Apple can also promote neuron differentiation, new research has found.

5;">"An apple a day keeps the doctor away", does this familiar Western proverb really make sense? With the evolution of mammals in specific dietary environments, the natural rich compounds in plant foods have been found to have a wide range of benefits to human health, and may have become one of the environmental determinants of brain structure and cognitive functions, such as red Resveratrol in grape skins and catechins in green tea (EGCG) have been shown to affect the development of adult hippocampal nerves.
So, as one of the most widely consumed fruits in the world, apples are rich in biologically active factors that also affect the formation of nerves in the brain?

5;">Recently, researchers from the Technical University of Dresden, Germany, published a study titled Apple Peel and Flesh Contain Pro-neurogenic Compounds in "Stem Cell Reports".
They found that apple peel is rich in quercetin, which can Promote the survival of hippocampal precursor cells and neuron differentiation in adult mice, and the abundant 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid in the pulp has the function of significantly increasing neural precursor cell proliferation and neurogenesis.

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5;">Quercetin is the most abundant flavonol compound in apple peel.
Studies have found that it is related to a variety of neuroprotective mechanisms, especially the function of microglia, and it also has the ability to remove reactive oxygen species and exert antioxidant effects.
Since neural progenitor cells are the origin of adult neurons in the hippocampus, the researchers first tested the effects of quercetin in vitro and oral treatment on nerves by means of iododeoxyuridine (IdU) labeling, flow cytometry, and western blotting.
Precursor cell survival, proliferation, and neuronal differentiation.

5;">The results showed that high-concentration quercetin treatment can promote the survival of neural precursor cells in vitro, reduce the expression of cell cycle-related proteins, and increase the number of neuron-like morphological cells and the expression of immature neuron marker bIII-tubulin Increase and promote the occurrence of neurons in vitro.
The treatment with low concentration of quercetin also stimulated the development of adult nerves in mice, resulting in a significant increase in the number of newborn neurons.

5;">So, do apple peels and apple flesh have the same neuron-promoting properties? The researchers compared the content of flavonoids such as quercetin in six local apple varieties.
They found that the peels of all varieties of apples are rich in flavonoids, but the pulp contains only a small amount, but they all have similarities.

5;">The above test results show that the content of flavonoids such as quercetin, which can promote neurogenesis, in apple pulp is much lower than that in peel.
Why is its neurogenic activity still the same as that in peel extract? Are there other neuronal compounds in the pulp? The researchers used liquid and solid phase fractionation to separate apple pulp extracts, and after testing its effect on the number of neurospheres, they used ultra-high performance liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometer to identify new compounds with neuronal differentiation-promoting activity.

5;">Afterwards, the researchers used its isoforms 2,3-DHBA, 3,4-DHBA and 3,5-DHBA to treat neuronal precursor cells and found that 3,5-DHBA has significant proliferation and neurostimulation of precursor cells Generate activity, increase the survival rate of neuron precursor cells, increase the ratio of bIII-tubulin and neurons, and significantly increase the number and size of neurospheres.
Other isomers also have slightly lower neurotrophic activity.
The researchers also verified this function in mice.

5;">In short, the study proved that the abundant quercetin in apple peel and the 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid in the pulp have significant neurogenic activity.
Since the effect is so rich, one apple a day, everyone should remember to eat it! (Biological Exploration)