Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Jul 29, 2025 2 weeks, 1 day, 14 hours, 36 minutes ago
Thailand Medical News: Mice Show Brain and Behavior Damage After Spike Protein Exposure
Scientists from Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine in Jiangsu, China and the Academy of Military Medical Sciences in Beijing have discovered that the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein can cause serious brain-related issues in mice—similar to what many COVID-19 patients experience. When the spike protein was given intranasally (through the nose), the mice developed problems with movement, memory, and anxiety-like behaviors. The troubling part was that motor issues lasted up to 32 weeks, showing the long-term damage the virus could inflict on the brain and nervous system.
Traditional Chinese Herbal Formula Shields Brain From COVID-19 Related Damage
This
Thailand Medical News report highlights that these effects appeared quickly. Just three weeks after exposure to the spike protein, the mice began showing signs of anxiety and trouble with spatial memory. Fortunately, those particular symptoms seemed to improve by week 32. However, the long-lasting motor skill impairments confirmed that the brain was under constant stress and injury.
LW-AFC Offers Hope Through Ancient Wisdom
The researchers turned to a special compound called LW-AFC, which comes from Liuwei Dihuang decoction—a famous herbal formula used in traditional Chinese medicine. LW-AFC had already shown positive effects in treating cognitive and psychological disorders in other animal studies. In this new study, it reversed the damage caused by the spike protein in several powerful ways.
Mice that received LW-AFC had better movement and coordination, fewer signs of anxiety, and improved memory. On a cellular level, LW-AFC increased healthy brain cells (marked by NeuN-positive cells) and reduced brain inflammation by decreasing harmful immune cells (Iba-1-positive cells). It also lowered levels of inflammatory molecules like IL-6 and TNF-α—both of which are associated with severe COVID-19 symptoms.
Boosting Brain Energy and Mitochondrial Function
One of the most interesting findings was how LW-AFC improved the energy systems within brain cells. Mice given this treatment had higher ATP levels, which means more energy for brain function. LW-AFC also increased the activity of mitochondrial complex I, a critical part of how cells produce energy. This is important because mitochondrial damage has been linked to many neurological symptoms in long COVID and other brain disorders.
Conclusion
The study strongly supports the idea that SARS-CoV-2’s spike protein alone is enough to cause serious and long-lasting neurological damage. It also shows that LW-AFC, a traditional Chinese medicine formula, could offer significant protection and healing effects. By reducing inflammation, improving brain cell survival, and boosting energy production, LW-AFC may one day be a key treatment option for patients suffering from COVID-related brain and mental health problems.
The study finding
s were published in the peer reviewed journal: Basic and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology (Wiley).
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bcpt.70085
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Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/study-shows-chinese-herbal-compound-blocks-covid-19-replication-in-human-lung-cells
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/the-broad-antiviral-potential-of-the-tcm-decoction-fuzheng-jied-against-various-coronaviruses-including-sars-cov-2
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/traditional-chinese-medicine-formulation-called-fufang-yinhua-jiedu-granules-shows-promise-in-covid-19-treatment
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/tcm-news
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