MIAMI.- In Nagoya, Japan, the Kinjirushi company seeks to take advantage of the health benefits of wasabi and thus improve the life expectancy and well-being of older people. A study conducted in collaboration with Tohoku University focused on hexaraphane, a type of mustard oil present in small amounts in the roots and rhizomes of wasabi, a popular Japanese sushi spice.
The research looked at whether the compound, known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, has a positive impact on the cognitive function of healthy adults aged 60 and older.
“As a company representative emphasized, “with an aging global population, our goal is to use the health benefits of wasabi to improve the healthy life expectancy and well-being of older people.”
The participants in the study were 72 healthy adults between 60 and 80 years old, and the research took 12 weeks. These were separated into two groups.
One group was given a daily supplement of 0.8 milligrams of hexaraphane (equivalent to 5 grams of wasabi rhizome). The other group was given a placebo for the same period of time.
Cognitive tests conducted after this period revealed that the group taking the supplement experienced a significant improvement in their episodic and working memories compared to the placebo group. These cognitive improvements were especially notable in terms of the ability to process short conversations, perform simple calculations, and match names to faces.
Now, the Kinjirushi company is analyzing how to take advantage of this knowledge to develop medical products that help people improve their memory.
FUENTE: With information from Europa Press