Tea and Its Affect on Alzheimer's Disease
Are Being Studied
Drinking tea appears to affect the brain
in a similar way as drugs prescribed for Alzheimer’s disease, UK researchers
report. The team, based at Newcastle University’s Medicinal Plant Research
Center, investigated the properties of green and black tea, as well as coffee,
in a series of laboratory experiments. The results showed that both types of
tea inhibited the activity of enzymes associated with the development of
Alzheimer’s disease.
Although there is no cure for
Alzheimer's, tea could potentially be another weapon in the armoury which is
used to treat this disease and slow down its development," lead researcher,
Dr. Ed Okello, said. However, he added that there is no published evidence
showing that rates of Alzheimer's disease are any lower in tea-loving
countries such as Britain, China and Japan.
The researchers are seeking
funds to find out which components of green tea inhibit
the activity of the three enzymes and hope ultimately to develop a medicinal
tea for Alzheimer's disease patients.
Coffee, however, had no significant
effect, according to a report in the current edition of Phytotherapy Research.
SOURCE: Phytotherapy Research, August 2004
