Taichung hospital develops new medicine delivery system to treat brain disorder
台中醫院研發出治療腦部疾病的新型藥物傳輸系統
| TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — China Medical University Hospital has developed a new medicine delivery system designed to carry curcumin directly to damaged brain cells to help treat disorders such as Parkinson’s disease.
The condition occurs when dopamine-producing nerve cells in the brain begin to degenerate. Dopamine shortages affect the brain’s control of movement, causing tremors, muscle stiffness and slowed motion. Around 60% of people with the condition may develop dementia in later stages. About 80,000 people in Taiwan are living with the condition, which primarily affects people aged 65 and older, per UDN. Hospital Director Chou Der-yang (周德陽) said treatment typically involves medications that boost dopamine, combined with rehabilitation therapy. For people who do not respond well to medication, doctors may consider deep brain stimulation as an alternative option. Chou said the medicine delivery system, developed jointly by Ever Supreme Bio Technology and Shine Out Biotechnology, is designed to help drugs cross the blood-brain barrier and reach damaged nerve areas in people with the condition. The blood-brain barrier is a natural defense that protects the brain by blocking harmful substances and pathogens in the bloodstream, Chou added. However, it also prevents most medicines from reaching the brain, making brain diseases difficult to treat. Lin Jaung-geng (林昭庚), a researcher at Academia Sinica, said curcumin has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and may help improve symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. However, curcumin is poorly absorbed and struggles to reach the brain. The new drug-delivery system could help carry the nutrient directly to the brain. The hospital said the research has been published in the Journal of Nanobiotechnology. It plans to use the delivery system to carry drugs that could help treat dementia and strokes. |
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| Carol Yang Taiwan News, Staff Writer | |
| 2026-01-12 |
