Luteolin May Reduce Brain Inflammation

What do celery, green pepper, and chamomile have in common? They all contain luteolin, an anti-inflammatory chemical that could help treat brain disorders such as Alzheimer's and Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease.

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign demonstrated that luteolin reduced brain inflammation in mice. The results were published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Interestingly, luteolin belongs to a larger family of plant molecules called flavonoids, which have recently been shown to reduce beta amyloid in the brains of mice as well.

The results are encouraging, but more research is needed before we can say that luteolin will help people with Alzheimer's disease or other brain disorders. In the meantime, it certainly can't hurt to munch on a few more celery sticks or green peppers, or to sip a cup of chamomile tea.

More findings on Alzheimer's and nutrition:

• Flavonoids Show Evidence of Reducing Beta Amyloid in the Brain
• Have You Gotten Your Weekly Fish Fix?
• Can an Apple a Day Keep Alzheimer's Away?

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