Blackcurrants and Alzheimers

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Compounds in the common British blackcurrant could help prevent

Alzheimer's disease, research suggests.

A study shows blackcurrants and their US cousins, boysenberries, are

full of potentially beneficial anti-oxidant compounds.

 

Research in the Journal of Science Food and Agriculture found these

compounds could block the cell damage which leads to Alzheimer's

disease.

 

The New Zealand team said the berries could prevent but not cure

dementia.

 

Alzheimer's disease is thought to be caused by the build up of

deposits of a protein in the brain.

 

These amyloid plaques are associated with damage to brain cells,

which are eventually killed off.

 

It is this damage - known as oxidative stress - which the anti-

oxidant compounds in the berries appears to combat.

 

The berries contain a cocktail of chemical compounds including

anthocyanins - which cause the deep colour in blue and purple fruits -

and polyphenolics - which can be found in red wine and chocolate.

 

Dilip Ghosh of the Horticulture and Food Research Institute of New

Zealand tested the compounds on cultured human brain cancer cells.

 

They demonstrated in a test tube their ability to protect against the

effects of oxidative stress - in this case caused by adding the

chemical hydrogen peroxide to the culture.

 

Oxidative stress is an important cause of brain degeneration as well

as cancer and ageing.

 

The researchers said: " The extracts of boysenberry and blackcurrant

containing anthocyanins and phenolic compounds displayed significant

inhibition against the oxidative challenge of hydrogen peroxide. "

 

This can decrease the rate at which cells mutate and therefore give

protection against age-related diseases, they added.

 

The results demonstrate that a specific fraction of blackcurrant is

particularly effective

 

Fellow researcher James Joseph of Tufts University said the effect

was likely to be the same in humans.

 

He told Chemistry and Industry magazine: " I am confident that the

Alzheimer's protective effect we've seen will bear out in live

humans.

 

" Diet will never be able to cure Alzheimer's but could prevent it or

at least delay its onset. "

 

Head of research at charity Alzheimer's Society Dr Susanne Sorensen

said the study results helped to explain evidence that berries have a

protective effect against a range of diseases.

 

She said: " The results demonstrate that a specific fraction of

blackcurrant is particularly effective in this respect.

 

" However, the results cannot readily be transferred from this

experimental system of cultures of well characterised tumour cell

lines to neurons nor to complete brains. "