Browsing by Author "Martins, R.N."

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Diabetes and Alzheimer's disease: Can tea phytochemicals play a role in prevention?
(IOS Press, 2017) Binosha, F.W.M.A.D.; Somaratne, G.; Williams, S.; Goozee, K.G.; Singh, H.; Martins, R.N.
Dementia and diabetes mellitus are prevalent disorders in the elderly population. While recognized as two distinct diseases, diabetes has more recently recognized as a significant contributor to risk for developing dementia, and some studies make reference to type 3 diabetes, a condition resulting from insulin resistance in the brain. Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, and diabetes, interestingly, share underlying pathological processes, commonality in risk factors, and, importantly, pathways for intervention. Tea has been suggested to possess potent antioxidant properties. It is rich in phytochemicals including, flavonoids, tannins, caffeine, polyphenols, boheic acid, theophylline, theobromine, anthocyanins, gallic acid, and finally epigallocatechin-3-gallate, which is considered to be the most potent active ingredient. Flavonoid phytochemicals, known as catechins, within tea offer potential benefits for reducing the risk of diabetes and Alzheimer's disease by targeting common risk factors, including obesity, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and stroke. Studies also show that catechins may prevent the formation of amyloid-β plaques and enhance cognitive functions, and thus may be useful in treating patients who have Alzheimer's disease or dementia. Furthermore, other phytochemicals found within tea offer important antioxidant properties along with innate properties capable of modulating intracellular neuronal signal transduction pathways and mitochondrial function.
Effect of virgin coconut oil supplementation on cognition of individuals with mild-to-moderate alzheimer's disease in Sri Lanka (VCO-AD study): A randomized placebo-controlled trial
(IOS Press, 2023) Fernando, M.G.; Silva, R.; Fernando, W.M.A.D.B.; de Silva, H.A.; Wickremasinghe, A.R.; Dissanayake, A.S.; Sohrabi, H.R.; Martins, R.N.; Williams, S.S.
BACKGROUND: Virgin coconut oil (VCO) is a potential therapeutic approach to improve cognition in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) due to its properties as a ketogenic agent and antioxidative characteristics. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effect of VCO on cognition in people with AD and to determine the impact of apolipoprotein E (APOE) ɛ4 genotype on cognitive outcomes. METHODS: Participants of this double-blind placebo-controlled trial (SLCTR/2015/018, 15.09.2015) were 120 Sri Lankan individuals with mild-to-moderate AD (MMSE = 15-25), aged > 65 years, and they were randomly allocated to treatment or control groups. The treatment group was given 30 mL/day of VCO orally and the control group, received similar amount of canola oil, for 24 weeks. The Mini-Mental Sate Examination (MMSE) and Clock drawing test were performed to assess cognition at baseline and at the end of the intervention. Blood samples were collected and analyzed for lipid profile and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1 C) levels.∥ RESULTS: There were no significant difference in cognitive scores, lipid profile, and HbA1 C levels between VCO and control groups post-intervention. The MMSE scores, however, improved among APOE ɛ4 carriers who had VCO, compared to non-carriers (2.37, p = 0.021). APOE ɛ4 status did not influence the cognitive scores in the control group. The attrition rate was 30%.∥ CONCLUSION: Overall, VCO did not improve cognition in individuals with mild-to-moderate AD following a 24-week intervention, compared to canola oil. However, it improved the MMSE scores in APOE ɛ4 carriers. Besides, VCO did not compromise lipid profile and HbA1 C levels and is thus safe to consume.
Potential of coconut oil and medium-chain triglycerides in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease
(Elsevier Science Ireland, 2020) Chatterjee, P.; Fernando, M.; Fernando, B.; Dias, C.B.; Shah, T.; Silva, R.; Williams, S.; Pedrini, S.; Hillebrandt, H.; Goozee, K.; Barin, E.; Sohrabi, H.R.; Garg, M.; Cunnane, S.; Martins, R.N.
ABSTRACT:Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. Currently, there is no effective medication for the prevention or treatment of AD. This has led to the search for alternative therapeutic strategies. Coconut oil(CO) has a unique fatty acid composition that is rich in medium chain fatty acids(MCFA), a major portion of which directly reaches the liver via the portal vein, thereby bypassing the lymphatic system. Given that brain glucose hypometabolism is a major early hallmark of AD, detectable well before the onset of symptoms, ketone bodies from MCFA metabolism can potentially serve as an alternative energy source to compensate for lack of glucose utilisation in the brain. Additionally, neuroprotective antioxidant properties of CO have been attributed to its polyphenolic content. This review discusses how the metabolism of CO and MCFA may aid in compensating the glucose hypometabolism observed in the AD brain. Furthermore, we present the current evidence of the neuroprotective properties of CO on cognition, amyloid-β pathogenicity, inflammation and oxidative stress. The current review addresses the influence of CO/MCFA on other chronic disorders that are risk factors for AD, and addresses existing gaps in the literature regarding the use of CO/MCFA as a potential treatment for AD. KEYWORDS: Alzheimer’s disease; Amyloid-β; Cerebral glucose hypometabolism; Coconut oil; Medium chain triglycerides.