A study conducted by researchers at the University of Texas at El Paso has revealed that compounds derived from used coffee grounds could potentially prevent or treat neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The compounds were found to protect brain cells from damage caused by these diseases, especially in their early stages.
The team of researchers, led by Jyotish Kumar, a doctoral student in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, found that compounds called Caffeic-acid-based Carbon Quantum Dots (CACQDs), which can be derived from spent coffee grounds, have the potential to protect brain cells from the damage caused by several neurodegenerative diseases. Their work is described in a paper published in the journal Environmental Research.
Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s, affect millions of people in the United States, and the cost of caring for people with these conditions adds up to hundreds of billions of dollars each year. These disorders are primarily characterized by the loss of neurons or brain cells, which inhibit a person’s ability to perform basic functions such as movement and speech, as well as more complicated tasks.
The researchers also found that CACQDs were neuroprotective across test tube experiments, cell lines, and other models of Parkinson’s disease when the disorder was caused by a pesticide called paraquat. The compounds were able to remove free radicals or prevent them from causing damage and inhibited the aggregation of amyloid protein fragments without causing any significant side effects.
The researchers are now seeking additional funding to support further testing. While they acknowledge that the finish line is still far off, the team is hopeful that their research may ultimately lead to a medication that can prevent the vast majority of neurodegenerative disorders that are caused by factors other than genetics.
The results of the study are promising and offer new hope in the search for effective treatments for neurodegenerative diseases. The study was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health and published in the journal Environmental Research.