The compounds found in carrots reverse the symptoms of Alzheimer's type –

On International Carrot Day, there is something to celebrate with results suggesting that the components contained in carrots could offer protection against dementia in humans.

A diet containing compounds found in green tea and carrots has reversed Alzheimer's symptoms in mice genetically programmed to develop the disease, researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) said.

The researchers point out that the study, published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, focused on mice and that many discoveries about them never translate into treatments in humans. Nevertheless, the results support the idea that some herbal supplements that are readily available may offer protection against dementia in humans.

"It is not necessary to wait 10 to 12 years for a synthetic drug to market it; you can make these dietary changes today, "said Terrence Town, senior author, professor of physiology and neuroscience at the Keck School of Medicine at the Zilkha Institute of Neurogenetics in USC. "I find that very encouraging."

In addition, the study supports the idea that combined therapy, rather than a quick fix, may be the best approach to treating people with Alzheimer's disease. Combination therapy is already the standard treatment for diseases such as cancer, HIV infection and rheumatoid arthritis.

For this study, the researchers examined two compounds, EGCG, or epigallocatechin-3-gallate, a key ingredient in green tea, and AF, or ferulic acid, found in carrots, tomatoes, rice, wheat and oats.

Before and after a special three-month diet, the mice were subjected to a battery of neuropsychological tests approximately badogous to the thought and memory tests badessing dementia in humans. Of particular note is a Y-shaped labyrinth, which tests the spatial working memory of a mouse – a skill that humans use to find the way out of a building.

Healthy mice instinctively explore each arm of the Y labyrinth; Impaired mice can not do this as well as their counterparts in good mental health.

"After three months, the combination treatment completely restored the spatial working memory and the Alzheimer mice were as efficient as the healthy mice," Town said.

How did it work? According to Town, one of the mechanisms seems to be the ability of substances to prevent amyloid precursor proteins from breaking down into smaller proteins, called beta-amyloid, that erode the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease. In addition, the compounds appeared to reduce neuroinflammation and oxidative stress in the brain – essential aspects of the pathology of Alzheimer's disease in humans.

Town said he and his laboratory would continue to explore the badociation treatment, focusing on plant-derived substances that inhibit the production of sticky beta-amyloid plaques.