Don’t throw away coffee grounds after your cuppa. It could be a cure for neurodegenerative disorders

Remedy for neurodegenerative disorders that affect millions globally may have an unexpected source: coffee grounds. According to research by scientists at the University of Texas at El Paso, led by Jyotish Kumar and overseen by Mahesh Narayan, Carbon Quantum Dots (CACQDs) derived from coffee grounds could protect brain cells from damage caused by conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Published in the November issue of Environmental Research, the study highlighted the potential of CACQDs in transforming the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. Unlike current treatments that only manage symptoms, the team aims to address the atomic and molecular foundations of these conditions, seeking a cure.

Neurodegenerative diseases, marked by neuron loss, impair basic and complex functions, such as movement, speech, and cognitive abilities. Early-stage disorders caused by lifestyle or environmental factors share traits like elevated free radicals and amyloid protein aggregation in the brain.

In experiments, CACQDs showed neuroprotective properties, removing free radicals and inhibiting amyloid protein aggregation in models of Parkinson’s disease. The team envisions early-stage treatment with CACQDs in humans to prevent the progression of diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Professor Narayan emphasized the need to address these disorders before reaching the clinical stage, as current treatments for advanced symptoms are often financially burdensome. Caffeic acid, a compound in CACQDs, stands out for its ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier, exerting effects on brain cells.

“It is critical to address these disorders before they reach the clinical stage. At that point, it is likely too late. Any current treatments that can address advanced symptoms of neurodegenerative disease are simply beyond the means of most people. Our aim is to come up with a solution that can prevent most cases of these conditions at a cost that is manageable for as many patients as possible,” said Narayan.

The extraction process, considered "green chemistry," involves "cooking" coffee grounds at 200 degrees for four hours, making it an environmentally friendly and economically sustainable approach. Supported by a National Institutes of Health grant, the researchers, including numerous UTEP students, are planning to seek additional funding for further testing.

“Caffeic-acid based Carbon Quantum Dots have the potential to be transformative in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. This is because none of the current treatments resolve the diseases; they only help manage the symptoms. Our aim is to find a cure by addressing the atomic and molecular underpinnings that drive these conditions,” Kumar said.

Neurological disorders account for 10% of India's overall disease burden, with the rise of non-communicable neurological disorders being predominantly linked to the aging population. The contribution of non-communicable neurological disorders to total Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) in India has doubled from 4% in 1990 to 8.2% in 2019. Additionally, injury-related neurological disorders have seen an increase from 0.2% to 0.6%. DALY is a time-based metric that combines premature mortality and years lived with a disability, providing insights into the overall health impact.