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Health News Archive 253 - Alzheimer's Disease
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Resveratrol Stops the Development of Plaques Related to Alzheimer's Disease

In a study, which appeared in the November 11, 2005, issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry, researchers show that resveratrol markedly lowers the levels of secreted and intracellular amyloid-beta (Abeta) peptides produced from different cell lines.

Several epidemiological studies indicate that moderate consumption of wine is associated with a lower incidence of Alzheimer's disease. Wine is enriched in antioxidant compounds with potential neuroprotective activities. However, the exact molecular mechanisms involved in the beneficial effects of wine intake on the neurodegenerative process in Alzheimer's disease brain remain to be clearly defined. Here we show that resveratrol (trans-3,4',5-trihydroxystilbene), a naturally occurring polyphenol mainly found in grapes and red wine, markedly lowers the levels of secreted and intracellular amyloid-beta (Abeta) peptides produced from different cell lines.

Amyloid-beta peptides form the plaques that develop in Alzheimer s disease. Resveratrol does not inhibit Abeta production, because it has no effect on the Abeta-producing enzymes, but promotes instead intracellular degradation of Abeta via a mechanism involving proteasome, a large protein complex that can break down other proteins. Because of this ability to degrade plaque-forming peptides, the researchers concluded that resveratrol has therapeutic potential in Alzheimer s disease.

Source: Marambaud P, Zhao H, Davies P. Resveratrol promotes clearance of Alzheimer's disease amyloid-beta peptides. J Biol Chem. 2005 Nov 11;280(45):37377-82. Epub 2005 Sep 14.

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