A Study on Alzheimer’s Disease conducted at CIU

CIU Academicians conduct Research on Alzheimer's Treatment with Endemic Plants in the Flora of Cyprus. Assist. Prof. Dr. Övgü İşbilen and Assist. Prof. Dr. Ender Volkan Çınar from Cyprus International University (CIU) Faculty of Pharmacy initiated a project to study the effects of plants growing in the Flora of Cyprus on Alzheimer's disease, one of the most important diseases of our time. 

One of the project coordinators Assist. Prof. Dr. İşbilen stated that Alzheimer's disease is not a new disease, but the number of patients is increasing due to the increase in the elderly population, especially in developed countries.

Stating that people aged 65 and over form the fastest growing age group, especially in developed countries and societies with high welfare levels, İşbilen said, “The rate of Alzheimer's disease increases with age. Alzheimer's disease develops in 8 out of every 100 people over the age of 65.”

Assist. Prof. Dr. İşbilen mentioned that there are many problems faced by people suffering from  Alzheimer's disease, and said, "These can be listed as the limited amount of drugs used in the treatment of the disease, the side effects of the drugs in question, and the fact that the existing drugs on the market do not provide successful therapeutic effects against all forms of the disease."
Stating that this situation led the researchers to search for new molecules, İşbilen said this was the reason why they embarked on this project to investigate the potential preventive effects of medicinal plants found in the Flora of Cyprus on Alzheimer's disease.

Project manager Assist. Prof. Dr. Çınar emphasized that Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurological disease and said, “Alzheimer's is a common type of dementia. It also causes the death of brain cells.”

Noting that individuals with Alzheimer's disease encounter many difficulties in their quality of life, Çınar said, "Patients suffer from forgetfulness that will affect their daily life, difficulties in fulfilling personal needs, confusion in time and space, weaknesses in speaking and understanding, isolating themselves from social activities, losing belongings and blaming others, changes in personality and behavioral problems.”

Assist. Prof. Dr. Çınar stated that this situation creates great difficulties not only for the patient, but also for his/her relatives, and significantly reduces the patient's quality of life.