Kemin Industries, a global ingredient manufacturer that strives to sustainably transform the quality of life every day for 80 percent of the world with its products and services, was highlighted in a newly published study on the efficacy of spearmint extract for nutritional support in neural tissues in a model of hypertensive glaucoma. Published in the November 2023 issue of Translational Vision Science & Technology (TVST), an official journal of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), the data highlights the potential use of Kemin’s nootropic, Neumentix®, for nutritional support of the eyes’ neural tissues through a rat model of hypertensive glaucoma.
The paper, co-authored by the University of Pisa in Italy and Kemin Human Nutrition & Health, shows novel data on oral intake of Neumentix in preserving the activity and viability of retinal ganglion cells, as well as Neumentix’s mechanisms of action in a rat model of hypertensive glaucoma. The results published also document Neumentix’s effect on neurotrophins, which are proteins found in the central and peripheral nervous system that affect neuronal survival and development.
“The research substantiates the role of oxidative stress, inflammation and neurotrophin support in driving neurodegeneration in retinal ganglion cells, but also demonstrates the potential to counteract these drivers with nutritional strategies,” said University of Pisa professor Massimo Dal Monte, the principal investigator of the study.
“Our findings emphasised the intraocular pressure (IOP)-independent antioxidant and neuroprotective effects of Neumentix,” said Dr. Rosario Amato, post-doctoral research fellow from the University of Pisa. “Glaucoma provides a model of neurodegeneration and is understood as a multifactorial condition influenced by mechanisms such as high oxidative stress, inflammation and lack of neural trophic support.
In our results, we observed that this spearmint extract dose dependently modulates neuroprotective mechanisms, relevant for the management of glaucoma, which act downstream from the IOP elevation.” The study findings expanded Neumentix’s mechanisms of action, showing its effectiveness on rat’s neural tissues beyond the brain. The results also indicated that Neumentix, Kemin’s natural spearmint (Mentha spicata L.) extract sourced from patented plants and characterised by its phenolic complex, works to counteract common degenerative pathways affecting the eyes and brain.
“It is an honour to share Kemin’s latest scientific findings on a nutritional intervention in eye health, specifically in a rat model of hypertensive glaucoma, in a recognised ophthalmic journal,” said Samanta Maci, Senior Commercial and Technical Manager, Kemin Human Nutrition & Health.
“The data sheds light on how oral supplementation with our patented ingredient Neumentix may have the ability to protect viability and function of eye neurons by improving neural trophism and reducing oxidative stress.”
Neumentix provides both cognitive and physical performance benefits and can be formulated into a variety of applications. Science suggests that Neumentix may serve as nutritional support for neural tissues with its six mechanisms of action that are relevant for both the eyes and brain.
“Several of the most prominent age-related changes in the human body are brain and vision related,” said Maci. “Damage to the neural tissue in the retina leads to a host of well-known dysfunctions, which are not only confined to the eye, but spread along the entire visual pathway. These findings complement the research already conducted on cognitive health in healthy subjects. They further support the use of Neumentix as a nutritional support in neural health and establish Neumentix as the right ingredient to innovate this field.”
Click here to access the November issue of TVST ARVO Journal.
Click here to learn more about Kemin’s whole body solutions for vision, cognition, immune and gut health, beauty from within, sleep and weight management.
