A for amla

It’s now official. The fruit of the amla tree that grows in your backyard can help fight Alzheimer’s disease and other similar mental disorders. Researchers at Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology in Hissar, Haryana, have scientifically validated what Ayurvedic experts have been saying all along: Amla churna, or powdered amla (Emblica officinalis), enhances memory, cuts total serum cholesterol levels and boosts cholinesterase, a key enzyme needed for the proper functioning of the nervous system in humans and other vertebrates. The scientists report that the substance induced a remarkable improvement in memory in both young and aged mice, and conclude that it may serve as a remedy in managing Alzheimer’s disease. The study, led by Milind Parle, is set to appear in a forthcoming issue of the journal Physiology & Behavior.

Camel milk vs diabetes

Daily consumption of camel milk may protect one from diabetes, say scientists who studied the dietary habits of a Rajasthani tribe known for camel rearing. Raica tribals in the Thar region rarely fall prey to insulin-dependent diabetes and researchers led by Rajendra Prasad Agrawal at S.P. Medical College, Bikaner, argue that this could be because they consume ample quantities of camel milk. The scientists compared blood sugar levels of over 1,000 members of the Raica community with an equal number of people from other groups. The Raica tribals who regularly consume camel milk did not have a single diabetes case to report, while non-Raica, non-camel milk drinking people had a 5.5 per cent prevalence rate. Interestingly, even those Raica tribals who no longer drink camel milk had an abysmal (0.7 per cent) incidence of the disease, indicating that there are genetic underpinnings as well.