Passion fruit molecule may help prevent Alzheimer’s disease progression

Four years ago, a research group at the University of Oslo made what would turn out to be a major discovery. They found that an extract from passion fruit had the potential to slow the development of Alzheimer's disease. What is it about this small fruit that might promote healthy ageing and slow the progression of dementia? The researchers have now made an exciting new discovery that could significantly accelerate the search for a medicine against Alzheimer's disease. "After four years of hard work, we have managed to uncover what the passion fruit's secret is," says Associate Professor Evandro Fei Fang‑Stavem at the University of Oslo and Akershus University Hospital.

Inside passion fruit there is a molecule called alpha‑amyrin, α‑amyrin for short. It appears to have some very special properties. "Our study shows that alpha‑amyrin has the ability to protect some absolutely central processes in the brain. And we believe that we may be able to use this molecule in a medicine against Alzheimer's disease if it also works in future clinical trials against this difficult-to-treat disease," says Fang‑Stavem. The study has been published in the journal Advanced Science.

Alzheimer's disease is a disorder of the brain that develops slowly over several years. It is the most common cause of dementia. People who develop the disease experience memory problems, struggle with language and may have difficulty finding their way. They also often undergo changes in personality. The disease is caused by a build‑up of waste products in the brain. This "rubbish" consists of proteins, which damage nerve cells and eventually cause them to die.

Our brain needs a great deal of energy to function properly. When waste products accumulate in the brain, the brain's energy factories are no longer able to produce enough energy. These energy factories are called mitochondria, which are sub-cellular organelles found in almost all our cells. As we grow older, the cells in the brain are not always able to clear away this waste. "Our brain cells are vulnerable to the changes that take place in the body as we age. They depend on the mitochondria producing enough energy, but this system does not work as well when waste products build up," explains Cao, and continues: "So, the fact that alpha‑amyrin found in passion fruit actually protects the mitochondria is a major finding."