Alzheimer's disease is a brain disorder correlated with major reductions of neurons to the respective target areas, named after German physician Alois Alzheimer. Alzheimer's destroys brain cells, causing cognitive modalities severe enough to affect language communication, memory, lifelong hobbies or social life. Alzheimer's gets worse over time, and it is fatal.
According to statistic, over 25 million people in the world today are affected by dementia and most are suffering from Alzheimer's disease. It may be a result of cigarette smoking, midlife high blood pressure and obesity, diabetes, and cerebrovascular lesions and psychosocial factors (eg, high education, active social engagement, physical exercise, and mentally stimulating activity)(1) Strong evidences emerged in epidemiological studies suggested that certain foods(2) may have potential in reduced risk and treatments of Alzheimer's disease.
1. Cruciferous vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables are the group of vegetables belonging to the family Brassicaceae, including cauliflower, cabbage, cress, bok choy, broccoli etc..
Epidemiological studies has demonstrated reduced risk of prostate cancer in cruciferous consumption. The study of 2148 community-based elderly subjects (aged > or = 65 years) without dementia in New York, after 3.9 years, 253 subjects developed AD during a follow-up. Dietary pattern (DP) analysis of food combination indicated that higher intakes of salad dressing, nuts, fish, tomatoes, poultry, cruciferous vegetables, fruits, and dark and green leafy vegetables and a lower intake of high-fat dairy products, red meat, organ meat, and butter are associated to reduced risk of AD.(1)
2. Tomatos
Tomato is a red, edible fruit, genus Solanum, belonging to family Solanaceae, native to South America. Because of its health benefits, tomato is grown world wide for commercial purpose and often in green house.
Lycopene and alpha carotene found in tometos induced symptoms of AD through inhibition of amyloid beta (Aβ) formation, deposition and fibril formation either by reducing the levels of p35 or inhibiting corresponding enzymes(2). In the study of Antioxidants, such as tocopherols and carotenoids, have been implicated in the prevention of degenerative diseases showed that aging population exhibit a age related decline of levels retinol, total tocopherols, total xanthophylls and total carotenoids(3).
3. Garlic
Garlic is a natural superfood healer for its natural antibiotic with antiviral, antifungal, anticoagulant and antiseptic properties.
S-allyl-L-cysteine (SAC), an active chemical constituents of garlic, showed to inhibit several pathological cascades related to the synaptic degeneration and neuroinflammatory pathways associated with AD. through up and down regulations(4) with intervention to prevent free radicals causes of deterioration of cognitive functions and neurobehavioral activities(5). The Central Food Technological Research Institutesupported the binding ability of SAC to Abeta and inducing a partially folded conformation in Abeta.(6) and suggested that consumption of garlic may reduced risk of AD, due to inhibition of Abeta aggregation in human brain(7).
4. Ginger
Ginger (Zingiber officinale) or ginger root is the genus Zingiber, belonging to the family Zingiberaceae, native to Tamil. It has been used in traditional and Chinese medicine to treat dyspepsia, gastroparesis, constipation, edema, difficult urination, colic, etc.
In the Alzheimer disease (AD) rat model, ginger root extract (GRE) was administered intra-gastrically to rats after 35 days, exhibited the protective effect against AD through reversed behavioral dysfunction and prevented AD-like symptoms(8). [6]-gingerol, a pungent ingredient of ginger, pretreatment protected against Aβ(25-35)-induced cytotoxicity and apoptotic cell death such as DNA fragmentation, disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential, elevated Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, and activation of caspase-3 via augmentation of antioxidant capacity(9) and inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activities and prevention of lipid peroxidation in the brain(10).
5. Turmeric
Turmeric is a perennial plant in the genus Curcuma, belonging to the family Zingiberaceae, native to tropical South Asia. The herb has been used in traditional medicine as anti-oxidant, hypoglycemic, colorant, antiseptic, wound healing agent, and to treat flatulence, bloating, and appetite loss, ulcers, eczema, inflammations, etc.
Evidences of epidemiological studies suggestion of curcumin in reduced risk of Ad progression. Suggestion of curcumin in treating Alzheimer's disease (AD) depend on the ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier(11) and showed to inhibit progression of deposit of beta-amyloid aggregation.(12).
A novel polymeric nanoparticle (PEG-PLGA) encapsulated curcumin, induce adult neurogenesis through activation of the canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway(secreted signalling proteins released by one cell population will trigger concentration-dependent responses in other cells located some distance away)(13) triggering brain self-repair mechanis(14). Unfortunately, a 24-week randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study conducted by the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, oral administration showed no biochemical evidence of efficacy of Curcumin C3 Complex® in AD(15).
6. Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a spice derived from the inner bark of tree, native to South East Asia, of over 300 species of the genus Cinnamomum, belonging to the family Lauraceae.. The herb has been use in herbal and traditional medicine as anti-fungal and bacteria level to improve reproductive organ, prevent flatulence and intestinal cramping, treat indigestion, diarrhea, bad breath, headache, migraine, etc.
Aqueous extract of cinnamon showed to inhibit tau aggregation in vitro and can even induce dissociation of tangles isolated from AD brain and cinnamaldehyde (CA), the organic compound of cinnamon
protected tau from oxidation caused by the reactive oxygen species, H2O2, and prevented subsequent formation of high molecular weight species that are considered to stimulate tangle formation(16) and inhibited tau aggregation associated with Alzheimer's disease in vitro(17). Other study insisted that cinnamon extract (CEppt), markedly inhibits the formation of toxic Aβ oligomers and prevents the toxicity of Aβ on neuronal PC12 cells and oral administration in AD patients, showed to reduce longevity, fully recovered their locomotion defects and totally abolished tetrameric species of Aβ in the brain(18).
7. Black pepper
Black pepper is a is a flowering vine in the genus Pipper, belonging to the family Piperaceae. It has been used in folk medicine in treating constipation, diarrhea, earache, gangrene, heart disease, hernia, hoarseness, indigestion, insect bites, insomnia, joint pain, etc.
Piperine, a main active alkaloid in black pepper exhibited significantly improved memory impairment and neurodegeneration in hippocampus associated with the decrease lipid peroxidation and acetylcholinesterase enzyme(19). In the evaluation the Piperine therapeutic effects in Alzheimer's Disease. at 2 mg/kg dose, reduced the SOD values, increased the acetylcholenesterase values, and reduced immobility and has shown superior results than Donepezil (5 mg/kg), AD drug(20).
8. Green Tea
Green tea contains more amount of antioxidants than any drinks or food with the same volume, and is the leaves of Camellia sinensis, undergone minimal oxidation during processing, originated from China. Green tea has been a precious drink in traditional Chinese culture and used exceptional in socialization for more than 4000 thousand years. Because of their health benefits, they have been cultivated for commercial purposes all over the world.
Green tea polyphenols (GTPs) may be a next potential agent in protection of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). GTPs have found to inhibit amyloid fibril formation and protect neurons from toxicity induced by β-amyloid and OA-induced neurotoxicity by enhancing the amelioration of learning and memory impairments and also reduction of tau hyperphosphorylation(21). Epigallocatechin gallate polyphenols, isolated from green tea, in a a selective inhibitor of PKC., combination of EGCG and resveratrol protected against GF 109203X-induced cell death and cytoskeleton degeneration, with a maximal effect at 1 and 3 μM, respectively and cells treated increased PKC gamma (γ) activation and promoted neuronal interconnections(22). (-)-epigallocatechin-3 gallate (EGCG) alone also showed to reduce amyloid-β (Aβ) production in both neuronal and mouse Alzheimer's disease (AD) models(23).
9. Coffee
Coffee made from the roasted seeds of the genus Coffee, belonging to the family Rubiaceae native to southern Arabia. Coffee may consist certain substances, effecting the risk of Alzheimers' disease. AD mice given caffeine in their drinking water from young adulthood into older age showed to inhibit memory and cgnitive impairment and lower brain levels of amyloid-beta; Abeta)(24)(25). In mice with Alzheimers' disease caused by dysregulated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) calcium (Ca 2+), induced deletion of RyanR3, showed the enhancement of coffee in activation of RyanRs which protects AD neurons from synaptic and network dysfunction(26). Intake of 5 cups of coffee per day(moderate caffeine intake) found to protect against the development of certain cognitive impairment and decreased hippocampal amyloid-beta (Abeta) levels through suppression of both beta-secretase (BACE1), a beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 and presenilin 1 (PS1)/gamma-secretase expression(mutations in the presenilin proteins)(27) and protect against or treat AD in a mouse model(28)
10. Red wine
Red wine made from made dark-coloured (black) grape varieties as a result of anthocyan pigments present in the skin of the grape.
Red wine may be a therapeutic potential for treating AD patinets through reduction of forming of beta-amyloid peptid. In human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), black grape skin extract rinhibited the ROS production, protects the cellular membrane from oxidative damage, and consequently prevents DNA fragmentation(29). Red wine extract resveratrol, inother study inhibited the expression of soluble oligomers of of the amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide cause neurotoxicity, synaptic dysfunction, and memory impairments(30). Polyphenols derived from red wine, according to Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, may protect against cognitive deterioration of Alzheimer's disease, thriugh generation and assembly of β-amyloid peptides into neurotoxic oligomeric aggregated species(31).
10. Olive oil
Olive is belongs to the the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean Basin and south end of the Caspian Sea. Its fruit, is also called the olive and the source of olive oil.
Oleuropein aglycone, the main polyphenol derived from extra virgin olive oil, in the study of the double transgenic TgCRND8 mice, showed to improve the cognitive performance and reduce ß-amyloid levels and plaque deposits, through increase of autophagic markers expression and of lysosomal (break down waste materials and cellular debris)activity(32), induction of the Aβ transgene expression(33) and enhancement of Aβ clearance from the brain(34). the study by VA Medical Center, aslo dound that EVOO inhibited learning and memory deficits found in aging and diseases, due to overproduction of amyloid-β protein, and reversed oxidative damage in the brain(35).
11. Fish oil
Fish oil derived from the tissues of oily fish, contains high amount of omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), etc.
Epidemiological studies suggested that higher dietary intake of ω-3 PUFA reduced risk of incident AD and slower cognitive decline(36) through reduction of plasma levels of Aβ42(37) and may induce the PTEN expression(ova tumor suppressor gene) by activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor(regulating the expression of genes)(38). genetically, defection of the ε4 allele of the APOE gene (APOE4), the Central Michigan University, in the mu-p75 saporin (SAP)-induced mouse model of AD, daily treatments of Cerise(®) Total-Body-Rhythm™ (TBR; containing tart cherry extract, Nordic fish oil, and refined emu oil), reduced the severity of cognitive deficits in disorders involving cholinergic deficits(39).
Taking altogether, without going into reviews, The list of foods above may be effective in reduced risk and treatment of Alzheimers' disease through improvment of cognitive function in reduced plasma levels of Aβ42 and ß-amyloid levels and plaque deposits. Some researchers suggested that larger sample and multi centers studies are necessary to indentify the principle ingredients and validate their effectiveness. As always, all articles written by Kyle J. Norton are for information & education only, please consult your Doctor & Related field specialist before applying
References
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