AUCKLAND, New Zealand—Natural chemicals from blackcurrants have been found to reduce inflammation in lung tissue, which may help breathing in some types of asthma, according to a new study published in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research.
Researchers at Plant & Food Research identified that the component, epigallocatechin, reduced inflammation in lung tissue. Epigallocatechin is a known antioxidant and a major component of proanthocyanidins found in blackcurrants. The compound was found in laboratory experiments to enhance the natural defense mechanisms in lung tissue by both suppressing inflammation-causing reactions and minimizing inflammation.
In the study, led by Dr. Roger Hurst, cells from lung tissue were used to test the effects on the immune system of a proanthocyanidin-rich extract, from blackcurrant cultivars grown in New Zealand. The study shows that epigallocatechin, from blackcurrants, works in conjunction with other natural immune responses that occur at the same time to reduce inflammation. These actions are distinct from the inflammation-reducing activity of another group of compounds, anthocycanins, which are also rich in blackcurrants.
“To find natural compounds that potentially reduce lung inflammation and complement the body’s own immune response is an exciting breakthrough,” Hurst said. “Should we discover more about how this works we may eventually develop foods containing these compounds that could provide more natural alternatives to assist conventional drug treatments for asthma and even other allergic reactions.”