Betaine reverses toxic effects of aluminium: Implications in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and AD-like pathology

Impairment in T-maze performance of adult rats caused by aluminium (Al3+) a nd the reversal of it by betaine, a methyl donor, was studied, Besides, con formational change in the secondary structure of beta-amyloid peptide (A be ta) brought about by the addition of Al3+ ia vitro, was also studied using CD-spectroscopy. The organismal study proved that betaine is effective in r estoring the memory loss caused by Al3+ possibly through augmentation of ch oline levels, as betaine is involved in the synthesis of choline. The CD-sp ectra recorded indicate loss of alpha-helical content of the peptide (A bet a) caused by the addition of Al3+, which was reversed to some extent by the addition of betaine, Betaine may thus prevent/stop the progression of plaq ue formation seen during the initial stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD), an d AD-like pathology as the loss of secondary structure of A beta is suspect ed to be an early event in the aetiopathology of AD/AD-like perturbations c aused by Al toxicity. Betaine, a natural product occurring in beetroot (Bet a vulgaris), and a by product in the process of manufacturing beet sugar ma y thus prove efficacious in the treatment of diseases involving dysfunction s of cholinergic system leading to memory loss.