Plant molecules benefit Alzheimer's

A new study has found a set of molecules from plants that appear to have a beneficial effect on Alzheimer's disease.

The study was led by researchers at the University of South Florida and Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre and published in the Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine.

Flavonoids, a molecule found in certain fruits and vegetables, were administered by researchers to a mouse model, which was genetically programmed to develop Alzheimer's disease.

Two of these molecules were found to reduce the levels of a protein called amyloid-beta, which forms the sticky deposits that build up in the brain of patients with Alzheimer's.

One of the senior authors of the study, Terrence Town, said: "These flavonoids are widely available in natural foods and it appears that they may be used in purified form as therapeutic agents. The compounds have few if any side effects and are naturally occurring in citrus fruits."

He added that the two molecules could also be found as dietary supplements in health food stores.

The Alzheimer's Society claims that the disease is the most common form of dementia affecting around 417,000 people in the UK and is a progressive disease which slowly damages more parts of the brain over time.


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