Greens prove good for you

From the archive, first published Wednesday 28th Sep 2005.

NEW research suggests that certain fruit and vegetables could help boost memory, with possible implications for fighting Alzheimer's.

Extracts found in five fruits and vegetables ­ broccoli, potatoes, oranges, apples and radishes ­ were found to contain substances that act in the same way as drugs used to treat Alzheimer's.

The news was welcomed by Joe Culkin, who is chairman of the Swindon branch of the Alzheimer's Society. His wife Phyllis suffers from the disease.

"My initial reaction is that obviously anything that can help prevent Alzheimer's is a good thing," said Mr Culkin, 65, of Nythe.

"But we should not be eating vegetables just to prevent Alzheimer's, we should be eating them anyway. I grow my own vegetables just because they are good for you.

"If we eat healthily we won't only avoid Alzeimer's we will also avoid cancer, heart disease, we will generally live a healthy life. My wife is on drugs which in our case are not working. So I can't suddenly start feeding my wife broccoli because I know it won't make any difference.

"The problem with all this stuff is virtually every day something new is reported yet the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence is thinking about stopping the drugs. It is impossible."

The research was conducted at King's College London and reported at the British Pharmaceutical Conference in Manchester yesterday.

It provides scientific backing to the idea that certain fruit and vegetables could boost the memory.

Most of the drugs used to treat Alzheimer's act as inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase, the enzyme responsible for the breakdown of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.

It has been previously suggested that some common vegetables might have anti-acetyl- cholinesterase activity but no detailed investigation had ever been carried out.

The new research confirms this activity in all five of the fruit and vegetables.

Broccoli was found to have the most potent activity and was taken forward for further tests to identify what was responsible for this activity.

These were found to be glucosinolates, a group of compounds found throughout the cabbage family.

Professor Peter Houghton, from King's College London, commented: "This is the first report that glucosinolates have acetylcholinesterase inhibitory properties. As yet, it is unproven that eating broccoli, for instance, would have a beneficial effect on Alzheimer's disease.

"But the long-term effects of regularly consuming these compounds in vegetables might certainly be beneficial."

Support group

AN ALZHEIMER'S help line will be up and running in Swindon within months. The Swindon branch of the Alzheimer's Society moves into its new office in St Andrew's Church hall in Walcot next week.

"It is absolutely great news," said Mr Culkin.

"It is the first step on the way to having a help line. That will help people who need information or support or just to know they are not alone."

Mr Culkin said the line will be up and running by January.

Anyone interested in joining the group or who could offer their time as a volunteer should contact Mr Culkin on 01793 642956.

Archive Home