A commonly found waste product could hold the key to preventing devastating diseases of the brain.
New research from the US has revealed that coffee grounds, which are left behind after a person brews coffee, have the potential to protect brain cells from damage.
The authors of the study, published in Environmental Research journal, said the groundbreaking treatment for neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s could one day be offered in the form of a pill.
As part of the study, scientists from the University of Texas at El Paso, discovered that caffeic-acid-based carbon quantum dots, easily obtained from spent coffee grounds, can protect brain cells from damage caused by several NDs.
This is only the case if the condition is triggered by factors such as obesity, age and exposure to pesticides and other toxic environmental chemicals.
Current treatments for NDs only serve to help sufferers manage their diseases, not resolve or prevent them.
NDs inhibit a person’s ability to perform basic functions such as movement and speech, as well as more complicated tasks including bladder and bowel functions and cognitive abilities.
The most common include Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, prion disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, motor neuron disease, Huntington’s disease, spinal muscular atrophy and spinocerebellar ataxia.
Team lead Jyotish Kumar, a doctoral student, explained: “Caffeic-acid based carbon quantum dots have the potential to be transformative in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.
“This is because none of the current treatments resolve the diseases; they only help manage the symptoms.
“Our aim is to find a cure by addressing the atomic and molecular underpinnings that drive these conditions.”
Caffeic acid belongs to a family of compounds called polyphenols; plant-based compounds known for their antioxidant or free radical-scavenging properties.
It is unique as it can penetrate the blood-brain barrier and is therefore able to exert its effects upon the cells inside the brain.
To extract the dots the team “cooked” the coffee grounds using an environmentally-friendly process at 200 degrees for four hours.
Dr Mahesh Narayan, a professor and fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry in the same department as Mr Kumar, said NDs must be tackled at their rudimentary stages.
“It is critical to address these disorders before they reach the clinical stage,” Dr Narayan said.
“At that point, it is likely too late. Any current treatments that can address advanced symptoms of neurodegenerative disease are simply beyond the means of most people.
“Our aim is to come up with a solution that can prevent most cases of these conditions at a cost that is manageable for as many patients as possible.”
The researchers are now seeking extra funding to support further testing.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia in the UK and can lead to severe memory problems, personality changes and mobility issues.
Whereas the main symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include involuntary shaking of particular parts of the body, slow movement and stiff and inflexible muscles.