed extract, their lifespans increased by two days. Prickly pear helped the insects live four days longer.

他們發(fā)現(xiàn)，當(dāng)這種果蠅被應(yīng)用褐藻提取物時(shí)，它們的壽命延長(zhǎng)了兩天。仙人球(提取物)幫助這種昆蟲多活了四天。

That may not sound like a long time. However, the researchers remind us that one day in the life of a fruit fly is equal to one human year.

這聽起來(lái)可能不算太長(zhǎng)時(shí)間。然而，研究人員提醒我們，果蠅壽命中的一天相當(dāng)于人類的一年。

Researchers also noted that movement in some diseased insects improved.

研究人員還指出，一些患病昆蟲的運(yùn)動(dòng)有所改善。

They reported their findings in the journal Neuroscience Letters.

他們?cè)凇渡窠?jīng)科學(xué)快報(bào)》雜志上發(fā)表了他們的研究結(jié)果。

The best way to fight neurodegenerative diseases

抗擊神經(jīng)退行性疾病的最佳途徑

Researchers say that the sticky plaques in both Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases appear to form through the same biological pathways. Targeting these pathways, they say, is the best way to fight the diseases.

研究人員表示，阿爾茨海默病和帕金森病的粘性斑塊似乎都是通過(guò)同一種生物學(xué)途徑形成的，針對(duì)這些途徑是抗擊這種疾病的最好辦法。

The lead author of the study is Ruben Cauchi of the University of Malta's Center for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking. He says the Mediterranean plant extracts are already used in health foods and some cosmetics. So, they are very safe.

這項(xiàng)研究的主要作者是馬耳他大學(xué)醫(yī)學(xué)和生物銀行中心的魯賓·考基(Ruben Cauchi)。他說(shuō)，地中海植物提取物已經(jīng)被用于保健食品和一些化妝品，所以它們都很安全。

The research team is working with a company that extracts the chemicals for commercial use as so-called "fountain of youth" products.

該研究團(tuán)隊(duì)正同一家提取這種化學(xué)物質(zhì)用于商業(yè)用途制造“年輕之泉”產(chǎn)品的公司合作。

And that's the Health & Lifestyle report.

以上就是本期美國(guó)之音慢速英語(yǔ)健康和生活報(bào)道。

I'm Anna Matteo.

我是安娜·馬特奧。