Red-beet betalain pigments inhibit amyloid-beta aggregation and prevent the progression of Alzheimer’s disease in a Caenorhabditis elegans model

Betalain pigments are mainly produced by plants in the order Caryophyllales. The biological functions of betalain pigments have gained recent interest; antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities have been reported. To explore the biological effects of betalain pigments, we investigated the effects of betalain pigments derived from red-beet on amyloid-{beta} (A{beta}) aggregation, which is one of the causes of Alzheimers disease (AD). We conducted a ThT fluorescence assay, which revealed that red-beet betalain extract significantly suppressed the increase in fluorescence derived from A{beta} aggregation compared the control. Observations using transmission electron microscopy confirmed that A{beta} fibers and amorphous aggregation were reduced in the betalain pigment treatment. Furthermore, we performed a trait investigation using a nematode model of AD and found that the progression of symptoms was significantly suppressed in the group that ingested betalain pigment. These results suggest that betalain pigment may suppress the progression of AD.