# The Role of Beetroot Ingredients in the Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease
## 3 Phenolic Compounds
[PERSON] and [PERSON] [48] studied the content of ferulic acid in beetroot. They reported the result of 25 mg 100/g d.m. A higher ferulic acid content was observed in beetroot pomace (132.52 mg 100/g d.m.) [22]. [PERSON] et al. [58] reported that ferulic acid shows considerable health benefits, including in terms of antioxidant, antidiabetic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties, with no evident side effects. The neuroprotective capacity of ferulic acid results from its antioxidant properties and the ability to significantly modify the kinetics of \(\beta\)-amyloid aggregate formation (anti-amyloidogenic activity), which is among the causes of AD progression [59]. Ferulic acid shows neuroprotective activity in the course of AD due to its anti-amyloid properties. It inhibits the formation and accumulation of \(\beta\)-amyloid concerns. It also shows the capacity to inhibit \(\beta\)-secretase, an enzyme playing a key role in the etiology of AD [60; 61; 62]. [PERSON] [63] reported that ferulic acid can reduce the expression of the proteins responsible for the development of AD, such as tau protein and \(\beta\)-amyloid precursor protein. It was demonstrated that ferulic acid acts anti-inflammatory by lowering the expression of TNF-\(\alpha\), IL-6, and IL-1\(\beta\)[64]. [PERSON] et al. [65] investigated the therapeutic effects of octyl gallate and ferulic acid in a mouse model of AD. Octyl gallate and ferulic acid were dissolved in distilled water with the addition of dimethyl sulfoxide. The mice received octyl gallate, ferulic acid, and octyl gallate + ferulic acid orally, dosed at 30 mg/kg b.w., once daily over a period of 3 months. The control group received distilled water with dimethyl sulfoxide. After the experimental period, it was observed that the therapy improved the animals' cognitive functions, measured using the Y labyrinth and water labyrinth tests. A reduction of pathological \(\beta\)-amyloid concerns in the brain parenchyma was reported. The authors also observed lower activity of \(\beta\)-secretase. Combined therapy with the use of octyl gallate and ferulic acid reduced inflammation and oxidative stress in the nervous system. [PERSON] et al. [66] analyzed the antioxidant activity of selected phenolic compounds. The conducted experiments revealed that caffeic, protocatechuric, and ferulic acid all showed antioxidant properties measured at, respectively, 1.410, 1.920, and 1.360 mmol/L TEAC (value expressed as Trolox equivalent). [PERSON] et al. [67] conducted an experiment to determine the potential neuroprotective effects of phenol-rich, methanol betroot extract in cases of cortical damage induced using the organophosphate pesticide chlorpyrifos. The research team analyzed the content of the phenolic extract and confirmed the presence of phenolic compounds including cinnamic, gallic, vanillic, caffeic, coumaric, and ferulic acid, as well as catechin. The content of total phenols was 91.6 +/ - 6.36 mg of gallic acid equivalent in 1 g of fresh material. The content of total flavonoids in beetroot was 112.3 +/ - 13.21 mg of quercetin equivalent per gram of fresh material. The experimental group was composed of 28 rats. The animals administered with chlorpyrifos showed a reduced activity of cortical acetylcholinesterase. The neurotoxic effects of chlorpyrifos intensified the oxidation of lipids constituting the cellular walls of neurons. In the group of rats receiving chlorpyrifos (10 mg/kg b.w. once daily for 28 days), the authors reported that the activity of cortical acetylcholinesterase was reduced by approximately half as compared to the control group receiving a saline solution (0.9% NaCl). In the group receiving chlorpyrifos and a beetroot extract (300 ug of extract/kg b.w. for 28 days, once daily an hour before administering 10 mg/kg b.w. of chlorpyrifos), the activity of acetylcholinesterase was observed to be considerably increased, by approximately half when compared to the group receiving chlorpyrifos.