Grape Seed Polyphenols May Protect Against Alzheimer's Disease

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Natural Chemical Found In Grapes May Protect Against Alzheimer’s Disease by Decreasing Neurotoxins in the Brain

Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have found that grape seed polyphenols—a natural antioxidant—may help prevent the development or delay the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

This is the first study to evaluate the ability of grape-derived polyphenols to prevent the generation of a specific form of β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide, a substance in the brain long known to cause the neurotoxicity associated with Alzheimer disease.

The researchers administered grape seed polyphenolic extracts to mice genetically determined to develop memory deficits and Aβ neurotoxins similar to those found in Alzheimer’s disease. They found that the brain content of the Aβ*56, a specific form of Aβ previously implicated in the promotion of Alzheimer’s disease memory loss, was substantially reduced after treatment.

Previous studies suggest that increased consumption of grape-derived polyphenols, whose content, for example, is very high in red wine(3), may protect against cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s. This new finding, showing a selective decrease in the neurotoxin Aβ*56 following grape-derived polyphenols treatment, corroborates those theories.

“Since naturally occurring polyphenols are also generally commercially available as nutritional supplements and have negligible adverse events even after prolonged periods of treatment, this new finding holds significant promise as a preventive method or treatment, and is being tested in translational studies in Alzheimer’s disease patients,” said lead-researcher Giulio Maria Pasinetti.

Dr. Pasinetti added that early intervention with this treatment might be beneficial as well for Alzheimer’s disease patients who have already progressed into the initial stages of the disease

This research was published online in the current issue of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.

References:

1. Press Release dated 15-July-2011 by the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, an international multidisciplinary journal with a mission to facilitate progress in understanding the etiology, pathogenesis, epidemiology, genetics, behavior, treatment and psychology of Alzheimer's disease.

2. Peng Liu, Lisa J. Kemper, Jun Wang, Kathleen R. Zahs, Karen H. Ashe, Giulio M. Pasinetti. Grape Seed Polyphenolic Extract Specifically Decreases Aβ*56 in the Brains of Tg2576 Mice. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease., Volume 26, Number 4, (in press)

3. Don't drink? Here's an alternative to red wine. Kordel’s Grape Seed (standardised extract) has a high content of proanthocyanidins (PCO), a natural occurring flavonoid with strong antioxidant action. Polyphenols, proanthocyanidins, bioflavinoid? CLICK HERE for more information.