Researchers in Tel Aviv, Israel, have found that a minimum bark extract, called CEppt, may be a key player in the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease.

According to Michael Ovadia, he was led to investigate the healing properties of cinnamon, after reading a passage in the Bible.  Cinnamon was used in a holy ointment by high priest, presumably intended to prevent the development of infectious diseases and after discovering it had antiviral properties.

Ovadia and colleagues isolated CEppt, then set it to genetically engineered fruit flies and mice.

Their research was published in the Journal PLoS ONE, determined that after four months, the development of Alzheimer’s disease significantly decrease, while the animals longevity and activity levels were similar to that of their healthy counterparts.

Unfortunately, the researchers advises against taking cinnamon for these purposes, because it will require a far more toxic level of the spies, more than 10 g of raw cinnamon a day, to experience the beneficial effects.

According to Ovadia, “The medical catch-22 would be to extract the active substance from cinnamon, separating it from the toxic elements.  The discovery is extremely exciting.  While there are companies developing synthetic Alzheimer’s disease inhibiting substances, our extract would not be a drug with side effects, but a safe, natural substance that human beings have been consuming for millennia.”

Source: UPI Health