An ingredient found in green tea may help treat neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s and Parkinson’s disease.
The study published in the December 2009 Natural Chemical Biology, indicates that a combination of EGCG, found in green tea, with chemical DAPH-12, may help destroy prions, amyloids and preamyloid oligomers, which are proteins that bring on the neurodegenerative diseases.
Researchers found that while EGCG could destroy weaker amyloids on their own, it needed to be mixed with DAPH-12 to destroy the stronger proteins.
There is still more research needed, however, the synergistic small-molecule combinations held considerable therapeutic potential, they said.
"Our findings are certainly preliminary and we need further work to fully comprehend the effects of EGCG in combination with other chemicals on amyloids," said co-author Dr. Martin Duennwald.
"Yet, we see our study as a very exciting initial step towards combinatorial therapies for the treatment of amyloid-based diseases."