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Chemical in Celery May Fight Alzheimer's

Study finds luteolin reduces inflammation in the brain

May 20, 2008 

Mice that drank water spiked with the chemical, an antioxidant called luteolin, had less inflammation than other rodents when researchers tested them with a bacteria, according to a study in the May 27 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The chemical is also found in hot peppers, parsley and chamomile tea,

Luteolin and other plant chemicals called flavonoids have also been found to reduce cardiovascular disease and stroke in humans.

Brain inflammation has been linked in other studies to Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis and memory loss. This study, the first to focus on luteolin's brain-protecting properties, showed the substance modulates the body's response to diseases that inflame the brain.

The mice were fed the equivalent of roughly 47 human servings of celery each day, the account of the study said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends 2 1/2-cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fruit daily.

More research is needed before human tests, researchers said.

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