Cocoa Kuna Indians may Help Protect Against Stroke Damage

Love your hearts before it to late.

If the chocolate seems to protect the heart, now U.S. scientists say they have identified the molecular mechanism, which can be found in the cocoa compounds can protect against stroke damage.

The compound, called flavanols, epicatechin protective fires two roads constructed in the brain, according to a report published online last week in the Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism.

The research team led by Sylvain Dore, associate professor of anesthesia and intensive care and pharmacology and molecular sciences at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, announced that the China news agency Xinhua on Sunday.



Study drinking cocoa Kuna Indians who live on islands off the coast of Panama led researchers to investigate the epicatechin.

As an abnormally low number of cardiovascular disease and stroke others in this population can not be explained by genetic studies, the consumption of a bitter cocoa drink containing epicatechin is considered a contributor.

Animal studies have raised the possibility that epicatechin may sometimes be used to treat human strokes, since its protective effect can be seen in over three hours after a stroke.

Current stroke care generally have a short window of activity.

"Cocoa is not like chocolate, which is rich in saturated fat and calories. Cocoa can be part of a healthy diet, combined with fruits and vegetables."

Past research has focused on the protection mechanism in mice that were brought to a stroke.

"We have given various doses of epicatechin mice 90 minutes before the attack and said it will reduce the infarct (stroke damage) the whole" said Dore.

"When we gave epicatechin after a stroke, was the protective effect of up to 3.5 hours later, but after six hours. "

Detailed studies have shown that flavanols turned two well-known roads shield nerve cells in the brain injury, roads and heme oxygenase Nrf2, said Dore.

Epicatechin had no protective effect in mice bred to lack of these channels.

The possibility of using epicatechin limit human damage is distant time, "Dore said.

"We must be very careful. There are many stages before proceeding to human trials, potential risks and side effects. We need more work and more money."

Source: http://thestar.com.my