Cashew nut shell compound shows promise in mouse study

A compound found in cashew nuts shell called anacardic acid has been found to promote myelin repair and lessen neuronal damage and disability in a study on mice.

A research team from Vanderbilt University Medical Center say the protective effects of anacardic acid are associated with the maturation of myelin-producing cells and the production of IL-33, which is an immune-related molecule that has a neuroreparative role in the central nervous system.

The team say the finding suggest new therapeutic approaches using anacardic acid could potentially be developed to treat demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS).