Dear Docs and friends of medical science,

Green tea 'cuts Alzheimer's risk' just too late - was published on WEDNES DAY
OCTOBER 27 2004 Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD -WebMD Medical News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4261558.stm

A study from England's University of Newcastle upon Tyne shows that green and
black teas may inhibit certain brain enzymes linked to Alzheimer's disease. The
study's findings may lead to new therapeutic developments for dementia and
Alzheimer's disease, which is estimated to affect 10 million people worldwide.
also boot memory function of the brain.

Coffee, in contrast, did not show any significant effects in the study.

Researchers including Edward Okello of the university's biology school pitted
green tea, black tea, and coffee. They found that tea stops the activity of
chemicals in the brain associated with the development of Alzheimer's disease.
Symptoms of Alzheimer's disease occur when brain nerve cells that process
information and memory degenerate and die. Abnormalities such as plaque and
tangles proteins form on nerve cells.

Green tea 'cuts Alzheimer's risk'

An ingredient of green tea may help to protect the brain against the ravages of
Alzheimer's disease, research in the US suggests.

University of South Florida scientists found the component prevented
Alzheimer's-like damage in the brains of mice bred to develop symptoms. The
component - EGCG - is already strongly suspected of offering protection against
certain cancers. The study is published in the Journal of Neuroscience. It
provides evidence that EGCG decreases production of the beta-amyloid protein
thought to play a key role in the development of Alzheimer's symptoms.It is this
protein that forms the characteristic plaques found in the brain of Alzheimer's
patients which are thought to lead to nerve damage and memory loss.

After treating Alzheimer's mice for several months with daily injections of pure
EGCG, the researchers observed a dramatic decrease - as much as 54% - of
brain-clogging Alzheimer's plaques. Lead researcher Dr Jun Tan said: "The
findings suggest that a concentrated component of green tea can decrease brain
beta-amyloid plaque formation. "If beta-amyloid pathology in this Alzheimer's
mouse model is representative of Alzheimer's disease pathology in humans, EGCG
dietary supplementation may be effective in preventing and treating the
disease." Green tea contains many antioxidants, including those known as
flavonoids, that can protect against damage to the brain caused by charged
particles called free radicals. However, the Florida team showed that other
flavonoids in green tea actually block EGCG's ability to prevent the harmful
build up of beta-amyloid. Thus drinking green tea alone would not likely have a
beneficial effect.

Supplements

Dr Doug Shytle, who also worked on the study, said: "This finding suggests that
green tea extract selectively concentrating EGCG would be needed to override the
counteractive effect of other flavonoids found in green tea." "A new generation
of dietary supplements containing pure EGCG may lead to the greatest benefit for
treating Alzheimer's disease." Humans would need a daily dose of 1,500 to 1,600
mg of EGCG to approximate the level that had a positive impact on mice. That
dosage has already been studied in healthy human volunteers and was found to be
safe and well tolerated. The Florida team now plans to study whether multiple
oral doses of EGCG can improve memory loss in Alzheimer's mice as well as reduce
plaque formation. Harriet Millward, of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, told the
BBC News website: "This is quite encouraging progress, building on previous
evidence that antioxidants in green tea might be beneficial to Alzheimer's
patients either as treatment or prevention." However, Dr Millward said the role
of beta-amyloid in the brain was not well understood, and reducing levels too
far might cause damage. It was also not clear whether the formation of plaques
was a cause of Alzheimer's, or just an effect of it.


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