Celery and Green Pepper Provide Hope for Alzheimer’s Disease

By Richard Shank, Staff Writer

Recent research suggests that a chemical found in both celery and green pepper called Luteolin can help those suffering from brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s Disease or Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. Luteolin was previously shown to have important anti-inflammatory properties. The scientists in the current study confirmed these findings by reducing inflammation in the brain of mice.
Celery
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign examined how Luteolin acted on immune system cells in the brain called microlegia. By merely inserting the chemical into the drinking water of mice, they were able to reduce existing inflammation in the brain that was triggered by a bacterial toxin.

Luteolin functioned to block the signals from cells that normally lead to an inflammatory reaction. As a consequence, the researchers argue that it shows promise for preventing and treating neuro-inflammations. Furthermore, Luteolin may be useful in helping to stop dysfunctional linkages between the immune system and the brain.

Source: Jang, S., Kelly, K.W., Johnson, R.W. 2008. Luteolin reduces IL-6 production in microglia by inhibiting JNK phosphorylation and activation of AP-1. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 105(21): 7534-7539.