(Phytochemicals in) Foods to Prevent and Treat diseases - Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)/myalgic encephalomyelitis (or encephalopathy) (ME) is a relatively common illness, generally defined by persistent fatigue accompanied by other specific symptoms for a minimum of six months in adults (and 3 months in children/adolescents). The physical symptoms can be as disabling as multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, congestive heart failure and other chronic conditions. CFS/ME places a substantial burden on people with the condition, their families and carers, and hence on society(1).

Types of foods to prevent and treat Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)
1. Skins and seeds of grape
Resveratrol is a photochemical found abundantly in skin and seeds of grape. In the study of a chronic fatigue murine model by six repeated injections of Brucella abortus antigen to mice, which was manifested as reduced daily running activity and hippocampal atrophy, showed that resveratrol may be effective for improving fatigue symptoms and enlarging the atrophic hippocampus by repressing apoptosis and promoting neurogenesis(2).

2. Green tea
In the study to investigate chronic fatigue produced in mice by subjecting them to forced swim inside a rectangular jar of specific dimensions for 6 min. daily for 15 days. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG; 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg, p.o., showed that behavioural and biochemical alterations were restored after chronic treatment with EGCG. The present study points out that EGCG could be of therapeutic potential in the treatment of chronic fatigue(3).

3. Caper and apple
Caper and apple capers contain the highest concentration of quercetin over 1,700mg/kg. In the study of  a mouse model of CFS was used in which mice were forced to swim for one 6-minute session on each day for 15 days and the immobility period, showed that Co-administration of antioxidants carvedilol, melatonin, W. somnifera, quercetin or St. John's wort significantly reduced lipid peroxidation and restored the GSH levels decreased by chronic swimming in mice. Further, the treatment increased levels of SOD in the forebrain and of catalase. The findings strongly suggest that oxidative stress plays a significant role in the pathophysiology of CFS and that antioxidants could be useful in the treatment of CFS(4).

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Sources
(1) http://publications.nice.org.uk/chronic-fatigue-syndromemyalgic-encephalomyelitis-or-encephalopathy-cg53
(2) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21372384
(3) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20088847
(4) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12639396