Pomegranate drug to treat Alzheimer's
22 Aug 2014
Anti-oxidant compounds found on the outer skin of specific fruits could be used to treat certain dementias, new research suggests.
Research is being undertaken at the University of Huddersfield (UOH) to create a ’pomegranate drug’ capable slowing the onset of Alzheimer’s disease and reducing the inflammation caused by rheumatic arthritis and Parkinson’s disease.
The project, spearheaded by UOH scientists Olumayokun Olajide, looks at the anti-inflammatory properties present in natural products.
“We do know that regular intake and regular consumption of pomegranate has a lot of health benefits
UOH scientists Olumayokun Olajide
The latest phase of this research will explore the development of drugs that will stem the progression of dementias such as Alzheimer’s disease.
The chemical compound punicalagin - which is found in pomegranate - was vital to early research as it can inhibit inflammation in specialised brain cells known as micrologia, researchers said.
The inflammation of these brain cells steadily causes an Alzheimer’s disease sufferer’s condition to deteriorate.
Though Olajide’s technique is by no means a cure for certain dementias, it has the potential to prevent or slow down their development.
Olajide also claimed that preliminary data shows punicalagin may be useful in helping to treat Type 2 diabetes and obesity.
In perfecting the medicine, Olajide, alongside partners from the University of Freiburg, Germany, admits he is still working on the amounts of pomegranate that are required, in order to be effective.
“But 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,” Olajide said.
In the short term, Olajide is recommending people consume juice products that are 100% pomegranate, as approximately 3.4% will be punicalagin.
As part of the next stages of his research, Olajide will collaborate with UOH chemist Karl Hemming to produce compound derivatives of punicalagin that could form the basis of orally administered drugs that would treat neuro-inflammation.
Unfortunately, though technically a ’natural remedy’, a compound derivative would have to go through all the processes of preclinical and clinical testing in a similar way as other new drugs, Olajide told LaboratoryTalk.
