Mediterranean plants hold key to delaying aging disease, study claims

Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease are classic age-related disorders characterized by the accumulation of sticky protein clumps that over time damage the nervous system to erode mobility or memory. Scientists have found that chemicals extracted from the prickly pear and brown seaweed, two Mediterranean plants, are able to interfere with the build-up of this toxic protein. Extracts from the plants were able to dramatically improve the lifespan of fruit flies which had been genetically modified to develop Alzheimer’s symptoms. READ MORE