Summary
The brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease have an abundance of amyloid plaques, made up of protein fragments. The excessive accumulation of these proteins is believed to be a key mechanism responsible for brain cell death in Alzheimer’s disease. The present study aimed to identify flavonoids (naturally occurring compounds) that could inhibit amyloid plaques-induced brain cell death. For this purpose, the following flavonoids were tested: apigenin, baicalein, catechin, epicatechin, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), kaempferol, luteolin, myricetin, quercetin and rutin. As it turned out, epicatechin, EGCG, luteolin, and myricetin had the most potent and persistent protective action. Based on this finding, the researchers concluded that these four compounds can be used as protective agents against Alzheimer’s disease. Further details can be found in the study.
References
Seong-Min Choi, Byeong C Kim, Yeun-Hee Cho, Kang-Ho Choi, Jane Chang, Man-Seok Park, Myeong-Kyu Kim, Ki-Hyun Cho, Jong-Keun Kim