Interviews with Faculty Researchers

– Interview with Prof. Lee Ming-yuen, Simon
Chair Professor of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Food Science and Nutrition

Parkinson’s disease has posed a substantial challenge in the field of medical science, with current treatments primarily addressing its symptoms. However, a promising development has emerged from traditional Chinese medicine. Alpinia oxyphylla, deeply rooted in Chinese healing traditions, has come to the forefront as a potential game-changer in treating Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer Disease. This botanical resource has remained largely unexplored in Western medicine.

Prof. Simon Lee has dedicated over a decade to extensive research on Alpinia oxyphylla. His persistent efforts have led to the extraction of a novel bioactive molecule, oxyphylla A, showing significant promise, primarily in preventing and treating Parkinson’s disease by reducing neuronal damage and alleviating dyskinesia. This represents a noteworthy scientific advancement in the field.

While the scientific community has embraced this groundbreaking research, navigating the complex world of legislation has presented its own set of challenges. Currently, the plant extract of Alpinia oxyphylla fructus, standardized with oxyphylla A, has obtained the coveted New Dietary Ingredient (NDI) certification from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), while oxyphylla A has successfully met the criteria of the Novel Food legislation in the European Union (EU), with an expected release of authorization result by The European Food Safety Authority, in 2024. These accomplishments open the door for oxyphylla A to be marketed as a complementary nutrient, offering health benefits and potential preventive effects against Parkinson’s disease as the first indication.

Other than facilitating novel food registration in EU, the next steps include adhering to regulatory requirements of Investigational New Drug application and finalizing clinical studies, facilitating further progress. The strategy encompasses obtaining concurrent approvals for new drug development and clinical research in both China and the United States.

Remarkably, oxyphylla A will become the first Chinese medicine ingredient to enter the European market next year, complete with certification of its efficacy in treating Parkinson’s disease.

展示中藥在治療柏金遜症和阿茲海默症方面的潛力

– 李銘源教授專訪
食品科學及營養學系講座教授

一直以來，醫治柏金遜症都是醫學界的重大挑戰，目前的治療方針均以針對其症狀為主。然而，一道中醫藥材成份在這方面燃起了一絲希望。薑科植物益智（Alpinia oxyphylla）是中國傳統醫學藥材成份的一種，最近它成為了顛覆治療柏金遜症和阿茲海默症概念的藥物；然而， 醫學界對這種植物的認識並不深。

李銘源教授一直致力研究薑科植物益智，經過了十多年的不斷努力，首次發現了一種新的生物活性分子 — oxyphylla A。它於透過減少神經損傷和緩解運動失調來預防及治療柏金遜症方面， 臨床前研究成效尤其顯著，並因此成為了醫藥界一項不容忽視的科研成果。

雖然科學界普遍對這項開創性研究抱歡迎的態度，但面對不同國家複雜的立法制度，oxyphylla A的發展仍相對緩慢。目前，薑科植物益智果實的植物提取物，已獲美國食品和藥物管理局（FDA）的新膳食成份（NDI）認證；而oxyphylla A亦已成功達到了歐洲聯盟（EU）的新穎食品法規要求，預計歐洲食品安全局將於2024年內公布授權結果。Oxyphylla A首先以輔助營養素的形式打開了當地市場的大門，它不但對健康有益，而且對初發的神經退化性疾病亦有預防作用。

除了需要於歐盟地區進行新穎食品註冊程序外，李教授認為遵守FDA 新藥臨床試驗申請的監管要求，並完成臨床研究也是非常重要的，因為這是鞏固進一步發展的重要步驟。因此，李教授希望計劃的第一步是由成功獲得中國和美國新藥的開發和臨床研究批准開始。

Oxyphylla A預計將在明年獲得歐洲食品安全局的認證，完成功效學評價，並有望在不久的將來成為首個打入歐洲市場的中藥成份，惠及廣泛神經退化性疾病患者。