Pomegranate juice in Alzheimer's disease

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Foods containing high levels of antioxidants may also slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD), possibly by preventing or neutralizing the damaging effects of free radicals. The essential fatty acids contained in fish oil (e.g., docosahexaenoic acid/DHA) may be neuroprotective in humans. Recent studies have also shown beneficial effects of DHA on learning in a rat model of AD and on both plaque deposition and dendritic pathology in aged APPsw transgenic mice. Chronic dietary administration of the antioxidant vitamin E has been shown to reduce Aβ deposits in APPsw mice, and epidemiological evidence suggests that high intake of food-based vitamin E is associated with a lower incidence of AD in humans.

Phytochemicals are nonnutritive bioactive chemicals found in plants (especially pigments) that can have beneficial effects on health. Phytochemicals like polyphenols (including the phenolic acids and flavonoids) have been shown to have antioxidant properties and to suppress inflammatory and other pathways. Quercetin, a flavonoid polyphenol found in several fruits and vegetables, was recently shown to protect against oxidative stress in vitro, and curcumin, a polyphenol found in the curry spice turmeric, was shown to lower levels of oxidized proteins and plaque burden in APPsw mice. Green tea, another food high in polyphenols, may also be neuroprotective, and one of its flavonoid components, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, decreased Aβ levels in APPsw mice.

Although there are no proven ways to delay onset or slow progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD), studies suggest that diet can affect risk. Pomegranates contain very high levels of antioxidant polyphenolic substances as compared to other fruits and vegetables. Polyphenols have been shown to be neuroprotective in different model systems. We asked whether dietary supplementation with pomegranate juice (PJ) would influence behavior and AD-like pathology in a transgenic mouse model. Transgenic mice (APP(sw)/Tg2576) received either PJ or sugar water control from 6 to 12.5 months of age. PJ-treated mice learned water maze tasks more quickly and swam faster than controls. Mice treated with PJ had significantly less (approximately 50%) accumulation of soluble Abeta42 and amyloid deposition in the hippocampus as compared to control mice. These results suggest that further studies to validate and determine the mechanism of these effects, as well as whether substances in PJ may be useful in AD, should be considered. ...Neurobiol Dis. 2006 Dec;24(3):506-15. Epub 2006 Sep 28

The promise of Afghan pomegranates

A scheme that aims to replace poppy plantations with pomegranate orchards in war-ravaged Afghanistan is winning support with up-market UK retailer Waitrose throwing its weight behind the project. ...http://www.nutraingredients.com

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