Adding a pinch of parsley or thyme to your homemade dish will not only add flavor, but also improve your brain function..

At least, Brazilian researchers who studied the effect of apigenin on nerve cells are sure of this..

A group of scientists from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) led by Dr. Stephen Regen believe that apigenin, present in red peppers, chamomile and other plants, can treat neurodegenerative diseases and restore neural connections in the brain..

The amazing possibilities of using apigenin for the treatment and prevention of serious illnesses are reported in the journal Advances in Regenerative Biology.

Experiments on animals carried out in previous years have shown that plant flavonoids (which include apigenin) improve thinking and memory, and some scientists have bluntly stated that these substances can protect the brain of a healthy person from the effects of aging..

Dr. Regen and his colleagues decided to look at the mechanism of action of flavonoids at the level of brain cells.. To do this, they treated human stem cells with apigenin, and then monitored them for a month..

It turned out that within 25 days the stem cells were successfully transformed into neurons - mature cells of the nervous system. In addition, connections (synapses) formed surprisingly quickly between these neurons, which are responsible for the integrity and interaction of different parts of our nervous system..

“Strong connections between neurons are key for the proper functioning of the brain, for the consolidation of memory and learning processes.. In neurodegenerative diseases, synapses begin to disappear, nerve cells dissociate and gradually die, "

Further experiments demonstrated that apigenin accelerates the formation of neural connections due to its affinity for estrogen receptors (ER), on which the plasticity of the human nervous system depends..

Recall that the female sex hormone estrogen can slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia and depressive disorders.. However, estrogen has been linked to some cancers and cardiovascular events, so using it “for memory” is not an option..

“What can apigenin offer us Several flavonoids have long been classified as selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs). This is a new, alternative approach to the treatment and prevention of neurodegenerative diseases, since apigenin mimics the effect of estrogen on brain cells, ”the authors explain..

Flavonoids are present in many plants, including aromatic herbs of the Lamb family (thyme, oregano). While scientists are collecting new data, it would be nice to diversify your menu by adding such herbs to soups, salads, meat and fish dishes..

Remember the fact that these condiments have been popular with long-livers in Southern Europe for centuries and are included in various recipes for the Mediterranean diet - one of the healthiest diets in the world..

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