****Sources of Anthocyanins

HD Lighthouse Contributing Editor's Comment: The more I learn about anthocyanins, the better it gets.

Drug companies have spent millions to develop a drug that promotes neurogenesis (the growth of new brain cells). If a drug company had the patent on anthocyanins, it would be worth billions. The prize they have been looking for is at your local market. It was in our grandmother's wisdom of telling us, "Don't spit out those grape skins and seeds. Chew them up and swallow them. They are good for you." My grandmother knew because she was Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, with a companion Owl on her shoulder which revealed truths to her.

To be proactive in you battle against HD is to be Athena with our researchers sitting on your shoulder. Neurogenesis from anthocyanins has been demonstrated in mice. This may be the most relevant event in the history of HD. There is a class of molecules that are safe, available at now, and have the most wonderful potential to treat HD. --Jerry
Posted to the HDL: 12 Nov 2002

Sources of Anthocyanins

There are over 300 different anthocyanin compounds found in the colors of nature. Each different source has a unique profile of anthocyanins. Here we are interested in the anthocyanins found in blueberries that promoted the growth of functioning brain cells in mice.

The available evidence indicates that staying close to the source used in the mice experiments, blueberries, is best. Other sources should be considered if blueberries are not available.

Here in California, US, frozen wild blueberries cost about $3.50 a pound or about $50.00 a month for the human equivalent of the 1 cup a day used in the mice experiments.

Wild blueberry concentrate, available internationally, costs about $10.00 a month plus shipping charges for the same amount of anthocyanins. Brownwood Acres Foods is my personal choice for anthocyanins. If you order from Brownwood Acres Foods, get the juice pump for convenience. E-mail Mary at mary@brownwoodacres.com if you have any questions.

www.nutrifood.com/nutrifood/d/news/industry_jour.html

Blueberries Best

Blueberries, are missing from the chart, are the best source of anthocyanins. For comparison a 189g cup of fresh blueberries has 690mg of anthocyanins, the rough equilivant of 12 grams of elderberry extract. J Nutr 2002 Jul;132(7):1865-71

Not all researchers agree with the chart. The kind of blueberry or bilberry and growing conditions all greatly affect the amount of anthocyanins. Bilberries are thought to be comparable or superior to blueberries.

Anthocyanins were the main phenolics in unpeeled red grapes ranging from 69 (Crimson Seedless) to 151 (Flame Seedless) mg/kg fresh weight of grapes. J Agric Food Chem 2002 Sep 25;50(20):5691-6. The best grapes have 151 mg/kg of anthocyanins. That is about .33 relative to the best elderberries. From this we can place blueberries in relation to the elderberries. 100 on the chart is about 151/.33=453mg/kg. Blueberries have 690mg/.188kg=3,650mg/kg of athrocyanins. With this data the anthocyanins ratio for blueberries/elderberries is 3,650/(1.1*453)=7.3 . Blueberries would be about 730 on the chart.

Anthocyanins are very safe. No toxic effects or coloration of urine has been found lab animals at doses of 7.5g/kg. That is more blueberries than a human can eat in a day. Mice demonstrated neurogensis on 11mg/kg of anthrocyanin.

Scottish-grown red raspberries are a rich source of vitamin C and phenolics, most notably, the anthocyanins. The nutrition is unaffected by freezing. J Agric Food Chem 2002 Aug 28;50(18):5197-201

Red cabbage dye is a natural pigment used mainly as a food color. A class of compounds called anthocyanins attributes to this color. Int J Pharm 2002 Jul 25;241(2):293-9 Red cabbbage dye is used to dye easter eggs blue and for measuring acididity in the lab. Red cabbage dye can be made at home.

Anthocyanins attribute to the color of red wines. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2002 May;957:21-36

Grape seed proanthocyanidin extract (GSPE) provides excellent protection against free radicals in both in vitro and in vivo models. GSPE had significantly better free radical scavenging ability than vitamins C, E and beta-carotene and demonstrated significant cytotoxicity towards human breast, lung and gastric adenocarcinoma cells, while enhancing the growth and viability of normal cells. GSPE modulates cell cycle/apoptosis regulatory genes such as bcl2, p53.: Ann N Y Acad Sci 2002 May;957:260-70 The cancer gene p53 is thought to be related to HD. (ref) GSPE is available as a supplement (ref).

Source: * HDL, 12 Nov 2002

printer friendly version

	Read the HDAC/HDLighthouse Forum. Post your comments