Patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease have an accumulation of amyloid beta protein in their brains which results in the formation of hardened plaques and obstructs neural communication.
A research team in Korea has discovered a chemical that destroys these toxic plaques. They added the chemical to drinking water of mice with Alzheimer’s-like symptoms and found the compound cleared amyloid beta plaques from their brains and restored memory and behavior functioning to normal.
The chemical is called EPPS. At a molecular level, EPPS binds to amyloid beta formations and disaggregates them by converting the proteins into singular molecules.
On further experiments, scientists found that doses between 30 and 100 mg per kg of body weight per day were helpful in breaking up the amyloid beta. Scientists also found EPPS has no toxic effects in mice up to 2,000 mg/kg per day.
This is no doubt a great achievement. However, research is at a very early stage. Further testing for safety and efficacy must be completed before it can be recommended for humans.
