There is increasing interest in reusing "coffee grounds" for various purposes, such as creating new sustainable materials, especially since estimates suggest that around six million tons of coffee waste are disposed of every year, much of which ends up in landfills, according to a report by New Atlas citing the journal Environmental Research. Researchers from the University of Texas El Paso took a completely different approach by deriving carbon quantum dots from caffeine acid (CACQD) that may have the potential to protect brain cells from microbial attacks that could lay the groundwork for neurodegenerative disease.
Lead researcher Jyotish Kumar stated, "Caffeine acid-based carbon quantum dots have the potential to be transformative in treating neurodegenerative disorders." In cell samples, researchers found that CACQD removes or prevents free radicals from affecting cells and inhibits the accumulation of amyloid-forming proteins. Importantly, there appeared to be no negative effects on the cells. Thus, if the study's results can be leveraged to develop a preventive treatment, it might be possible to intervene before the disease reaches clinical stages.
Mahesh Narayan, a professor at the University of Texas, remarked, "It is important to address these disorders before they reach the clinical stage," explaining that the aim of the study is to develop a solution that could aid in treating conditions at a manageable cost for as many patients as possible.
Caffeine Acid
Caffeine acid is a polyphenol compound known for its antioxidant properties and can also penetrate the crucial blood-brain barrier, which is essential for providing cellular protection in the very location it is needed. In addition to being a sustainable source of caffeine acid, CACQD is produced through environmentally friendly "green chemistry." The coffee grounds are "cooked" at a temperature of 93 degrees Celsius for four hours to redirect them into the caffeine acid carbon structure for CACQD. Given the amount of coffee waste disposed of annually, this source material offers sustainability and scalability.
Although it is still in the early days, the research team hopes further studies will confirm the preliminary tests, and that one day, something as simple as "coffee grounds" could provide the human brain with an invisible shield against non-genetic neurodegenerative diseases. This study is the second of its kind in recent months to find surprising benefits for brain health from coffee products. In September, Japanese researchers identified a compound found in green coffee beans, named "trigonelline," which shows promising results in helping to maintain memory and cognitive function in aging brains.
