Loading ...Is Capnella imbricata (Kenya Tree Coral) the new aspirin? Number of reefers can’t get rid of this soft coral. It is very prolific, and can take over a tank if left untouched. Yet medicine has welcomed this outcast into their family.
It seems as though Taiwanese scientists have come across a potent chemical within the soft coral, named capnellene, that can be used in combating inflammation in rats. A BBC News article continued to explain that:
Capnellene appears to work on the supporting cells that surround nerve cells, which are thought to be responsible for neuropathic pain in some way.
Dr Wen’s team tested capnellene and a second very similar compound in isolated microglia cells and in experimental models of neuropathic pain in rats, with promising results.
This was conducted by Dr Zhi-Hong Wen and colleagues at the National Sun Yat-Sen University. He said:
Today there are few pharmacological agents that can help people suffering from neuropathic pain, but we believe that these marine-derived compounds could lead to the development of a new range of drugs of great potential
This is amazing news. And here we are, throwing those soft coral fragmants away. You could be sitting on a goldmine.
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Trained by the thirteenth ring master of the Sian Xiuang Coral Temple. Currently is apprenticing the art of Acropora shaping in the ancient tradition of Ninja Fragging. Known as the SPS hero! 