Beetroot molecule may hold hope for MS treatment

Researchers have discovered that a small protein found in beetroot can block the activity of prolyl oligopeptidase (POP), an enzyme that breaks down certain hormones and signalling molecules and which controls inflammation in the body.

The study, published in the Journal of Natural Products, will hopefully pave the way for therapies to target POP. The enzyme’s role is increasingly being explored in neurodegenerative and inflammatory disorders like multiple sclerosis (MS) and Alzheimer’s.