Potential Protective Effects of Hops Compound

A flavonoid found in hops and beer, xanthohumol has been reported to ameliorate a cellular process involved in cognitive flexibility (see http://www.worldhealth.net/news/hops-compound-may-improve-cognitive-skills/ ).  Jianguo Fang, from Lanzhou University  (China), and colleagues conducted lab tests that recveal that xanthohumol protects neuronal cells, observing that the compound “significantly upregulates a panel of phase II cytoprotective genes as well as the corresponding gene products, such as glutathione, heme oxygenase, NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase, thioredoxin, and thioredoxin reductase.”  The study authors submit that xanthohumol “might be a potential candidate for the prevention of neurodegenerative disorders.”