Main > NEUROLOGY. > Alzheimer's Disease > Treatment > Green Tea > Org.: UK. U. (Research) > Research Description

tea may be able to act on the same targets as more sophisticated Alzheimer s treatments, according to Author, and colleagues.

"The primary target of licensed drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer s disease is the inhibition of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, although preventing Beta-amyloidosis is a prime target for drugs in development," notes Author, a tea drinker who conducts research at the Org. Acetylcholinesterase breaks down acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter involved in memory and cognition that is in short supply in the brains of people with Alzheimer s disease.

Author s team found that infusions of green or black tea inhibit acetylcholinesterase s activity in vitro. Tea also inhibits butyrylcholinesterase, another enzyme that can break down acetylcholine. And that is not all: Green tea inhibits the activity of Beta-secretase, one of the enzymes that chops APP to release amyloid-Beta peptides. Coffee is a less potent inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase and is inactive against butyrylcholinesterase and Beta-secretase. The British researchers have not yet isolated the active ingredients in tea, though they have already ruled out caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine. They hope to raise funds for clinical trials to further scrutinize tea s impact.




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