The onset of Alzheimer's disease can be slowed and some of its symptoms curbed by a natural compound found in pomegranate, a new study has found.
The painful inflammation that accompanies illnesses such as rheumatoid arthritis and Parkinson's disease could be also reduced using the compound, according to researchers led by University of Huddersfield scientist Dr Olumayokun Olajide.
A new phase of research can explore the development of drugs that will stem the development of dementias such as Alzheimer's, researchers said.
Globally, there are at least 44.4 million dementia sufferers, with the numbers expected to soar, they said.
The key breakthrough by Olajide and co-researchers is to demonstrate that punicalagin, which is a polyphenol - a form of chemical compound - found in pomegranate fruit, can inhibit inflammation in specialised brain cells known as micrologia.
This inflammation leads to the destruction of more and more brain cells, making the condition of Alzheimer's sufferers progressively worse.
There is still no cure for the disease, but the punicalagin in pomegranate could prevent it or slow down its development.
Olajide and co-researchers - including scientists at the University of Freiburg in Germany - used brain cells isolated from rats in order to test their findings.
"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," he said, recommending juice products that are 100 per cent pomegranate, meaning that approximately 3.4 per cent will be punicalagin, the compound that slows down the progression of dementia.
Olajide states that most of the anti-oxidant compounds are found in the outer skin of the pomegranate, not in the soft part of the fruit.
He added that although this has yet to be scientifically evaluated, pomegranate will be useful in any condition for which inflammation - not just neuro-inflammation - is a factor, such as rheumatoid arthritis, Parkinson's and cancer.
The research was published in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research.
