Supplement
Pelargonidin is a red-orange pigment in strawberries and other berries that acts as an antioxidant in the body. People mostly look at it for Alzheimer's disease, and a study of 575 people who had died linked higher intake to less amyloid-beta buildup and fewer tau tangles, though the evidence is limited. That was an observational link, clearest in people without the APOE e4 gene, and most other research is animal or lab work.
Sources: PMID 35694918
- Updated
- How we grade
- 6 studies cited
- Best evidence
- Grade C
- Conditions studied
- 2
- Outcomes
- 6
- Graded outcomes
- 0015
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alzheimer's Disease Neuropathology A community-based epidemiological study of 575 deceased participants (Rush Memory and Aging Project) found that higher pelargonidin intake was associated with reduced amyloid-beta accumulation and fewer phosphorylated tau tangles in brain tissue, particularly among those without APOE e4 risk factor. Preclinical studies also show pelargonidin restores amyloid-beta-induced deficits in animal models. | Improves (the measure goes down) | Moderate effect | 1 study | 575 people | ||
Studies that measured alzheimer's disease neuropathology | ||||||
General
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neuroprotection Multiple animal studies demonstrate neuroprotective effects of pelargonidin across diverse neurological injury models. In rat models of Parkinson's disease, pelargonidin preserved dopaminergic neurons in a dose-dependent manner. In cerebral ischemia/reperfusion models, pelargonidin reduced infarct area and improved neurological function via the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. Pelargonidin's ability to cross the blood-brain barrier supports its neuroprotective potential. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Moderate effect | 2 studies | |||
| Anti-inflammatory Effects Pelargonidin-3-O-glucoside and its metabolites showed modest anti-inflammatory effects in human whole blood cultures, increasing IL-10 concentration at physiologically relevant doses (0.08 µmol/L), though no effects were observed on TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, or IL-8. Animal studies show broader anti-inflammatory effects including modulation of MMP activity and reduction of inflammatory factors. | Improves (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 2 studies | |||
| Spinal Cord Injury Recovery In a rat spinal cord injury model, pelargonidin improved locomotor function and substantially reduced neuropathic pain (cold allodynia, heat hyperalgesia, mechanical pain). Histological analysis showed pelargonidin supported motor neuron survival in the ventral horn and modulated MMP activity favorably (elevated MMP2 for tissue repair, suppressed MMP9 for inflammation). | Improves (the measure goes up) | Moderate effect | 1 study | |||
Studies that measured spinal cord injury recovery | ||||||
| Oral Drug Bioavailability Enhancement In mouse models, an oral capsule combining pelargonidin with insulin reduced blood glucose for over four hours, with bioactivity exceeding 100% relative to subcutaneous injection. Pelargonidin acts as an intestinal permeation enhancer through temporary rearrangement of intestinal cell structures. One month of daily dosing produced no detectable adverse effects. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Large effect | 1 study | |||
Studies that measured oral drug bioavailability enhancement | ||||||
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant Status In vitro and animal studies demonstrate pelargonidin's strong electron-donating capabilities underlying its antioxidant mechanism. In animal models, pelargonidin increased protective serum levels of glutathione and catalase while reducing nitrite (an oxidative stress marker). Computational studies confirm favorable radical-scavenging structural properties. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 2 studies | |||
Key findings
- Alzheimer's Disease NeuropathologyImproves (the measure goes down)
- NeuroprotectionImproves (the measure goes up)
- Antioxidant StatusImproves (the measure goes up)
Safety notes in the studies
- A community-based epidemiological study of 575 deceased participants (Rush Memory and Aging Project) found that higher pelargonidin intake was associated with reduced amyloid-beta accumulation and fewer phosphorylated tau tangles in brain tissue, particularly among those without APOE e4 risk factor.
- One month of daily dosing produced no detectable adverse effects.
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- Grade C
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Studies cited
6 studies from PubMed
- Anthocyanins from Rosaceae fruits: diversity, bioactivity, and potential as natural colorants
- Pelargonidin and Berry Intake Associations with Alzheimer's Disease Neuropathology: A Community-Based Study
- The strawberry-derived permeation enhancer pelargonidin enables oral protein delivery
- Structural Activity and HAD Inhibition Efficiency of Pelargonidin and Its Glucoside-A Theoretical Approach
- Pelargonidin-3-O-glucoside and its metabolites have modest anti-inflammatory effects in human whole blood cultures
- Oral pelargonidin exerts dose-dependent neuroprotection in 6-hydroxydopamine rat model of hemi-parkinsonism