Pomegranate May Contribute to Slowing Progression of Dementia
The pomegranate fruit promises new hope for slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Researchers in the U.K. have found that a chemical compound in the pomegranate, called punicalagin, may have critical benefits to slowing the progression of dementia.
Punicalagin may be able to slow the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease by inhibiting inflammation in specialized brain cells known as micrologia. The inflammation of micrologia cells leads to destruction of brain cells, which allows Alzheimer’s disease to progress. In addition to having potential benefits to treating diseases with neuro-inflammation like Alzheimer’s, punicalagin may also be effective in reducing inflammation associated with various other medical conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and rheumatoid arthritis.
These findings have prompted a new phase of studies by researchers at the University of Huddersfield in the U.K., who are currently exploring the development of drugs to treat neuro-inflammation. Dr. Olumayokun Olajide, the lead researcher, specializes in the anti-inflammatory effects of natural products, such as the pomegranate in Alzheimer’s research.
“…We do know that regular intake and regular consumption of pomegranate has a lot of health benefits – including prevention of neuro-inflammation related to dementia,” Olajide said.
Olajide is currently working on finding the amount of pomegranate that would prove most beneficial to preventing neuro-inflammation in humans. He recommends regular consumption of 100% pomegranate juice products, which would contain 3.4% of the punicalagin compound, mostly found in the outer skin of the fruit.
Sources:
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/08/22/pomegranate-compound-may-treat-alzheimers-and-parkinsons/
