Fenchol, a natural compound, is known for its herbal and appealing scent. This compound is found in a number of plants, including basil, nutmeg, and eucalyptus leaves. In the past, fenchol has been used as a food additive or even perfuming agent, though new research suggests that it could have a new benefit.

According to Medical XPress, researchers from the University of South Florida Health determined that fenchol could have protective benefits against Alzheimer’s disease. Within the preclinical study, researchers found that the compound could reduce neurotoxicity. Interested in learning more? Take a look at the pre-print research article, which will soon appear in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. 

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD)

To begin, let’s first have a rundown on Alzheimer’s disease and what it is. Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder. While doctors do not know exactly what causes this neurodegeneration and brain cell death, a mixture of genetics, environmental factors, and lifestyle factors is believed to play a role. Much research also focuses on the role of plaques and tangles within the brain. Additional risk factors include age (65+), having a family history of Alzheimer’s disease, poor sleeping or exercise habits, being female, and having past head trauma. Symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease include changes in behavior and personality; worsening memory loss; difficulty planning or completing familiar tasks; impulsivity and changes in decision-making ability; confusion; and complications such as aspiration or malnutrition.

Fenchol

Now, researchers believe that fenchol could have benefits for reducing neurotoxicity in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. According to Trulieve, fenchol:

Also known as fenchyl alcohol or 2-fenchanol, is a monoterpenoid and isomer of the terpene borneol. Unlike many other terpenes, fenchol doesn’t act as a sedative…[and] is recently being studied, among other benefits, for its antibiotic properties.

Trulieve also explains that some researchers believe that fenchol has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. 

The Research

In the past, research has shown that short-chain fatty acids in the gut could play a role in brain health.  Lower SCFA counts have been linked to Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive impairment. Normally, SCFAs that reach the brain can activate a cell-signaling molecule called free fatty acid receptor 2 (FFAR2). 

Within this particular study, researchers wanted to explore how the gut microbiome could influence cognition and brain health. In particular, researchers sought to understand how exactly lower SCFAs play a role in Alzheimer’s progression, and how FFAR2 functions.

To begin, researchers inhibited the FFAR2 receptor. They discovered that FFAR2 inhibition causes alpha-synuclein to accumulate within the brain, promoting neurotoxicity. Next, researchers screened over 144,000 natural compounds to identify potential compounds which, like SCFAs, could activate FFAR2 signaling. After discovering 15 potential candidates, researchers eventually narrowed their study down to fenchol, which seemed to have the most efficacy. 

Fenchol and its Abilities

After identifying fenchol as an effective compound, researchers performed tests on mouse and worm models of Alzheimer’s, as well as human cell cultures containing neuronal cells. Once researchers treated these models with fenchol, they saw:

• A reduction in alpha-synuclein buildup and neuron death
• Increased FFAR2 signaling
• Lower amounts of inflammatory “zombie” cells, which normally accumulate in diseased organs and cause healthy cell stress or death

While these findings are promising, more research is needed to understand how effective this could be in actually treating patients.