(13-12-05) Grapes May Prevent Alzheimer's

Resveratrol, a compound found in grapes and red wine, may be prove to be a potent weapon in the battle against Alzheimer's.
Fights Amyloid-Beta Peptides
A study has shown that it lowers levels of the amyloid-beta peptides, which are responsible for the plaques leading to Alzheimer's disease.
Scientists administered resveratrol to cells that produce human amyloid-beta; they found that levels of amyloid-beta in the treated cells dropped significantly.
Further Research Needed
It is uncertain, however, if simply eating a resveratrol-rich diet will have the same effect; follow-up research is therefore being conducted to identify the molecular mechanisms that resveratrol triggers to fight Alzheimer's. The compound may act by stimulating the proteasome, a multi-protein complex that can digest other proteins.
Could Fight Other Diseases
Resveratrol may also be effective in fighting other human amyloid-related diseases such as Huntington's, Parkinson's and prion diseases. It can, for example, protect neurons against amyloid-like polyglutamines, which accompany Huntington's disease.

Journal of Biological Chemistry November 11, 2005; 280(45): 37377-37382

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