Feb 6 2013 Chemicals in green tea and red wine may block the
brain damage caused by Alzheimer's disease, an early-stage study
suggests. Scientists targeted a process that allows harmful
clumps of protein in the brain to kill off neurons. Using
purified extracts of the chemicals EGCG in green tea and
resveratrol in red wine, they were able to stop nerve cells from
being harmed. The findings, published in the Journal of
Biological Chemistry, could pave the way for new drugs to treat
Alzheimer's, say the researchers. Lead scientist Professor Nigel
Hooper, from the University of Leeds, said: "This is an
important step in increasing our understanding of the cause and
progression of Alzheimer's disease. It's a misconception that
Alzheimer's is a natural part of ageing; it's a disease that we
believe can ultimately be cured through finding new
opportunities for drug targets like this." Alzheimer's is
characterised by a build-up of amyloid-beta protein in the brain
which clumps together to form toxic, sticky balls. T