A team of scientists in England has found that naringenin, an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound in grapefruit, oranges and tomatoes, could be the basis for a promising new treatment for polycystic kidney disease (PKD). Using a single-celled amoeba, they found that naringenin inhibits PKD cysts by regulating levels of the PKD2 protein (also known as polycystin-2) in kidney cells. It is estimated that 10 to 15% of PKD cases are caused by mutations of the PKD2 gene, which encodes polycystin-2. The researchers will continue to investigate the connection between naringenin and polycystin-2 and their impact on cyst formation.
Source:
Component of Citrus Fruit Blocks Formation of Kidney Cysts, ScienceDaily, October 3, 2013